Saviour's Hell (Completed)

So It Begins

I already knew where I was, how I got here, and why I'm here; but I didn't know why I was panicking so much. I shouldn't be panicking as much as I am. I was paranoid, like I was expecting some horrible monster to tear these walls down, kill everybody in a brutal, gory manner, and save me for last, only to split me open in multiple places, split my skull open and suck out my brain while simultaneously draining all the blood from my body, then leave my shattered, lifeless, crumpled body in the debris.

Take it easy, Elijah. I told myself. That was extremely graphic for you.

I was wandering the halls in this massive institution, taking in the incredible architecture. It was like a really fancy college university that was three stories high, but guarded on the outside perimeter. The sun shone brilliantly through the stained glass windows at the end of each hallway, and illuminated the path I padded along in these weird socks with rubber grips on the bottom that a nurse gave me when she unlocked my restraints.

It's beautiful. A woman's voice said.

It's a trap; don't let them fool you. It's a trap. A man said.

I wheeled to see who had said that, only to discover that the hallway was empty, except for me and some guy- maybe in his late twenties- sitting in a chair in a corner at the end of the hallway; he was staring blankly at the ceramic tile floor, so obviously he didn't say anything.

Over here. A man said.

I wheeled, seeing no one.

Not there; here!

No; this way!

Wrong way, Elijah.

There was nobody around me.

Up here!

No; down here! On the window ledge!

Haha; you looked.

We're all here, Elijah.

Suddenly, more and more voices started sounding off in all directions, growing and growing until it sounded like a high school cafeteria during lunch.

I tried squeezing my eyes shut and covering my ears, but it didn't help. I dropped to the ground, repeatedly whispering, "stop it" until I snapped my eyes open, moving my hands away from my ears, when I heard footsteps approaching me; the voices seized immediately. A gargantuan black dog with bright red eyes charged at me, and I screamed, trying to kick myself away on the floor. My eyes widened further when I saw the guy that had originally been sitting in the chair was now lying on the ground with a crushed skull, lying in a pool of blood.

The gargantuan dog leaped on me, snarling with an unearthly sound, pinning my arms to the floor. I was hyperventilating and my heart was beating so fast, it felt like one continuous beat. It roared in my face, and I screamed again, staring in pure terror past its two rows of two-inch long, razor sharp teeth, and down its gigantic throat, which was big enough to swallow me whole. It stared at me for a moment before snarling and sinking its teeth into my neck. The pain was greatly underestimated as it felt more like a needle being stuck into my neck instead of about fifty sharp teeth; I blacked out soon after that, sure that I was dying due to massive blood loss.

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I found myself leaning against a wall with my knees drawn up to my chest and with doctors and nurses around me, trying to talk to me, but I couldn't hear anything except my heart slamming against my rib cage and pounding in my ears.

Okay, Elijah. I said to myself. You survived that, somehow. You're alive. Just close your eyes and take deep breaths.

I did as I instructed myself to do; my breathing very uneven at first, but gradually evening out. Once my pulse slowed a bit, the voices of the doctors and nurses could be heard.

"Elijah; can you hear me?" A man asked.

I nodded, but didn't open my eyes yet.

"What did you see?"

"I-I-I...i-it was...uh..." I opened my eyes, gazing at the floor, stuttering too much to form a sentence.

"It's all right; you can tell me later. Are you okay?"

I forced myself to shrug, unable to form any words and actually try to say them. I began to wonder if I had been sedated when I blacked out, but quickly ruled that out when I realized I was still in the same hallway I was in while wandering around; if I had been sedated, I'd be in my "room". The image of the bloodied guy on the floor flashed in front of my eyes, and my eyes snapped up to the corner he was in- my anxiety spiking at the memory. To my benefit, there was no body or blood or squashed brain matter there- nothing but an empty chair.

"What is it? What did you see in the corner?" The doctor asked.

"N-nothing; i-it was nothing."

"Elliott, we can't help you if you don't tell us what you're seeing."

I gave him a look of pure confusion.

"Elliott"? I thought. Who the hell is Elliott?

"Eric, please tell us what you're seeing." A woman nurse said.

I looked at her the same way I looked at him.

Who the hell is Eric?!

Suddenly, all of their faces started to melt like candles left in the sun on a hot summer day. I panicked again, and started screaming, only to have them dive into my mouth, scalding everything they touched, sending me into agonizing pain.

I screamed in pure terror as I shot up in bed, screaming myself awake. Seconds later, Derek came running into my room, taking hold of me; I was still screaming.

"Elijah, it's okay. You're okay; you're fine." He said, trying to calm me down. "It's just a bad dream; it's not real."

I was hyperventilating, and unable to focus clearly.

"You're okay, Elijah."