BORN TO DIE | R. Arcturus Black

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Chapter Five: Evan

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As Marlene led Janet into the infirmary and called for Madam Pomfrey, Janet tried to swallow her gags and winced. The smell of disinfectant and soap made her feel sick, and the thought of all the injured and sick students and professors who had passed through these rooms made her stomach turn. Nevertheless, she stayed steady on her feet and tried to focus on the sound of her breathing and the feeling of her heart beating in her chest.

She tried to push the images of sick students out of her mind and calm herself down, but it was a struggle. However, she forced a small smile as she stood by Marlene's side, hoping to hide her discomfort and appear brave before the nurse.

Soon enough all there was left was the not-so-quiet giggles shared between Marlene and a nearby girl, the hum of the fluorescent lights and the occasional cries of a nearby patient all combined into a cacophony of sound that nearly drowned out Janet's own thoughts.

Laying in the hospital bed, she felt disconnected from the rest of the world, like she was trapped in her own bubble of pain and discomfort. Her back aching from the awkward position she'd been placed in for the past few hours. Her deep wounds caused her chest to be wrapped in a bulky bandage, throbbing at every movement, making her feel even more helpless.

Her eyelids grew heavier with each breath she took, as she felt her body sink into the soft mattress of the bed. Her mind wandered, and she felt herself drifting into a light sleep. She closed her eyes, trying to push away the anxiety that was building up inside her.

A heavy iron door clanged shut behind her, Janet felt a surge of panic well up within her. The darkness surrounded her, and the only sound she could hear was her own ragged breathing. "Dad?" Her voice came out a s the softest of whispers, rather a plea than a question.

It didn't matter to anyone that she was innocent, that the evidence had been planted by someone who wanted to silence her. Now, she was trapped in this cell again, with no hope of escape.

As the hours turned into days, her thoughts became more and more erratic. She imagined all sorts of monstrous creatures lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce on her and tear her to shreds.

And the eerie and infectious feeling of fear that trailed the Dementors made her feel sick; a constant sense of unease, as if something catastrophic was about to happen.

Her mental state deteriorated even further, and she began to hear voices in her head, whispering cruel and demeaning things. They seemed to be coming from every direction, and she couldn't tell where they were coming from.

She was trapped, both physically and mentally.

Janet awoke with a start, gasping for air. The nightmare she had been having had been so vivid and lifelike that she felt as if she had actually been trapped in that dark and desolate place. The prison cell, the utter loneliness, the oppressive silence - all of it felt too real to have been just a dream.

For a moment, she was paralyzed with fear. She lay there in the darkness, afraid to move, afraid to make a sound. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes to clear the sleep from them. She was in the hospital wing, on a bed. The darkness was just the usual dimness of nighttime, nothing more, she thought; trying to reassure herself. Slowly, as she began to catch her breath, the sense of dread faded away.

And then, as fast as it came, the memories of the nightmare began to fade, like a dream that slips away when you try to hold onto it. She could still remember some of the details, but the fear and despair they had invoked were already fading, like the last embers of a fire slowly dying out.