Thump...
The moment the outside air hits me, I fight the urge to throw up.
The air is asphyxiating with something rotten.
I block my nose with both my hands as I stare at Ma. She doesn’t seem bothered by the smell as if she’s not detecting it.
How could she not? The rotten air is so potent like a fucking morgue.
Wait.
A morgue?
“Hush little baby don’t you cry…”
No.
Ma continues stroking the little child’s hair. “Everything is going to be alright.”
No. Shut up, Ma.
I block both my ears with my hands.
It’s useless.
The sound continues barging through my head like a symphony gone wrong.
The scratching of nails against a chalkboard.
The monsters’ slow haunting murmurs.
“Hush little baby… hush little baby…”
Her voice grows in volume and intensity. It’s the only thing I hear.
It possesses me and flows under my skin.
I can’t even make out my own breathing.
I can’t even hear my own heartbeat.
“Hush…”
“Hush…”
“Shut up!” I scream, but no words come out. “Shut up, Ma!”
The little girl raises her head.
I freeze.
Slowly, too slowly, her head turns in my direction. My heartbeat nearly stops when I meet those blue eyes.
The same eyes as mine.
Me.
The girl is me.