My Own Hell

I can see him. He's always standing there. Like a shadow. He's standing behind the teacher. He's studying her. He turns and smiles at me, showing his teeth. They're long and pointed. Rather like needles. But knitting needles. Thick, strong and deadly. He's all black apart from the eyes and teeth. They both too unnaturally white compared to his skin and clothes. It's a pure black void.  A darkness.

No one else seems to see him so I always say nothing. He's walking down the class now. He's holding a long, dulled knife. Some black liquid is dripping off it. It splats on the floor. Is no one else seeing this? He chuckles as he passes a girl with blonde hair. Why it is just me he plagues? He's humming. It's off tune and jerky. It's like he doesn't know how to use his voice. He laughs and coughs. More black liquid splatters on the floor.

I don't like this. I don't like this at all.

"You're safe now." He opens his mouth and those words tumble out. But it's not him. It's a feminine voice. One I don't know.

"You're all right now."

The same female voice comes out of his mouth. Why is he taunting me?

My shift of focus changes. I look to the teacher. She's old now. She's splattered with the black liquid.

He laughs.

"You're meant ...to be ...smart, haven't ...you fig...ur...ed it.... out?"

His voice doesn't work all that well. It's raspy and he can barely string together two words at a time without stumbling over them.

The other people in the class are gone. The teachers gone. It's just me and him.

"You're meant... to be smart. So.... Why are you.... here?"

The black liquid's dripping from his mouth and splattering to the ground. The floor's all black. It's flooded in the black liquid. It's thick and swirling around my feet. It feels like chains keeping me trapped in this Hell of mine.

"Why am I here?" My voice works. I didn't think it would. I sound weak though. Why do I sound weak?

"You're in the hospital. You're all right now. You're going to be fine soon."

The female voice comes out his mouth again. It's much better than his voice. It's softer and kinder. So much kinder.

"Your friends have been to see you. They couldn't stay long. They said people are worried about you."

"Sur...prised."

I hate his voice so, so much. But it was rather weird, it was like he was arguing with himself.

He starts walking towards me.

It only took him a second to reach me. He has a horrid smell. It's like rotting meat.

"You're... staying...here. Like it .... or .... not?"

He stretches an arm towards me. I shuffled backwards.

I shake my head. I feel stupid tears building up.

"Like it... or not."

"No." I can barely whisper.

He laughs again.

"No." I try to say again.

He keeps laughing.

"You're meant... to be .....smart. So why can't ....you kill yourself... properly?"