The Fire Within

I gasp myself back to life. Pulling myself ashore from the lake, I grow weak and lay halfway in the water. The trees and leaves blow around me and I shiver at the feeling. How am I still alive?

I struggle to reach up and pull myself the rest of the way out of the water. Looking around me it is green and lush around the lake, with mountains in the distance. Trying not to focus on the pain, I force myself to sit up. Fuck, I hurt so bad, I think to myself. Looking down at myself, I'm bleeding from my side and left leg. As I lift my shirt, I find good-sized cut against my ribs. 'That's not good,' I thought to myself as I relook at my leg. I then realize that my knife was out of its holster and my own knife had impaled me. Preparing myself and clenching a rag in my teeth, I grip the handle and pull it out. A muffled scream left my lips as I breathed heavily into the pain.

I take my backpack off and look in it for something to wrap my wounds with. After shuffling through it, I had come to realize that all that I had left were rags for bandaging. I should have known better, given that was out on this adventure alone this time. I carefully wrap my leg with the little material that I had. It bled through the fabric almost instantly, but I didn't have a choice for much else. I had to focus on finding shelter soon.

After I bandaged up and was able to withstand the pain, I slowly got up to my feet. I soon came to remember that I had no idea where I was or how I got here. Did I hit my head that fucking bad? I take another good look around me to figure out where I was. A forest with deep and luscious greens surrounded the lake. The mountains weren't as far as I thought from the first glance, they were right across the lake. Heavy smoke rose over the mountains, like something was burning from a distance. I don't remember ever being to a place like this. Where is all the dead earth and the scorched buildings? What happened to the gated and barricaded towns of people in the deserted areas? Something was off.

I began to limp my way around the parameter of the lake, clenching my side in pain. Eventually, I collapsed to my knees in pain, as I let out a pained grunt. I realize then that I shouldn't have come on this damn adventure on my own. I felt weak for once, in a very long time.

A sudden roar in the distance drew me away from my thoughts. I looked around frantically, trying to find somewhere to hide, just in case. Footsteps from behind me caught my attention. I turn around quickly, and that's when I see it face to face. It was tall and skinny; you could see every bone in its body. Its hands were nothing, but razor-sharp claws and its face resembled something of a dragon. The creature snarled at me. Before I could even gasp air, it lifted is arm and swung at me with a slash.

* * *

I jolted up and looked around, panicked. My blankets flung off me and onto the floor from me raising up from what I worry of it being a dream or not. Please, tell me that was a dream, I think to myself as I look around. My window let in a small breeze that let the torn and rugged cloth that covered it sway. It was still dark out. My dresser was across the room from me with my broken mirror on the top and the closet was next to it, full of my weapons. I looked to the floor and saw that my torn-up rug and steel floors were still there as well.