Awoken

Pulse Of The Natural World

   I take a deep breath, pulling as much oxygen I can into my collapsing lungs. Sirens blare on in the background behind murmuring voices and the ringing in my ears. My hands grasp for earth, but instead find the cool cement littered with shards of glass. Lights illuminate the night sky, seemingly getting closer. Red and blue, red and blue flashing vigorously... I moan at what little strength I have left... None.. My back, against the ground, is stiff.
   I hear more yelling, still murmured, but it's closer than before. I haze, losing my grip on the world, eventually fading to black.
                             *     *     *
   Air revives my lungs, and my heart quakes as it restarts. The blood in my body, which had been cold and beginning to clot, warmed itself against the stagnant muscles beginning to wake. My eyes do not open, but I feel like I can see. My fingers twitch and animate with color as the bloodflow returns. My nerves jump, but I swallow whatever fear that had engulfed me before I came here.
   The ringing is gone from my ears; silence now feels them except for when the steady beeping sound of a heartbeat cuts in. I'm not sure how, but I am so awake..  Yet I was asleep, dead asleep.
  I force my eyes open. Blurred, from being glazed over, I blink until I see clearly. I'm in a hospital room. I scan the walls, ceiling, and floor searching for any aspect or clue of the past. I turn my neck to look out the window, but I only get about halfway before grunting and wheezing. "Why am I in so much pain?" I think, "Where did it come from?" Then the memories hit. Every second of the past night returns. I gasp at the sudden realization of whom I may have lost. I lift my hand to my forehead, wiping off beads of sweat. As I pull my hand away I notice the clip on my finger. I trace the wire to an IV standing beside my bed.
   I stare at it as if it could fade from reality at any second, but it stays, unmoving, steadily draining whatever fluid into my veins. I draw in a deep breath and decide to stand.
   Flimsy, I move my legs over the bed, then sit up with my hands at my sides. I stretch and comb through my hair with my fingers.
   Willing my strength to stand, I pull myself up, stumbling, and catching myself on the IV. "Thanks." I murmur to the inanimate object. Speaking seemed hard and made me uneasy. Feeling parched, I shuffle to the hospital door seeking a water fountain.
   As I place my hand on the cold, metal handle a shot of small electricity runs through me. "IV, it shocked me!" I hiss waving my hand profusely to wear off the revived nerves' super-sensitivity. The IV continues beeping steadily to my heart beat. Talking may have hurt, but I found sympathy in the machine keeping me alive.
   Slowly, I place my hand upon the door handle, and pull it towards me. A crack of light shines into the dim room. My eyes take a while to adjust to lights. Cautiously, I peer into the hallway. The world outside of the small hospital room seems dull and vacant.
   With one hand on the IV, and the other rubbing my hospital gown  nervously, I move my rubbing hand and open the door. It creaks, but eventually it's done a complete 180° and bumps the door stopper. Warily, I move into the walkway. "Hello?" My horse voice calls out.
   No answer; of course. Analyzing my surroundings, I spot a water fountain down the hall, I smile. Moving my hair out of my eyes, I notice something else out of the corner of my eye. Turning to see both the fire alarm and the emergency ax have been used. Hanging in a case of broken glass, the ax sits. "Weird.." I murmur before turning to the fountain, leaning down gingerly, and sipping some warm water. Looking up, scanning again, I lean back down and drink some more.
Finishing, sighing, and standing up straight, I look at my IV. A glimpse of paper flickers from behind the machine; "A note..?" I think as I take it off the back. Blood, splattered and flicked into the paper scares me into dropping it. I bend down, disturbed, and pick up a clean edge. It reads: "Run, for fear of Himm."
"Himm?" I mumble, flipping the note over, "..me?" I ask, partially thinking that it was me they feared, but no. The note was for me; it had to be a warning. A light behind me flickers and goes out, then the next, and another each getting closer. Whispers and silent howls hiss from within the darkness. My heartbeat rises, the IV beeping repetitively, I take the note and start 'jogging' back towards my room. Passing the ax, it falls off the wall; I scoop down, picking it up, and lug it with me.
So close to the door. I grasp the handle forcing it open, throwing the ax inside, and locking the door behind me. The lights in my room begin to flicker until sparks break overhead, raining down on me. I lunge with my IV, grabbing the ax, and pull myself into a corner breathing heavily.
Another bulb breaks overhead, this time showering glass onto the floor. The IV, which is hysterically beeping along to my heartbeat, seems just as scared. Then... The whispers come, "You-" it hisses, "got-safe-away!" Missing fragments of speech echoes throughout off the air vents. "Away!" It hisses loudly, dismissing itself into a steady loud thud... Right with my heartbeat. It bangs its way down the hallway until it stops in front of my door. "Safe-ty.. Away!"
The whispers roar into reality, shredding apart the past world. Then silence. The remaining lights flicker on, and the whispers are gone. I sit in the farthest corner away from the door with my hands over my head, one barring an ax; I look up.
I'm gasping for breath; shifting against the wall, I look down at the floor. Minutes pass; my heartbeat begins to decrease, but there is a steady thumping sound of heartbeat in my ears. I draw in a deep breath, closing my eyes, and begin to pray. "Save me, God.. Please..." I finish, looking up. The world is still, but then a knock is heard.
Steady, always three, food is slid under the door. I cock my head at the untrustworthy platter. Footsteps pass away further down into the hallway. I take in a deep breath and stand, walking over to the suspicious meal. I crouch, looking at it, but under the napkin I spot another letter, this time clean and well written. "I'm Keeper. This food is safe, I promise." I set it down, and begin eating. I have to, I'm starving.