Nightfall

t h i r t y

As the faint adrenaline in her bloodstream too began to wear down, sheer dread began to rapidly pool into the pit of her stomach.
'I'm going to die', was the only thing running through her head.

Minutes spun like silk into hours, as Tahlia was left to stew in her morbid thoughts. Her breathing was becoming more and more spasmodic with time and her head whirled like a carousel; she needed her pills.

Every once in a while, the same thudding noise would come from the other side of the walls and jolt Tahlia up in fear, as if it were the sound of Death itself.

She rued the day she stepped foot into that asylum. She rued the day she ever even applied for the scholarship of that damn subject.

And it was in the middle of her bitter thoughts, that a distinct sound went off behind her- the sound of wood chaffing against the floor.

Ignoring the stiffness in her neck, she twisted it to the side, letting her eyes roll over their best to the periphery.

Instantly she whipped her face back around, shutting her eyelids close, suddenly wishing she hadn't seen that.
Slow, but firm footsteps taunted her from behind. The sound of creaking floorboard stopped just inches from where she sat, her body suddenly erupting into violent shivers as terror rattled her bones.

For a minute nothing happened, it all stood still, before Tahlia felt a light but unmistakable pressure of fingertips, inching it's way on her shoulder.

She froze, goosebumps appearing all over her skin at the scathing contact. Her lips quivered as she felt the cold fingertips drum against her shoulders cynically.

Moments of excruciating silence flickered by, before the sound of a heavy exhale reached her ears.

"I've thought about it." His liquid silk voice sliced the thick silence.

Her clenched eyelids flew open. All these months later, and yet his voice didn't fail to disarm her. It was him. This was real.

"I've thought about it for a while now, you see, it's been too long since I last saw you kitten. "

The sardonic tone in his words flowed like river water. Only after a long drawn out pause did he speak again, and this time, another hand was rested over her other shoulder.

"What am I gonna do to you?"

Tahlia almost jumped out of her skin, for the last sentence was whispered right into her ears. He had drawn himself too close for comfort, with his face so close to her neck, she could hear him breathe, so calm and steady. The scent of a midnight's ocean breeze was choking her senses.

Tahlia turned her face away from his, fearing her cheek might touch with his nose, her teeth gritted together.

He let go of her shoulders, straightening up in her peripheral vision, before stalking over to finally face her.

It was then that Tahlia lost all sense of reality.

She could swear his eyes were darker.

Maybe it was the lighting of the room, maybe it was the intent deep inside of them being reflected.

His lips were stretched into a thin line, placid, quite opposite of the mad simper she'd expected him to sport.

"Who are you?" Tahlia finally found it in her to croak out, her voice scratchy, barely coming out of her throat.

Of course, it was without a doubt Logan Hunt standing in front of her, but who exactly Tahlia was speaking to was unknown to her. Was it Logan himself or his extra-psychopathic alter Ian?