Expelled Souls

Whispers in the shadows

Ivy and Noah continued their quest through the maze of the hospital, driven by the hope of uncovering some clue that would explain their situation. Their journey led them to a quiet room where an elderly man sat alone, his frail frame barely visible in the dim light. He muttered softly to himself, his words in a language neither Ivy nor Noah could identify.

As they approached, they realized the man was blind, and his vacant eyes turned towards the ceiling as he spoke. Despite his blindness, he seemed to sense their presence. The words he spoke were unfamiliar, but the tone carried an urgency that resonated deeply with Ivy and Noah.

“Do you recognize any of this?” Ivy asked, her eyes wide with curiosity and unease.

“No, but it feels important,” Noah replied, his own unease evident.

The man’s voice suddenly shifted, and he uttered a single word: “Adahhev.” It was a strange sound, almost like an incantation or a code. The word sent a shiver down Ivy’s spine, a feeling of déjà vu that she couldn’t quite place.

As they strained to hear more, the man’s head turned in their direction, as though he had sensed their presence despite his blindness. Panic gripped Noah.

“He’s looking right at us!” Noah said, pulling Ivy’s hand with an urgent, fearful grip. “We need to leave now!”

Ivy was taken aback by Noah’s sudden fear and reluctance. “But we’re so close! We might find out what we need to know!”

Noah’s anxiety only grew. “Trust me, Ivy, we don’t know if we’re safe here. We should go.”

Conflicted and upset, Ivy allowed Noah to pull her away. As they fled, their earlier argument intensified. Ivy’s frustration boiled over. “Why did you panic like that? What are you hiding from me?”

Noah’s face was filled with turmoil, but he struggled to find the words. His emotions were tangled, a mix of fear, guilt, and something deeper that he couldn’t yet articulate. “I’m just trying to protect us. I can’t explain it all right now.”

Their confrontation was cut short as they stumbled into a room—one that Ivy recognized as the one where her body lay. Her friends were gathered there, talking somberly, so she entered alone.

“This was just an accident,” Olivia said, her voice heavy with grief. “We didn’t expect this.” Violet continued sobbing.

“You should be here, Noah’s body... it was found mutilated. It was terrible.” added Aiden.

Ivy’s heart sank at the harsh reality of her situation. The weight of her friends' words, combined with the knowledge of Noah’s fate, left her feeling hollow. She rushed out of the room, searching desperately for Noah.

In her frantic search, she returned to the elderly man’s room. The man was still there, his expression unchanged. As Ivy entered, he turned his blind eyes towards her as if sensing her approach.

“You must act quickly,” the man said, his voice carrying an eerie clarity. “You are a soul still intact. If you die now, you will be forgotten—lost to the void.”

Fear gripped Ivy. “What will happen to Noah? Where is he?”

The man’s face remained inscrutable. “Discover the truth of your own demise before it is too late. Time is running out.”

Before Ivy could ask more, a sudden chill filled the room. The temperature dropped drastically, and Ivy felt an overwhelming wave of drowsiness wash over her. Her vision blurred, and she was pulled into a deep, heavy sleep.

When she awoke, she found herself back in the hospital lounge, nestled in Noah’s arms. His presence was a comforting warmth against the cold uncertainty she had felt moments before.

“Ivy,” Noah whispered, his voice filled with relief. “You’re awake.”

Ivy looked up at him, her heart aching with the unspoken emotions and the burden of the revelations she had just encountered. “Noah, I—”

“Come here”
The room was cold and silent as Ivy lay in Noah’s arms, his embrace a rare source of comfort in their disorienting reality. He held her tightly, his warmth seeping into her as she began to forget the weight of their predicament. The immediate crisis seemed to fade as Noah’s presence provided solace.

“I didn’t want to lose you,” Noah whispered into her ear, his voice filled with a mix of relief and unspoken emotions.

Ivy leaned into him, her fears momentarily soothed by his closeness. The world outside their embrace felt distant, and she nearly forgot the urgency of their situation. But the memory of the elderly man’s cryptic warning and the chilling atmosphere of the room soon rekindled her resolve.

“We need to go back,” Ivy said, her voice steadying. “We have to see if we can find out more.”

They returned to the elderly man’s room, but the sight that greeted them was a nightmare. The man’s lifeless body lay sprawled on the floor, the scene grotesque and disturbing. Blood had stained the once-sterile room, painting a grim picture of what had happened in their absence.

Ivy’s breath caught in her throat, and she averted her eyes from the horrifying scene. Noah, sensing her distress, pulled her into his embrace once more. “Don’t look,” he murmured, shielding her from the gruesome sight.

They stumbled out of the room, the weight of their lost opportunity pressing heavily on them. Ivy’s heart pounded with the fear of losing their only lead. “We’ve lost our chance,” she said, her voice trembling. “We might never find out what happened.”

Noah, trying to offer comfort, said, “Maybe it’s not so bad staying like this. We have each other, after all.”

Ivy turned to him, concern etched on her face. “What do you mean? Why are you saying that?”

Noah’s attempt at reassurance was clouded by his own insecurities. He was struggling with the realization that their situation was dire, and his feelings for Ivy were becoming more complex. His unease deepened, making him question their future.

“I don’t know,” Noah admitted, his voice faltering. “I guess I’m just trying to make the best of things.”

Ivy, sensing his emotional turmoil, took a step back. “I need some space,” she said softly, her voice carrying an edge of hurt. The distance between them grew, a barrier that neither could easily cross.

Before Noah could reach out to her, Ivy’s friends appeared in the hallway. Their presence was a painful reminder of the life Ivy had left behind, and Noah’s eyes fell on Aiden, one of her close friends. An unfamiliar pang of jealousy twisted inside him. He had always seen Aiden as a background character in Ivy’s life, but now, in this strange reality, his presence felt like a threat.

Noah’s feelings of jealousy flared up as he saw Ivy’s friends, particularly Aiden. He couldn’t help but wonder if Ivy still had feelings for Aiden, a notion that only fueled his growing resentment and confusion.

“Ivy,” Noah said, his voice tinged with frustration, “maybe we should just take some time apart. I don’t think we’re getting anywhere together right now.”

Ivy looked at him, her confusion deepening. “What are you talking about? We need to work together, not apart.”

Noah’s expression hardened. “Just... go. I need some time to figure things out.”

Feeling the strain between them, Ivy nodded, her heart heavy with disappointment. She turned away from Noah and began to search on her own. The disconnection between them left a painful void, but she knew she had to continue seeking answers.

As Ivy resumed her search, she felt the weight of her doubts and the pangs of her unresolved feelings. The separation from Noah only added to her sense of isolation, but she was determined to find the truth of what had happened to her and to Noah.

Noah, meanwhile, wandered the hospital corridors, grappling with his own feelings of jealousy and confusion. He struggled to understand the depths of his emotions and the implications of their situation. The presence of Ivy’s friends only complicated his feelings, and he found himself drifting through the hospital, disconnected from the mission they had shared.