After the End (on pause)

Prologue - The Beginning of the End

Chapter One- The Beginning of the End

I opened my eyes only to be surrounded by absolute chaos.

Although I could distantly hear frantic screams, I felt detached. My body was numb, and my mind felt as though it had been slowed by the soothing affects of anesthetic. I remained in this perpetual state of calm until the burning started.

It was slow at first, like warm water washing over my limbs; slowly coaxing the cold from my body. Then it began to heat up, as though a fire was slowly building within my skin. The fiery tendrils tauntingly stroked my cheek and grasped my wrist in their constraints. The tongues began to condense into burning hands, pinning me to the unyielding concrete floor below me. As coherency began to trickle into my thoughts, the events of the night came rushing back to me, immediately overwhelming my fragile state of mind. A scream ripped its way out of my throat as I thrashed around, attempting to hold fast to my thoughts as my sanity crumbled around me.

+++++++++********+++++********+++++*****+++++*****

"Do you remember what happened after that, Reyna?" nudged my psychiatrist, Caroline.

I numbly shook my head as my only answer. It wasn't my choice to get help; in fact, I'd rather be anywhere else. I was required to talk to a professional after I had yet another screaming fit in the middle of the hospital yesterday. It wasn't as though I could have stopped it, even if I was aware of what was occurring. Each time someone grabs my wrists, gentle as they may be, I immediately go back to that night. After those fits happen, I always wake up, strapped to the bed, with absolutely no idea how I got there.

Every hour, waking or otherwise, I'm plagued by the fear of that night. During the day my surroundings melt from around me and I'm transported back there. At night I'm trapped in nightmares that won't allow me to wake. I've been staying in the hospital for a week now, after being found completely catatonic inside the asylum. So far, the only people who know what truly happened to me are Jamie and Anne. As to how they remained sane and calm throughout the night, I'm not sure. They were found trying to calm me and refused medical attention, as they were only a little shaken up. I, on the other hand, was not quite as lucky. I shivered as I remembered why we attempt something so stupid in the first place.

We were all sitting in Maria's basement, playing truth or dare as always. Maria, Gabby, and I had a Saturday night sleepover tradition. Each Saturday we would rotate houses and have a massive sleepover. We would usually end up doing something incredibly unintelligent by the end of the night, but it had ever gone this far.

"Truth or dare, Reyna?" Maria asked me, even though she was already anticipating my answer.

"Truth," I answered as always. The two collectively groaned at my answer.

"No. no, no, no, no," was all Gabby responded with. "How about, just for tonight, we give you one dare you HAVE to go through with" I suppose I should have argued more, but in my mind I thought the worst they would make me do is force me to streak down the street. I knew I could always get out of that with some creative moral excuse, so I figured; why not?

"Fine," I sighed, "what do I have to do?" Gabby and Maria turned to each other with knowing looks in their eyes. I knew then that they had this all planned the whole time.

"You," Maria began, "must spend the night alone at Greystone." I simply stared at them, mouth agape. Everyone knew Greystone, the abandoned asylum rumored to be haunted with ghostly shadows and lights possessed by an unknown force. We had driven passed multiple times, and even that was enough to quicken your breathing and send your foot itching towards the accelerator. Driving up, the road was isolated, and the streetlights turn on and off as though they were waiting for you to drive under them. The building looked as though it was built to be creepy, with five visibly crumbling stone stories. It was a popular spot for parties, causing the cops to patrol it regularly. This wasn't the first time I had heard this dare before; in fact, most of the town had been dared to interact with the asylum in some way before. This was the dare I had been dreading for years. If you come back from Greystone in one piece, you're praised as though you are the messiah. However, the last boy I heard of who refused this dare was berated by wounding words for years and became a social pariah. The most alarming fact was that the boy was popular and had lifelong friends who completely left him in the dust.

I gulped, trying to convince myself I wouldn't be like that, but I couldn't. as much as I loved gabby and Maria, I couldn't help but think they would ditch me in a heartbeat for their reputations. I drew a shaky breath as I unknowingly made one of the most impactful decisions of my life.

"ok."

****+++++*****+++++*****+++++

"Reyna?"

"Um, yeah, sorry I was just a little distracted" I admitted, shakily laughing.

"Are you ready to tell me the whole story now?" Caroline prompted. As much as I didn't want to, I knew I was sent to her for a reason. I needed to get the fear of my chest and rid myself of the anxiety. I looked down and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, drawing in a breath.

"How about I start from the beginning?"

Yay! first chapter! Thank you guys so much for the response I got already, however small it may be! I'm definetley open to constructive criticism and your input on the story will definetely be read and considered. LOVE YOU ALL (< haha im really excited and caffeinated) thank you to Jordin and Cassie for their amazing support and helpful ideas :) and I can't forget Cassie's girl scout troop who are all AMAZING... especially Carly, who I've never met but seriously shes awesome :p

xoxo

Jay <3