i hear the voices chapter 1

*** Patient 13 ***

White, everything was a blinding shade of white. The walls, the furniture, even the lights. The brightness of the room encased me as I rocked. The shadows cast by my bed moved, a swirling mass of lit darkness.

‘They’re here, and they’re going to get me. The shadow. Their portal. Thick taloned hands. They’ll reach for me. Drag me down. End me.’ I mutter. I could almost see them coming out of my floor, a swarm of crimson red and black scales, pointed teeth and pitiless eyes. They hungered for me. Seeking revenge. Thirsting for blood. The shadow moved up the wall. The room darkened, changing to a blood-red shade. The scent of coppery blood filled my nostrils as it swirled from my floor, in thick, hot waves. Black blood trickled from wounds in the wall. My blood. The blood of my people. Words formed. I opened my mouth in a silent scream, and the door opened.

‘Hey Miss Sylvia, how are you doing today?’ I snapped my head towards the cheery voice, the scream now escaping my throat. Dark red scales, fangs and bottomless black eyes. They were here. I knew they would come. I leapt across the room, despite the warning in the back of my mind. I knew it was futile. I knew I was about to die, scattered in chunks of flesh and bone, real blood staining the wall. I didn’t care. I wasn’t going down without a fight. I hurtled into the demon, wrapping my hands around the scaly throat, eyes blazing with pure hate, anger and fear.

An arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me away. I thrashed, hitting my head against my captor. My vision blurred, and I silently cursed my weak human form. The room cleared, and a young girl, no older than thirty, stared at me with sea green eyes and long brown hair. I slumped, my anger vanishing. I was released, and I stumbled to my bed. I stared at the two humans
in their work uniform, sinking into my bed. I burst into tears.

***Izzy***

‘We need to talk about this.’ Concern lased Wills voice as he hurried to keep up with me.

‘There’s nothing to talk about.’ That was a lie but what was I supposed to tell him “I’m breaking up with Nick because I think I have feelings for someone else.”

‘Ok that was a lie.’ He touched my shoulder causing me to stop. I turned to look at him. His blue eyes were full of concern. ‘Talk to me Izz.’

‘I’m fine, really. If I need to talk I swear I will come to you but I don’t.’ I turned and continued walking towards room 13.

‘Izzy.’ Will said softly, running up behind me. I whipped around to face him.

‘Just leave it alone Will!’ the harshness in my voice instantly made me feel guilty. ‘I’m sorry. I just don’t want to talk about it.’

‘It’s fine Izz, just remember I’m here if you need me.’

‘I know.’ I turned back around and opened door 13. ‘Hey Miss Silvia. How are you
today?’ There was a scream. I didn’t have time to react before her hand was at my throat. The tray of medication I was carrying smashed to the floor. Pills of all shapes and sizes spread across the floor in a dull rainbow. 13’s hands tightened around my throat. Her big black eyes stared straight into mine. There was a wild look on her face. She squeezed harder still. I could feel
consciousness slipping away. Suddenly her hands were ripped from my throat and I was coughing in air. My knees began to buckle. A hand slipped around my shoulder holding me up.

‘Hey are you alright?’ Wills voice was so full of concern I wanted to cry.

‘I don’t get paid enough for this.’ I managed to choke out under my breath. Will smiled
at me, relief filling I’m up. A distraught mumbling filled the room.

‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought they had come for me. I’m sorry.’ 13 was curled up on her bed. Silver hair falling around her face hiding her tear stained cheeks. Compassion filled me to the brim. I took the few steps to the bed in a hurry, ignoring Wills protests.

‘it’s ok Miss Silvia. I’m not hurt. I know you didn’t mean it.’

‘I thought you were one of them. I thought you were here to kill me. I didn’t mean it.’ She sobbed. I glanced back at Will who looked just as confused as I felt.

‘Scared, who would get you Miss Silvia?’ she looked up at me, purple now glinting from her eyes.

‘The demons.’ She let the words hang in the air. ‘I ran away. They don’t like it when I run away. They are angry.’

‘There are no demons.’

‘That’s what they want you to think. They want to surprise you, to squeeze the fear out of you until you beg for death.’

‘You safe here Miss Silvia.’

‘No. nowhere is safe. They will find me. They will always find me.’

***Patient 1***

‘I’ll see you tomorrow Mr Stuart.’ The Nurse smiled brightly, her crooked teeth a feral shade of yellow. I grunted a response, sitting in the corner of my room. My nurse left, allowing me to have a glimpse of the metal 1 attached to the door. Number one. Patient one. That’s who I was. Not this Mr Stuart bullshit. To them, I was patient one, and that’s who I always would be. My mouth curved
into a snarl and I punched the wall. Stuck up bitches. How dare they treat me like this. Like a troublesome child. I felt the anger bubbling in me. I punched the wall again and slumped onto my bed. The lights suddenly flickered and died, just like every night. I tried to calm down, anger slowly fading. That’s what landed me here in the first place.

‘Fuck this shithole. Let it burn in hell for all I care.’ I muttered. I lay back on my bed and closed my eyes.

‘Where are you? Where are you hiding? You cannot run from us? We will come.’ I sat bolt upright, sweat drenching my forehead. I looked around the room. Empty. The only sound was my breathing. I listened for a moment longer and shrugged. ‘Just my imagination,’ I thought. I lay back down. ‘Here we come. Nowhere to run. Now you are done,’ the wispy, hissing voices filled my head. I leapt to my feet, looking frantically around the room. Nothing. I walked to the centre of the room and hesitated. Something flickered in my vision. Nothing.

I shivered, the temperature rapidly dropping. A shadow danced along the wall. Nothing was moving. More shadows. Dancing, laughing, spinning. They were everywhere. All over my walls, unidentifiable shapes. A flash of red in my vision. Glowing orbs with black slits. Blood-red cat eyes. More appeared, the pairs of them floating everywhere. Laughter. Fanged mouths were grinning at me, gleaming in the darkness. The cackling filled my head, echoing. Then pain.Icy fire exploded from my back as even colder talons tore flesh and muscle. I screamed, hot blood gushing from the wound, the first colour in the room. I spun around. The eyes were blurring, almost into one giant mass of red. Another flash of the talons and my leg collapsed. The laughter was getting louder, screaming in my head. My cheek was torn from the bone, baring skull. My own vision blurred. I hit the ground, landing in a pool of blood. They tore open my gut, yanking out the pale intestines, breaking through my stomach. Acid ate away at my flesh, burning.Laughter, it was everywhere. Tears were running down my cheeks, an almost comforting coolness. Talons pierced the skin of my forehead, slowly dragging down to my eyes. I could feel the skin parting, and my vision turned red. The claws closed in on my eyes and I could see no more.

I felt a quick flash of pain at my fingers, and I knew they were no longer there. Bones were snapped and severed. I could feel my feet and legs being yanked from my body. Everything was becoming distant and far away. Five groups of claws dug into my opened torso. The laughter ceased. There was a slight amount of pressure, then they ripped, and I decorated the room. Nothing. I no longer hear the voices.