The voices wouldn't shut up.
They followed me down the dimly lit hallway, and even the sound of my heavy boots clunking on the floor as I ran could not overpower their siren's call.
Join us.
I ran harder, my lungs threatening to burst from the effort. I felt like I'd been running forever. Maybe I had? Time loses all meaning in that place.
"Selina, look!" My roommate uttered breathlessly. When did she start running with me?
She pointed at the carnage around us, grabbing my hand and trying to get me to stop. It was a tactic the voices had used before , however, and I was having none of it.
"We have to leave! Now!" I commanded, using all of my willpower to force her to move.
"But-"
"Now, Alexa!" I grabbed her hand and bolted, dragging her with me towards the stairs.
I heard a scream coming from Atik and Lou's room as I ran past. I almost hesitated, hearing my friends cry out for help, but I couldn't risk stopping. The scream ended in a bloody gurgle anyway as whatever was in their room ended it's torture.
But the creature had done its job and distracted me for a moment. A monstrosity burst out of another room ahead, blocking our path to the stairs. Its many hands reached out for me, long claws already dripping with dark blood. It's eyeless face was frozen in a perpetual grin, confident it had snagged another tasty morsel.
Why do you keep running? The voices grow louder around me. You can't stop this. You're too weak.
Like hell I am, I argued inside my head. I noticed a door slightly ajar nearby and I ducked inside, dragging Alexa along with me.
"What are those things?" she screamed, cowering on the floor as I pushed my shoulder against the door, trying to do everything I can to prevent it from entering.
I glanced at my horrified roommate, covered in her boyfriend's blood, and debated explaining the situation to her.
My thoughts were cut off quickly, however, as the creature slammed against the door hard.
I grunted in pain from the impact and she screamed, but the door held. I knew it wouldn't for long.
I waved her over. "Trust me," I told her, "and stay close. We're going to make a run for it."
Her face steeled and she nodded, standing up and staying close by my side. I stood with my ear to the door.
It doesn't have to be this way, the voices continued. You could save them. All of them.
As the creature hit the door again, I gathered all of my willpower and sent a blast its way.
A heavy gust of wind knocked into the creature, sending it reeling backwards with an unearthly screech. As I ushered Alexa past it and continued our desperate run to the stairs, I hear a chorus of creatures adding to the screech as if they collectively were angry at my successful attack.
You're just delaying the inevitable, the voices continued, but I ignored them and continued running.
The creature recovered quickly, though, and bounded forward to meet us.
I heard Alexa scream and felt resistance from her hand. I looked back to see the creature's clawed fingers disemboweling her, thrusting it's elongated fingers through her body slowly as she screamed.
I screamed in denial and anger and gathered myself for another attack.
You're pathetic. Weak. But we can make you stronger.
A single swipe from one of the creature's powerful limbs had me pinned to the wall, forcing me to watch helplessly as my roommate and best friend attempted to claw her way free from the talons that impaled her.
Join us.
I struggled weakly, tears streaming down my face as the creature turned it's head to me and grinned triumphantly. It opened it's maw wide, unhinging it like a snake and slowly settling over my roommate's horrified face.
You'd never have to see this happen.
"Selina?" She pleaded with me, begged me for help.
The creature bit down before I could answer, taking nearly the entirety of her head in it's dripping jaw.
I screamed and fought back, struggling futilely against the powerful creature. It held me effortlessly against the wall, it's claws digging into my skin as I struggled, drawing droplets of blood.
Join us. You'll have power you never imagined possible.
The creature flung Alexa's body aside and focused it's attention on me, brandishing one massive claw in front of me with an intelligence that belied it's monstrous appearance. Slowly, as if enjoying every second of my continued torture, it drew it's claw along my legs, drawing deep gashes below my knees.
You can stop this.
I screamed and kicked, lashing out in any way I could as I panicked, the agony and terror overwhelming me. Other creatures congregated around me, each grabbing on of my thrashing limbs in their talons and pulling and gouging.
Join us.
I felt one of my arms pop from its socket, followed by the other one. They were trying to pull me apart.
Join us.
The creature that pinned me released me, letting me slump to the floor. Dark red blood covered the area around me. I tried to crawl through it, but I couldn't feel my legs anymore. I closed my eyes and curled into a ball, begging for this nightmare to be over.
Join us...
I opened my eyes, gasping for air as though I were drowning, and reality flooded back as the walls of the dream were torn down. I was lying on my back in my room and I could hear Alexa's gentle snoring from her bed. I would have been relieved if I couldn't tell we weren't alone.
It felt like something heavy was sitting on my stomach, preventing me from moving. I could barely breathe, let alone move. I tried to sit up, to get a look at the collective spirit that had been torturing me in sleep for nearly a full week, but my arms would not respond to my call.
You're weak, a familiar chorus of voices chimed, seemingly coming from all around me, but I can make you strong. Give you the power to protect the people you love.
I tried to move - to think - but the memory of the lucid nightmare was too fresh. The sound of the voice made me panic, my heart racing as I tried desperately to move.
I offer you a fresh start.
Finally I was able to crane my neck, instinctively turning to look at the spirit who stood by the door, shrouded in darkness and watching me intently.
You will join us...
The last words were an order, one that I had no intention of following.
And yet as I lay there sleeplessly long after the spirit left, I wondered how much longer I would be able to resist.
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