Esoteric Values (A Short Horror)

*A little bit of a warning for blood and bones*

In the distance, I heard a voice that said, "Follow the otter, child. In this way, you will find out who you truly are." I did not recognize the voice and couldn't pinpoint where I was.

Through the fields of bone, I trekked. From the heavens, it rained down a crimson-colored liquid, a liquid I could only assume was that of blood. I dared not think about it too much. In the distance, I could make out the sound of some old delta blues. Above me, a faceless clock replaced the moon, and I could hear the roaring echos of its mechanism.

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

Tock...

I had lost sight of the otter for a minute. It wasn't until a blur of light whizzed past me. In front of me, a mystical otter, blue and purple in hue, waved to me. The otter zipped higher into the air.

"WAIT!" My voice strained, calling out after the otter did nothing.

Attempting to keep up with my guide, I tripped and fell into the bones. On my hip appeared a jagged cut, but I did not bleed. It was as if I had no blood.

Struggling to get up, I leaped over a mound of skulls and continued running after the otter. The closer I got, the farther away it seemed. This animal was playing a game of cat and mouse with me. I wondered what this all meant, but an answer never came.

I turned to glance behind me, and the moon had vanished.

Turning back around, I suddenly found myself on a trail in a dense forest. The ground I walked upon was no longer that of bones. No, instead, it was a path of dirt. In the distance, a grandfather clock sat tall. It towered over trees, and just like the moon, it had no face. Yet still, I heard it.

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

Tock...

Stumbling forward, I hastily charged toward the clock. Its ticks and tocks blared the closer I got. My legs stung, as did my lungs. Within moments, I fell onto my hands and knees, rolling onto my side and then my back.

As I opened my honey-colored eyes, I saw the otter once again.

It rested on my chest, tilting its head to one side.

And it spoke, "For the lies sit so empty on the tongue; they carry no value. So, why, child, use them for currency?"

I blacked out and awoke on the dingy couch in my parents' trailer. Using my arms, I pushed myself up and rested on my elbows. Surrounding me was broken-up amethyst shards and a knocked-over pan of brownies.