Brandy is the mother of four, stepmom of two, homemaker, and lover of the mysterious. She grew up with a single mom who was in the military and spent most of her youth enveloped in books. Writing has always been a passion, though most were critical of the dark nature of her prose and poetry. A spark has recently been reignited and she would like to welcome you down the rabbit hole of her mind.
You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/brandy.larson.7773?mibextid=LQQJ4d
THROUGH THE VOID
by
Brandy Cornett
I stare through the voids that were once my eyes. Before the void, was a sea of tiny black dots flooding my view. Before the flood, a sharp pain felt within a dream that would transform into a real-life nightmare. My mind drifts back a few weeks to my first mistake and the rest of the nightmare begins to align.
It was the beginning of November and autumn had finally made its way to my small town. I was so excited for the crisp evening air, that I turned off the A/C and opened my bedroom window. I snuggled in under the covers, relishing the contrast of the cool air and the warm cocoon of my bed.
Sunlight filtered in through my curtains, its rays landing across my eyes. I groaned against the dawn and the inevitable task of peeling myself from the warmth I had become accustom. I breathed in, feeling a little stuffed up. Must be the allergens from the fresh air. Nothing a hot shower and a coffee couldn’t cure.
I worked through the day with congestion and a slight tickle in my ear that eventually turned into what I could only describe as hearing underwater. I rubbed it, and tried to pressurize my ear, but nothing worked. It didn’t hurt so eventually I ignored it, falling asleep while my living nightmare weaved its torrid web.
After a week of the annoying pressure in my sinuses, hearing loss in the one ear, and an insane amount of over-the-counter cold medicine, I was able to get a Tele-doc appointment with my doctor. Diagnosis: sinus infection that had probably turned into an ear infection as well. He prescribed me an antibiotic and said I should be better in a few days but to be sure to take it for the full ten days. Ten days later a miracle happened. While still feeling pressure in my ear and nose, I could hear more clearly and breathe much better.
This is where the true horror that I had been so casually living comes to light. There’s a tickle in my ear and sinuses that starts that week. Slowly it intensifies. By the end of the week, I’m constantly rubbing my face and pounding my ear to get it to stop. It sends shivers through my whole body and I’m at the point where I can’t do anything. I have an in-person appointment tomorrow, but God I don’t know how I’m going to make it through this night. I take an Ambien and lay in bed praying for unconsciousness to swallow me.
Tiny hairs softly brush my cheek. I rustle out of my peaceful dream, raise my hand to brush away what I assume is my hair. My hand touches something and a sharp pain engulfs my face. I’m thrust from my dream state as peace becomes terror. My eyes fly open only to reveal the culprit of my mystery illness. Eyes, one set. Beyond those… tiny eyes upon its back, hundreds of them staring at me. The tickle begins again, and I feel something crawl out of my nose. Panic overwhelms me and I swat my face. Bad move. Hundreds of tiny little bodies flood my face. I scream and that is the beginning of the end. They scurry into my mouth, up my nose flooding my sinuses, into my ears, and down my body. I scratch, and smack, and writhe in pain as they make their way as far away from my assaults as possible. It was then that I slipped on my rug, hit my head on the corner of my dresser, and fell to the floor.
Here I lay, in a pool of my own blood, staring through the voids that were once my eyes. I am their home now and forever. They were born inside of me, I’m all they’ve ever known. Nothing or no one will ever be able to take me away from them. Their mothers found the perfect host the night they crawled through my window.