The Fallen

Chapter 2: Dream A Little Dream Of Me

She stood in a large room, in the middle of a wide, drawn circle. Lines passed through within its circumference forming a five-pointed star.

Pentagram.

The air smelt of smoke and heavy burning essence which made Cassandra's senses dull. There was no furniture around, just shiny black marble walls. The only source of illumination were two fire-torches placed at opposite walls.

It was cold, frigid even, like ten air conditioners had been turned on at full blast. There was no exit in sight.

Cassandra decided to find a way out but as soon as she lifted a foot to step out of the circle she collided with what felt like a electric barrier. She winced as a deep stinging sensation numbed her with pain. Extending her arms, she reached out again. It was like an invisible force field, repulsing and preventing her from exiting.

Cassandra felt that there had to be weak points in the field through which she could break through. Maybe if she was fast enough she could overcome it.

She took a couple of steps back and then charged. As soon as she collided with it, she felt like she had walked into a web of live wires, it threw her with great force back inside the circle. She landed her side and groaned in pain.

"Looks like we finally found you huh?, I thought that you'd be smarter than to try and escape". A loud voice boomed across the room,it did not come from one point and so she couldn't determine the speaker's locations. Cassandra scrambled onto get feet and frantically looked around. There wasn't anyone there in sight.

"Who are you? Show yourself" ,she stammered.
Sounds of chuckles and laughter filled the room in response.

"Well aren't you an eager beaver, not very much like you but then again...Don't worry all in due time, this little meeting of ours is just meant to jog your memory, a mere warm up for what is yet to come sweetie", the velveteen voice replied.

"What do you want from me?", I managed to retaliate. My palms were sweating and my knees were buckling with every passing second, my head had started to go fuzzy again.

"You".

"DOCTOR QUICK, PATIENT IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION"

"Patients body temperature is at 45 degrees and heart beat at 200. I need a dose of Amminosulphate Chloride and get the eletroporator ready STAT"

Cassandra's eyes opened to a white ceiling. She was drenched in sweat, her dark hair plastered against her burning face. Every part of her body felt scolding hot like she had walked in and out of a furnace. She could hear her racing heartbeat slowly subside as the blood pumping in her ears got quieter.

"Tell the doctor that patient is now conscious after administering two doses of methyl carbamine and acetophenol"

Cassandra's fluttered open her eyelids which felt like sandpaper,her blurry vision soon began to focus. The smell of disinfectant and bleach filled her nostrils. She caught sight of a hospital gown clung to her body, and the drip attached to her wrist. A middle-aged stout nurse, to her left, was busy writing on a clipboard.

Cassandra opened her mouth to speak but her throat and mouth felt parched like she had swallowed mouthfuls of sun-baked sand.

She managed to lift her hand a bit and nudge the nurse, just this little movement made all her muscles in her arm tense up in pain.
The nurse immediately got her a glass of water which she gulped down in seconds.

"Just wait a second", she placed the clipboard back on the side table and hurried out. She soon returned with Michael following her.

He looked relieved on seeing her and sat down on the stool placed next to bed.