The Hospital (Sam and colby)

A message from beyond

Colby's world spun as he slammed into something unyielding. His eyes struggled to focus, his vision swimming with stars. He lay there, panting, his body wracked with pain, unsure of what had just happened. Slowly, his gaze settled on a pair of boots standing before him. He followed the line of the legs up to a figure silhouetted against the flickering lights. The creature's shrieks grew distant, almost muffled.The figure bent down, and a gentle hand touched his cheek. "Colby?" a voice called out, one he hadn't heard in what felt like an eternity. It was Amanda, her eyes filled with concern and a hint of fear. She helped him to his feet, and he leaned heavily on her, the weight of the bag pulling him down. "We have to go," she whispered urgently. "Now."Dazed and disoriented, Colby nodded, allowing Amanda to guide him through the inky darkness. Her touch was a lifeline, grounding him in reality amidst the chaos. They stumbled down the hallway, her flashlight bobbing with each frantic step. The creature's cries grew fainter, replaced by the sound of their own desperate breathing."You shouldn't have come," Colby gasped, his voice raw from the smoke and the screams. "It's too dangerous.""I had to," Amanda said firmly, her eyes never leaving his. "When I read your text about the plan, I knew I had to help. I'm a medium, Colby. I can communicate with the spirits. Maybe I can find a way to save Sam."Colby looked at her, his eyes widening slightly. "But the danger...""The spirits warned me," Amanda said, her voice filled with urgency. "They've been trying to get through to me for days. Something malevolent is in the basement. It's been growing stronger since Sam went into his coma."Colby felt a shiver run down his spine as he recalled the spirit's cold embrace. "It's been fighting me the whole time," he confessed, his voice shaking. "It tried to take me too, I think. It's using Sam's soul as a conduit to gain more power."Amanda's eyes grew large with horror. "Then we must hurry," she said, gripping his arm tighter. "The longer it holds onto him, the less of him we might be able to save."Colby nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He knew the stakes were higher than ever. They had to save Sam, no matter the cost. "But how?" he asked, his voice trembling. "How can we fight something like that?"Amanda took a deep breath, steeling herself. "We have to get to the basement," she said. "It's where the spirit is strongest, but it's also where we can free Sam's soul. I've brought some protective talismans, and I know some incantations that might help. But it won't be easy."Colby's heart pounded in his chest as he processed her words. "But I was just down there," he protested, his voice strained. "I nearly died. We can't go back. I won't let you put yourself in danger like that." The memory of the icy grip and the soul-crushing pressure washed over him, making him feel weak and nauseous.Amanda paused, her eyes searching his face. She pulled out her phone, the screen casting a ghostly glow in the darkened room. "Look," she said, her voice steady despite the tremble in her hand. On the screen was a photograph of a blood-soaked wall with a message scrawled in a jagged script. "I found this on my way here. It's a message from Sam. He's telling us where to find it."Colby's eyes widened as he read the words etched in crimson. "The spot he's most comfortable," he murmured, his mind racing."Come on," Amanda urged, her grip on his arm unwavering. "We don't have much time."Colby nodded, his resolve hardening. He knew he had to face his fears to save his best friend. With one last look at the safety of the stairs leading up to the outside world, they descended into the bowels of the hospital. The air grew colder, heavier, with each step they took. His hand clutched the bag tightly, feeling the weight of his decision.The basement door loomed before them, a gaping mouth to the unknown. Amanda paused, her hand hovering over the handle. She whispered an incantation under her breath, her eyes squeezed shut, and the talismans around her neck vibrated gently. The air thickened with an eerie energy, and Colby felt a small measure of comfort."Wait," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We need to open this bag first. What if it's important?"Amanda's eyes searched his, weighing the risk. Finally, she nodded. Colby's trembling hands worked the zipper, the sound echoing through the oppressive silence like a scream. He opened the bag to reveal a collection of objects that seemed to hum with a strange energy. His eyes fell upon a small, leather-bound book, its pages yellowed with age. The book was wrapped in a silver chain, and a faint aura of light emanated from it.

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