A/N: To new readers, this is a continuation of the Myte series. However, not reading the previous stories will not be detrimental to your understanding of this story. The basic set-up is the series takes place in a universe called "the Sphere." There, the universe is broken up into difference places called "fragments" - all connected to each other but differing in time flow and cultures. The storyline centers around the Group - private detectives trying to stop an unknown evil known as Him. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me with them.

Time: 12:05 ?

Apprehension

concerning a girl and the emotion of fear

The dank, musty air penetrated the girl's senses. She felt it everywhere and on every part of her body. Her skin tingled under it. With every breath she took, she smelled it. It floated all around her, into her ears, her mouth, her nose, her skin. She couldn't escape it. It was suffocating her.

The girl wondered if she would have felt better had the situation been different. Maybe the stuffy air would have been a minor irritation, instead of the foreboding presence it was. The darkness could have reminded her of the night sky filled with stars, but instead it chilled her to the bone. The pile of boxes could have housed the possibilities of becoming a fort. But now all she could see from them was danger. She shivered at the thought.

A clattering sound emitted from above her. She squeaked in surprise before shrinking closer to the wall and sinking farther down. Her head shook from side to side as she glanced around. Seeing nothing but not feeling reassured, the girl hugged herself for comfort. She hoped it wouldn't come after her. All she needed to do was stay silent and wait for it to pass. If only she would stop shivering and whimpering.

"It's just hide-and-seek," she said in a soft whisper. "It's just hide-and-seek. I'm just playing a game with my friends. Mommy and Daddy will arrive to bring me home any minute now. Mommy and Daddy aren't… aren't…"

The girl couldn't finish her sentence as she burst into a sob. Knees drawn to the chest and head drooping on her thin arms, she sobbed. It was not fair. It was her birthday, her seventh birthday. All of this couldn't happen to her. She sniffled at the thought.

The clattering grew louder and startled the girl. She shrunk into her own little world, half hoping for the best and half knowing the situation was hopeless. The sound continued to crescendo and she perked her ears, trying to gauge the situation as best she could. Suddenly, she heard footsteps. They got noisier by the second. The girl turned paler as she realized what was happening.

The footsteps were coming towards her.

She closed her eyes and tried in vain to block the sounds out.

"Please let it stop," she whispered. "Please just let this all stop. Please Creator, I don't want this to go on anymore. Please make this all end."

There was a silence as she finished saying those words. The girl perked up. Maybe, it had decided to leave. The relief was only temporary, though; not a minute before the sound ended did it begin anew. This time more slowly and with greater resolve. It was getting closer to her by the second.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound perfectly harmonized with her beating heart.

Thump. Thump. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

The door to the basement creaked open. A shaft of light fell down on the stairs, ending the darkness, but rather than brighten her heart, it darkened her spirits. A shadow appeared in the light and the girl instantly knew what it was. It had come.

The figure began to move down the stairs.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The girl cried. Her heartbeat grew quicker and with it, the sound of the figure's footsteps.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Thump. Thump. Thump.

The figure reached the end of the stairs. It turned towards her direction. It saw her. She pushed herself closer towards the wall. The action couldn't save her. She had already been spotted.

The figure took slow and steady steps to her. The girl closed her eyes, praying it would all stop soon enough. The sound of the steps emanated throughout the room. Then there was silence once again. The girl could feel a hot breath on her. She opened her eyes. Slowly, she lifted her face. She couldn't see anything. The light of the door had been blocked from her view. All she could distinguish was the figure and even it seemed like a blur.

The world fell into slow motion. Every tiny detail was clear. It was like a scene from a television show playing right in front of her. The figure's arm rose up towards the ceiling. A swift movement down.

There was a flash. What was it? Was it metal? Lightning? A spark? She wasn't sure.

What followed was darkness. Complete and utter darkness.

Revised: August 1, 2012