ANATHEMA

chapter ten: fall away

"Go get Tyler."

"What?" Josh asked.

"Just go!" Ashley shouted.

I kept my eyes shut, not wanting to see how close the children were or if my parents were back or something new altogether was in front of me.

"Dr. Ross, get your men out of here," Ashley said, her voice hard and cold.

"Miss Frangipane, we can't just-"

"No, listen to me. Tyler will be the only one to help her in this situation. You can take her to the medical ward after she comes back, but right now, you need to leave," Ashley sighed.

I heard shuffling feet file out of my room.

"Ashley?" I called out. "Are you still there!?"

"Yes, Ophelia, I'm still here," I heard her coo. I felt her soft hand stroke my own. I flinched at her sudden action, and she stopped.

"Ashley, um, I brought him, what do I-"

"Alright, TJ, you stay here and help her. Josh and I'll leave," Ashley said.

"Um...okay," I heard Tyler's quiet voice murmur.

I opened my eyes slowly; I was still in String's Hell. Red dirt surrounded me, and dark clouds began rolling in.

It wasn't until I heard the noise coming from the mass to realize it wasn't clouds; it was birds. Giant, black birds were descending from the sky, making ungod-like screeching sounds. I couldn't tear my eyes away from them.

"O-Ophelia?"

I snapped my eyes shut, squeezing them tight.

"Ophelia? Are you okay?"

I squished myself into the corner, turning away from the birds. I knew they were close, I knew they were going to try to hurt me.

"Ophelia? Can you open your eyes?"

"I-I don't want t-to," I whimpered, tears squeezing out of my eyes.

"Why not?" Tyler asked.

"They're gonna get me," I sobbed.

"They won't get you, Phee."

"Phee?" I asked, raising my head slightly.

"Oh, uh...I don't know, your name has Phee in it, it's quicker to say, I don't know, do you not like nicknames?" Tyler stuttered. I let out a light laugh, then made the mistake of trying to open my eyes again.

The birds were out of the sky and on the ground now. There were some as close to me as my desk was to the bed.

"Oh, God," I groaned. I closed my eyes again and pressed my hands against my face.

"No, no, Ophelia, it'll be okay, I promise," Tyler tried to assure me.

"Make them g-go away," I muttered.

"Okay, um," Tyler drifted off. "Alright, here. I'll ask you questions about your life, and maybe it'll make you, like, come back or whatever. Do you want to try that?"

I had no better plan, so I nodded my head slowly.

"Alright, uh...What's your name? Your full name?" he started.

"Ophelia Elizabeth Jones," I answered.

"Where are we right now?"

"M-Metropolitan State Hospital."

"What state are we in?"

"California."

"Can you open your eyes now?"