Forever Family: A Novel by TJ Bragg

Author:TJ Bragg [Bragg, TJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SolarJoy Publication
Published: 2024-04-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

CLARA

The wind howled all around Clara, who remained motionless while her hair twirled around her face like ghostly fingers. As she slowly regained consciousness, she realized she was lying on a bed of cold, rough stones. Nature’s debris clung to her face when she lifted her head. Her arm scraped against the jagged stones as she raised her hand from beneath her head.

The heavens unleashed a blinding burst of lightning, exposing tendrils of ominous clouds creeping closer to her. As the night grew darker, a mysterious hand of shadows loomed over the moon and stars, as if ready to snatch them away and plunge the world into darkness. The air was thick and heavy, carrying with it a musty scent of soil and decay.

Unnatural shadows were created among the tall weeds whipping in the wind near the deep woodland that lay ahead. As Clara breathed in and out, the tree trunks swayed in perfect unison to her rhythm, as if they were alive and breathing alongside her. The rustling of leaves echoed through the silence as they desperately tried to escape the increasing wind, entangled in the twisted maze of branches that lashed menacingly back and forth.

The deafening roar of thunder rumbled through the desolate terrain, as if the very earth trembled in fear. Clara clung to an exposed root, her nervous fingers clinging to her only lifeline amid the frenzied whirlwind of scattered fragments. A sound spread through the air as the roots writhed and twisted their way out of the shadowy earth, resembling the crunch of compacted snow. For years, the remains of a child had lain hidden beneath the earth, unnoticed and forgotten. But now, as the soil and roots transformed into a tombstone, a skeleton had emerged, a haunting reminder of a tragic past.

It’s not Lucy.

“Why didn’t you save me?” From the abandoned grave, Clara could hear Lucy’s voice escape from the neglected remains.

“It’s not you!” Clara said as her hand stretched toward the bones.

Her gentle touch caused the bones to crumble into fine dust. Touching the particles caused them to slip through her fingers, swirling and dancing as they fell to the ground, their movements growing more frenzied as the storm intensified. Clara cowered in fear as sharp bone shards whizzed past her, narrowly missing her face. She stumbled backward, the ominous dust swirled around her and grew larger by the second. The wind howled, carrying more and more grit and debris. A spiraling vortex of dark clouds descended from the sky, merging with the growing dust storm below.

“I’m not here. It’s not real.”

Amid the howling storm, Clara’s desperate cries were swallowed by the merciless winds.

As the supporting structures gave way, the trees let out a moan of pain and lifted from the ground to join the swirling mass. The twisted branches reached out through the atmosphere, resembling spears from an ancient battlefield.

The trees crashed together, causing showers of splintered wood to rain down upon Clara. She fell to the earth and shielded her head with her hands.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.