Redrum Origins: Part 3

Part 5: Becoming Whole & Broken

Disclaimer: I do not own Redrum. Redrum is a game developed by Anarchy Enterprises. I only own the OC characters.

-------

Echoes and whispers permeated on all sides, confusing her senses, trying to lead her astray. It made her scared, always on edge, waiting for some monstrosity to pounce on her. She continued on nonetheless, forcing herself to stay focused on her search.

Rose's time in the asylum was something she'd rather forget but trudging around these damp and dirty tunnels made the familiar shivers of fear race down her spine. She could tell that something was off from the very beginning, feeling as though eyes were watching her from the walls, ones different than the security cameras. Her treatment confirmed what she had suspected and feared. The shot had hurt, more than any other shot she had received in her lifetime. It made her see scary things, things that sent her into a dark spiral of distressing nightmares. She remembered how she felt then, how she just wanted to never have any more nightmares.

She mentally shook herself, bringing herself back to the task at hand. She resumed her trek through the curtain of whispers and shadowy figures dancing around her peripheral vision. Her uncle had to be down here somewhere. He had to be. She could feel it deep within the depths of her soul.

The incessant pounding of voices assaulting her increased, causing pain to lance behind her eyes. She clutched at her head, doing her best to stay on her feet. She stumbled onward, each step arduous and exhausting. Eventually, her dim vision caught the sight of a door. She needed a reprieve, to get away from these debilitating specters. She wasn't even sure what they were. They weren't spirits, they didn't have that bright aura that signaled vitality. Besides, she had freed all the remaining souls.

She forced her way through the door, instantly slamming it closed behind her. The voices stopped, leaving her in blissful silence. She breathed out a sigh of relief, sliding to the floor, her legs like jelly. Once she decided that she could, she opened her eyes to take stock of her surroundings. Her vision was blurry for a moment before clearing, spotting what was in this small, lit room. A gasp escaped her.

It was her uncle. Well, it was his emaciated body, but nevertheless: it was him. She shot straight to her feet, dashing to his side. He was still restrained in the gurney Fraud had put him in. The central hose in his chest was still embedded in his flesh, continuously pumping in the green serum. His body twitched at random intervals.

Rose felt high off the sheer relief that rushed through her. To think that by chance she would mistakenly stumble across exactly what she was looking for. It was almost... too easy. The girl immediately pushed that thought from her head, preparing to rescue Ravenwood. His brain hadn't been removed yet. That means he was still alive.

His nightmares were not anything that she had expected. There was only one common theme: anyone who represented her family were brutally killed, and he was standing among the carnage. He wasn't the one who killed them, though. A huge vestige of Fraud loomed over the scene, claiming grim responsibility over the deed. It broke her heart. The veteran's only fear was losing his family.

And that included Maddie.

How was she going to fix this? This nightmare was slowly warping his mind, subtly altering his memories of what happened prior to his imprisonment. These torturous visions would plunge him deep into despair. Maybe that was the solution. Show him that there was no reason to lose hope.

She approached him slowly, not sure what could send him into a blind panic. His psyche was in a delicate state right now, so she couldn't afford to rush. Once she was close enough, she got down on her knees, settling her hands in her lap. "Uncle?" she called tentatively, gentle and patient. At first she thought he didn't hear her, but his head slowly lifted to fix his shattered gaze on her. "Rose?" he questioned softly, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

The young psychic nodded. "It's me, Uncle. The real me." She held out her hand. "Come on," she urged, "it's time to go." The veteran stared at her offered hand for ages before he finally accepted it.

From Rose's perspective, his body regained its vitality, returning to how he looked before. He shot up in the gurney, gasping for air and sweating profusely. From there, Rose worked on releasing him. She undid the restraints, helping him to the edge of the bed. He attempted to stand but fell down to one knee, supporting himself on the gurney with one hand and holding his head in the other. "Rose?" He was bewildered, stare incredulous. "How-how did you-how did we-?"

"I'm sorry, Uncle," the girl said, interrupting his stammering. She was bent over by his side, trying to provide as much support as she could. Her green eyes shimmered with tears. "Fraud lobotomized you, remember?" Frankly, he didn't remember, but that hardly mattered. He yanked out the hose in his chest, eliciting a low grunt, staggering to his feet. Rose continued. "We didn't know how to stop it." She was on the verge of sobbing, her tone filled with remorse. "We-we couldn't d-do anything. I'm so sorry. It was all my fault."

Ravenwood placed a hand on her shoulder, halting her lamentations. She looked up at him with shining, wet eyes. "Rose," her uncle said. "Don't you even think for a second that this is your fault. It's no one's fault but his." His other hand clenched into a fist. "I'm compelled to kill him even more now." Suddenly, he perked up. "You said we, right?" Rose nodded. "Is Maddie here too?"

Rose sniffed loudly, rubbing at her eyes. "Yes," she answered. "She's looking for you too."

"Where is she? Do you know?" Rose shook her head. "Not really," she replied. "I'll be able to sense her if she needs any-"

She cut off abruptly, body stiffening up like a corpse. She stared off at a random direction, most likely seeing something more than the blank wall. "Oh no," she whispered. Ravenwood began to match her terrified demeanor. "What is it?" he asked.

"Something's happened," she said. "Maddie's in trouble." She took a hold of his wrist and tugged at it. "Come on, we have to go now." Ravenwood didn't need to be told twice. He found his clothes stored in another room nearby. He was surprised and glad that his revolver was placed along with his personal items. Fraud would regret ever keeping it.

Fully clothed in his shirt and trenchcoat, he tucked the firearm away in its holster. "Alright," he said, ready for action, "which way?"

They raced together through the maze of tunnels, Rose following the spike of fear that she felt resonate throughout her entire system. Maddie desperately needed help. She just hoped they wouldn't be too late.

-------

Author's Note: Angst will be ramping up in the upcoming chapters. Don't be confused by the title of this one.

My semester is over for me, finally. Feel like I can relax.

Do you guys want me to start posting my alternate ending now?

Praise is appreciated and constructive criticism is encouraged.

See you next time!

-The_Mayflower