The grass was a cloud of viridian, tinged with cerulean where it met the sky. They bled into one another, little green spikes working their way up into the crystal clear blue, with some happy medium of colour being found around them.

Where Fallow lay on the grass, she could feel herself bleeding out into it, her hair rippling golden and red as it fanned out about her, and dribbled down over the hill. It was blissful.

With a hum, she stretched herself out to her full five feet and ten inches, wiggling to let her spine expand and bringing her arms above her head to make herself look even longer. Hands appeared in her hair, and gently gathered it up from under her arms.

“You’re getting pale pink in your hair,” a soft voice said. It was the voice Fallow always craved, but dreaded to hear.

“I didn’t mean to,” she said, tipping her head back and opening her eyes, trying to see the person behind her, just to be sure it was who she thought it was.

“I know you didn’t,” the voice said, twisting the hair lightly, until it began to look like rope. “Such pretty colours, it’s a shame to spoil them. Look, you’ve gotten green on the ends.”

Fallow grinned, and set her head back down, eyes closing as they pointed up to the sky. While it may have been blue where it met the ground, above her it was blinding white.

“I’ll blot it with a tissue, and do it again,” she murmured, frowning as she realised what she had just said, and that it made no sense at all.

The voice didn’t seem to be perturbed by this.

“It’s too late, you’re already drying out,” it said. One hand came forward to lightly touch one side of Fallow’s face. It sizzled and hissed like water going onto hot coals, and Fallow flinched sharply at the sound, rolling onto her side and sitting up.

“Did that hurt?” she said, eyes wide with concern.

The blonde woman shook her head and smiled, holding her hand out to Fallow palm up to show that it’s pale, translucent surface was free of any marks.

“I think you need to move,” she said.

“Why?” said Fallow. “I like it here.”

“I know you do, but look at yourself,” the woman said, pointing to Fallow’s arm.

Obediently, Fallow looked down, to see that her skin had begun to bubble, foaming and frothing at the edges as she began to boil. She looked back to the woman in horror, and tried to scramble to her feet, but the liquid grass beneath her had become sticky, holding her down to the ground like glue. She reached out with her hand to the woman, but she had already gotten to her feet, and turned to walk away.

“Mum!” Fallow cried out after her, but it was too late – everything from the woman’s straw-blonde hair to the red and white patterned hem of her dress had melted away into the inky darkness. Fallow hadn’t even realised that such a darkness had been looming so close behind her. It began to expand into the scene, a bleeding front of indigo enveloping the rich green and vibrant blue, bruising them to black.

Fallow struggled, leaning back, her hands scrabbling at her legs in a desperate attempt to prize them free.

A spike shot forward from the black, and went straight through her shoulder. A sharp sensation shot through her, as her whole body went rigid, and -