Miraculous: Tales of the Unknown

by Krystal McLaughlin

  I know what I need to do. After I calm my nerves as best as I can, I slip from my bed and silently walk downstairs. I rummage through the junk drawer in the kitchen until I find what I am looking for. Razor blade in hand, I walk back to my room, lay down on my bed, and do what has to be done.

  The blade pierces my skin, filling my body with pain. In this pain, I find closure. No one will be harmed because of me again. As I drift off into that final sleep, I whisper, “I’m coming Koah. I’ll be with you soon.”

  The Chosen One

  By: Heather Kirchhoff

  © 2013 by Heather Kirchhoff

  A beam shoots across the darkened night sky with clouds light gray, blue, and black. The beam was white-golden, and extremely bright. It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before. Naturally, I get up and slowly open the door, stepping out into the cool night breeze. Wonder prickles at my flesh as I make my way towards the spot where it disappears. My necklace starts to glow brilliantly, and I flinch away from it when my hand just barely brushes it. The metal’s extremely hot, almost as if it had been in flames a moment before.

  I scan the area, watching the stars twinkle far above. The moon washes down on me, casting an eerie glow. I smile as I lift my face towards it, closing my eyes for a few moments.

  “Ahh, there you are. The Chosen One. We’ve been waiting for you.” A voice spoke from the thickness of the fog which was now surrounding me. I feel my heart pick up as my eyes rest upon red ones. I gasp when there’s a cold caress against my warm flesh. My thoughts scatter as I find myself face-to-face with a monster. I freeze in my tracks, watching its every move. In the moonlight, I could just barely make out its face full of sparkling scales, hooves for feet, and its teeth are razor sharp as the creature smiles. I stifle a scream as it reaches for me with hands that’s claws. I begin to back away slowly, my eyes never leaving the monster. “Come, Chosen One. We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Chosen One? There’s no way.

  I couldn’t speak. When his claws grasp me, I flinch, trying my best to dance out of his way. Another beam darts across the sky with two more following. My eyes trail after them before they vanish with distance. Longing twists within me as realization sparks.

  Its grasp was firm as the creature pulls me along. His red bead eyes stare into mine as his free claw slowly trails along my waist. I try to pull away, but he’s too strong. Panic starts to bubble within me as the creature tightens his grasp on me, a hollow laugh escaping from him. His eyes flicker with joy, sensing my fear. I know my eyes are wide as I gaze at him, watching his red eyes peer around us.

  I flinch again as a fierce stab of pain shoots through my veins, scorching like fire. I close my eyes tightly shut, wishing for it to stop. Wishing I could just disappear. Except I can’t. My reality was becoming unrealistic the more I stand here, trying to pretend I was in my bed, cuddling with my dog. I imagine his whimper once he realizes I’m gone. Will I ever see him again? Will I even live?

  “What do you want with me?” I ask, my voice shaking. “Please just leave me alone. Let go!”

  I swallow as cool hands grasp me, flowing up my spine. I just want to be free.

  “You’re the one. You can save us.”

  His words didn’t make sense to me. I try protesting, but it wasn’t worth it. The monster won’t listen to me.

  “My family will come looking for me!” I exclaim in a final attempt to get free. “Then they’ll kill you. All of you!”

  The only answer I got was a bloodcurdling screech. Its claw sinks deep into my flesh, the creature’s eyes peering into mine.

  Then everything changes.

  The wind grows harsher, whipping against my flesh as if it was angry about something. Tears sting my eyes, but they never come. Thankfully.

  I feel a soft beam absorbing my body, carrying me upwards. I bask in its sense of calm. It’s as if I was floating, light absorbing into me, and piercing my soul. A small smile curls my lips upward for a split second, and I suddenly had the urge to fling my arms out. Except when I try to move them, I can’t. It’s as if they’re chained to my sides. When panic begins to take over, it’s quickly shut out by the light. For a second, I thought that was weird, but didn’t spend too much time on it.

  My body jolts the second we stop. I open my eyes as a few more of the creatures join us, flanking on either side. Where my captor still has a hold of me starts to sting even worse than it did before. I attempt to glance around, only to find I can’t. Everything’s way too bright in here. I can hear all kinds of machines beeping softly, feeling the tension boiling from others we pass as I’m forced to walk.

  We stop at a metal chair with cuffs, and all kinds of lights hooked up to it. I start to protest when two of them make me sit, beginning to strap me in the same minute.

  “What is this? What’s going on?” I demand, staring at the machine before me.

  “I’m sorry,” the one that brought me here said as it pushes a button. “But we need to be saved, we need to get rid of humanity once and for all. And you’re the only thing that can help us.” Then he taps the button, and I fall into a bizarre sleep as everything around me begins to beep, singling a changing human.

  A new life’s being born.

  The torment in my body’s too much, but I had a sense of peace, that everything is going to be okay. Screams echoes all around the longer the pain’s being inflected. My flesh feels like it’s being torn apart, like a million little teeth sinking into the soft tissue.

  A high, screeching noise jolts me awake. My eyes snap open-only to be blinded by the white light that swirls around me.

  “Ah-she’s awake! Sir, sir she’s woken!”

  There was movement not far from me-the sound of hooves racing. I blink against the hot light, trying to see through it. All I can make out were three dark figures standing above me.

  “So she is,” I heard one of them say, his voice deep and screechy.

  “Indeed, indeed!” another exclaims. “Finally, we can be saved!”

  “So it seems. Yes, yes, we will be saved!”

  “Speak no more, little ones.”

  I try focusing on them, but my vision was blurry. I blink a few times, squinting at the looming figure before me. “Where am I?” I ask slowly. My voice sounds different somehow. As if it’s deeper in a way.

  “There’s time for that later.”

  I peer through the brightness, taking note of the green scales and claws. “Why am I here? Where am I?” I repeat, my voice beginning to shake.

  “You will help us!" a voice squeals.

  “No,” I begin, only to be cut off by the leader.

  “You will save us. You’re the key to destroying humanity.”

  “What?” I exclaim. “No. I-I can’t!”

  “You can, and you will.”

  “But my family!”

  “You’re not one of them now, little one. You’re one of us. You’re the Chosen One.”

  “What does that even mean?” I demand. These creatures aren’t making any sense to me.

  “It means you can never go back. Your family will kill you once they see you-or you will kill them.”

  I can’t even speak. I would never hurt my family like that. I don’t care who they say I am. My family’s important to me. But you’re the Chosen One, a voice whispers to me, swirling around me like music. Your humanity will soon be gone-and you won’t even think about it. You will only act.

  No. I can’t do that. I can’t be anything but me.

  You’re still you, but in a different form, that same voice whispers again. You’re much stronger than them. You’re not human. Nor will you ever be again.

  A tingling sensation sweeps through me, but no tears come. Only emptiness. I sit up, noticing their reactions. The closest one takes a small step closer, his eyes never leaving me. I glance around the dim room, taking notes of the machines. Silence fills the space, up until I can’t take it anymore.

  Just when I’m about to speak, the one farthest
from me says in a metallic voice, “When can we show her?” His red eyes looks eager. My stomach churns, I quickly look away.

  “What does he mean?”

  “It should be time, Master.”

  “Indeed, it is,” the Master agrees.

  “What are they talking about?” I repeat my burning question. My eyes dart between them, my mouth growing dry. “What happened to me?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? You’re one of us now.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  The creature hisses, his red eyes glaring into mine. He takes a step closer to me. “Of course you don’t. You don’t understand our world.”

  “You will in time,” another chimes.

  “I don’t want to wait. I want-no, need-to know now. What’s going on?”

  “Sir, sir, you’re needed!” a girl’s voice suddenly speaks. It’s high pitched and jagged.

  “I’m busy dealing with the Chosen One,” the Master replies. “What is it?”

  “Humans have captured one of us!” she wails.

  All of my companions turn towards her, their eyes wide.

  “What?”

  “No!”

  “Who?”

  “Silence!” the Master snaps. He fixes his gaze back on to the girl. “You must tell me everything,” he demands.

  Then she notices me for the first time. “Who’s that?” she asks. Curiosity creeps into her voice.

  “The one that will save us.”

  I sigh. I wish they’d just tell me what they’re talking about.

  “She looks so young.”

  “The younger, the better.” he says. “Now, who was taken?”

  “I don’t know. That’s all I know. I was told to come get you.”

  “Lead me to who sent you.” Before they leave, he turns to the others with us. “Make sure she’s comfortable. Get her ready for what’s to come, if you can. Don’t overdue it.”

  “Yes, sir,” they chime in unison.

  “Excellent,” he responds before following the little girl.

  “What am I?” I ask slowly. Dread twists within me, grasping me with cool hands.

  “What we are,” a blue creature says.

  “A monster?”

  “No, no. We’re nothing like that.”

  “Oh, really? You just kidnapped me.”

  “Because we need you.”

  “So that makes you a monster.”

  “No,” he insists. “Not at all.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “You don’t have to,” a light green one answers.

  I narrow my eyes. “Where are we?”

  “A spaceship.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groan.

  “We don’t kid,” the blue one speaks up.

  I roll my eyes. How did this happen? How can I be connected to these creatures?

  “Why am I here?”

  None of them responds. I glanced at each of them, my eyes seeking for answers.

  “Well?” I prompt.

  “You have to help us rule the world,” the blue one says, stepping forward.

  “Rule the world?” I echo. “Why me?”

  “We don’t know. You were in a prophecy.”

  “A prophecy?” I repeat unbelievingly.

  “Yes, Chosen One.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  “We don’t know.”

  “What do you know? How is this supposed to go?”

  “First, you must learn,” he replies, inclining his head towards the doorway.

  “Learn?” I ask, my heart beginning to race. “What if I don’t want this?”

  “There’s no going back once you’re one of us.”

  “But I didn’t choose this!”

  “Doesn’t matter. Come, we must show you the rest of the ship.”

  “Your new home,” the light green one adds.

  This can’t be happening. Except it is. I’m now a monster-and not of my choosing. I can never go back, no matter how much I want to. I have to go on. I have no choice.

  The spaceship has all kinds of green lights flickering, soft beeping noises as stations are worked at. It looks…amazing. I gasp as I take it all in. I look up only to see the dark night sky and twinkling stars.

  “Wow,” I whisper.

  A few of the creatures peer up at us as we pass. I advert my eyes quickly while my companions nod at them.

  “Prisoner?” I heard a female voice murmur to the blue one.

  “Far from it.”

  I then caught my reflection in a smooth glass surface. I gasp, my eyes widening. My blonde hair was much lighter, and a green hue covers my body. My eyes shone their unusual blue, but it was disappearing, leaving behind a glimmering red. This can’t be me.

  “No,” I say softly, horrified. “No way.”

  “Something wrong?”

  “What happened to me?” I can’t get my voice above a whisper. “Why am I like this?”

  My eyes stays glued to my appearance. My breathing goes shallow. I watch as my skin shimmers a ghastly green, and my eyes flares a harsh red. I touch my cheek; I notice my hand’s shaking and I clench it into a fist. I swallow, fear boiling within me.

  “You’re one of us now,” Blue answers my question, trailing his claw down my spine. I shiver, slightly pulling away.

  “W-why do I look like this?”

  “We don’t know. I’d say since you were a human-and the Chosen One-this is how you’re supposed to look.”

  “That doesn’t help.” I try to keep my voice calm, but I can feel my anger slipping. How could they do this to me? “I don’t want to look like this.”

  “We can’t help that.”

  “Damn it!” I exclaim. “Why me? Why do I have to be the one?” Why am I the one taken from my family? These questions ring in my ears, bouncing around my head. Why why why? I sigh, knowing there’s no answers. It is what it is, I suppose. I’ll just have to sadly except it. No.

  You know you can’t. No matter how much you try. Your family will always be on your mind. Be careful, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself in to. You make one mistake and your family could die.

  That voice penetrates the silence, saying the very things I hoped to never hear. I can’t let that happen. Not now, not ever. It doesn’t matter what I look like or who I am, my family isn’t going to be hurt because of me.

  Then be careful.

  “Chosen One, come. We still have a lot to show you.”

  I blink, focusing on Blue. “Please stop calling me that,” I request, my eyes piercing his. “My name’s Lily. If anything, call me that.”

  “Don’t you want to be the Chosen One?” a female asks, her scaly skin a shimmering red.

  No. I don’t want any of this. But I knew I couldn’t say that. I’d be risking everything. So I simply lied. “I don’t know.”

  “Whether you do or not, it’s out of your hands. You are the One. Live up to it.”

  “I’m sick of being called it,” I snap. “Please go by my real name or nothing.”

  A long moment passes before the blue creature replies. “As you wish.”

  “Thank you,” I mutter as I’m shuffled forward. “What next?”

  None of them answers. I’m herded through a doorway, and I suddenly stop. My eyes widen as I survey my surroundings. We were standing on a platform encircled with glass running on both sides, ensuring no one falls off. There was a spiral staircase, circling from top to bottom. I glance down, my stomach flipping as I realize how far up I am. My breathing slows as I step back, now standing in the center.

  “What is it?” the blue one asks me, turning his red eyes to what’s beyond the railing.

  “N-nothing,” I stammer, my body beginning to shake.

  “Come over here, then. It’s okay, you won’t fall off.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “It’s been like this for forever. No one has yet.”

  No one has yet. But that doesn’t me
an someone won’t. I tell them as much, sinking down onto my knees.