Nightmare: The Origin

2

- In the Alleyway -

Alyx arrives at the alleyway to meet with Jonathan, however, he isn't alone. Before Alyx can reconsider her actions she feels somebody grab her from behind.

"What the fuck! Get off me!" Alyx screams as she is dragged further into the alleyway.

Alyx hears Jonathan chuckle as he approaches her.

"Didn't expect this did you? Huh?" Jonathan says with a cocky grin "This is what you get when you butt into shit that is none of your FUCKING BUSINESS!"

"If you weren't such a fu-" Alyx tries to speak but is interrupted by a sudden kick to the face.

"SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP." Jonathan yells as he kicks Alyx repeatedly.

Jonathan crouches down to Alyx, who is now slouched against the sharp wire fence at the side of the alleyway, and grabs something from his jacket. Alyx's eyes widen as she realises that Jonathan is holding a large knife.

"HEY! Please, you don't have to do this" Alyx pleads "I messed up right? You don't have to fuck up your life just to end mine?"

Jonathan grins at the sight of Alyx's panic and he brings the knife closer to Alyx's face.

"Aww, look who's scared now" Jonathan mocks as he drags the knife down Alyx's face "Weren't so scared earlier when you couldn't shut the fuck up, huh?"

Alyx can't speak over the overwhelming fear and the sting of the knife opening up the skin on her face.

"At least when I'm done you can't get in my fucking way" Jonathan sneers.

Before Alyx can process what Jonathan says she feels a sudden sharp surge of pain in her left eye as Jonathan is pushing the knife into Alyx's face. Jonathan laughs maniacally as he watches Alyx squirm and struggle in pain before she loses consciousness.

Jonathan gets up from the ground where Alyx is laying motionless. He chuckles and mumbles to himself as he walks away from Alyx's almost lifeless body on the ground.

From the dark end of the alleyway, a figure emerges in a rush and dashes towards Alyx.

"Holy shit! Alyx can you hear me?" Jess exclaims.

Jess grabs her phone from her pocket and dials 911. As the call goes through Jess can't seem to speak to the operator through the panic. She breaks down, sobbing over Alyx's body, the only word that seems to come out is "Help".

After a while a flurry of blue light fills the darkness in the alleyway. Several uniformed people run down the alleyway. The police grab Jess and bring her to her feet to question her as the Paramedics work on stabilising Alyx.

Once Alyx is stabilised, the Paramedics get Alyx up on a stretcher and into the ambulance, Jess insists to go with Alyx but the police need to get more answers from her.

- At the Hospital -

"She'll be fine Rob, don't risk losing your job to come back okay?" Maria assures Robert "I'll keep you updated on her condition, don't worry yourself"

Maria hangs up after reassuring a panicked Robert. She looks up to see Natalie looking guilty.

"What's wrong Nat?"

"It's my fault. I should've stopped her, I knew how much of a dick he was but I never thought he would do this"

"It wasn't in your control, you know how stubborn she can get. Even if she knew what would've happened she would have done the same"

Natalie looks down, still feeling like she could have done more to stop this from happening.

After sitting in silence and drowning in thought, the doctor steps into the room.

"Ms. Andersen?" The doctor asks

"That's me" says Maria, standing to greet the doctor

"Well, good news, we're not considering surgery at the moment and we have confirmed that she will be able to live a relatively normal life after recovery"

"That's amazing! Thank you so much"

"That's not everything though... with most good news also comes bad news"

"Okay?"

"So we have concluded that she will have close to no sight in her left eye due to the extent of the damage. Along with that she will almost certainly have some major or minor disabilities due to injury to the brain"

"Oh... oh no, I should tell Rob"

The doctor leaves the room, leaving a solemn atmosphere behind...