Short Horror Stories

Iris Coldon

From the moment I closed my eyes to the accident I had gotten myself into I knew that it would never be the same ever again.

Never would I have guessed though, that I would survive pretty much unharmed.

Well... that's still a bit of an understatement.

My arms and legs work the way they're supposed to.

But my mind... not so much anymore.

I've started to see things.

The world and the people have changed since the moment I woke up.

It's almost as if I've entered another world entirely.

But I know better now... or at least I believe I do.

It's the same world, I'm just wrong.

It has been told to me over and over and over again.

The world hasn't changed, just the way I perceive it.

The memories from back then are still all so fresh in my mind.

The people who walk this earth have all become eerily distorted to me.

Mouths gaping, eyes bulging.

Some had been reduced to mere shadows, others to grotesque monsters.

The world around me, the city, has turned to look in a worse state than it actually is. Houses broken down, abandoned by humanity.

Then there are these things I see happen.

Accidents like the one I had been in and even worse.

And yet all of it only happened in my head.

Life after the accident had been terribly difficult, I had to stay in the hospital even though I believed whole-heartedly that I was fine.

Monsters in stained lab coats came in and out of the room instilling me with the worst of fears.

I was soon after placed in an asylum, due to not being able to take care of myself anymore.

That's where I met her.

A young woman who worked there, her name, Iris, Iris Coldon.

The first time I met her I was quite shocked to see her and felt quite dizzy.

Unlike the rest of humanity, she still looks human.

She spoke to me softly and kindly, it was like... whenever I am around her the world turns to the way it is supposed to be.

No monsters.

No abandoned buildings.

No more horrible accidents.

When she went away again I had a hard time sleeping and felt terrible.

Why couldn't she just stay here?

Why couldn't I go with her?

I know, I know... It's just... to suddenly be thrown back into the world I was slowly getting used to was just really difficult.

Luckily she came back again the next day and the day after that. Well many days, almost visiting me every day, I found it to be very difficult when she didn't.

Quickly I found it difficult to focus, always reacting to every sound hoping that it was her. I couldn't, still can't, concentrate on what the fellow patients here are telling me.

Those monsters won't understand me anyway.

Today I made a decision.

I am going to tell her that I love her.

Because that must be it... right?

I love her and that's what makes the world normal again... right?

Carefully I listen to everything going on outside of my room.

A doctor shuffles past my room.

A couple of patients wander past my door.

And then finally I recognize her footsteps.

With the usual smile, Iris opens the door.

"Iris! G-good morning." I start rambling.

"Good morning." She answers without paying attention to my stuttering: "Everything alright in here?"

I nod and she gives me another bright smile.

I look down and start fidgeting: "Actually... I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" She asks, clearly interested in what I have to say.

Does she feel the same way about me?

For a moment I hesitate, but then gather my strength: "Iris... I... I think I like you. Like, like you... Love you."

I'm too scared to look up at her.

I'm too scared of rejection.

For some strange reason she remains quiet.

Is she contemplating my confession?

I look up at her and smile worried: "Is something wrong?"

She smiles at me and I feel shadows returning to my world.

"Please don't go!" I call out to her as I take her hand.

Somehow her hand feels strange.

Not warm, not cold either.

I can feel my body turn cold as I see her disappearing into thin air.

The hand in which I held her is now a small bottle.

For some reason I feel like she will never return to me again.

Dammit, there's still so much I had wanted to ask her.

Before looking at it, I let the small bottle go from left to right in my hand.

Something feels terrible.

Then I finally decide to look at it.

It's a bottle for medication.

The label says Cisordinol.

I stare vaguely at it for a moment, until the terrible truth finally hits me.

C I S O R D I N O L

I R I S C O L D O N