Daemonum

Chapter FIVE

I slip away into a realm only the truly exhausted can reach. It's the kind of sleep where not even a dream can touch you, the blackness of rest so powerful and overwhelming that one can do nothing but dissolve into it. I bask in it like a cat might bask in a ray of sun on winter's day, my consciousness lax with the knowledge that mystery boy -Marc, I have to remind myself- was finally awake and that at least some of my problems were resolving themselves.

Floating here, I'm not sure how much time goes by. It could be minutes or hours, but eventually the blackness begins to fizzle around the edges and a persistent humming sound badgers my senses. It's high pitched, more of a whine than a hum really, and the closer I come to waking the louder it becomes. Soon the sound of voices drift along with it, and before I know it consciousness comes rushing in like a bullet train, dragging me back into the world and the sounds of chaos.

Every part of me wants to keep my eyes closed, to pretend that I've somehow slept through the noise in the room, but I peel my eyes open nonetheless to find a room full of very panicked looking nurses. None of them are looking at me, though, and for a moment I worry that something happened to Marc. However, a quick survey of the room informs me that my white-haired friend isn't anywhere to be found.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

I stand, the blanket Marc had given me pooling around my ankles and my battered body throbbing in protest. One of the nurses seems to notice me for the first time, and I realize that it's the same nurse who checked me into the emergency room. His lips are drawn into a tight white line and he steps towards me, opening his mouth to speak, but I interrupt.

"He's gone." It was supposed to be a question, but it comes out sounding like a statement.

"We don't know how," The nurse doesn't have to say yes for me to know that I'm right. A nurse hits a button on a monitor and the room suddenly becomes quiet; I'm aware for the first time that the shrieking sound that woke me was Marc's heart monitor alerting the staff there was no pulse.

"What time is it?" I demand, looking around the room for a clock.

"Just past six," The nurse informs me.

"When did he leave?"

"We don't know," The nurse sighs. "The machines alerted about five minutes ago. Security checked the cameras. We have him walking out of the room, but after that it's like he just... Vanished."

I nod, calculating. The whole 'vanished' thing is a little disheartening, but it's almost light outside, he's only got a five minute head start, and I know this city like the back of my hand.

I can find him.

Without saying a word to the nurse, I head for the door. I'm vaguely aware as I take the stairs down to the lobby two at a time that the nurse is calling for me to stop, and that I probably look like a crazy person running down the stairs, unshowered and still in my blood-stained clothes from yesterday. In the chaos of Marc's awakening I hadn't had time to change into the clothes Jess had brought for me, but right now looking like a sane person was the least of my concerns.

I burst through the side door and into the alley on the side of the building, taking an immediate right onto the street at the front of the hospital. Somewhere along the way the nurse had stopped chasing me, but I wouldn't put it past him to send security after me so I don't stop moving. Trying not to draw attention to myself, I match pace with the few other people on the sidewalk at this time of morning and keep my head low as I pass the front of the hospital.

I move towards home, knowing that anyone trying to get away wouldn't dare to have gone the other way, deeper into the city. I walk ten minutes before I cross the street and duck around a corner just in time to get a whiff of hot dogs. Bingo.