Reflections of the Damned

Whispers of the Unknown

Lara sat on the cold, tiled floor of Andy's room, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to catch her breath. The air was thick with the metallic tang of her blood and the acrid scent of whatever remnants the beast had left behind. Andy knelt beside her, working silently to clean the gash on Lara's shoulder, her hands moving with practiced ease.

The room was dimly lit, the talisman hanging from the doorknob casting faint, flickering shadows. Lara stared at the object, its strange symbols glowing faintly, as if alive.

"What… what was that thing?" Lara whispered, her voice trembling.

Andy glanced at her briefly before focusing back on the wound. "That was one of the hospital's… enforcers," she said, her tone flat. "They appear when the hospital senses disruption. You made noise, drew its attention."

Lara's eyes widened in horror. "But… it wasn't human. It couldn't have been."

"It was," Andy replied curtly. "Once."

The words sent a chill down Lara's spine. She wanted to press further, but the look on Andy's face made her pause. Andy's jaw was tight, her lips pressed into a thin line as she worked.

Lara winced as the antiseptic stung her wound. "You knew what to do," she said carefully. "Like you've dealt with that… thing before."

Andy didn't look at her. "I've been here a long time," she said simply.

"How long?" Lara asked.

Andy sighed, finally meeting Lara's gaze. Her eyes were shadowed, weary. "Long enough to know this hospital has rules. And if you don't follow them, you don't last."

Lara frowned. "But why are you here? Why haven't you left?"

Andy's expression hardened. "Why haven't you?" she retorted.

The question hung in the air, and Lara's shoulders slumped. "I didn't come here to stay. I came to find answers… about the City, about why it's the way it is. My group and I thought this place might hold clues."

Andy let out a bitter laugh. "Your group. Brave little lambs wandering into the wolf's den."

Lara's fists clenched. "We had no choice. The City… it's alive. It's killing us."

Andy tilted her head, studying Lara intently. "And yet, you think this hospital is any different?"

Lara's gaze flicked to the window, her stomach twisting. Outside, the bustling City continued its cheerful charade. A family walked hand in hand down the street. A street vendor waved to a passerby. The sky was impossibly blue, with fluffy clouds drifting lazily.

"It's not real," Lara whispered, more to herself than to Andy.

Andy's eyes narrowed. "Why are you so convinced everything's an illusion?"

Lara's voice cracked as she spoke, her desperation bubbling to the surface. "Because the real City is dead. It's broken, crawling with shadows. This—" she gestured to the window, her hand trembling—"isn't possible."

Andy's lips tightened, her voice sharp. "And if it is? If this is reality, and you're the one who's broken?"

Lara stared at her, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't believe that," she whispered. "If I do… if I accept this… then I lose everything. My friends, my memories, my purpose. Everything."

Andy's gaze softened slightly, but her words were cold. "Then you're doomed. Because this hospital doesn't care what you believe."

The room fell silent, save for the faint hum of the lights. Lara's mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic blur. She couldn't trust Andy—there was something off about her, something she wasn't saying.

A faint knock echoed from the bathroom, freezing Lara in place.

Andy's head snapped toward the sound, her body tensing. "Not again," she muttered under her breath.

"What is it?" Lara whispered, her voice barely audible.

Andy stood slowly, her movements deliberate. "Stay quiet," she said, her voice low. "And don't move."

But Lara couldn't stay still. The knock came again, louder this time, followed by the sound of something scraping against the tiles.

"I thought you said the talisman would keep us safe," Lara hissed.

"It does," Andy replied, her eyes locked on the bathroom door. "But it doesn't stop them from trying."

Before either of them could react, the bathroom door creaked open. The same eyeless woman from before stepped out, her head tilting unnaturally as if listening. Blood dripped from the sockets where her eyes should have been, staining her tattered gown.

Lara's breath hitched as the creature's mouth opened, revealing rows of jagged, bloodstained teeth.

"Lara," it rasped, its voice a broken echo. "You can't run…"

Andy moved quickly, grabbing another talisman from her bedside drawer. She held it up like a shield, her hand trembling slightly. "Stay back," she growled.

The beast snarled, lunging toward them. Andy stepped forward, pressing the talisman against its chest.

A guttural scream tore through the room as the beast writhed, smoke billowing from its body. The acrid scent of burning flesh filled the air, making Lara gag.

The creature dissolved into ash once more, but not before locking its eyeless gaze on Lara.

"You'll never leave," it whispered before vanishing.

Andy dropped the talisman, her breathing ragged. "That won't hold them off forever," she muttered, grabbing a cloth to clean the blackened ash from her hands.

Lara trembled as she pressed her hand against the wound on her shoulder, fresh blood seeping through the bandage. "What was that?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why does it know my name?"

Andy didn't answer immediately. Instead, she grabbed the first aid kit again, her movements more hurried this time.

"Andy," Lara pressed, her voice rising. "What's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

Andy sighed, her shoulders slumping. "You're not just another patient, Lara," she said finally. "You brought something with you when you came here. Something the hospital doesn't like."

"What does that mean?" Lara demanded.

Andy met her gaze, her expression grim. "It means you're a threat. And this place will do whatever it takes to break you."

The words sent a fresh wave of terror through Lara. She felt her resolve crumbling, her desperation to escape surging to the surface.

"I can't stay here," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I have to get out."

Andy's expression softened slightly, but there was no comfort in her gaze. "Then you'll need to figure out the rules. Because in this hospital, nothing is as it seems."

Lara stared at the talisman hanging on the door, her heart pounding. The beast's final words echoed in her mind, chilling her to the core.

"You'll never leave."

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Happy new year my dear fans ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Lots of love 🥰🥰🥰🤩🤩

Sorry for not updating the chapters have been busy all throughout last year December but guess what, this new year has brought to me calmness and stillness with the lots of free time I have, I will try as possible to update at least three chapters a day.