The Kingdom of Night (Book 3)

Fourteen - Ghosts of the Past

Alice

As the weeks went by, I improved slowly. My jolting awake in the middle of the night became less common, although my sleeplessness did not. I was afraid a nightmare would hit me when I least expected it. Not to mention that when my concentration slipped, I saw Rory's body after the crash. The pain in my heart was renewed every time.

     Such was the case one night, when I'd been tossing and turning for a few hours before drifting off, restlessly. I found myself in a damp cave-like room, with a thin column of light sifting down from somewhere above but otherwise poorly lit. Directly in front of me was a large hulking machine covered with switches, cogs, gears, and levers. Even now it was hissing and growling like an animal.

     I felt someone shove me from behind, but when I spun on my heel to see, I found I was very alone. It seemed to be someone's force of will that got me backed up towards it, and into a chair. The leather restraints on the arms cinched tight around my wrists, and as hard as I tried pulling, they wouldn't come free. With a screech of metal, a metal dome attached to a mechanical arm lowered over my head, just barely touching it.

     For a second, nothing happened. My pulse roared in my ears, or perhaps it was the machine behind me. It suddenly gave a great shudder and I gasped as a strange clawing sensation stole down into my chest. I tensed as it closed around my heart, my breaths shortening. It was alarming, something I'd never felt before.

     Then came the pull. At first it was a tug, deep inside of me. Another shudder, and it got stronger, and a little more painful. A third, and suddenly the pain flooded in on me all at once, a blinding rending kind that I could have sworn was tearing me in half. I screamed, but a groan from the machine drowned me out. My vision turned red, and then white.

     I bolted awake, finding I really was screaming. Clawing at the blankets and sobbing too.

     'Al!' Iz's voice came to me, and a moment later I felt her hands gripping my shoulders, and then holding my face still. A light went on somewhere. 'Al, wake up! It's just another nightmare!'

     I melted into her, burying my face in her shoulder and letting my sobs come. I was trembling so hard it was a wonder she was able to hold me, and it only briefly crossed my mind that I could hear the other nurses' voices too. They sounded worried, and I heard the dormitory door open and close quietly. 

     'Al,' Iz said, gently stroking my hair and resting her cheek against it. 'Perhaps telling me about it would be best. Works for me, usually.'

     'I saw myself dying, Iz,' I said, my voice a frightened shaky whisper. 'I felt it too...the worst pain I could imagine...and this horrid machine...that was what did it...'

     'Oh, Al.' Iz rubbed my back and kissed the side of my head. 'I'm sorry. Truly, I am. Is there anything I can do?'

     'Stay. Please.' I clung to her like a life raft, and perhaps it was true. She was the only one keeping me afloat at the moment. 'I can't be alone...'

     'Of course, Al.' She extricated herself from my grip gently, urging me to lay back down. 'There we are.' I tightened my hand when she started to rise, but she squeezed back. 'Don't worry, love. Only getting you a fresh pillow.'

     I let out a shaky breath, and relaxed. She slid the pillow under me, propping me up, and then gave my knuckles a gentle kiss.

     'I'll be right here when you wake, Al. Don't you worry.'

     I didn't want to let sleep pull me under again, but her reassurance that she'd be there was enough. Soon my eyelids sagged closed, and the last thing I felt before drifting off was her hand, gripped tightly in mine.