Plasma

Meredith panted as she lay on a pool of her blood. Sweat shone on her face, as she took a break from her attempt to reach the door. The nightmare might end abruptly for her but she couldn’t let it end the life of her daughter. There was no time to waste, so she somehow mustered the strength to get back to moving towards the door.

She couldn’t get on all four of her limbs. She had no choice but to continue sliding on the floor, pulling herself forward with the hand not covering the puncture in her stomach. The blood was seeping into her clothes but she had to move on.

Come on, Meredith. She thought to herself. You have to-

She let out a strangled scream as excruciating pain pulsated from her gut and all of her thoughts evaporated. It was just her and her pain. The pain consumed her whole. It tore away at her declining sanity and ate away at her waning strength. Her body spasmed and her eyes rolled back in her head. The agony was too much.

And then suddenly, it miraculously dissipated into the background, as abruptly as it had emerged,

Then her only thought was of her daughter, whom she had yet to find.

He hadn’t mentioned anything about a child while he laughed like a maniac, praising himself on how easily he had cornered her, his wicked knife gleaming under the fluorescent lighting, pointed towards her. But less thought on how she had gotten here and more on finding her daughter.

How she had even managed to move a yard from where she had initially fallen from being stabbed in the gut was beyond her, but she thanked the Gods she had forsaken years ago. It had to be their blessing, bless their forgiving hearts, that she could manage to form a few coherent thoughts in that condition. Time was running short and she couldn’t waste it.

Sweat dripped down her face and onto the bloody floor. Another scream tried to claw its way out of her throat but she swallowed it. She had to make sure that he wasn’t coming back for round two. It wouldn’t end well for her or her daughter.

Oh, Gods. What if he was looking for her right now or has her as his captive with his knife slick with her blood? She couldn’t risk the chance. She had to scream to get his attention. Even if she loses her life, maybe, just maybe, Hazel would get the chance to live.

Alarm bells went off in her head when she felt her senses dimming. It meant her body was giving up. Black spots crept into her vision and rapidly multiplied.

No.

She couldn’t let this happen yet. She had to find her. Her Hazel.

Memories pierced through the dark veil taking over her vision.

She could hear the tinkling laughter of her daughter as she grasped at the swinging fall of Meredith’s hair. Meredith was making her laugh and the sound of her giggling rang like a melody in her ears.

Her daughter’s look of joy dominated her face when she saw herself in the mirror with Meredith’s hair falling down her shoulders. She would be even more beautiful when her dark brown hair, much like Meredith’s, would grow long.

Beautiful Hazel.

Meredith felt her body taking its last sip at her strength and then she knew.

This was it. She would never get to see her daughter in the sunlight, with long hair falling past her shoulders, her hazel eyes shining bright as she laughed at a silly joke Meredith had made. This would be the last night for Hazel as a girl with her own mother as her living, breathing guardian. This would be the beginning of a miserable life.

Hazel, I wish you had glowed bright enough for Mommy to find you.

Meredith exhaled her last breath and went still, the pool of her blood spreading as if it was trying to do what its host couldn’t.

To reach their daughter.