Satisfaction

Ten

I snap awake looking around; I was in a hospital. Just as I thought I would be. I press the call button rapidly. A nurse rushes in.

"Oh, you-ou're awake," he smiles, his voice silky. He immediately starts to check my vitals and breathing. His pale fingers were cool against my hot skin. When he's done he looks down at me sending me another friendly smile.

"Th-there are some de-tectiv-ives that would like to talk to you-u about what hap-ppened... Should I-I send them i-in?" He asks cautiously, stuttering and twitching heavily. I nod sipping on some water in a styrofoam cup I found on my bedside table. He walks out with the promise of checking on me later. A moment or so later, two detectives fill his absents.

"Hey, Emily. I'm detective Marks, and this is my partner detective Stevens, we were hoping you would be up to answer some questions?" Marks says. I nod, "Sure."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Stevens queried. I nod again, slowly.

"I came home from work and I... I... ju-just saw him there," my voice full of fake disgusted, "he was ripping her apart, smiling. He was smiling, laughing! I mean- what sick monster would do that? Anyway-" I sighed, "I was able to sneak past him... And the last thing a remember was him..." I squeeze my eyes shut, scrunching up my face. "He cut me, in my stomach while I was on the phone with the operator... That's it," I shrug, fake tears in my eyes, some rolling down my cheeks. Marks nods.

"Do you think you could give any descriptions of your attacker? You are the only one known to witness him and be alive, so this is crucial," Stevens said, earning a glare from Marks. Though Stevens may have been slightly insensitive, Marks knew the question was coming at some point. Stevens raises his eyebrows indicating he wanted me to answer.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I sigh deciding to be a total cliche. Both detectives cocked an eyebrow.

"Try us," Marks says, finally intrigued in my own mythical story. I gulped,

"He was white..."I paused loving every second of this bull shit, "And black. He was completely monochrome. White eyes ringed with black, with a white face and black lips... His teeth were- were sharp, like a shark! And his nose was a black and white swirly cone. He was wearing a black and white clown costume, his sleeves and stockings were striped black and white... his fingers are more like claws..." I started shaking for effect, and by the looks of sympathy- no pity, on the detective's faces, it was working.

"I told you! I knew you wouldn't believe me!" I scream, thrashing around, ignoring the pain in my side. I end up face planting in my pillow. I hear the nurse from before coming in and telling the detectives they need to leave, stuttering all the while. There was murmuring and a small card placed on my nightstand by my water, then silence.

"C'mon, E-mi-Emily..." The nurse put his hands on my shoulders trying to get me on my back, with a grunt and some help from me, it was managed. I take a deep breath on look at the nurse and got slightly suspicious from his attire...

"Where's your name tag?" I smiled innocently, letting my stagecraft work. The boy- or man, it was hard to tell, he just had one of those faces, but then again a boy can't be a real, privileged, nurse.

He coughed, "S'cu-use me?"

I scoff and roll my eyes, "I might not be the smarter of most humans, but I'm pretty sure most hospitals have I.D.s for their workers, especially when there are certain places that are only for certain personal. So where's your name tag?" He sighs and goes to the door. I sit still though a sick feeling goes down my throat and explodes in my stomach when I think he was about to leave, he turns around after it was shut and takes detective Marks place and sits.

"I'm a- uh- fri-iend," he smiles softly. "Of who? You're not my friend, I've never seen you before!" I say confused. He shakes his head and scoffs, "You're just li-like he says, yo-u know." I blink slowly and look around the room with an incredulous expression.

"Who... Who are you talking about?" I ask my voice wavering. "Pfft, c'mon. Yo-ou know! Ja-Ja-Jack! Yeah, he-e talks ab-bout you a lot-t," the guy chuckles, "I'm To-oby, by the-the way."

My heart swells, Jack.

"Well, Toby, my name is Emily! It's nice to meet you," I smile sweetly, cocking my head, "but why the hell are you here?"

Toby sighs, "I'm a friend, Emily."

I look away biting the inside of my cheek, "I need to get out of here."

Jack.

I see Toby out of the corner of my eye, nodding his head. "Al-all ready go-ot that planned o-ut." I turn my head back to him seeing his grin, his hands wrapped around the handles of a wheelchair.

"Re-Ready?"

I look at the chair cautiously.

Jack.

I nod, "Yeah, let's do this."

___

After a few heaves, a push, and a slight pull I was in the chair. Toby told me that we have to act casually, not to make a scene, which I understood. The whole way to the elevator was nerve wrecking, every doctor or nurse in sight made my body stiff, but we made it to the elevator. Jack.

Toby hit the up button which led to my confusion, wouldn't we want to go down? Why... up? In my confused state, a series of voices came from behind us.

"Stop right there!"

"Leave the girl alone!"

"Where do you think you're going?"

The elevator door opened and Toby quickly pushed me in, "You're going to the roof."

Jack.

He pushes the rooftop button, as the door closes I see him taking the nurse scrubs revealing a hoodie and jeans, and... a hatchet... Before the door shuts fully I see Toby lifting the hatchet from its placement and a security guard running right at him, Toby raises the weapon and right has the door closes I hear a thud, the elevator starts to rise and I hear faint shrieks coming from the floor just below me.

___

Jack.

I reach the roof and somehow managed to turn myself around and exit before the elevator closed again. By now my breath was shallow and my side was aching in pain, I press my hand on my side and felt it was warm and sticky, I pulled away to see it was bloody.

"How the fuck did this shit happen?" I mumbled to myself, slowly making my way further onto the roof.

"Hello, Kiddo!" A cheery voice says from behind me. Jack!

"Jack!" The sounds of footsteps and gravel from behind me puts me on edge. A black and white figure crouched in front of me. Jack looked up at me with a smile and a glimmer of something in his eyes.

"I found you."

I grin, "I knew you would." We sit there for a moment looking up at one another, grinning. Jack.

A ding from the elevator snaps us out of it, whatever it was. Jack swiftly stands up, his hands on my lower thigh, leaning in my direction a little bit.

"Toby!" Jack rasping voice ringed on the rooftop. I turn my head trying to see the chair and ignore the pain from my side.

Toby runs towards us, "We got-tta go! They-ey are right beh-hind me!" Jacks face goes serious and he stands up straight, towering over me. He quickly picks me up bridal style, black dots invade my vision.

The elevator starts to open, chaos soon to be approaching, the men and women thinking they are here too save me, but it's to late.

We're gone.

____