When they found Anne she had been alone for 4 months.

Though she didn’t know that.

The first thing my team noticed when we got to the house in the woods was the smell.

The cloying opressivness of it.

Like it was choking you out.

As we approached the run down shack, the snow still clung to their feet.

The cold had been consuming over the past few months.

We weren’t looking for survivors.

We didn’t expect survivors.

It was worse that there were survivors.

We entered.

The floor creaking and the the wind whistling through the broken planks.

Our flashlights crisscrossed the space.

That’s when we found the first body.

It had been dead a long time.

It’s whole body was purple and bloated, the hair thin and greasy. And upon further inspection it only had three fingers.

The strangest thing however, was its position. It was sitting in a rocking chair in the corner, slowly swaying back and forth. It’s legs were crossed and its fingers laced.

It’s faced was arranged into a slight smile and it’s eyes were open staring into space.

The second body was found in a kitchen of sorts. Arranged like it was reading the paper.

It’s hair was braided messily, and piled on its head. It’s fingers were gone.

The third body was on a makeshift bed. Twigs and leaves lumped together. It was young. So freaking young. Barely older then 3. It’s eyes were closed and it was curled up. Like it was sleeping.

It only had three fingers.

I couldn’t bring myself to look longer then a second.

The last body was still moving. Shivering in the corner. Scratching at the floor.

Her hair was long and matted, twigs and mud caked in. When she turned around I though she was an animal. Her eyes were rabid. Her face covered in blood and grime.

Her clothes hung off her frame and her face was gaunt. She didn’t run to us, celebrating the fact that she was saved.

She didn’t look happy at all.

When we first found Anne, we wondered if she was even truly alive.

Weeks later, when we finally got her to talk, we found at she had been moving the bodies. Slowly, painstakingly across the floor. Arranging them in familiar ways.

She thought her family was alive.

The whole time.

She put her baby brother to bed. Gave her mother the morning paper. Sat in her fathers lap as they rocked.

Back and forth

Back and forth

Back and forth

It’s incredible what your mind will do to keep you safe.

Keep you going.

It’s incredible what your brain will do in the name of love.

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Sorry this is a long one 😅

I did change the prompt a bit as well. Hope you liked it.