The Panic of Fear (Book One of The Fearful Trilogy)

Chapter Nineteen

  I see Zodiac on a table with a saw blade sticking out of it. "No. No. Nonononono." I pass out.

Four years ago

  I wake up in the hospital and look around. "Hey." I look over and see Jordan. "You had a concussion after that fall. And they fired the nurse for not doing her job properly."
  "Did you bring me here?" I ask him. "I may of stoppedyou from falling and carried you here." He says rubbing the back of his neck. He smiles at me.
  "So how was your dream?" He asks. "Uh I didn't really have one." I say not wanting to tell him the truth. "Oh." He just shrugs and looks at the door. "Hey look. Your parents are here." I look at the door and see my mom and dad there.
  When they walk inside my mom is carrying a vase of tulips. "Hey, how are you?" She asks. I just shrug. Her blonde hair reaches her shoulders and hides her neck. Probably for the best. Her gray eyes shimmer and she smiles.
  My dad. A very different story. He has a stubble on his dirty face. His brown eyes seem unfocused and glazed over. Good. I smile at my mom and see some purple showing behind her hair.
  "Well honey. We just came to say we hope you're feeling better." "I'm doing good." I say. "Well the doctors want to keep you for a couple more days. But don't worry you can come home soon."
  After saying that she walks out with my dad. "Hey. Alex?" I look at Jordan. "Does your dad beat her?" He asks. I close my eyes and sigh. "Yes." "Does he beat you?" "What?! No!" I say defensively. "Well it's just. I saw some bruises on your back. And they looked new." Tears spring to my eyes. "Alex?"

  I wake up and look around. I'm still in the hallway, just laying on the floor. I stand up and see Zodiac still strapped to that table. "ZODIAC!" I run over to him and start pulling on the straps holding him down.
  I hear a bang and see the door behind me is closed. Luckily I still have my flashlight in my pocket. I check my other pocket and find my knife. I try to cut the straps off of Zodiac but they don't cut.
  "So you finally came!" I hear the all to familiar voice. I look over and see the child in another room. We are separated by a glass wall. I glare at him.
  "Don't even try to break this. It's plexiglass." I start shaking with anger. "LET ZODIAC GO!" I yell at him. "I don't think I will. In fact I want to kill both of you." He presses a button on a pedestal next to him and I hear a whooshing sound.
  I happen to look on the floor and see a drain, with gray fog coming out of it. No not fog. GAS! Toxic gas. I watch as the boy morphs from child to monster.
  A big, huge, hulking monster.