Heart of the Apocalypse

Chapter One: Alyce

I wake up in pain, my flesh feeling as though it's on fire. I scream in pain, clawing at my own skin. I hear footsteps, thundering towards my room. I turn my head, looking at the visitor. I open my mouth weakly, my words a low grumble.

The visitor is a blurry shape, a familiar shape. I groan, pain searing through my system. The visitor starts to back away, a scream radiating from them. Confusion and pain overwhelm me. What had just happened?

My mind was a jumble, questions racing about. What happened to my visitor? What happened to me? Who am I?

I groan and try to sit up, pain flooding once more. Once I manage to position myself in an upright position, I examine myself. I don't notice anything out of the ordinary, except for an IV coming out of my arm. Whoever I am, I seem to be ill.

I touch my face gently, feeling for any abnormalities. It feels normal. So why did my visitor scream? I feel a nose, eyes, ears, and a mouth. That's normal, isn't it?

Why did they scream? I don't feel anything out of the ordinary, or as ordinary as I can remember. I see a clipboard at the end of my bed. I grab it, hoping to find some answers.

Admission Date: 8 April 3099
Admission Time: 15:36
☑️Emergency 🔘 General Visit
Patient Name: Cooper, Alyce
Age: 17
Race: Caucasian
Blood Type: B-
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 145 lbs
Symptoms: Fever, sweating blood, overheating, dehydration, memory loss, severe weight loss, necrosis, total organ failure, comatose state

Alyce Cooper. My name is Alyce Cooper. And I'm in a hospital. That's good to know.

I look myself over once more, searching to see some of these symptoms. Confusion fills me. I look fine. I feel fine. I feel hungry.

I stretch and examine my surroundings. I see a red button. "Press for help." I carefully push the button, hoping that my new visitor reacts better.

I listen for footstep. Nothing. I press the button again, hoping for different results. Nothing. I groan. Did the visitor scare everyone away?

I swing my legs over the bed, deciding to investigate for myself. I grab onto the IV stand and try to walk. I manage to shuffle a few steps before I see someone in the doorway. A new visitor. I smile towards them, "Excuse me, but I was wondering how long I've been here and-"

I'm cut off by a blood-curdling scream. The visitor grabs the closest thing to them and points it at me. It's a syringe.

"Please, Ma'am, what is going on?" I groan, fear filling me.

"Get away from me, you hell spawn!" She swings the syringe toward me, scraping my arm. I recoil in surprise. Pain fills me.

"I don't understand-"

I'm cut off by a man barging in, tackling me to the ground. Fear fills me as he pins down my arms.

"Nurse, get me a mask!" The man growls, "I need to keep it from infecting me."

I struggle, trying to get free, "Sir, what's going on!"

The nurse forces a mask over my face, making me struggle more. Tears spill out of my eyes as I start kicking and flailing. The man angrily grunts, holding me down with more force. I bite the mask, trying to rip it off. Pain fills my system once more.

"Nurse, go get the morphine. Enough to put this creature out of its suffering," the man barks, digging his knee into my chest, keeping me from moving.

I mange to free one of my arms. I pull off the mask and try to push the man off. I accidentally scratch his face, causing him to recoil in pain. I get up, staring at the man with wide eyes. I have no clue what's going on, but I need to leave. I pull out my IVs, wincing slightly at the pain. I run to the window, staring at the man. I need to leave. If I jump, I'll be gone forever. If I stay, I'll be gone forever.

I need to be in control of my life. I run over where the IV cart fell, then run to the window, running into it with my shoulder, breaking the window.