Chapter 12

She froze, and just stared at me for a few, brief moments. Her face a mixture of emotions; confusion, panic, and even some obvious rage. She started to choke out, "H-how did you-?" before she stopped. Before my very eyes, Doctor Orosco's face seemed to absorb the emotions, drawing them back into herself.

As I watched the flurry of emotion dance across her face, I felt regret welling up in me. Sure, she was kinda weird, but what kind of grade-a asshole brings up someone's murdered parent? I felt like nothing more than a human stain. I was completely ashamed of myself.

Unfortunately, before I could offer a genuinely heartfelt apology, she started to futz with her clothes. She gave me a look that both worried me, and froze the marrow of my bones.

It took me a moment to grasp it, but it was her eyes that were the scary thing about her. Though she radiated with a gentle demeanor, her eyes were dead and flat. Those eyes clearly stated that there wasn't anybody home, and that things had been that way for awhile.

Suddenly, while she stared emptily at me, her expression changed again. Her eyes filled with confusion, even panic. She turned and ran from the room.

Oh, boy. Oh, boy. She was more than nuts. She was in another fucking hemisphere of reality... I sincerely hoped that that was the last I saw of her for… well… ever.

I felt like a steaming pile of human waste. I just pushed a damaged person's buttons. Way to go, Garrett! What a big, tough, he-man you are!

Depressed again, I picked up my journal:

May 10th- Still raining. Talked with the doctor a little. Would they have saved me if I didn't have a family to feed?

I abruptly found myself thinking of James and Delia, two people I found an interesting kinship with; though James was unaware of my presence. I admired both of them. They were both likely enduring all kinds of hell, and they had both shown me a strength of spirit that most people only wished they carried in themselves.

I picked up my pen again, and added more to my journal entry:

I know I'm pathetic, weak. Not everyone can be strong.

Closing the notebook, I sighed.

I began to wonder if I could make myself have a "vision" about James. I was well and truly stranded here for God knows how long; maybe it was time for an experiment.

I leaned back against the bed, and closed my eyes. I began to take deep, even breaths, and focused on the two people who could likely sympathize with my plight: James and Delia.

Within moments, my mind grew foggy…

A graveyard…great. In my mind, I felt as though something was being check-marked off of a "To Do" list.

Stupid accident? Check.

Crazy bitches? Check.

Equally afflicted friend? Check-er-oony.

Inevitably ending up in a graveyard? Cheeeee-eck!

I was standing in front of three open graves. It was too dark though, and I couldn't make out the names.

Luckily for me, my "buddy" James chose to make his scheduled appearance. He walked up to this very spot; illuminating the area.

I read the names…holy crap!

Eddie Dombrowski, Angela Orosco, and… James Sunderland!

I was so dumbfounded; all I could do was gape at the scene before me. In fact, a couple of minutes had passed before I noticed what James was doing.

He about to jump into his grave.

"No! Don't do that! Haven't you ever watched a single horror movie in your life?? What are you, Amish??" I yelled. Don't get me wrong, I still admired the guy- he had guts for weeks- but damn, he could be dumb.

He jumped into his own grave, and I had no choice but to follow. I leapt into the hole right behind him.

As it turns out, it was a little more than a whole.

It was a goddamned underground tunnel!

He started to walk down the tunnel. I followed him, much to my dread.

There was a door at the end of it…And there was something written over the door in a dark substance- blood, probably.

"Alastor"- An alastor is a tormenting spirit or a Nemesis. Alastor is known by Zoroaster as the "executioner," and as Azazel to Origin. In the infernal hierarchy, he is the Nemesis.

Suddenly, I heard gunfire exploding to life from beyond the door.

James had gone through it already- shit! I rushed through the door.

The room was bathed with green light, again. What was with hell dimensions and the color green? I mean, really. Though, now that I think about it, maybe that's part of the torture…

There were bodies in what looked like Haz-Mat suits scattered throughout the room. I examined them, and was shocked to discover that they had been shot to death- with a gun, no less!

Wow, who'd have ever thought that I'd be startled when people died from bullets- instead of being devoured by monsters? Go figure.

Upon further examination, it became apparent that they had just died… could James have…

I shook off the thought. Nah, Blondie may be a doofus, but he wouldn't do this.

More gunfire exploded to life beyond the door in front of me.

I ran through the door and right into a shoot-out.

It was the fat fuck…Eddie!

He must have killed those people! The bastard…

"Kick his ass, Sunderland!" I cheered.

They would each take a couple of shots at each other, and then duck behind the massive hunks of meat that were hanging from the walls.

James had managed to keep Eddie at bay, and had ducked into the shadowy corner. Slowly, he crept up behind Eddie.

Eddie gave a startled yell, and began to beat at James. He screamed as though he were dying. And boy was I right.

As he continued to thrash at James' face, James quietly pulled out his handgun, and with a sick expression on his young face, he shot Eddie three times in the torso.

With an almost surprised moan, Eddie crumpled to the ground, dead.

James sank to his knees, his head lowered. "I killed another human being." He choked out. Then he crawled away from the body, and began to throw up.

I looked away, and ended up staring at the meat hanging from the ceiling. It suddenly looked more ominous. I studied it further…was it just me or did the meat have…

…arms?

Among the meat rack, I saw Pyramid Head and Mary Sunderland standing together. She caressed Pyramid Head's shoulder and laughed.

I jerked awake, covered in a cold sheen of sweat.

The vision had broken off, but at least I managed to have control over it this time.

I thought about the "alastor" information that I had seen on the walls of the tunnel. I found it to be wonderfully accurate, and applied it to Mary Sunderland and Pyramid Head. That was the only feasible explanation for their constant torture of both James and me…and Delia.

I quickly cut off that train of thought. I didn't need that kind of stress right now.

I stared out the window. It was night. Thunder rumbled outside, as though it were trying to say, "Don't think you're out of the woods yet, kiddies!"

I leaned my head back against my bed. These visions were really draining me. In fact, I was now certain that that was what they were, visions. That in fact, I hadn't slept since I got here.

I closed my eyes.

This time, there was blessed nothingness. I didn't dream.