The Darkness – SJAFF
Chapters 1-5
Chapter 1
It's scary sometimes, how scared you can be.
One minute I'm fine, next I'm scared out of my wits for who knows what reason. All I know is that something wasn't right.
Something.
I wish I knew what it was. Maybe it was something in the air. It was a cold night, as I remember. Cold and frosty, the kind where you can see your own breath.
I'm still scared, but for a completely different reason. Because now, I can't see. I mean, I can. But nothing makes sense. Sometimes it's all dark, all black. And I can't see anything or feel anything. I can't move, all I see is the Darkness, the constant pitch black, with no-one and nothing. Just black. Either that, or it's all psychedelic dancing colours. That can't be right. Like the Darkness, but, colours. Pinks, greens, light blue, yellow. Dancing, shining, shimmering, waving. But I can't do anything. Can't move, speak... I don't even know if I'm breathing. I hope I am. I can't even see me. I'm not aware of my body, can't see my fringe in the top of my eyesight, nor the rustle of my hair as I turn to look around. If I'm succeeding in looking around.
This is scary. Scary in a way I never knew existed. I just want it to end. Just as I get accustomed to the Dark, or to dancing colours, it changes. And it hurts my eyes so...
This just isn't fair.
Chapter 2
"I'm afraid it is serious. She'll have to stay while we run further tests. And obviously till she wakes up. I'm sorry, is she a good friend of yours?" The nurse asked.
"She's my mum." The young teenage boy replied.
"Don't worry Luke, It'll be OK." The Indian girl told him as she led him back into the ward.
"She'll be fine. Sarah Jane's a tough old bird, she won't let some disease get the better of her. At least not without doing considerable damage to the disease first." The black boy added.
"Thanks Clyde." The first boy added.
They all started laughing, but it was quieter and softer than the nurse was used to hearing from teenagers. Maybe they were just worried, she thought.
"I'll be just in my office over there, in case she wakes up or if you need me, OK?" She asked, before walking off.
Poor kid, he wasn't going to have a good couple of weeks. The woman, Sarah Jane was out cold.
Chapter 3
Colours; flying, soaring, zooming, flashing past.
Darkness; cold, harsh, terrifying, petrifying.
Colours. Blurring past her so quickly she didn't recognise what they were.
Darkness. Blinding her after the brightness of the colours.
Colour.
Darkness.
Colour. Darkness. Colour, Darkness, Colour, Darkness, Colour Darkness Colour Darkness Colour Darkness,
Aaaarggghhh!
Why won't they stop! They hurt so much! My eyes, my poor, poor eyes.
I just want to wake up.
A few days had passed since Sarah Jane had been found unconscious on the pavement, Luke, Rani and Clyde had all been given time off school, and Luke was staying at Clyde's house until Sarah Jane woke up.
The worst of it was, no one knew why Sarah Jane was even the part London she was found in. What possible reason could she have for visiting Southall? Luke certainly didn't know anyone that lived there.
"Luke?" Clyde came up to him and offered him a cup of coffee in a polystyrene cup.
"Thanks. Do have the time?" Luke asked, taking the coffee.
"Quarter to six." Clyde replied, taking a sip out of his own drink.
"You know, I do think she looks a bit different today." Clyde commented looking at Sarah Jane.
Luke scanned her face for any signs of activity.
"How?"
"Well, look here, she looks less peaky. She's got more colour in her face."
Luke saw what he meant. She did have more colour in her cheeks.
Chapter 4
Torture. That's what this is. Never ending torture. Colours, Darkness, Colours, Darkness.
Constantly swapping, switching changing.
I wish it would end, my poor head... Not that I can remember where that is. It's terrible. I know things, but I've feel like I've forgotten. It was something important, friend or family, but I... I can't, I can't. Oh, the darn colours!
What was I saying?
I'm always forgetting something. Whether its what I was just thinking, or what I was trying to do.
The colours just switched again.
It's dark now. I'm not scared of the dark, but. I don't like this. Because the colours constantly move, your eyes get used to the movement, and you think you see things moving in the dark. I really don't like this.
Did something just move? Over there, in the dark. What am I on about? It's all dark!
Honestly, look at me now, arguing with myself! What else am I meant to do though?
There I go again...
I'm beginning to forget what happened before. Or was it always colours and Darkness?
This one is staying for a long time. The Darkness that is. OK, I defiantly saw something move that time. What am I on about, seeing something black move against a black back-shot!
Idiot, Idiot, Idiot Sarah - ... Um, Sarah ... Sarah , uuuhhh, Sarah... Um...
Oh god! I've forgotten my own name!
Chapter 5
"Clyde look!" Luke whispered.
Clyde woke up from his slight snooze, "Huh?"
Luke pointed.
Sarah Jane's breathing rate had increased, and that contented, dreamy look that had scared the trio so much was gone. Instead, Sarah looked pained, beneath the creased eyebrows, you could see her eyes moving behind her eyelids. The brain activity monitor was as constant as ever.
"I'll go get a nurse or Doctor." Clyde told his friend.
Luke picked up Sarah Jane's hand, "Mum?" he asked, hope in his voice for the first time in weeks.
Just as Clyde was walking out, the nurse was walking in.
"Oh, are you going Mr. Langer? Visiting time is nearly over" She told him sternly.
"No, um. I was just coming to get you. It's Sarah Jane, she's um, her, uh..." Clyde gave up and pointed over to her.
The nurse looking rather intrigued walked over to her, and took the clipboard from the end of her bed. Then she went to stand next to Sarah Jane, feeling her forehead and looking at the monitors, checking stats against the clipboard every so often.
"I'm going to get a doctor. Won't be a mo."
Clyde took a seat, and took Sarah's other hand. "Come on, Sarah."
Luke looked over to Clyde, who looked up at him, they each gave each other small smiles. Trying to keep the world going without Sarah Jane had been a challenge, but one they had been coping with. Just.
"I'd better just go tell Rani about the change." Clyde said, not wanting to ignore Rani's threats that she'd personally kill Luke and him if they dare to let Sarah Jane wake up without her.
The doctor came in, about five minutes later. The change in Sarah's complexion was much more noticeable now. She looked flushed now, not peaky.
The doctor felt her forehead, checked her pulse, and shone a light in her eyes.
"She's definitely changed in her condition, she is much more likely to wake up in the next few days." The doctor confirmed.
Luke looked down into his hands, 'next few days...' He needed his mum now though...
It might just have been his imagination, but he was sure that he just felt Sarah's hand move.
"Hmm?" He grunted, looking up at Sarah. "Mum?"
"Pardon?" The doctor asked, checking Sarah Jane's stats against the monitors. "Did you say something?"
"I thought I just, no, sorry. My imagination." Luke apologised.
"Go on," The doctor was looking at him now.
"I thought I felt Mum move her hand, but, she probably didn't, just, over-active imagination."
The Doctor looked at the nurse who shrugged. He went over to Sarah Jane, who was oblivious as he leaned over her. He took one of her hands and squeezed it. "Sarah Jane Smith? Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can."
Both males waited expectantly. The doctor thought he felt a small brush against his skin from Sarah's thumb.
"I need another doctor to confirm, be right back."
Clyde came in, and saw the Doctor go striding down the hallway.
"Everything OK?" He asked Luke.
Luke smiled, properly, warmly. "She's waking up!"
