The clock ticked the seconds away, the time until the darkness swallowed her world was short.
Annie held a single, lit match, desperately fighting to preserve the very last few seconds that were left.
"Help me." - She heard gurgling noises coming from the dark, whatever was there, it was near.
It only waited until the lights go out, like in the case of her friends and family.
There was nobody left but her.
One centimeter, two centimeters... piece by piece, more of the match was burnt.
"Please." - The circle of light around Annie grew smaller and the nightmarish sounds were getting louder. Annie clutched the match closer to her chest.
"I will help you." - A voice came from above the girl.
"Please, help me! Take me away from here!" - Annie shouted desperately.
"I can't do that." - The voice replied. - "The matter is utterly in your hands, I can only lead you."
The match's flame was about to die.
"What do I need to do!?" - Annie nervously called.
"Run to the clock and break it."
"This thing is out there! It'll tear me apart!"
"Be strong, do you have any other choice?"
Annie looked at the flame, she was fighting to believe in herself. That this is not the end of her story. She would never see her friends and family again, but she still had a chance to live.
Annie dropped the match and the lights went out.
Then, there was a scream in the darkness.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away, the time until the darkness swallowed her world was short.
Annie was crouching surrounded by darkness, the match in her hand was still burning.
"What... what's going on?" - Annie said to herself. She was terrified and confused. - "Did I just... die?"
"There is no time, run to the clock!!" - The voice urged Annie.
Annie looked at the vast void. She didn't want to go there. - "I can't! It hurt, it hurt so much. I can still feel it!"
"Please, run before it's too late!"
"I can't go there! Why won't you help me!?"
"I'm already trying! You need to go, now!"
Annie looked at her match, it was only a few seconds until the darkness takes over.
"I... I don't want to. Please do something to help me!" - Annie curled up in the ball. She was still in shock and disturbed by what just had happened.
Distorted gurglings advanced in Annie's direction.
"Help... help..." - Annie whimpered.
The light disappeared, a scream followed by a cracking sound echoed in the room, then silence fell.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away, the time until the darkness swallowed her world was short.
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Annie regained consciousness. She was back in her former position.
"RUN, NOW!" - The voice pleaded.
Annie's entire body was trembling, she looked at the darkness, but her body was like paralyzed.
"There is no time! RUN!" - The voice repeated.
Annie stood up, her legs were like made of jelly, but she stepped into the darkness, holding her match.
"You HAVE TO RUN."
Annie sped up the pace, until her legs started running. She dashed to the other side of the room as quickly as she could, but a gust of wind blew out the flame. There was another scream and another restart.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away.
"RUN!" - The voice called again and Annie immediately sprinted towards the clock. The gust of wind blew out the flame, again. There was a sound of cracking bones and a scream.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away.
"RUN! BE FASTER!" - The voice urged.
Annie remained in her place, crouching and clutching the match. She sobbed.
"Don't give up!" - The voice pleaded.
"I can't do this! The flame will go out!" - Annie let out an anguished cry.
"Ignore the flame! You have to reach the clock!"
"If the flame goes out, this thing will catch me!"
"It won't! You just have to be faster!"
The flame was about to fade.
"Oh, no. It's coming again. No, no, no. Please, stop it! It hurts!" - Annie wailed.
"..."
"Please... come and help me!"
"I'm sorry."
Another scream, another death.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away.
Annie dashed across the room.
The flame went out.
A sound of crushed bones was heard, no scream.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away.
Annie dropped to the floor, almost unconscious.
"GET UP AND RUN!!!" - The voice urged, once again.
"I can't." - Annie uttered, almost with no strength.
"YOU CAN DO THIS!"
"..."
"RUN!!!"
"I can't get there on time! I ran the fastest as I could!" - Annie hugged her knees and cried out.
"Hold tight! You must run faster!"
"I CAN'T." - Annie screamed.
The flame went out.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away.
"RUN!"
"Please, somebody stop this nightmare and let me die." - Annie burst into tears.
The voice was silent for a moment.
"Is that what you want?" - It asked.
"Yes!"
"Sorry. I... it's my fault. I created this time loop... I don't know how to stop it, unless you break the clock."
"It's impossible! Why did you do this to me!? Do I have to suffer here for eternity!?"
"..."
The flame went out.
[ . . . ]
There were many more attempts, many more periods of giving up, but nothing worked.
The clock ticked the seconds away.
This time, the voice did not respond.
For a few next loops, Annie didn't react to this.
The clock ticked the seconds away.
Annie stopped trying, she was lying on the floor, with a wet face. She was trembling, she didn't want to get up, she didn't have the strength to try until she breaks.
"Are you there?" - Annie said to the voice.
"Yes... but... I can't stay here forever, I'm sorry."
Annie burst into tears and screamed. - "You did this to me and now you want to leave me here, forever?"
"I'm sorry."
"Screw your apologies!" - Annie burst out.
The light went out.
"I'm sorry." - The voice said.
[ . . . ]
The clock ticked the seconds away.
"Are you there?" - Annie asked.
The voice didn't seem to listen.
Annie nervously got up. - "Are you there!?"
There was no reaction.
"I'm sorry! Don't leave me!" - She begged, but nobody was there for her.
Annie cried, gazing at the match in front of her, then realized. - How stupid I was, please let it work! - She lifted the match and put her hair on fire, then sprinted across the room.
The clock stopped ticking.