《An open mind》 Chapter one Lex¡¯s head hurts, perhaps it¡¯s a symptom of his abhorrent sleep schedule. Or maybe it¡¯s the aftermath of a hectic Sunday he¡¯d had with Everlyn and Eren, his girlfriend and best-friend. They¡¯d been a close group for about four years now and it had already been about a year since Everlyn had first asked him out. A light smirk plays on his face, a small memento of the moments shared since that day. Time sure does fly, Lex thinks to himself, studying the intricate patterns in the gravelly wood on his desk. The late morning sunlight pours through the windows casting light across the desk like an unfinished painting. Lex looks up at the other 17-year-olds in his class. Just the sight of their uninterested faces is enough to bring his mood down. The classroom, far from bland, is cluttered with textbooks lining the shelves and posters with advanced calculations plastered on the walls. Mr Hevley, on the other side of the classroom, is writing down another spell on the whiteboard. Slouching deeper in his chair, Lex reflects, his thoughts growing darker. The clock¡¯s movements a painful reminder of the time he¡¯s letting slip away. Often thoughts of his future plagues his mind, and today is no different. He knows that what he is doing now will lay the groundwork for a stable career - a fact drilled into him by his parents. Contrary to this, though, he still yearns for excitement from his fading childhood and the joy of expressing himself through his music. Yet, like a sled on an icy hill, he only seems to move further from the decision he¡¯d started with. His breath quickens as his mind spirals. Why does it all feel so meaningless? Looking down at the open textbook Lex feels a headache well up, a cold embrace wraps around him. Is someone watching me? He thinks, his heartbeat quickens. Suddenly, the opening of a window on the far side of the class, wafts a draft of intense perfume from Roisin¡¯s hair, sickly sweet smells invade his nostrils. He scrunches his nose, yet the unpleasant sensation lingers. Turning his head to avoid the scent, he still can¡¯t shake the icy cold embrace, that refuses to lift from around him, heavy and suffocating. The window, like a screen in a cell, offers him a glimpse at the outside world. Maybe once I make it there, I can be happier? Lex wonders as Mr Hevley turns around. Pft, even he doesn¡¯t want to be here. Maybe next time I just won¡¯t show up, Lex scoffs in his head, knowing full well he could never muster the courage to even be late, much less skip. Being late isn¡¯t even worth it. Lessons move so fast, there¡¯s barely time to live, much less catch up. And subconsciously, for Lex, every day takes a little more from him. He knows he is meant for a life which is more¡­ or maybe just different. ¡°Oi, Lex, are you with us? Please focus on the board,¡± Mr Hevley drawls. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Lex mumbles, looking back at his hands as intrusive thoughts swirl up. Suddenly, an apprehensive feeling spreads through him, now like a knife held at his back, this anxiety complementing the pressure of being watched. His breath hitches before rubbing his back, as if to wipe away an unseen target. The others in the class barley register the interaction before going back to work. If Eren were here, maybe this class wouldn¡¯t feel so dull. Across the room, Hailey and Rege whisper behind Mr. Helvey¡¯s back, their conversation effortless. Better at it than me, that¡¯s for sure. Lex woes. Peeking at the clock Lex checks the time. A moment later, he glances back, the clock seemingly frozen as if it¡¯s taunting him to walk out. The temptation grows as his vision becomes hazy and the boredom creeps in. Attempting to break through this fog, Lex rapidly jots down the last pieces of information from the board. Meanwhile he keeps one eye on the clock, as if to catch the last minutes of the lesson slipping away. The chatter swells as the clock ticks closer to its apogee. Like a discordant symphony the piece is abruptly halted by a weak-willed warning from Mr Hevley, only for it to return full force at the discretion of the bell. The final notes echo in Lex¡¯s ear as he collapses onto his desk. A small sigh escapes him. With the exodus of people from the classroom, Lex stays seated and puts on one headphone. The strange sensations have dulled now. Still, it¡¯s hard for him to avoid the overwhelming feeling of emptiness in his chest, like an abandoned orchestra hall where no music ever comes. Lex slaps his cheek, come on, life has never been better, you have everything you¡¯ve ever wanted¡­ Well, not really but you have a beautiful girlfriend, all your friends are with you. You¡¯re moving on in the world. The slap doesn¡¯t help. This isn¡¯t a dream. Deep down, maybe it is the monotony or the boredom of the real world, slowly peeking through the surface of the ice. However the discordancy doesn¡¯t settle. Almost on a beat drop, Everlyn enters the room with Eren in tow, a slightly annoyed look on her face. Lex scans both of them, taking refuge in the comfort of their presence. Like a lifeline, it calms his beating heart and the isolation fades for a moment. Everlyn is wearing grey trousers and a white shirt, both of which are a bit big, must have been hand-me-downs from Lilly. Though anything looks great on Everlyn, somehow, Lex thinks. Her tie is loosely done, a habit she has picked up from him. Her black hair is tied up in a ponytail, and her brown, round eyes stand their ground against the rich cr¨¨me of her skin. Her face is neatly composed, with features that are relatively strong. On the other hand, her height is totally average, a fact anyone who she tells plays basketball always reminds her of. Lex turns his attention to Eren. They spend so much time together that his face is already ingrained in Lex¡¯s mind. He¡¯s known Eren since junior school and by some stroke of fate they ended up in the same senior school. Eren¡¯s features are on the daintier side, but his eyes always stand out, calm and happy even if the rest of his body doesn¡¯t quite show it. His floppy brown hair falls neatly around his collar, sitting exactly within the boundaries of the school¡¯s regulations. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Unlike Lex, Eren wears his uniform by the book, his tie perfectly in place and his trousers neatly ironed. I have no idea when I last ironed mine, Lex thinks with a grin. ¡°Come on, Lex, stop skimping on the common room,¡± Everlyn says, her words cutting through his thoughts like a preemptive strike, ripping him out of his headspace. ¡°But there are too many people. Why don¡¯t we just hang out here?¡± Lex says. Realistically, he was just planning stay in the classroom until lessons started again, but he wasn¡¯t about to tell them that. His mind is barely lucid enough to think straight, and certainly not enough to keep up with the rest of his friends¡¯ antics today. He can just about deal with Everlyn and Eren. Everlyn sighs and drags a chair over to the wooden table where Lex is sitting. Eren follows suit until they form a small circle almost like they¡¯re about to tell ghosts stories. ¡°Well, our basketball competition over the weekend went well!¡± Everlyn exclaims clearly unfazed by Lex¡¯s apathy. She¡¯s been with him so much she finds it slightly endearing when he went into his hibernation mode. She smiles knowingly, aware that he¡¯s probably been up all night playing games. ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t be there, but those guys did beat the Lich King,¡± Lex explains, sincere regret seeping into his voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t exactly cancel our weekly D&D sesh.¡± Eren, eager to feed Lex some energy, interjects lively, ¡°Yeah, yeah, Joey pulled out this magic item he¡¯d been saving for months and easily beat him. You really need to work on balancing that dude.¡± A smile plays on both of their lips. For the first time today, he feels parts of himself filling in. When he¡¯s with his friends, he always feels like he can find himself. It¡¯s just the getting together with them that¡¯s the hard part, or rather finding the drive to. Everlyn, however, is always the proactive one in their group. ¡°Oh no, Lexe summoned a zombie and it¡¯s going to hurt the princess! Watch out guys,¡± Everlyn teases, mocking shock. ¡°Lay off it! And I told you to stop calling me that, anyways did you score?¡± Lex chuckles, giving her a friendly push on the shoulder. This small ray of light allows him to truly see the good in his life, if but for a moment. ¡°Fine, fine and yeah of course, though Jack stole the show from the whole competition. He scored three, three pointers and got like, five dunks in one game. It was really impressive¡± Everlyn explained. ¡°Well that¡¯s cool, wasn¡¯t enough to win the whole thing though. I heard the starting games put us on the backfoot.¡± Lex replies. ¡°Yeah, all the teams need to stop relying on the best players, we had, too many slip ups¡­¡± She responds letting the conversation peter off for a moment. ¡°I saw you were playing Risk of Rain. What difficulty are you at?¡± Eren asks attempting to bring back a lighthearted tone to the conversation and away from sports. ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started. I spent all of last night trying to clear Monsoon, but I wasn¡¯t lucky enough. I¡¯m awful at it,¡± Lex replies, in a mock rage. ¡°Wait, you two play too? I was playing in English today and- ¡° Everlyn averts her gaze and halts her happily surprised questioning. She looks down as Mr Murry, her English teacher, walks past the door. Eren and Lex start laughing as Everlyn continues, ¡°Well I beat Monsoon with challenges enabled.¡± ¡°Dude, I swear I can never beat you at anything,¡± Lex replies. Lex puts his face to the desk as Everlyn pats his hair, as if to console him. ¡°But yeah, especially after that Saturday, I¡¯m surprised you could even play. We were up until one or two watching your amazing mini golfing skills.¡± Lex smiles again then starts to chuckle, which ignites a chain reaction around their circle. Through tears, Everlyn manages to burst out, ¡°I am never teaming with you again. You didn¡¯t make a single shot.¡± Eren chips in, ¡°Me and Maddie should¡¯ve just not even come¡± ¡°And you still would¡¯ve scored more points than us,¡± Everlyn wipes away some tears. ¡°But you went wild with the karaoke! You¡¯re actually a great singer!¡± A warm feeling of happiness washes over Lex, like nostalgia for the present. ¡°Yep, you should join a band or something, or are you saving your grand debut for uni?¡± Eren smirks. The mood spreads like a drunken song lifting spirits and breathing life into everyone around him. ¡°Sure, sur- ¡° Lex¡¯s breath halts in his throat. Like the drop of a pin, his¡¯s mind becomes clear - awfully clear, almost as if he¡¯s seeing in double time. He begins breathing in alien air that makes his whole body shake. The feeling forms a sense of foreboding, like a monster hiding in the shadows. One might experience such a sensation in a dark, quiet house, where the heightened anxiety making you hear things that aren¡¯t truly there. All you can do is run back to bed and hide. And Lex too, can only run, and hide. Without another word, Lex stands up completely shutting down the conversation. He runs, despite his friends¡¯ calls almost as if pulled by an unseen force. His mind clammers, washed in fear and dread. The homogeneous hallways blur as the LED lamps, confined in bars on the ceiling, illuminate Lex¡¯s path. He rushes through a double door, right past a teacher. Without even thinking about the trouble he might be in. Lex opens the door to the common room, not knowing where he¡¯s going, only that he needs to go somewhere else. The collective noise of the common room forms a gloopy sea around him as he wades through the sounds, moving quickly, yet seemingly making no progress at all. People he knows call out to him, surprised to find him here. Lex ignores them, he can¡¯t hear them, only the roaring terror in his brain. A scratchy vinyl sends shivers down his spine as doors creak open. Running through it, Lex finally sees a clear escape to the bathroom, where he can finally breathe. He makes it there and locks the door. He puts the seat down and sits for a moment, letting the sensation dissipate with the noise, like sand falling from orbit. Finally, having the courage to stand, Lex looks into the mirror, clutching his hands to the sides of the sink. Performing a sanity check, he throws cold water onto his face. The cold outline of the sensation bites back against the monsters in his mind. As he opens his eyes, he sees his softly pretty face staring back in the mirror. His black hair is tied in a small ponytail, almost mimicking Everlyn¡¯s. Standing tall, Lex looks deeper into the mirror to see an unfamiliar sight, the eyes of prey, glassy and distant. He feels hunted. Almost immediately, he shuts down again, his legs shaking. This feeling is so overwhelming, he almost cries out loud. Slowly mustering the strength to stand, he straightens his tie and forces a smile, knowing that if he shed a single tear, he could never live that down. With the threat of mockery holding him together, Lex takes out his phone to apologize. Wh-what did I do that for? Why did I even run? ¡°Hey guys, sorry for that, I don¡¯t know what came over me. Can we talk about it over lunch?¡± Lex types and sends. So, no data in the bathrooms, I guess. I¡¯ll just have to wait for it to send. With his breath still shaking and his eyes still fixed on his phone, he opens the door and steps into the corridor. Immediately, as he looks around, a sense of claustrophobia claws at his mind, despite there being not a single soul in sight. That¡¯s odd¡­ where is everyone? Did I miss an assembly? That¡¯s when Lex stops. There is no sound, no matter how much he holds his breath. A silent note echoes, sending chills throughout Lex¡¯s frame. The feeling of being hunted, the overwhelming sense of being watched, returns with full force. Yet, he needs to understand what¡¯s happened, what the explanation is. Lex runs up the steps and into the staff room, pushing his fear to the back of his mind. They¡¯ll know where I¡¯m meant to be Lex thinks, not quite ready to accept it. He keeps running, feeling as though he might collapse under the pressure at any moment. Lex stands at the door, a single piece of wood between him and certainty. Summoning all his willpower, he opens it - only to stop. His heart contracts as beads of sweat slowly form on his brow. There is nothing there, nothing outside the window - just black. As the silence settles, the sharp sound of shrapnel pierces the quiet. Two familiar voices drift up from downstairs. Chapter two Lex stands frozen, his mind blank, struggling to process the impossible sight in front of him. He watches through the small crack in the door, peering out like a frightened child at something lurking in the dark. Slowly, his gaze drifts upwards. He notices the absence of the signature glow of the LED¡¯s. Yet, somehow, he can still see. The staffroom is cluttered with the remnants of busy teachers, half-marked preps and tests strewn across the wooden desks. On any other day, Lex would have snapped a photo of the answers on his phone. Yet now, an ominous sense of an unseen threat unsettles him, dulling his rational mind. The desks are neatly lined up like church pews, facing an altar of darkness. Lex fully opens the door and looks around, finally regaining a sliver of control. A realization sets in, his emotions are being amplified. He feels immense joy when his eyes land on the tests, overwhelming terror from the void outside, and when he looks behind him at the abandoned hallways, it¡¯s as if his spine is about to rip itself free. He has never felt emotions this intense. It¡¯s like a whisper in a silent room, growing louder and louder until it becomes so deafening that his ears begin to bleed. The feeling of unease still lingers, even as Lex scans the room. Despite the disorder, it seems as though everyone has just disappeared. Yet the distant noises from below seem to contradict that. The first time Lex entered this room was on his first day at school. He had been completely lost, searching for Eren. It was here he had met Mrs. Brown for the first time, she had helped him navigate his time at the school. To Lex, she had been the guiding light during his time there. However, she left a year ago to accept a position at the Department of Energy. Now, that comforting presence has vanished, leaving the staff room shrouded in shadow, hiding from the light of yesterday¡¯s sun. Ever since Lex opened the door, faint whispers of familiar voices have wafted up from the floorboards. Despite the sense of familiarity, Lex still can¡¯t quite place whose voice it is. It¡¯s a feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, like a childhood memory distorted by static, one that stirs something in Lex, unlike anything he¡¯s ever felt before. As he walks towards the window, he stretches his hands out, almost to catch himself. But when he opens it and reaches into the black, there is nothing. No cold, No warmth, just the sensation of absolute freedom, his hands can¡¯t even feel the air outside¡­ ¡°What, no air? then how am I-¡± Lex stops, pressing a finger to his wrist, then to his heart. It drops to his side, trembling. ¡°How? I could have sworn a moment ago it was¡­ What is this place? Am I even alive?¡± His voice begins to mirror his hand as Lex contemplates hiding under a desk, like a child hiding from a ghost, maybe it will all pass then? ¡°Are my friends and family here? What about Everlyn?¡± Even as he speaks her name his heart clenches. Lex checks his pulse again, but still, nothing. The paradox sets his mind ablaze. ¡°I need to find where those whispers are coming from,¡± Lex says, almost as if he is giving himself a pep talk before running a track race. Lex stretches out his hands and opens the door ready to jump back at a moment¡¯s notice. He stares at the stairs descending into the darkness. They seem to beckon him to turn back. ¡°No,¡± he mutters, ¡°I won¡¯t run away. I¡¯ve already wasted too much time.¡± Steeling his resolve, he steps deeper into the familiar stairwell. Lex turns the corner to see the lights in the common room are on. The flaky whispers only growing louder, each step he takes forwards washing him with apprehension. The sounds increase in volume, almost loud enough to make out words. And then it hits him, almost like the words are contorting into the voice he imagined. Everlyn is in this strange space with him. Yet, there seems to be someone else there as well, and Lex¡¯s mind begins to unravel. Normally he has much better grip on his emotions, yet right now he feels like his insecurities are boiling over. It feels like his heart is being moulded by something far beyond him, as if an unseen force is pressing its hands over his chest. Another wave of anxiety crashes over him, powerful enough to force Lex into the room. The doors slam shut behind him. Lex walks around the lockers to find Everlyn and Jack sitting together on a bench by a table. Surprisingly, they didn¡¯t hear the door, though they seem to have just started talking. Lex sits down, his breath steadying, his expression softens into a rare smile. Jack sits with one leg over the other, talking to Everlyn in what Lex assumes to be an extremely uncomfortable pose. He has a handsome face, blue eyes, and neatly groomed dirty blonde hair. He is on the taller side, just tall enough to play basketball at a national level. Lex had actually played with him when he first started dating Everlyn, but somewhere along the line Jack had a growth spurt, and all the practise he¡¯d put in as a kid finally paid off. Jack is a hard worker, and that game demonstrated to Lex how impressive someone can be with dedication alone. Ultimately, Lex thinks Jack is a good guy, which makes it all the more confusing why he feels jealous just watching them talk. ¡°-Yeah, that shot was amazing. You should try passing to Liam more, though,¡± Everlyn finishes. ¡°Right now? Do they not see where we are?¡± Lex wonders, confused, being near them both helps him to calm down, yet their strange behaviour worries him. It¡¯s almost like they can¡¯t see him. ¡°Hey, Everlyn, sorry about leaving you guys at-¡° Lex trails off. ¡°How¡¯s Lex doing?¡± Jack asks, almost in response to Lex¡¯s interruption. ¡°He left us today as well. I mean, sometimes it¡¯s tough, you know? I¡¯m always there to help him, but sometimes¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Everlyn trails off, lost in thought. She looks up and toys with her hair. ¡°Hmm, if it ever gets too much, just tell me. You know I¡¯m always here for you.¡± Jack flashes a perfect smile and leans back. ¡°Those two are such good friends,¡± Lex thinks bitterly. He looks down at his hands, still white from gripping that sink. ¡°I am fucking useless, aren¡¯t I? I leave all the burdens to Everlyn while I just complain. How can I change? It¡¯s too late, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lex looks up at Everlyn and Jack. It¡¯s as if Jack¡¯s words worm their way into Lex¡¯s brain, stirring up his already contorted emotions. ¡°He¡¯s useless, isn¡¯t he-¡± ¡°Those two are such good friends-¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve her-¡± Voices from behind him speak up, like gossip through a broken phone. Lex leans into every word. They are so real, yet Lex knows if he turns around he will see nothing. ¡°Hey, do you want to go to karaoke and mini golfing on Sunday. My friends Maddie and Eren have been planning to play for ages?¡± Everlyn suddenly asks. A ball forms in Lex¡¯s throat. It¡¯s the exact same thing she said to Lex last week. He stands up and reaches out to grab Everlyn by the shoulder, desperate to talk to her. But as his hand moves, it sifts through her like she¡¯s an apparition in the fog. A cool sensation settles over Lex, as he realises he is the only person here. Alone. The truth hits like a bolt of lightning. ¡°Am I being replaced?¡± ¡°Everlyn, we already did that. Why are you saying this again? What¡¯s happening?¡± An anguished stream of emotions spills from Lex, his voice cracking as he shouts, trying to get, someone, anyone to hear. But even as he yells, some part of him knows he needs to calm down, he knows that these emotions aren¡¯t his. Yet, he can¡¯t seem to stop. He needs to plead, to beg. It feels like he¡¯s being washed away, fading out of their memories and into the void outside. Then, anxiety overwhelms him, and he starts shouting over the sounds of the conversation, trying to get noticed. Yet Jack and Everlyn remain unperturbed. He tries to cover his ears, but the voices seem to bounce around his skull. He doesn¡¯t want to see where this is going, he wants this vision to stop. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. And then, like a flickering candle in a dark cemetery, Lex recalls a small piece of advice Mrs. Brown once gave him. It feels like a lifetime ago, yet he can still remember it clearly. It was the first time he¡¯d felt life his life was meaningless, the first time he¡¯d truly felt alone. He¡¯d been sitting away from his friends at lunch. She had said; "Lex, whatever you¡¯re carrying in your heart, it¡¯ll be okay. This moment doesn¡¯t define you, it will pass on, and so will you.¡± It was simple advice, but from the right person, even these few simple words had a profound effect on him. It helps him when he is at his lowest points, and recalling it is like a shield for Lex. Now it is the one straw he has to grasp onto. Lex looks up, his voice hesitant and shaky, ¡°This is all in my head.¡± The figures around seem to fade slightly, becoming more ghost-like. ¡°It feels like you¡¯re missing someone. Is there supposed to be someone with you? Like a partner?¡± Jack asks almost looking straight at Lex. ¡°Nope, never been anyone else I was that close to.¡± Everlyn replies, confused. ¡°What?¡± Lex thinks, as the floodgates open. Everlyn and Jack snap back into focus, their very pores becoming defined in stark detail before him. The whispers intensify, almost shouting the truth at him: ¡°Who is Lex?¡± ¡°Never heard of him.¡± ¡°What a strange thing to say.¡± And they slowly take shape in his mind. The voices of his friends and classmates converge into a cacophony. Lex had never even heard anything so hauntingly sweet. The visceral confusion and anxiety give rise to a strange joy of emptiness, a joy that keeps hurting. He doesn¡¯t know how he is being erased, only that his mind is shattering into thousands of pieces and forming thoughts that aren¡¯t even his own. The blackness outside the window brings a peculiar pleasure, the un-beating heart in his chest brings a dull ache, and his whirring brain brings sorrow. He looks up at the ceiling, resigned to his fate, as the voices slowly fade, leaving only faint echoes of taunts, directed at no one in particular. ¡°They look so good together.¡± ¡°Such a pretty couple.¡± ¡°Are you asking me out,¡± Jack asks, a small smile tugging at his lips. And Lex¡¯s unmoving heart skips a beat. ¡°Yes¡± Everlyn says, her voice steady. ¡°Yes I am.¡± Before they can even touch, Lex sprints out of the common room. He dashes into the dimly lit corridor, desperate to be anywhere but there. The whispers fade slowly, morphing into a static-like background, as if the very air around him is warping. Lex runs down the hall, that goes on and on forever. Yet every time he looks back, the door is still in sight. The only measure of distance Lex has left is his depleting stamina and gradual calming of his mind. Soon he begins to walk his mind buzzing with emotions. He lets out a laugh, one full of both joy and sorrow, pain and happiness, a strange paradox, a coagulation of emotions. Yet now, more than ever, it feels like something is missing. A crack begins to form in Lex¡¯s foundation. ¡°Yeah I never deserved her anyway. They do look good together.¡± Then he stops, and thinks, and thinks, and thinks. ¡°This is unbearable, I want to go back, to look, to see if that even was real. But what if it happens again? I need to leave my heart behind. I should have done it a long time ago. Mrs. Brown¡¯s warning¡­ It¡¯s just a hope for a child who hasn¡¯t experienced life. If this is what it¡¯s like, then maybe I should just stop trying.¡± Lex laughs again, then frowns, then returns to a neutral expression, trying to keep the bubbling in his stomach down. ¡°What a farce. This is a dream. Else why the hell do I feel so strongly about things here?¡± Lex begins walking again, this time attempting to stand taller. Not to run away from his emotions, but to let them leak out and escape. Let his anger and sadness drift like a cloud, becoming part of the black void outside his school, so that he doesn¡¯t have to feel again. Yet, it seems that every bit he releases only allows another sensation to well up from the deepest pit of his heart, starting the cycle once more. The cramped hallway seems to open, as if pushed by the cloud, the lights dimming as Lex walks forward with a growing sense of confidence. He turns his head, watching the door retreat farther and farther down the ever expanding corridor. Not feeling tired, Lex presses on. For days? For hours? Even Lex doesn¡¯t know. As his vision begins to fog from fatigue Lex feels his emotions, once raging, slowly dissipate as he gets draws closer to something, standing silently in the middle of the hallway. A shadow, a creature. Something that defies even Lex¡¯s imagination, something that looks, tastes, hears him. Lex freezes, his bravado crumbling. Despite Lex¡¯s attempts to swallow, fear keeps him even twitching a finger. The creature moves, like a skater on ice, sliding, gliding, rolling. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m alone here. Everything else couldn¡¯t interact with me.¡± Lex thinks, slowly regaining some control, knowing the horror couldn¡¯t touch him. The creature prepares its slimy flesh, and a claw, seemingly made of shadows, erupts from its chest and slashes across Lex¡¯s side. Lex imagines coughing up blood, but it stays lodged in his throat like jelly in a blocked pipe. His side erupts with the pain of a bullet, but the blood stays trapped in his veins. The pain persists, unrelenting, despite his futile attempts to bite his lip. The creature cries as it begins to shake furiously. Lex¡¯s heart throbs, as if it wants to meet the creature¡¯s claw and rip itself out of his chest. At that moment, a brick in Lex¡¯s foundation breaks again. Yet, in a rare moment of clear lucidity, Lex turns and runs, hurtling towards the door that¡¯s so far away. Lex runs and runs until his breath grows ragged. He can still hear the cries of the creature, just a step behind him, but he can only think of the door. Lex runs for hours, or is it days? Finally, he makes it back to the door. He turns around and slams it shut, his breath ragged. He runs towards the corner of the room, hoping to hide and let the creature pass by. But after a while, nothing happens. Lex walks towards the door and peeks outside. The creature is still there, silently waiting for Lex to open it. It¡¯s a grotesque mess of flesh and slime. Legs protrude from its body, and faces seem to occasionally appear on it¡¯s filthy surface. It is rancid, enough to make a trained soldier throw up in disgust. Suddenly, Lex hears the creaking of something else from the other side of the room. His heart jumps again. Ignoring the two lovers in the middle of the room, Lex, adrenaline pumping, rushes towards the door. To his horror, he sees that it¡¯s open, and standing in the doorway is another creature, smiling back at him. It can¡¯t seem to enter the room, yet it is smiling. It¡¯s a perfect cylinder, made of some slick, shiny plastic. It¡¯s single eye stares at Lex, void of emotion. It¡¯s strange indescribable mouth hovers, displaying a copied smile directed him. It¡¯s arms, or legs? Are formed from shadows, or a dark gas, with ends that twist into horrific claws capable of rending steel in two. Lex slams the door shut, not willing to take any chances. Out of breath, panting, he looks around and sees Jack and Everlyn still there, locked in an intense gaze, deep into each other¡¯s eyes. Lex tries not to feel anything, but for some reason, the room has a grip on him once again, pulling him into a spiral of emotions. ¡°I just want to see my friends again. I don¡¯t even care-¡° A sharp pain interrupts his thoughts, bringing the harsh reality of his situation crashing down. Lex stops talking mid-sentence and grits his teeth as the pain burns through him. The pain continues to throb as Lex picks a seat out of view of the other two, unwilling to observe them any longer. He sits down, feeling the cold presence of the strange creatures lurking just behind the doors, their gaze pressing down on him like a weight. ¡°There is nothing more I can do. Both doors are blocked off, and this seems like the only place those things can¡¯t get to.¡± Lex mutters to himself. ¡°I¡¯m not even hungry or thirsty after that run, but I am getting tired... Maybe I¡¯ll take a short sleep. Do I need to treat this wound, though? The blood¡¯s just staying in place.¡± ¡°You are averting your eyes from the truth¡± ¡°LOOK¡± ¡°LOOK¡± The whispers, this time, are directed at him. Something else is in this room, in his head. Turning to the door, Lex still sees the single eye of the creature, watching him. He turns back feeling the gap where parts of his hip should be, the sensation of bare skin rubbing against the rough fabric of the chair. Lex looks up at the ceiling hearing the voices loud and clear. He doesn¡¯t want to face the creatures, or Everlyn and Jack. ¡°It¡¯s just like everywhere else,¡± Lex mutters, frustration lacing his voice. ¡±I always end up stuck and alone. What was I meant to do? If this is a nightmare, can I just wake up?¡± He shouts back at the voices, as if debating with them will somehow change this madness. ¡°If this is a nightmare, then I should be able to fall asleep again.¡± But Lex already knows, this is too real to be a nightmare. Still, he tries, grasping at the last thread of hope, not sure of what other options he has left. So he shuts his eyes, tired and alone. But he¡¯s still awake. Lex is awake, it¡¯s like his brain just refuses to let go, just like the horrors that chase him and the apparitions that haunt him. ¡°LOOK, LOOK AT THEM.¡± ¡°LOOK, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.¡± Lex tries to shut out the voices, and fails. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to leave first? Everyone will leave me anyway.¡± He feels his affection for Everlyn begin to waver, giving way to something darker. Hate. ¡°No she hasn¡¯t done anything, this is a dream. It must be,¡± Lex struggles, but it is too late, his heart is already changing, twisting. Again, the feeling creeps in, like a higher being is toying with him, his mind nothing more than clay in its hands. Lex buries his head in his hands. ¡°Stop it. Leave me alone.¡± ¡°Look at him. Why is he so happy?¡± ¡°Why do you talk so much?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll no longer be with you¡­¡± The voices are no longer whispers of his classmates but of his own mind. His own thoughts echo throughout the halls, hypocrisy, jealousy and contempt all emanate around him, directed at him, projected by him. Lex knows time is passing. As he sits in the chair, his mind begins to bend. The claws of time strike him harder than any beast. The pain at his side morphs into an aide, a cruel joy, a reminder that he is still alive. That there is still something beyond this dark space. That this chair isn¡¯t all there is. Weeks pass. Days pass. Hours pass. And the year goes on, and life goes on, and eternity goes on, until Lex can¡¯t take it anymore. The voices grow too loud, the eyes press in too close, and the sounds of the person he loved most behind him, force his mind to clear. Lex stands up. Lex turns around. ¡°Love,¡± He mutters, ¡°Will that just become another word?¡± Lex looks at the two of them. He turns his head, his vision blurring in and out, his mind combusting from the strain. It all hurts, the whispers, the sleep deprivation, the wound in his side. Yet Lex¡¯s face remains still. He picks up his chair and drops it out the window. Lex watches as the chair falls. And falls. And falls. Lex follows. And falls. Falls. Falls. Like a douse of water, Lex is staring at himself in the bathroom, his hands clutching the sides of the sink. His mind screams, his heart screams, his hip screams. He reaches down to touch it. There is no wound there.