Who Am I? #Wattys2016

Afraid

This song ties to this chapter so please listen to it:)

Ava's P.O.V

I stare at the ceiling.
The screams replaying in my head.
The voices, the images.
Everything I'd seen over this month.
How did it all make sense?
What was the connection?
The order?
The reason?

I click my tongue in frustration and get off the bed. I glance at the empty room. How long does it take for Noah to get water?
Oh dear lord.
He was the one who insisted I got some rest and that he'd get me water and what a surprise, no Noah, no water.
He's probably chatting with Josh.

I glance at the digital clock at the corner.
14:23
Ugh. Figuring I could go and try to talk to Faye and Shiv, I headed out the door, not before wrapping a cardigan around myself. I try to figure out the way Meredith had brought me. Why hadn't I paid attention?

A loud noise comes from the side of a hallway. My heart quickens.
A cry of pain resounds in my head and I find myself running towards the noise. I hear a mumble of profanities as I come to a stop at the apparent source of the commotion. I see him sitting there against the wall, his grey-hooded head buried into his arms. A whimper of anguish resonates from him. I decide I should say something. "Erm Caleb? Are you okay?" I ask, immediately regretting it. His head shoots up as he turns sideways, staring at me. His hoodie falling to his shoulders. "Don't look at my eyes. Just don't."
Confused I nod my head. He glances downwards, once again, speaking up. "Stay away from me. Please."

I firmly shake my head, temporarily at loss of what to say at these type of moments. I forget that he's not looking at me and I speak up, "No I'm not leaving, what's wrong?"

"JUST GO! Why won't you just leave? I don't want anyone to look at me." His voice rasps, as he coughs. "Caleb. What's wrong? Is this about what happened downstairs?" I question, sliding down against the wall opposite him. He doesn't say anything. A few seconds pass and I hear a chocked cry from him. My heart pangs, his agony embedding a knife into it. I don't understand but it's like I can feel his pain, pulsing through my veins. Bullets of rain feel as of they're raining down on me from above.

"It hurts doesn't it?" He asks, laughing softly to himself.
I nod my head, confused.
"Just go please. I'm begging you or it'll get worse." He pleads, his voice quivering.

What is going on?

His emotions are all over the place and he seems to be in serious pain. Oh god I feel so useless. Think. Think Ava.
Silence fills up my thoughts and I reach over to prod Caleb. His shaky voice stops me. "Don't touch me. Please."
"Why? What's wrong? Caleb? Goddamnit just answer me?!" I respond, seriously starting to get freaked out. "Why don't you want me to look at or touch you? Caleb!" I ask again, raising my voice.

Two beats of silence pass.

"Do you know what happened downstairs?" He asks quietly.
"I know. I don't get it but I know that you have the ability to induce fear. But what does that have to do with anything?" I question, utterly dumbfounded.

"When you looked at me, I induced fear into you and you experienced it. I call the state of being in induced fear a "hollow state" and if you're in it for too long you'll die. I don't know how or why. I can't even control it. Its lucky that you stopped it but now you have a small "connection" with me. It normally depends on how long you were in the hollow state and what emotion passed through my mind. Basically you feel part of the pain I'm in and looking at me or touching me aggravates it and you'll experience it fully and the consequences wouldn't be so good." He states monotonously, his voice cold and steely.