Sylvia's Mother...

Life is strange to say the least. Who knows what sad, weird and wonderful happenings take place around us... Who’s to say we should understand, believe, trust and have faith? Each and every one of us has our own story to tell. Come on, come closer and listen to Sylvia’s. Her story is one of bravery and goes to show how powerful the mind can be. Even when Sylvia lived through something so traumatic, in order to survive it was necessary for her to make up her own reality... or was it made up? Did Sylvia’s mother really return from the other side to protect her daughter...? Read on and make your own mind up!

Gasping for breath Sylvia darts out from the clinging darkness of the tunnel; her heart hammers to the beat of an invisible drum. Clothes now torn and dirty flow from out behind her like beautiful, silky material, dancers wear in faraway dream sequences. Only this isn’t a dream, Sylvia's assailant with brute force pushed her face into filthy wet mud; she still smells the stink of it because it's thickly caked within her nostrils.

Crying from the sheer effort it takes to physically pull herself up the never-ending flight of steps which are set steeply into the side of the hill. Sylvia grabs desperately at the freezing handrail; heaves towards the final step. Glimpses back into terrifying darkness, she’s convinced he hasn’t followed. Grateful, she spots a telephone box.

“999 what is your emergency?” The high pitched tinny voice enquired.

“Police” Sylvia screams “Police”

“Calm down miss, tell me what the problem is?”

“I’ve been attacked; I don’t know where I am”

“Try to remain calm your number is being auto-tracked, I’ll remain on the phone with you until the police get there”

Into the mouth piece Sylvia sobs uncontrollably. Pushing the phone savagely into her right cheek she feels strangely comforted by the fact somebody’s talking to her.

“Are you there Miss?”

“I’m here but I need help, oh my god I’m bleeding I think I need an ambulance”

In the overhead dimness of murky night lights, a deep crimson colour reflects and shimmers.

“Oh my god there’s so much blood”

“Tell me what happened” the tinny voice said calmly “Miss, are you there?”

Sylvia slowly slid down the glass partition of the phone box. Holding her stomach she feels wet and warm, the blood leaks in small pulses through her fingers.

“Miss, Miss are you there?”

“Yes, yeah I’m here but I feel bad, I’m bleeding”

“I have dispatched a police car and ambulance to your tracked location; they will be with you in five minutes”

The operator felt extremely anxious for this young girl, she took repeated calls like this on a regular basis and wondered what the hell she was still doing working here.

Meanwhile on the floor, Sylvia looks over towards the mountain of steps she’d just climbed. In the darkness she saw his silhouette; she screams and screams. He just stands there looking at her. A sick, evil grin spreads throughout his face, in his hand the knife glints like a piece of crystal in blazing sunlight.

Panic stricken she struggles to her feet, Sylvia drops the phone; the alarm in the operator's voice is heard.

"Run, run to the nearest road"

In the distance sirens are heard and although a few minutes ago that would have been comforting, right now it wasn’t.

Looking behind, Sylvia could see even the sound of sirens had not put her attacker off; he walks slowly like a cat playing with its prey.

“Why?” Sylvia screamed as she ran “Why?”

“Because I could” he hissed.

Clutching her stomach, feeling the blood flow fast between her fingers she is convinced the exertion of running is responsible for her feeling dizzy.

You know Sylvia was not a bad person but she didn’t believe in god even so, she senses surprise as she hears herself desperately praying, asking, begging and pleading the good lord for help. Ahead she makes out the main road as well as headlights from vehicles, if she could just get to the road someone would stop.

From behind she hears him; she feels the hairs on her body rise.

“What does it feel like to be hunted?” her attacker whispers menacingly.

Don’t answer, Sylvia thought don’t answer, you need all your strength to run.

“What does it feel like to be hunted?” he hisses again.

One foot in front of the other Sylvia, keep going.

From out of nowhere but within the dark Sylvia suddenly hears her mother’s calm sweet voice,

“Grab my hand darling, hold it tight and run with me like the wind, I will protect you”

Joy surged within Sylvia’s heart, feeling the warm touch from her mother’s hand; it magically spurns her on with speed she’s never felt before.

In the darkness, the sky lights up from the hue of flashing blue lights as they race in haste towards her...

Caught up in bright headlights, three figures run at speed... just as the attacker raises his knife welding right hand for the very last time, a woman turns and slams him to the ground. Without warning Sylvia feels her mother let go, when she screams in fright her mother demands with urgency that she keeps running.

Looking up from his spot the attacker is confused. He sees Sylvia's mother looking down on him in disgust... the attacker still doesn't fathom it out before he closes his eyes for the very last time.

The police officer has to sprint after Sylvia to stop and reassure her that the nightmare is over.

In the back of the ambulance a commotion is taking place.

“What is it?” the paramedic asks.

“My mum, please don’t leave without my mum" Sylvia sobs “she saved me”

The police officer reassures the paramedic.

“The location is being explored and taped off, looks like he stupidly fell onto his knife, we’re just waiting for the coroner” the officer scratches his forehead, “strange though, this young lady meets a clear description of the daughter and mother who disappeared over a week ago”

The paramedic sighs heavily. “She’s hysterical, genuinely believes her mother is still out in the field with her attacker”

The police officer advises Sylvia of the situation, but this just causes her to become more distraught.

The paramedic expertly injects something soothing to calm her; they know they have to rush her in; this young lady has lost a lot of her life’s precious fluid. On closer examination there’s not just one puncture wound, there are numerous stab sites, one in the front with several in her back.

As the paramedic re-sets the drip he knows whatever this guy wanted, he didn’t want her to live.

Banging the doors shut, the blue light resumes its job. The paramedic slowly shakes his head, he observes Sylvia smile as she talks away to her imaginary mother.