Tell No One

Chapter 29

Alana's mind was gripped by a primal, animalistic fear. She was able to keep it together whilst Eli was in the room, but now her breathing came in heavy pants as she struggled against the strong plastic straps around her waist. At a point when she was more lucid, they had asked if she didn't want the bindings, she had told them to keep them on. But now, now she hated her lucid self. She began tugging violently at the straps, her room crawling with shadows. The shadows were climbing out of the walls, hands reaching for her. The black stain had encompassed most of the room, the walls a thick, thick blackness that sought to suffocate her. A voice at the back of her screamed at her to stop, that no, no no it wasn't real but Alana was too far gone. She could still see the eyes of the shadows as she worked fervently, unpicking the woven fibres that held her down. She tried to work quietly, not wanting to alert anyone. Her fingernails were starting to bleed as she continued to pick pick pick, and gradually, they were becoming looser. As she concentrated, she watched as the flesh fell away from her hands, muscles and sinews eventually falling away too as her hands became skeletal, off white bone that continued to pick pick pick. Feeling she was getting nowhere, Alana gripped the sides of her bed and tried to pull herself out, the straps digging painfully into her hips as she did so. She ignored the burning sensation of the straps pulling her skin off as she continued to pull herself out. Finally dragging her legs out, Alana was standing on the floor, keeping back from the oily, oozing hands that tried to grab her. They reached for her, pulling further from the walls, and Alana had to suppress a scream when one broke through the floor a few inches from her foot. Sprinting to the door, her hospital gown fluttering behind her, Alana tugged hard on the knob. The door fell away, and Alana rushed through, catching herself on the wall with her hands on the other side. Alana carried on sprinting, bringing herself to a shuddering stop at the intersection of corridors when she heard footsteps. Her breathing was still heavily laboured as she peered timidly around the corner. At the end, she saw a person walk past, disappearing into a room. pushing off the wall, she looked behind her to see another person, standing in the middle of the hall, watching her. Only, it was another shadow, its white eyes staring at her emotionlessly as she stared back. Her heart rate picked up again, and she continued on.

Her shoes were paper thin plimsolls, and she could feel the floors cold hardness beneath her feet. As she continued walking, that aching coldness soon turned into a blistering heat, and Alana watched on as the ground around her became roaring hot coals, embers of red, gold and black that simmered quietly. They spread to the ground beneath her feet, and Alana was quickly running again, terrified. The corridor darkened, and the only light was then the torrid coals. They stared at her as she flew across them, their eyes piercing red, her feet barely touching the ground. Suddenly, reality was back, wavering before her eyes in a startling clarity. The space before her was lit again, the fluorescent lights flickering slightly above her. Alana was back in the hospital.

Although her eyes told the truth, her mind still screamed at her to run. There was a certain emotional numbness as she continued running, a ringing in her ears that detached her fully- a tear between what she was actually experiencing, and what she perceived was happening. Everything had a trace to it, a slight stuttering in visuals- where she passed doors, there was a ghost of an image of it left behind. Everything seemed to slow, each pounding step of her feet against the linoleum amplified in her head, sounding through her body. Her hair bannered out behind her, a golden trail that danced in her speed. As she continued, the halls became more and more crowded, doctors and nurses turning to stare as she tore past them. Passing a nurse station, Alana paid them no heed as she sprinted past. She watched their mouths open, watched as one stood up hastily from her chair, but Alana couldn't hear past the ringing. She finally reached the hospital's entrance and exploded through the front double doors. Eyes darting about, she only allowed herself a glance about before she continued running.

***

Darren and Chris didn't speak for the whole car ride. Sure, Chris had attempted small talk, but Darren had seemed content to lean his head against the window and close his eyes. Chris was really starting to worry. He hadn't known Shelia that well but was assured by Darren that she was a wonderful woman. Darren put her on a pedestal. But now, glancing across at him, he saw that Darren's world had come crashing down around him. As he was looking at him, he suddenly caught sight of something darting past his car bonnet. Slamming on the breaks, Chris muttered a shit under his breath and smashed his hands into the steering wheel. Looking for the person, he saw her stumble, before looking wide-eyed right at him. Chris stared back in disbelief as he realised it was Alana, then watched as she took off again.

Chris pulled into the side of the road, nestling the car into the pavement as he shook Darren violently awake.
"Shit, Darren, wake up. We have to go after her." Chris was busy unbuckling his belt. What had gone wrong? He pushed Darren again, and he replied with a moan.

"Darren, I don't have time for your shit. Lock up, then catch up." Chris threw the keys at him, before hastily leaving the car. He watched Darren look at the keys, then his eyes darting back to him, before he too left the car to chase after Chris.

Chris was barely keeping up with Alana, watching for her blond streak of hair as she moved gracefully through the crowds. Alana was small enough that she could slip by, through gaps Chris was too big for. In his pursuit, he had shoved people out the way, hearing their startled cry. He also heard a second wave of startled murmurings, a sign that Darren was close behind. He pushed harder as Alana again moved out of sight. He didn't even know she could move that fast, and he found himself pushed to his limit, trying to keep up.

***

Everything was silent in Alana's mind as she ran. Everything was a muted oblivion, a calming void that repressed her every sense. Everything was slow; dodging the crowds was easy, each gap in the swirling masses huge, her reflexes sharp. She did not know where she was running, only that she must run. She was acutely away of someone chasing her, but unlike the pure fear she had felt earlier, she felt it now a game, laughing as they struggled to keep up.

The sane part of her urged her to stop, but the other voices screamed to keep going.