Expelled Souls

A new reality

The rain had been relentless all day, darkening the skies and turning the world outside into a blur of gray. Ivy trudged home, her coat drenched, the cold seeping through her clothes. By the time she reached her front door, the streetlights were flickering, casting eerie shadows on the wet pavement.

With a sigh of relief, Ivy pushed open the door and stepped into the quiet house. The warmth of home was a stark contrast to the chilling rain, but it did little to lift her mood. She noticed that the house seemed unusually silent, save for the faint hum of the heater. As she started to head upstairs to her room, a strange sound stopped her-a muffled noise coming from the basement.

Curiosity piqued, Ivy decided to investigate. She made her way down the creaky wooden steps, the basement a dark, foreboding place. The light from the single bulb hanging overhead cast long, unsettling shadows on the walls. As she reached the bottom, she followed the sound-a series of low, rhythmic thuds mixed with what sounded like hurried whispers.

At first, she couldn't see much, the basement cluttered with old furniture and boxes. Then, her eyes adjusted to the dim light, and she noticed a door that she'd never seen before, slightly ajar. The sound was coming from behind it. Trembling, Ivy pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

The scene inside was disorienting. The room was filled with strange, arcane symbols etched into the floor, lit by flickering candles. In the center was an old book, bound in dark leather, propped open as if it had been recently used. The air felt unnaturally cold, and a sense of dread began to creep over Ivy.

Her mind was racing. What was going on? Why was there a room like this hidden away in her house? As she took a step closer, her vision started to blur, and an intense pain shot through her head. The room seemed to tilt and sway as darkness closed in around her.

---

When Ivy opened her eyes again, she was no longer in the basement. The surroundings were unfamiliar-bright lights, sterile white walls, and the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment. She tried to move, but her body felt strangely heavy. Panic surged as she realized she was lying in a hospital bed.

"Mom?" she called weakly, her voice barely a whisper. Her eyes scanned the room, finally resting on her mother, who was sitting by the bed, tears streaming down her face.

"Mom, I'm here," Ivy tried to say, reaching out. But her mother didn't respond, her face crumpled in distress as she continued to cry, seemingly oblivious to Ivy's presence.

Ivy's heart pounded in her chest. She tried to speak, to touch her mother, but her hands passed through the air. The panic intensified, and she felt as though she was suffocating.

"Mom, please, can you hear me? I'm right here!"

Nothing changed. Her mother remained in her own world of sorrow, unable to see or hear Ivy. The realization hit Ivy like a ton of bricks-something was terribly wrong. Her breath quickened, and she felt a rising tide of panic. She was trapped, unable to reach out or be reached.

Just as she was about to succumb to a full-blown panic attack, a figure appeared beside her. The figure was hazy, glowing faintly in the dim hospital light. Ivy's eyes widened, her mind racing with confusion and fear.

The figure approached her, its features becoming clearer. It was a person she recognized, though the name didn't come immediately to her. The figure's presence was calming, offering a strange sense of comfort amid her terror.

"Hey, take a deep breath," the figure said softly. "You're not alone."

Ivy's breath began to steady, though her heart was still racing. The figure's calm demeanor was oddly reassuring, a lifeline in the storm of confusion and fear. As her panic began to subside, Ivy clung to the figure's words, trying to make sense of her new reality.

"You... you're not...?" Ivy tried to ask, her voice trailing off.

The figure nodded gently. "I'm here to help you. You're not dead, but you're in a coma. Your body is still recovering, and I'm here to guide you through this."

The words were a shock, but they brought a semblance of relief. Ivy tried to focus on the figure's reassuring presence, grasping for clarity amid the disorienting swirl of emotions and sensations.