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Chapter 8: A Little Faith
Cain slowly climbed the spiraling staircase and glanced around himself when he felt a gaze locked on him. The burning sensation of a stare prying through and into his clothing unnerved him as he settled his shaken appearance and glared ahead of himself. He uncomfortably tugged on his shirt and looked up in time to see someone turn and walk away from the balcony into the library. He raised an eyebrow and continued the slow ascent to the marble room a few floors above him. When he reached the library he nodded to the men working within the complex and greeted people in passing as he walked through the aisles determined to find the individual who had been watching him. He folded his hands placidly behind his back and began to search the books with disinterest as his gaze fell on a figure slipping in and out of view. Cain had not been eager when Damon had sent him to the city’s library although he agreed when Damon had mentioned that he too would be at the library as he had become increasingly interested in direct involvement in the complete destruction of the city. Cain rounded the corner, smirking at the shorter male who was sliding a book off the shelf. Damon glanced over at him and sighed, walking away. He began to walk between the bookcases, scanning the titles and grinning when he heard footsteps behind himself. His index finger slid over the backs of a few books and he sighed as he pulled a book down off the shelf and then continued the search.
“Cain, why are you following me?”
He peered at Cain out of the corner of his eyes and grabbed another book off the shelf before walking away. Cain glanced at where he had pulled books from and noticed that his was gathering books about the tale and also about medical issues. Cain had never thought of Damon as a man of words and it was nearly impossible to get the male to do more than acknowledge the presence of another individual.
“Would you talk to me?”
“About what?” He picked up a book and pushed it up against Cain, holding him back at arm’s length and then turned the corner. Cain looked down at the book and groaned at reading the title. “You came to help, so help.”
“How about the conflict between Aaryn and Revell?”
“I’ve got no use for petty conflicts in my mind. They benefit me that is all I know. Pick another subject.”
“What medical books are you reading?” Cain had caught up to him and was watching the man with extreme interest.
“Books serve no real purpose except to lure people away from real work. Pick another subject.”
“Well what would you like to talk about?”
Damon looked over at Cain and moved towards him, causing the latter to stumble backwards. He suddenly realized how far back in the library the male had led them and he felt incredibly vulnerable between him and the bookcase. Cain was not an individual that was easily frightened, but Damon could make anyone bend under his gaze and he commanded respect with the smallest hint of a grin.
“Murder, intrigue, love, lust, hatred, anger. Give me something worth examining and I’ll serve you with conversation for hours.”
“Obsession?” His voice was much lower, but showed no other hint of fear.
Damon nearly beamed at this suggestion as he stepped away from Cain and began to thumb through the pages of another book before handing it back to him. “Obsession is devotion. The gluttony of man is immeasurable. We are all slaves to our hunger whether it be for food itself, wealth, drink or company. But obsession, that’s different from the every day desires of fulfillment. It’s deeper, darker, more sublime. It’s a kind of veneration so far past the line of caution that every part of the body is suited to that one purpose, feeling, or need. It’s bliss when you finally touch your obsession, then it’s over and every ounce of your being is inside them, who they are, what they love, what they need to breathe. Just before you reach what you crave you must back away though, kill them and end the obsession, it’s unhealthy. We need to get rid of that child.”
“Child?” Cain started away from the wall in surprise, his half-lidded eyes now wide open. “What child?”
“Revell’s nephew. He knows all of my plans. He was inside of my head. Or I was in his. Either way he proves to be a risk I am unwilling to take.”
“Oh. That teenager.”
“That’s what I said.” Damon shoved a book back onto the shelf and growled as he stepped around a girl sitting in the floor.
“He’s just a kid, I doubt he could actually be much of a threat.”
“He’s more of a threat to me than any of the others. He’s more mature than he seems.”
Shawn quickly grabbed the gun that Joshua had begun to level at the back of the teen’s head and glowered at him. He pushed the weapon back down and glanced around the corner to find an office door standing wide open on the right. He glanced up to read the name ‘Professor Manning’ in raised print on the white paint. He crept around the corner and quickly aimed his gun into the open space, keeping his eyes trained on the far side of the room as he felt the wall for a light switch. Two vivacious lilac eyes appeared right in front of Shawn causing the male to flail in surprise as the teen frowned and flipped on the light, walking into the corner of the room. He was having a hushed conversation with someone out of view and was holding his hand out to the person crouched under the desk. He raised his voice inquisitively and pointed to the closet on the far side of the room as if to confirm a direction. He nodded and slowly stood upright, approaching the door and grabbing the paperweight that sat on the corner of the desk as he passed it.
“Hey, kid, what are you-”
Shawn was cut short as the teenager held a finger up to his own lips and pointed once again to the closet. His fingers curved around the handle as he heard it click and the door slide open. He scrunched up his face in confusion as he heard a quiet whimper from the back of the closet and the shuffle of a body away from his footsteps. He moved forward feeling for some kind of light when he was overwhelmed by an unfamiliar stench. It was like rotting fruit, bitter and sweet and, he decided, nauseating. He brushed his sleeve under his nose and grabbed onto a swinging chord pulling down on it and flooding the small space with light. He backed up in confusion as he stared down at the young woman huddled in the corner her blonde, stringy hair hanging over her face and knees that were pulled to her chest. Her wet hair was crusted with dried blood on the tips and her black fingernails held an unhealthy tint of brown under them. A blue halter top barely covered the marred flesh of her chest and her legs where now covered in strands of black stockings.
“Ma’am?”
He started to move his shaky hand to her sweat soaked hair as he laid a finger on her scalp, jerking away when lifeless black eyes turned on him. Her lips were red and glistening and in her clenching fingers was a bloody pair of scissors.
“What the hell?”
She lunged at him, swinging the scissors as he threw himself backwards throwing the paperweight with as much strength as he could muster. Her arm snapped back as she dropped the scissors and stared down at the wound seconds before she drove her fist up under his ribs slamming him down onto the desk. He fought frantically to push her face away from him and caught her throat when her fingers snapped around his own.
“Shoot her!” Shawn took aim at the teen’s command and fired two bullets, felling the girl who lay still on top of him. “And now get her off me, please.”
Shawn dragged her off him as he rolled off the desk and again held his hand out to the person underneath. A pallid hand took his, trembling in fear as a girl slowly stepped out from under the desk. Diane who now stood in the doorway lit up at the sight of the individual and crossed the room in a few quick strides, taking her sister into a strangling embrace. Shawn stared down at the body and softly nudged it with his shoe, pushing her over onto her back.
“What is she?”
“Or was she.” Joshua appeared beside the teenager who was still trying frantically to dust something off of himself. Joshua grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. “Thanks, kid.”
“Yeah, don’t we need to go find Nic and Aaryn now?”
“He’s right. I’ll just call Nic.” Joshua flipped out his phone and began to go through his most recently received calls as Shawn closed the woman’s open eyes.
“I’ve read enough horror stories to know that when dead people are still moving that is a bad sign.”
Shawn glanced up at the purple eyes staring down at the body as he slowly stood up. “Least we know she wasn’t going to eat you or she would have. So she isn’t exactly a zombie.”
“But she is dead.”
“Right. So what is she?”
“Let’s just hope we don’t run into any others.” He ran a hand around his throat and coughed to try and clear the knot of pain.
“I agree entirely.”
“Quiet. It’s ringing.”
Aaryn turned to run as he pulled the trigger and heard the shallow click of an empty cylinder. They were completely out of ammo and the creature had inexplicably appeared above them only minutes ago. He hurled the gun at it and followed after Nic when he heard it slide back, its claws scrapping against the linoleum. Nicoli wrapped his fist into Aaryn’s shirt and pulled him into the room to their left, motioning for him to be quiet as the creature rounded the corner, jerking slightly and breaking the window over them. Aaryn and Nicoli crawled quickly away from the door and crouched down in the corner. Nicoli moved his hand to his pocket and began to search it with a finger as he pulled out a single bullet. He held up his 9mm and carefully began to load his last shot and aimed the muzzle at the open door. The creature slipped a deformed hand around the corner as its head came into view. It jerked once again and withdrew, continuing down the hallway. Nicoli lowered the gun with a sigh of relief and widened his eyes when the Indiana Jones theme filled the room. His phone was ringing.
Nicoli looked at Aaryn who was staring at the phone is his pocket and then back to his fear-filled eyes. Aaryn shook his head as Nicoli nodded and pulled out the phone, holding it out to Aaryn. The ring stopped as the creature began to claw its way back to the noise. Nicoli threw the phone down at Aaryn’s feet and stood up as Aaryn began to move.
“Get out of here.”
Aaryn quickly moved to his feet and fell back gripping at the wound on his leg as Nicoli shot around the corner, skidding to a halt when he slammed into the far wall. He slipped forward using his fingers to push him off the ground and to gain some momentum. He heard the talons hooking into the brick wall as the creature shot up onto the ceiling. He ducked low feeling searing pain rip through his shoulder. He glanced back over his shoulder to see its limbs morph into hooks. Its rotted flesh hit the grown as it’s bone hook shot down at his back once again. He hit the ground in a tucked roll and knocked open a door, slamming it behind him. He stood up in time to see the vent break out ahead of him as he was picked up and hurled over the edge of the railing.
Blue eyes darted frantically around the room as Aaryn tried to quiet his desperate breaths. He could hear the creature roaming the halls, its movement seemingly different, heavier and slower. He inched over to the door and flipped open the cell phone, turning it onto vibrate as he dropped it into his pocket. He leaned slightly around the corner to see the hind legs of the creature slipping through the double doors at the end of the hallway. He had heard a deafening thud and what sounded like a roof caving in and then complete silence; he had had no other choice except to hope that it had not been Nicoli that had made that noise. He glanced to the exit sign at the far end of the hallway and glanced back to the swinging doors. Although when he had heard the creature still on the floor and roaming aimlessly he had marked Nicoli’s name off his mental list of survivors. He was all alone now.
He got up to his feet and peered out into the empty hallway as he drew in a deep breath and tore out into the open space. He could feel numbing pain shooting up his leg as he began to stumble sideways. He leaned against the wall and glanced back when he heard the doors slam open. He stared in horror as the creature hooked its sickle-like arms into the ventilation system and began to scurry towards him, covering the distance in mere seconds. He cursed under his breath and dropped down onto his stomach as it slung the blade over his body. It pelted out a guttural scream and climbed down on top of him causing him to inch forward and jolt to a stop when a claw sliced through the floor next to his head. He moved his hand slowly over his back pocket as he grabbed the cell phone and flipped it open. He felt hot breath by his ear as he sent a call to Joshua’s phone and closed his own cell after two rings. He turned the volume up to its highest level and spun the phone across the ground causing the creature to look behind itself. He closed his eyes and began to pray that Joshua would call him back. He felt the tip of its claw piercing his shoulder as a familiar song filled his ears. It quickly jerked away and flipped back up into the ventilation system, running towards the sound. He sighed in relief and began to crawl towards the exit only getting to his feet when he was at the door.
Aaryn turned the lock on the door leading to the stairs and dropped his forehead against the cold metal in relief. He pivoted and yelled as he came face to face with a man in a lab coat. His name tag was splattered with blood and his body seemed as if the creature had taken a few hacks at him. He had slammed the syringe he held into Aaryn’s arm right before his reflexes had taken ahold of him. Aaryn repetitively hit the doctor with the heel of his hand before he sent a blow to his face that snapped his head back and sent him tumbling down the stairs. Aaryn stared in shock as he turned his gaze to the syringe and wrenched it out of his arm. He collapsed on the landing and held his head as he leaned back against the door, running a shaky hand through his drenched hair. The door began to rattle behind him as he stood up and started down the stairs.
“Was that?”
Joshua nodded as he pointed to the creature slinging its spider-like body through the vents. “Everyone get slowly down onto the ground.”
Its black body was slung towards them as the group dropped down onto hands and knees and began to divide in a frenzy. Marguerette and Diane crawled towards where they had seen Aaryn go as Joshua moved forward followed closely by Shawn who ducked down when a claw shot at his face. Shawn glanced over his shoulder to see violet eyes watching him as the boy turned and walked away from the rest of the group, drawing the creature’s attention with his casual stride. Aaryn got unsteadily up to his feet and ran down the hallway when the crunch of bone into metal grew distant from him. Marguerette and Diane rounded the corner nearly falling over Shawn and Joshua who were still on hands and knees as they crawled into the nearest room. Shawn got up onto the balls of his feet and leaned back, sighing in mixed relief and frustration.
“Where is the kid?”
“He,” Shawn paused, shaking his head, “walked off in another direction. He’s probably dead by now.”
“Who died?”
Shawn nearly fell over as the teen appeared behind him. “How did you get in here?”
“There’s another door back in that corner.”
“How did you-” Shawn cut his sentence short as he saw a hint of silver fading from the boy’s pale lips and eyes as bright purple orbs settled on him.
“How did I what?”
“That thing, how did you get away from it?”
“I think it’s badly injured. I just outran it.”
“Did it follow you?” Joshua stood away from where he sat on the corner of the desk and smeared the blood that rested on the teenager’s forehead.
“I don’t think so.” The door began to rattle violently as he pushed Joshua’s hand away and stared at it in a twisted kind of amusement. “Oh the irony.”
The group began to back slowly away from the door as Marguerette grabbed Diane’s arm and motioned towards the door behind them. Diane shook her head at first and then followed after her sister, persuaded by the incessant tugs on her sleeve. Joshua tripped over Shawn who was still crouched in the floor and hit hard on his back, knocking the air out of his lungs. The door suddenly flung open as something crashed into desk on the far side of the room. Shawn stood and quickly aimed into the corner as fingers curled around the desk, lifting the body up off the ground.
“No!”
“No?” Shawn trembled violently as Joshua grabbed his shoulder.
“Don’t shoot.”
Aaryn staggered up to his feet and dove down behind the desk the second he caught sight of the gun aimed at his face. “It’s just me.”
Joshua forced Shawn’s arms down as he called to Aaryn who slowly crept out into view. He winced in pain and fell back against the desk. Shawn passed the gun off to the nearest person and ran over to Aaryn when he saw the blood pouring out of his side and down into the top of his pants. He pushed Shawn back and stood upright, holding his hand to the deep gash as he glanced around the room.
“That thing took a few good shots at me before I even realized it was on this floor. Nothing I can’t handle. Sorry about scaring you all, but the door was wedged shut.” Shawn glanced back at the teen who appeared preoccupied with something else as he turned back to Aaryn.
“I hate to interrupt, but,” three pairs of eyes turned to settle on the violet ones frantically scanning the room, “where are Marguerette and Diane?”
“I suggest we go get them.” The group nodded to Aaryn who was slowly standing and started to leave when someone grabbed his arm. “What?”
“Where’s Nick?”
“We don’t have time for this.” Aaryn started to jerk away when the grip tightened and he turned back to see Joshua’s eyes pleading with him. “He didn’t make it, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”
A short needle slipped under his skin as he jumped slightly feeling his mother’s arm constrict around his head, buried in her shirt.
“Seth, now don’t be scared. The doctor just wants to check on your progress.”
Seth’s fingers gripped onto his mother’s dress as a needle slipped into the side of his neck causing his body to go rigid.
“Seth! Let my baby go! No, no! Oh, God protect him. Seth! Seth!”
Seth jerked violently as a needle was shoved into the center of his eye and the clamp around his forehead tightened as he thrashed in the chair. A darkness invaded the corner of his eyes as red tears rolled down his cheeks and a black liquid was injected into his iris. He stared up at the ceiling as the needle was withdrawn and swallowed with difficulty as the shadow lunged down onto him. He heard a deafening pop inside his ears as a fluid began to drain from them and a heat encompassed his body. Within his mind a voice chanted to him, calling him back from death as a warm fluid burned down his throat filling his stomach.
“Esculentus ut igneus cruor ut ego intereo.” He began to cry as he felt air pushed into his lungs as the taste of ambrosia lingered in his mouth. His eyes opened into darkness except for a pair of lilac orbs watching him as he slipped into unconsciousness. “Esculentus ut igneus cruor ut ego intereo, my sweet child. Esculentus ut igneus cruor ut ego intereo.”
Seth shot upright and frantically scanned the darkness around him as he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder. He jumped at the initial touch and slowly settled into it as he dropped back against the pillow. He blindly searched his cheeks for the tears he knew were there and angrily brushed them aside as he heard a glass set down on the night stand. There wasn’t a night stand in Hayden’s guestroom so he immediately tensed.
“Hayden?”
“Yes?”
His shoulders dropped slightly as he pulled himself upright. “Where am I?”
“Robin’s.” He sighed slightly and Seth turned to face the rustle of clothing. “I couldn’t have you staying at my place after that.”
“Couldn’t I have stayed at your brother’s?”
Hayden laughed as he ruffled Seth’s hair and shook his head. “I know you aren’t too fond of her, but it is safer here than anywhere else. Do you know what happened?”
“I turned didn’t I?” Seth’s eyes fluttered awkwardly before they opened revealing two golden orbs. “I thought so.” He closed his eyes and opened them once again returning from infrared vision to blindness.
“But something else happened. Your eyes,” Hayden grew quiet as Seth urged him on with a frustrated groan, “they turned red.”
“Do you think-”
“That murderer.”
“Exactly. But what does he have to do with the shadows?” Seth’s lips were pulling back into a sick smile and Hayden immediately knew what he was planning.
“Don’t you even think about it.”
“What if I could get inside his head?”
“Then he could get in yours.”
“It could be fun.” Hayden caught Seth’s eyelids before he could close them.
“I said no.”
“Have a little faith.” Thin cat-like slits appeared in Seth’s eyes as they began to bleed at the corners causing Hayden to let him go. Seth reached up wiping the blood away as he slowly opened his eyes, allowing his crimson irises to settle on Hayden. “I’ve never seen you in color before.”
“What?”
“I can see everything so vividly. Every strand of your hair is a different color. How does he live this way?” He blinked rapidly and glanced down to the khaki sheets, lying around him. “I can see every stitch.” He lifted Hayden’s hand and began to examine it extensively as he shook his head. “His eyes are nothing like a human’s, but they aren’t like a shadow’s either. It’s almost a mix.”
“Someone is in my head, Cain.”
“And you are smiling because?”
“I think it’s our friend, Seth. If you’ll excuse me.” He stood up and walked away leaving Cain in silence as he pushed through the throng of bodies into the back corner of the bar.
Seth hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen, pulling a butcher knife from the drawer as he stared at Hayden who ran across the room towards him. He turned the blade towards himself and smiled weakly to the man who grabbed onto the handle as it plunged hilt deep into his stomach. Seth grabbed Hayden’s collar and pulled his ear to his lips as he slipped forward to the ground.
“Marian Brooks.”
“Diane!”
“Should we really be yelling?” The young male leaned back when Joshua and Aaryn turned sharply on him and glowered. “I was just curious.”
“Do you have a better plan?”
“Well, not really, no. I was just asking.”
Shawn motioned for the group to be silent as he pointed with his gun around the corner and slipped behind the swinging doors into the cafeteria of the hospital. The teenager watched in silence as Joshua and Aaryn followed after him still arguing amongst themselves and peered behind them. He nervously bounced in place before running into the room after them.
“What is it, Shawn?” Aaryn took the pistol from the holster on Shawn’s thigh and aimed instinctively towards the kitchen as pans thundered against the floor.
“I heard something.”
“I doubt they are making that much noise.” Aaryn inched slowly around the table and edged his way to the right so that he could see into the kitchen. “I can’t see anything.” Shawn started to move forward when Aaryn held up his hand to stop him. He leaned forward and cocked his head to the side as he glanced back to see the violet eyed teen frantically pacing in circles behind the group and watching the door they had come from. Suddenly the boy’s head shot up and he came to an abrupt stop as he tensed, his body poised as if to run. “Did you all hear something?”
Joshua and Shawn shook their heads as heads as Aaryn pointed to the air at the soft purr that emanated from behind the door to their left. The group turned to stare back in the direction they had come as the pans began to bang in the kitchen once again.
“It’s sound like an engine of some sort.” Shawn’s trembling fingers dropped the bullet he was attempting to load as he backed up a step, slamming into Aaryn.
“Like a chainsaw.”
The double doors burst open as the fat body swung the chainsaw wildly up into the air causing Shawn to flip backwards over the chair behind him, taking down Aaryn as well. Joshua grabbed onto the teenager’s hand and fired two bullets between the man’s eyes cursing as he stumbled backwards and drove forward, swinging the blade at the back of the young boy. He ducked avoiding the hit and felt himself pulled after the male who barreled out of the cafeteria and into the kitchen. He could hear Aaryn and Shawn cursing behind him as the chainsaw began to slice through the tables they crawled under. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Aaryn land another shot in the fat man’s gut as the chainsaw missed Shawn by an inch. He turned back around in time to see the butcher knife driving down at his eye as he lifted up his arm. Blood shot up in front of his eyes, but he didn’t feel the sting of a wound. He glanced out from behind his arm and saw Joshua draw the knife out of his own arm as he fired five bullets into the woman’s chest.
“Let’s go kid!”
Joshua kicked open the door and aimed out into the hallway as he motioned for the boy to follow him. He walked slowly down the hallway, aiming in every nook that they passed as he sighed heavily and pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. He rounded the corner and smiled broadly and he ran up to the front doors of the hospital. He jerked frantically against them against them and growled in frustration when they didn’t budge. He backed up and threw his body weight into the door and grunted in pain as he stepped away and prepared to run at the door again when he heard heels clicking on the linoleum floor. He flipped out his gun and aimed down the hallway, motioning for the teen to stay where he was as he moved forward. Marguerette and Diane ran forward and Joshua held out his hands trying to stop them, but they continued past.
“Run!”
Joshua exchanged a knowing look with the tired violet eyes as the teenager returned to his feet and began to back away towards the stairs. Joshua fired three bullets into the darkness and cried out in fear as he ran past the door with the gruff man not far behind him, swinging the chainsaw haphazardly.
“Shawn?” Aaryn leaned around the door to the kitchen, aiming into it and dropped back into the cafeteria, sighing in frustration.
“Aaryn!” Shawn leaned out into the cafeteria and glanced around as he slipped back into the kitchen, breathing heavily and scanning the room.
“Shawn!” Aaryn pushed open the door to the kitchen and cursed when Shawn pushed the door shut.
“What?”
“You idiot. Stop closing the door.”
“Aaryn?”
“What?”
“Aaryn!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Aaryn kicked open the door to the kitchen and flipped out a gun as the barrel of a revolver was pressed against his forehead.
“Why didn’t you answer me?”
“I did.” Aaryn snapped his aim to the woman raising a knife behind Shawn and fired six bullets into her skull, knocking her onto the ground. “Can we go, now?”
“I’m more than eager.”
“Do you hear screaming?”
“I quite frankly wouldn’t be surprised if I did.”
Aaryn frowned at Shawn who shrugged slightly and motioned him down the hallway as they moved toward the sound of women screaming and then the subtle yet definite sound of someone shouting commands after the women. Aaryn watched in confusion as Marguerette and Diane ran down the hallway across from them followed by Joshua and the teenager as he heard the distinct sound of a chainsaw being run along the wall. Aaryn pushed Shawn back as the man wobbled slowly down the stairs, his body now riddled with bullets.
“I suggest we run.”
“But what about the others?”
“I don’t think he’s interested in them anymore.”
“Why?” Shawn began to back away as he pulled the chainsaw up and started towards them moving his body into a slow run.
“Do you really want to know or are you complaining?”
“Complaining mostly. If we survive this remind me to buy you a drink.”
“You’ve got it. Now run!”
Shawn and Aaryn ran down the hallway, slowing when a black body slung out ahead of them it’s bone claw hooking its body towards them as they skidded to a halt and doubled back heading for the kitchen door. The chainsaw swung the length of the hall as Shawn pulled out two pistols firing at both of the threats as they ran for the door.
“We’ll never make it!”
Shawn glanced between the two and threw down his weapons, pulling out two Uzi as he began to turn in a circle firing at the ground. He heard the crack of the weak floor as he reached out, grabbing onto Aaryn as the floor gave way dropping them into the basement. He saw the blade of the chainsaw cut into the creature as black blood gushed around them and the floor caved in on top of them. Aaryn’s eyes blinked open as he felt the soft material below him and he glanced down to see Shawn underneath him, unconscious. He tried to stand up, feeling the weight of the floor, holding him down as he violently shook Shawn’s shoulder. He rolled to the side and glanced down to see a hole in Shawn’s chest near his collarbone. He had taken the creature’s hit aimed at Aaryn. Aaryn slipped back pushing the heavy weight off himself and stared at the massacre that lay around them. The creature was gone.
“Excuse me, Mr. Revell?”
“Yes?” Hayden looked up sleepily from where he sat as the nurse placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Visiting hours are over.”
“Oh, thank you.” He grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and started to follow the young man out of the room when he noticed a glint of red out of the corner of his eye. He turned back to see a figure sitting in the shadow of the corner as he moved back toward the room. “There’s someone in there.”
“Mr. Revell, there is no one else in there. You were his only visitor all day.”
“There’s someone in there!”
“Mr. Revell!”
Hayden shoved the man aside as he moved back to the entrance of the room and glanced inside, turning on the light. He shook his head in confusion and turned the lights back off, pivoting back around.
“I’m sorry, I thought I saw someone I knew, I suppose I need sleep.”
“Indeed.”
Hayden’s breathing hitched as he glanced up to see the blood soaked wall behind the red eyes and he felt bitter cold breath brush across his face. “You.”
“Me.”