Chapter 4: Climax
Elena saw herself in the vision, "Silly girl" the visionary herself giggled, "You screwed everything up didn't you？"
The actual Elena couldn't help but agreed, on the brink of sinking into despair she tried to compose herself, answering her inner self's giggles with a deep breath.
"Elena," the visionary said softly, "You'll die here, and your body will only be found a few days later after it has decomposed." She wasn't quite sure if her own heart was beating or if it was the voice of the apparition she was hearing.
Either way, she knew she was close to losing control; the panic was creeping in like an insidious fog.
Elena's vision was hazy, and the once-familiar outlines of her apartment were becoming abstract shapes that seemed to melt into one another. The minimalist art on the walls looked like fading watercolors, and her own reflection in the mirror appeared distorted, her dark hair hanging in wet tendrils around her pale face.
The deep brown eyes that once sparkled with mischief and excitement were now glazed with a mixture of fear and desperation. Her slender body, once the epitome of strength and independence, now looked fragile and vulnerable. More fatally, her stamina was exhausted.
She couldn't keep her head raised; her vision of the room blurred and the circle of light piercing through the window darkened. The four corners of the room seemed to be drawing nearer to her body, trapping it in a nightmare from which she could not escape. Her heart seemed to be beating erratically as her vision dimmed, and she felt her body growing weaker and weaker.
Despite her dire situation, the eroticism of her situation did not escape her notice.
Another vision arrived, this time her mum appeared, "Elena" The visionary mum crossed her arms sadly, "How did you get like this？"
Elena's only response was a downward glance, too ashamed to face the visionary specter. "Mum, I made a mistake." Elena's voice sounded weak, even to her own ears. The image of her mother dissolved into thin air, leaving Elena alone with her rambling thoughts. What was left of her strength slowly leaked away, and her muscles began to tremble with exhaustion.
Her heartbeat grew erratic, its rhythm stuttering and skipping as if she had just completed a rigorous race.
Cramps began to form in her legs, seizing the muscles and rendering them immobile. Her vision swam in and out of focus, and her head lolled to the side, gently succumbing to gravity's embrace. Yes, poor Elena is starting to go into a near-death state.