The chase

Chapter 2 - A breath of fresh air

The elevator dings and the doors slide open revealing a reception filled with stiff brown couches, half-broken coffee tables and faded magazines galore. This room too, deserted. I wander into the giant space, instantly identifying the fluorescent exit sign flickered up ahead. It leads directly to two giant glass doors, one of its stainless steel handles hanging by a single screw. I push the innermost of each door, they do not budge. Digging my heels into the ground, I heave with more intensity and commitment, still no sign of giving in. Punching the door in frustration I instantly feel pain as my fragile knuckles crack on impact. I grasp my hand firmly, the pulsing invited it's way down my wrist. I suppress the urge to swear, curling down towards my knees to cradle my throbbing hand to my chest. I take a moment here while the intense pain subsides, contemplating my next move.

I decide I need to find some form of life, if not for my now injured hand, but for the sake of my sanity. I look for the next lot of signage, 'cafeteria' standing out to me in the scrabble of words, that should do it. I follow the words through to the back of the room, leading into a new hallway within this maze of a building. This hallway - instead of patient rooms - consists of a complex of locked doors, all of which I assume to be staff only. The end of the hall opens up to a new room - the cafeteria - it's features hidden from lack of illumination, what little lights that work are weak and dim. Shadows dance around the room, the smell of fried chips still fills the air.

My steps are slow and cautious, my eyes darting across the room. As I sneak deeper into the space the lights begin to slowly brighten, revealing the scene around me. Steel picnic-like tables surround the area, a number of chairs upturned, a buffet filled with year-old food off to the far end, attracting greedy flying pests. My nose crinkles in disgust and the smell of oil-filled food turns to a rotting stench that burns my nostrils. There's not a single soul in sight, no signs of help, no signs of hope.

Without warning, I begin to convulse, only just now feeling the harsh iciness of the room. The lights begin to flicker as they once did before, setting off a headache within my skull. A subtle high pitched noise blares in my ears, I clasp my hands over them in an attempt to silence it, frantically scanning the room. My searching halts as does the ringing in my ears, I try my best to slow my breathing, taking in slow and controlled puffs of air. The right side of my hair waves in the air as I feel a small gust of wind hit me. I snap my head to my right and my heart instantly hammers in my chest. I look directly into its eyes, those empty purple eyes, just inches away. It extends its translucent arm onto my shoulder, and everything goes black.

A blinding white light peaks through the darkness, I can see her and she is happy. Sitting up at the table, sheet of paper in hand, her eyes gleam with tears of pride and joy. Her mum runs from the other side of the table and greets her with a giant hug.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" tears sprouting in her eyes, they stay there in a warm embrace, savoring the moment in each other's arms. Everything begins to slowly fade away, mother and daughter turn into a blur and then darkness envelops them completely.

My eyes snap open, remembering I was just in the presence of death I panic, I sit up throwing my limbs around recklessly.

"Hey - hey, it's ok," a soothing voice reaches out to me from the other side of the room. 

"It's gone, "I follow the sound of the voice and meet emerald eyes. Him. I'd been so engulfed by all of my stress and confusion that I'd completely lost memory of this previous encounter, the only conscious person I'd actually made contact with for some time.

"What happened? Where did it go?" I quiz, my vision darting around the room in search of it. I'm no longer in the cafeteria, instead, I find myself sitting upright in one of the wards. Not much different from hers. God, where is she?

"I fought it off, the bastards hate iron." I stare at him dumbfoundedly as he lifts an iron bar in my direction. "Oh and I'm Jayden by the way." 

"Alissa," I blurt out, no time for formalities, too many questions run through my mind. "Do you have any idea what's going on here? I mean - where is everyone?" The way his eyes shift back to that sadness I witnessed before makes me regret asking.

"I don't know," he looks away, off into the distance as if flashing through his memories. "I've been here for months, I can't seem to find out what's going on -"

"Wait - Months?" I ask, "what have you been doing for so long - ?"

"Searching for a goddamn way out." He says with a raised voice, my question seeming to have triggered him. 

"I'm sorry." He must have seen me jerk in surprise, returning his voice back to a murmur. "It's just been so hard. I've tried everything." His head falls back into his hands in defeat, as if he can't hold up the weight of it any longer. Without hesitation, I lift myself from the bed and to the seat beside his, placing a reassuring hand on the middle of his back. 

"It's alright, we'll figure it out together." I draw circles on his back, a method she'd use to comfort me when I was sad. Something I'd find comfort from her doing now - if only I knew where she was.

He turns his head towards me, his face filled with nothing but helplessness and sorrow. 

"How?" he asks "I've tried - everything," 

"Maybe we need to ask our little friend," he looks at me with what is not just confusion, but concern.

"But that's -" 

"Insane? I know. But do you have any better ideas?"