A silent return

Darkness had sheathed the sky, turning the very air of the city. Things of the dark, sinners and creatures alike would soon emerge from the city’s underbelly, eagerly crawling forth after having waited an eternity for the sun to set. In an unknown alley, deep within the bowels of the concrete beast, a girl stood in the dark, waiting for her next employer. They called her Alexa, because she would do anything asked of her, for the right price of course. She didn’t care what she was called, she only cared that people with money knew where to look for her. The girl sighed, hanging her head in thought, wondering how long she’d been doing this.

Almost as if it had been lying in wait, the air shifted. At the mouth of the alley a figure faded into view, cloaked in obscurity, it swayed as it entered the narrow passage, eyes wide open, whites almost glowing. The shadow dropped a bulky sack between itself and the girl. Its mouth wide, revealing a toothy sneer. It raised its hand, showing a small black notebook, and pointed to a scrap of paper laying atop the bag. The girl didn’t look at the bag, she already knew what was inside, instead, she kept her attention on her potential employer. She could guess what was being asked of her, she would need to follow the instructions written in the notebook, then report to the address scribbled onto the paper. The shade extended its arm, offering the notebook to the girl. She hesitated, hand hovering before the notebook, still eyeing the crooked grin across from her. Wide open eyes continued to observe her, almost in response to her suspicion, its other hand gestured, as if inviting her to open it and look inside.

It whispered. “I insist”

The girl’s apprehension only strengthened, however the thought of the money subdued her misgivings. She took hold of the notebook. The shadow’s sneer seemed to widen. The girl turned down to the notebook, quickly flipping through its pages, her eyes hardened.

She looked up, ready to argue.

The figure was already gone, the only thing left was the payment on the ground.

The girl closed the empty notebook, tucking it into her pocket. Bending down, she looked into the bag and counted, twenty-thousand dollars. She did not have to think about what she would spend it on, she knew what she needed it for. She hefted the bag in a solemn motion, pausing. Determination overcame her expression. Sending a message to her driver, she walked off.

The girl stared at a plaque next to a wide door

Room 412

Patient: Alexa Simmons

Even though she had done this countless times before, she still hadn’t gotten used to it, she couldn’t get used to it.

She grabbed the handle, turning it, she took a deep breath,

...Inhale…

..exhale…

and entered the room.

It was a spacious single patient room, large enough to fit trolleys of machines and medicines if needed. The beeping sound of a heartbeat monitor danced in the air. Across from the girl was a window, wide, revealing the darkened city below. A few paces closer was a stand, small, a single framed picture sat atop. Next to the stand was a bed, big, on it a patient lying silently and still.

She quietly approached the bed.

Whether it was because they were deep within sleep’s embrace, or because they were weighed down by countless tubes and wires. The patient on the bed did not move, did not react to the girl approaching. Without pause, the girl passed by the bed, went up to the window, closed the curtain, turned, straightened the picture on the stand, and stopped before the bed.

She looked down at the patient with tired eyes.

Softly, she pleaded.

“Don’t worry, this’ll be the last one, we’ll be together soon.”

She put the bag down, took two stacks out, and exited the room, leaving the rest behind.

The patient’s expression remained unchanged, lips in the shape of the faintest frown.

Outside of the hospital’s back entrance a boy leaned on his bike, hands in his pockets, looking up at the night sky.

A girl approached, “Hey.”

The boy turned, seeing one of his regulars, stood up, showing his hands, “Heyyyy.” She was silent. The boy’s expression shifted, “What’s with the look? There something on me?”

Smirking at his joke, she replied,“Nothing,” She tossed a stack of cash to the boy and got on the back of the motorcycle. “Here, catch.”

Receiving the payment, the boy beamed. “Hey hey, looks like someone hit the jackpot.”

She didn’t laugh, “Thought you should know, this might be my last job for a while, hopefully forever.”

The boy frowned, “Damn, sucks for me, but understandable.”

She questioned, “You took that well.”

The boy shrugged, “What you expect me to say? You ain’t like the others, you got someone to take care of, and that should be respected.”

Her tone softened, “Thanks, you’re a good man.”

The boy’s jovial demeanor returned, “Just realize that now?”

She snickered, “Shut up and start the bike”

The boy stuffed the stack into his bag and hurried, “Oh yea, my bad”

The boy got onto his bike, fumbling to start the ignition, “So, where to?”

She responded impatiently, “Tell you on the way.”

She reached into her pocket, feeling the empty notebook.

She’d work as a cook at a local restaurant, not easy work, but it didn’t need any fancy diploma, and paid well enough. After a long day, she’d come home to a small apartment, their apartment, just big enough for two. It wouldn’t be in a particularly good neighborhood, but safe. She’d open the door, walk in, and sitting in her wheelchair, her partner would be there waiting for her.

The girl’s daydream was cut short by the jerk of the motorcycle halting. The boy stopped the engine, taking off his helmet, he turned to face the girl. “We’re here.” She slid off the bike, pulled out the other stack, and pushed it into his chest.

“Thanks, for everything,” she began walking towards the building, “Don’t wait up.”

The boy called out, “You sure?” She only held her hand up as she kept walking.

The structure seemed modern, though it clearly wasn’t new. Such a large and obvious property located in the heart of the city. Yet it felt out of place, quiet and untouched, it felt unreal. As if it were ignorant of the surrounding thrum, excluded from the heartbeat of the city, as if the air of the city did not dare touch it.

The door was open.

She entered.

The place felt much larger inside, almost impossibly so. She stepped into a grand foyer reminiscent of an exhibition hall. She looked around, scanning the wide open room, there were no lights, yet she could see, as if there was an invisible source dimly illuminating her surroundings. Nothing reacted to the girl’s arrival, stagnant air remained still. She explored deeper, not noticing the door behind her quietly easing closed. In the corner, a door, slightly ajar, allowed a stream of light to creep into the foyer, catching her attention. She took the notebook out of her pocket, readying it in hand, and entered the next room. It seemed to be a kitchen, similar to one found in a large restaurant, metal cabinets and counters lined the walls, not a tool in sight. There was an island in the center of the room, a single hanging light above it, shining over the silvery surroundings. She circled the path, stopping on the opposite side of the island.

Confused, she thought, ‘What now?’

‘Do I just leave it here?’

Opening the notebook, she flipped back and forth through its empty pages, wishing for instructions. With a frustrated sigh she lowered the opened notebook. Scraping steps echoed from the foyer.

‘Finally’ She thought, turning to look through the door frame. She froze in fear.

There was a figure shambling in the foyer, its body blurred by the darkness, its eyes glowed with a pale light, its mouth stretched wide, showing rows of jagged teeth, curved almost in a smirk. It was not her employer, she couldn’t tell what it was, but whatever it was, it wasn’t human. Just then, the page of the notebook flipped, showing the next page, a single word burned into the middle of the blank space. She looked at the word. She could almost feel it, as if it was whispered to her.

hide

Following the instructions, she fell to a crouch, ducking under the counter. As if it had also heard the notebook’s call, the figure lurched into the room. A page whispered over, revealing a new word.

left

Her eyes followed, shifting from the word to her side. A doorway in the back of the room. A way out. The aberration loomed, limb resting on the counter, the metal squealing under its weight. A page whispered past, giving another.

run

Scrambling to her feet, she rushed towards the next room. The fiend noticed. Stuttering as it turned, its attention followed the fleeing girl. It broke out in chase. A page whispered, guiding.

up

Beside a closed door there was a stairway attached to the wall of the store room. Following the instruction, she frantically climbed the stairs leading to a hallway. The creature scaled the staircase, close behind her.

forward

The hallway fed into an intersection as if it were in the heart of a labyrinth. She bolted down the middle passage. The thing scurried after her, a hairs length away. Her heart raced faster. Two pages whispered in succession

turn

jump

To the side, the path opened up to a ballroom, crumbled stairways pointing downwards towards the lower floor. With a sudden swerve, she leaped from the balcony, tumbling as she landed. Hectically, she clambered to a sprint. The monster dashed to the lower floor.

stop

right

Halting, she spun, and dove through the doorway into a small room. The horror lurked closer.

close

lock

Slamming the door shut, she desperately slid the latch into place. The shadow stalked just beyond.

down

quiet

Dropping below the pane, she clasped her hands over her mouth, the thumping of her heart drowning out any other sounds. The air tensed, she could feel its gaze prying into the room. As if losing interest the presence behind the door disappeared into the distance. The silence loosened. She breathed. A gleam caught her eye, staring directly at her was an amulet, displayed on a low shelf, waiting for her response. Fluttering, the notebook’s pages whispered.

take

keep

The girl reached for the enchanting piece in a crawling approach. Taking up the treasure into her hand, she brought it to her chest. Lifting it, she smoothly secured the intricate fastening behind her neck. Steadily, she rose to her feet. Calmly opening the door, she walked out of the room, leaving the small black notebook on the floor. The notebook laid open, a silent word showing across its pages.

Forever.

The sky was already beginning to brighten. A boy paced in front of his parked bike, brows furrowed in worry, It felt like he had been waiting for hours.

‘What’s taking her so long?’

‘Maybe she needs help...’

‘No, stepping in would only cause problems...’

Just as he paused in frustration, a figure approached from the direction of the structure.

The boy called out in relief, “You’re alright!” He walked up, confidence replacing concern, “You might’ve said to not wait up, but figured you’d still appreciate the ride.” The boy lifted his hands in a jokingly humble gesture, “No, need to thank me, but you still can if you want.”

The girl standing across from him responded, eyes wide open, staring straight at the boy.

“Yes, I am alright.”

Her mouth stretched, teeth showing in a wide sneer.