Rest at Last

The final mouse came and, like the one before him fell into the trap. Angela was still not used to the sight of blood but at least now she goes pale instead of gagging. With the adrenalin leaving her system Angela finally realises how tired she actually is as all of her muscles start to ache.

Opening up the menu, Angela selects assimilate before dropping to the ground; too tired to even make it to her bed. ignoring the multitude of notifications Angela falls into a deep sleep.

The chirping of birds causes Angela and her expression quickly changes to one of bewilderment, she is no longer in the void, instead finding herself in the forest she grew up next to.

At first Angela wonders if the void was a dream but, noticing the blood still covering her hands and dress, she realises that was just a misguided hope. Angela picks herself up an starts making her way towards the manor she used to live in.

As she nears the manor Angela hears familiar voices, accompanied by sobbing. Entering a clearing Angela sees a group of people she almost recognises surrounding something she can't quite see, grave expressions on their faces. She creeps forward until she can see properly but freezes in place at the scene.

Her little sister Charlotte , who was always smiling and asking to be doted on, was collapsed on the floor sobbing and crying. Her big brother Charles is sat beside Charlotte, comforting her with a forlorn expression on his face.

What shocked her the most however was the casket in front of them, a casket holding her own body. Angela feels a pain in her chest; her heart beats faster and faster. She wants to rush out and reassure them, tell them "I am here, I am right here" but when she tries no words come out.

Angela moves towards the crowd but no one seems to be able to see her. She reaches out to touch someone and her arm passes right through them. Slowly, Angela walks towards her siblings, going faster and faster with every step.

Just as she is about to reach out and touch her sister Angela's body stops responding to her thoughts, she wants to move but she just can't. Thunder and lightning materialise out of nowhere and the sky darkens at a speed visible to the eye.

Angela starts to panic, she can feel the ominous energy in the air and wills herself to move with every fibre of her being. The people around her - she now recognises them as distant relatives and colleagues of her long dead parents - start to contort. They lose their human figure and instead become massive wolves; grey with long, slobbering tongues and sharp fangs.

At this point, Angela's siblings turn their heads to look at her. They opened their mouths in unison "You left us here." they spoke, perfectly in sync with each other. "You could have saved us. But you left, just like mother and father did."

A series of emotions show on Angela's face: pain, fear, helplessness. The wolves pounce and Angela is finally able to scream out, though she cannot do anything to change the result; the wolves quickly reach the siblings and tear them to pieces, ripping flesh from bone and skin from flesh.

Angela wakes, sweat pouring down her face, screaming in terror for a whole 10 minutes before coming to her senses. She staggers to her feet and wipes her face with the cleanest part of her forearm. Weary despite her sleep Angela prepares herself, she has a reason to struggle now.