Seized in the Dark (gxg)

Ch. 8: 24 Hours

It was nighttime, and I was in the university, walking towards the train. A black van approaches and from there two faceless figures jump out and start chasing after me.

I run as fast as I can, but I'm not going anywhere, I'm running in place.

The two figures caught up to me and tackled me to the ground. I try to fight my way out of their grip but feel all my limbs being held down by various hands.

Somebody is choking me.

I feel a sharp pain cutting into me.

There's a hand holding a bloody knife.

Suddenly, I am tied to a pole, standing naked in the middle of a crowd. I can hear laughter and mocking.

Someone is tightening their grip on my throat as I try to call for help.

From the crowd emerges four figures holding up knives. From where they were standing, their visages get bigger as the disembodied faces quickly float towards mine. They had holes where their eyes were meant to be, but I could recognize them. They were Kristia, Nivia, Nurse Cleary, and Dr. Garnett.

As each of their faces come up to mine, they stab me in the stomach.

I'm screaming, trying to yell louder after each stab, but my voice does not come out.

Lastly, Dr. Garnett's face comes up to mine and hovers dangerously close. I'm shaking violently against the pole, pulling hard at the unforgiving restraints. She opens her mouth, and it gets bigger and bigger until it devours me while I feel a sharp, stabbing pain in my heart.

My eyes shoot open as my body sits up on the bed only to be jerked back down. Tears stream down my face.

I am shaking and breathing heavily.

Something is pressing on my face, and it is making it hard to breathe properly. I tried to reach for my mouth, but realized my hands and ankles were tied.

My sweaty clothes cling to my skin.

I looked around and didn't recognize where I was. It is dark, and my vision is out of focus. I tried to look for my glasses, but I couldn't reach anywhere.

I feel someone beside me put a hand on my rapidly beating heart, and I jumped back in fear.

"Shh, shh, it's just a nightmare." The hand does not leave my chest, and instead it presses me back down on the bed. "Shh, calm down." The voice is gentle.

I try to talk, but my words come out muffled. My cheeks are unusually sore, and my mouth is dry.

I thrashed around some more, until the person takes their hand off me and goes to turn on the light, then approaches me once again.

Her hand is cupping my face and wiping away at the tears.

She gets closer to me and is trying to calm me down. Her blurry face comes into view and that's when I realize where I am.

Last night's events were real.

I closed my eyes as a stream of silent tears fell, weeping in frustration.

Dr. Garnett gets closer to me, and my entire body tenses.

I don't want to be here. I don't want her next to me.

She pulls my head into her chest as she strokes my hair and rocks me back and forth.

The disdain I feel for her cannot be undone by a few seemingly sympathetic acts, but right now I don't care. I was hurting too much, and I wanted someone to hold me, even if it meant the object of my scorn.