3 Years Later

Red.

Bright red covered my vision as black filled out the outlines.

A tiny room consisting of what looks to be a table, a fireplace, a chair or two. And… something that resembles a box resting on cracked woods.

Pain crawled across my sides and down my spine as I struggled to focus. My body hitting against the edge of something as all I could do was stare breathlessly inside of it. The contents moving and jittering about with such energy that it made my head spin.

Blurred images coming in and out of view as their voices were just 2 steps off from being clear. Instead just becoming muddled before I can ever make sense of what's being said to me. Well not really said but more so yelled. Not really yelled but more so screamed.

Was it pleaing? Was it begging?

Threats to me or threats for me?

My hands outstretched to grab at whatever I could only see each figure slip between the gaps of my fingers. Each whisper of a memory gone before I could make sense of where it came from. The only thing it left was bright streaks of red. Red that slowly began to get stuck to the tips of my skin.

I reeled back in shock as it began to rapidly grow. Festering every bit of skin it touched until that saturated color settled deep within my veins. The scream that left my lips was instinctual but silent. Fear spiking about as I painstakingly watched it creep closer and closer to my face.

'Stop!' I screamed.

'I don't want this!' I cried.

It didn't stop yet… it did. My position back to where it was at the beginning, leaning against something in slight pain. The images moving about in front of me as if nothing happened at all.

"You Don't Want This?"

The voice was crisp, more crisper than anything else that resided in the room. My eyes shifted down onto the table and at that black outline sitting on top of it.

"Do You Even Know What You Want Anymore?" It came again, black lines sparking out as the details of some standard radio began to surface on the object. I wanted to glare but it felt like any movement I made would cause my lungs to collapse.

'What do you even mean?' I spat out in thoughts as a dry laugh eased from the radio.

"Look At You. You're Going To Fold Over Any Minute Now. Yet All You Could Do Is B.a.r.e Fangs To The One Who Wants To Help You."

I swear I could see a smile form on the speaker. A shit eating grin in all manners.

'Oh shut up. Who even are you anyway? Who are you to me?'

The radio laughed as the figures continued to shift back and forth behind it. My eyes narrowing down at the black lines beginning to fill in the details the longer I stayed in this room. Wood lines craving on the table and cracks opening up in the walls.

"I Might Be Your Only Friend In This."

'Friend?' I couldn't help but laugh, 'You're my f.u.c.k.i.n.g friend? You've done nothing but get on my case each and every chance you get.'

"Oh But It Was All To Help You Continue. Keep Your Body Moving. To Prevent You From Giving Up. To Keep You Alive I Suppose."

My mouth open to retaliate yet I couldn't help but find the truth in it's words. Teeth beginning to form in that smile as more details began to fill the room. The texture of the wall paper, the fl.i.c.k.i.n.g of flames in the fireplace, the silhouette of people walking about in the room.

'Why are you doing this. Why do you want to help me. What about my life is so beneficial to you?'

Shattered glass littered the floor. Bags lined the walls. The folds of clothing faded into view. The voices beginning to filter and tune. Words beginning to click in but were scattered and loose. Too disorganized to actually make sense of it all.

Yet one word stood out. One word echoed in my head and caused my c.h.e.s.t to splinter in black.

Risen.

Almost immediately the voice in the box began to laugh causing ripples to appear in my vision and distort the room again. The laugh beginning to echo and cause my brain to convulse as I tried to commit the room to memory. Commit the word to memory. Something about this room seemed important but I don't have the time to remember.

"Now's Not The Time To Be Asking Those Questions. Too Soon Is It For Us To Meet."

"F.u.c.k wait!" I yelled back as my vision began to be tainted by black. The edges crawling closer and threatening to overtake my view as the room strayed further and further away. It's voice beginning to grow distant.

"It's Time To Wake Up Shaina."