AUTHOR'S NOTE: The voice in Mika's head is inspired from the new book "Wings of Fire: Moon Rising" by Tui T. Sutherland. Read the series! It's one of my favorites. Be sure to at least check out the first book, any fantasy-lovers would enjoy them!

Mika Swan walked along the stone corridor, her fingertips trailing the moss covered wall. Her legs were numbing at an alarming rate. Her knees buckled under her own weight and she collapsed forward. Mika's mind was racing, yet her appearance remained calm and sleepy. She couldn't control the tremors moving through her body. First through her legs, then her torso, then her arms and head. Convulsing and shivering, Mika had no power to stop whatever was coming over her. It was invading her body, taking over her mind. She had no voice to scream, no limbs to move. Her body continued to shake uncontrollably. Finally, it stopped. Mika felt her entire body relax. Relief flooded through her, but it faded as she realized she still could not move. It was like she had no body; she tried and tried to lift her tired head and prop herself up with her arms, but to no avail. Mika had nowhere to go, so she began to piece together the strange phenomenon. It had happened multiple times before, but Mika hardly remembered. She was busy figuring out the jigsaw puzzle in her mind when she heard footsteps down the hall. Instantly, as if a force field were broken, Mika regained control of her body. She leapt up and scaled down the dark corridor without a sound. Her head pounded as she got up. Mika knew that she had just had a scrape with death. Death, her best friend.

You are weak, someone said. Mika was able to hear someone in her head, and it was back to tell her again that she was weak. Weak and useless. You never speak to me. I cannot guide you if you do not speak to me.

Guide me? Mika replied. Replying to the voice meant speaking or thinking; the conversations were all in her head.

Yes.

What do you mean?

I want to guide you to my hiding place. I want to make you set me free. A searing heat flared through Mika's head, making her clutch her skull frantically.

I won't listen to you, Mika vowed in her head.

But you don't have a choice, cooed the voice.

Of course I do, thought Mika furiously. This is my body. Not yours.

Did you not just see what I am capable of? Mika froze.

You caused that seizure.

It finally dawned upon you? Great. Let's move on.

"You nearly killed me!" yelled Mika out loud.

Hush. People will realize you're crazy.

"I am NOT crazy!" Mika insisted, dismissing the voice's advice. The footsteps that had echoed down the hall during Mika's craze had stopped. She paused to listen again. No response. The voice in her head seemed to have silenced as well, listening through her ears.

Be calm, the voice suddenly told her.

"Wait- what?" asked Mika. "What are you going to do to m-?!" Mika went completely limp. She had lost control of her own limbs again. Darkness seeped into the edges of her line of sight, obscuring her view. Fog. Lots of fog. Fog and mist sweeping over her, leaving tiny droplets of cold on her face and skin. With the touch of a hand on her arm and the yell of a familiar voice, Mika had fainted.

I told you to be calm. You failed. If you had been calm, you would have stayed awake. You must be stronger next time.

I don't want a next time.

I know you don't. I feel the same feelings that you do. We share a body.

I don't want to share a body with you. This is my mind that you have invaded.

I have apologized a thousand times, but you never listened. I tried to tell you that it was for the best.

Nothing you're doing is for the best.

You misunderstand me yet again, Mika. I tell you again; this is all for the best.

I want you out of my head. Out of my head now.

I'm sorry you feel that way. Unfortunately, the only way I can leave is if you set me free.

I know who you are. I never want to set you free.

Hear me out.

I will hear. I will not listen.

Just listen-

I WILL HEAR. I WILL NOT LISTEN.

You are unreasonable.

…

You do not understand my troubles and my reasons. … You won't even listen to why I have invaded you.

I do not want to hear why you invaded me. I do not want to hear why you dragged me to the cellars. I do not want to hear why you locked the door… I do not want to know.

I'm sorry.

No you're not.