Room 303

Chapter 15

                                   Rachel

  She lied down on her mattress trying to process what she just heard. She needed to get out of the asylum before he gets rid of her. Her head felt heavy after taking the pills given to her by Maria a while ago. Her mind was trying hard to focus on her thoughts, but it was very difficult. She needed a plan. She couldn't afford being weak and tired now. She needed to escape. Her surrounding was so quiet. All the noises had faded away leaving her to battle with her own thoughts. There was a light knock on the door.

  "Can I come in? Mummy, can I come in?"
  "Kelly? Is that you honey," she said as she lifted herself up.
  "Yes mummy, it is me. I am coming in."
  Rachel stood up in the corner straightening her clothes and adjusting her hair with her hands. She didn't want to look too weak and tired for her daughter. She didn't want Kelly to see her in this state, but at the same time, she was dying to get a glimpse of her.

  The door creaked opened slowly letting in some light from the corridor. A young greasy Kelly appeared at the door bare-footed. Her feet covered with mud. Her white sleeping gown stained with blood. Her fine brown hair all greasy and gooey. Her hands and face covered with blood. Rachel hurried towards her, but she was startled by the presence of doctor Steven. He stood right behind Kelly with a knife in his hand. Rachel froze.

  "What are you doing?! Leave my daughter alone," she cried.
  "Take a step closer and I will kill her," he said putting the edge of the knife at Kelly's neck. The sharp edge slightly poked her skin making her squint and squeak.
  "Stop, please just stop!"
  "Mummy please help me."
  "I will help you sweetheart. Don't worry mummy is here."

  Rachel extended her arms begging him not to hurt Kelly. "Please don't hurt her. Don't hurt my little girl. Take me instead. I'll do whatever you want, but please let her go." She walked a step closer trying to narrow the distance between them.

  "Don't get any closer!"
  "Alright, alright, but please let her go," she said as tears flooded down her cheeks. "She is innocent. She has done nothing wrong.   
Please let her go. It is me that you want. Please let her go."
  "You don't understand do you? Everything that is happening now is your fault," he said pointing to their surrounding.
  "I have done nothing wrong. Please just let us go."
  "Oh my dear Rachel, you have done more than enough," he slid the knife from one end of Kelly's neck to the other slitting her throat open. Blood flooded like a river all through her body and to the ground.
  "Noooo!!!" She screamed rushing towards Kelly holding her fragile body before it hit the ground. Doctor Steven disappeared into the corridor.
  "Kelly! Kelly! Kelly darling listen to me. Follow my voice." She cried. She was trembling trying to stop the flowing blood that has made a red pool under them. Kelly chocked on her own blood trying to take a breath after the other but failing.
  "Help meeee!! Somebody help!!!" Cried Rachel at the top of her lungs, but there was no response.
Kelly trembled as she choked and took her last breath. Her eyes fixed on her mother who was sobbing trying to stop the blood flow and crying for help.
  "Kellyyyyyy!!!"

  Rachel bent down and hugged Kelly so tight.
  "It...is..okay..mama. I am now... in a better... place." Kelly's voice startled her. She raised her head and found herself on her knees, empty handed holding only the air. Kelly was gone. Kelly wasn't even there. She stared at her hands. There was no blood. There was no trace of blood in the room. She felt relieved for a moment knowing that Kelly wasn't there, but she was horrified by the hallucination she had just experienced. She cringed at the thought of how real that felt. Tears rushed down her cheeks. Tears of relief and remorse at the same time.

  She raised her head and noticed that the door was slightly opened. That's it. She can escape, or it could be a trap. She paused and stared at the camera. It wasn't beeping. This meant that something was wrong. It was either switched off, which is something that had never happened during her stay, or there was no power. She had similar cameras in her work place that function in the exact same way as the one in her room. She poked her head slowly outside the door scoping the corridor from left to right. There was no one there. There was pin drop silence. She slowly pushed the door and checked the cameras in the corridors. They were turned off too. This is strange. She looked at the other rooms. Their doors were shut. She was confused but determined to focus on her goal to escape. She walked cautiously down the corridor. She looked out a barred window and found all the patients in the garden. Why didn't they take me out as well?

  There he was. There was Kevin. She could feel herself crying from happiness. He had finally come to save her. She couldn't contain her excitement. She wanted to call his name, but he was standing way too far to hear her. Both men shook hands.

No, no, no!!
  She grabbed the bar and got her face closer to it hoping Kevin would see her. What had this bastard told him to let him leave without seeing me? She could swear that she saw Kevin stare in her direction. They must have locked eyes. He was far, but he couldn't have missed her. She knew he would recognise her easily. He had once told her that she had a special radiance which he'd recognise in a crowd of a billion people. At least that was what Kevin had told her once when they were together at a concert. She backed out and ran towards doctor Steven's office. There was no one on the floor, so she had some time. She entered quietly trying not to make any noise. She ran towards the phone and dialled Kevin's number.

  "Come on, come on answer!"
  "Hello?"
  "Kevin, it is me Rachel. You need to help me. You need to get me out of here!"
  "Rachel slow down what is the matter?"
  "You need to save me Kevin. I can't talk for long, someone is coming, I can hear footsteps, please save me."
She closed the line and hid behind the curtains.
  "Doctor Steven," called Patrick as the doctor was entering his office.
  "What is it Patrick?"
  "It is Andrew. He is having another episode."
  "Give him the damn pills and he will be okay. This is getting way out of hand."
  "I did, but he is still in a really bad state. I think we might be losing him. You should see him now."
  "Where is he?"
  "In the garden."
  "Let's go."

  Their footsteps faded slowly into the corridor. Rachel took a deep breath of relief. She was about to get caught if it wasn't for Andrew.

  "Thank you Andrew," she muttered to herself.
  She quietly disappeared back into her room happy with her achievement. Now that Kevin got her warning, he will definitely come to save her. She was about to be rescued. For the first time in days, she smiled happily and closed her eyes waiting for her knight in shining armour to come and rescue her.