The Figure

It was so dark, she almost felt as if she were falling into the woods where walked. The ground beneath her feet was soft from the rain that had fallen earlier, but the air didn't smell fresh and crisp as it usually does after an autumn rain. Instead, the air smelled stale and rotten, and oddly sweet yet sour. She was unsure of what the smell was, but she knew she didn't want to find out. Something about it sent warning signals to her. She began to run blindly in the dark, and soon hopelessness started to wash over her.

Finally, she saw a light in the small clearing and ran towards it, hoping to leave this place. As she got closer, she saw something above the fire that had been the light she was running towards. It was still too far to see clearly. Once she was close enough, she stopped and stared in horror. She suddenly remembered where she was and gave out a bone chilling scream that echoed through the darkness. She saw herself hanging from a branch, her face twisted in torment and agony as the people around the fire laughed and retold the story of how they chased that "colored girl" down like a frightened deer. This was her hell, reliving this horror night after night with no reprieve.