She ran. Not knowing where she was going or why she was running. Her feet seemed to be taking a course of their own and no matter how she tried she couldn't stop them. Her body screamed for her to stop but she couldn't obey, she wouldn't obey. Her clothes were steeped in blood, whether it was hers or not she didn't know. With every movement she made her shoulder burned. She tried to remember what had happened to her but something was stopping her finding the memories. Lost in a haze she continued running. The only thing she was aware of was the pain and her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Robyn's feet slowly began to obey her exhausted body just at the point when she couldn't see herself drawing another breath. They came to a stop outside of a shop buried deep within in an alleyway. There was something about the shop she didn't like. An eerie, foreboding atmosphere rose from it and permeated the air. She wanted to turn away from it, she wanted to leave this place but the door opened and out from the shop poured a foul aroma. Voices called her from inside begging her to come in, again her feet disobeyed her body and carried her inside. The door slammed loudly behind her making her jump.

The inside of the shop was dim but her eyes soon adjusted to the poor light. Looking around she saw that shop seemed to be some sort of Aladdin's Cave filled with a world of different things. Scattered everywhere were books, toys, antiques, tools, furniture and obscure figures. Most of these items were on beaten old shelves lining the walls, the rest of these items were on the floor as a result of falling from broken shelves. So far she hadn't seen any people inside but a voice called her to the back of the shop.

She crept cautiously over to the back of the shop. Dividing the main part of the shop from the back was a partition screen which screamed when she pulled it back. Rust had decayed the runners making it hard and noisy work. When the screen had been pulled back enough to allow her entry she stepped through and looked around.

Dust covered every surface, it was at least a foot thick not having been disturbed for some time. Two chairs had been placed either side of a coffee table, further along the room was a dining table with four chairs around it. Slowly she walked over to one of the chairs by the coffee table. Reaching out with her hand she brushed some of the dust away, underneath was a shaggy orange pile. She flew back from chair after a voice sounded in the air.

Daddy! Daddy! Come and play with me!

Looking around she couldn't see anyone in the room. She was alone. Frightened she ran for the partition screen only to find it had been replaced with a door. Pulling the door open she saw a bathroom. This hadn't been here before. Stepping away she walked hurriedly across the room. She didn't see a toy left carelessly on the floor and her foot caught it. She fell and hit her chest on a corner of the table.

I tripped on Marty… I hit my chest on the corner of the table. It hurts a lot; I must have hit my ribs or something.

Robyn looked around again but there was still no one around. She tried to stand up but a jolt of pain tightened her chest and she couldn't breathe. Pushing herself back from the table she found crawling to be painful but not as painful as trying to stand had been. Finding herself able to she crawled under the table over to a doorway nearby. Looking up she saw that this was the kitchen. Not knowing what else to do to attempt to stop the pain she crawled over to the sink. She pushed herself up onto her knees painfully and reached out for a glass that had been left on the counter. With great difficulty she reached the tap and turned it, filthy green sludge poured out of the tap.

Plumbing's screwed. We're going to have to get this fixed. It'll cost a fortune.

With water off the menu she tried one last time to pull herself onto her feet. Crawling was making her knees hurt and it hurt her shoulder. With this one last push and pain so great she had to bite her lip to stop herself screaming she stood up. Walking like an automaton she left the kitchen and climbed the stairs back in the living room.

When she reached the top of the stairs she was faced with one door on the wall to her right and two doors on the wall to her left. It was some minutes before she could decide. She didn't know what was behind any of the doors and she still didn't know where she was. Picking a door she headed for it. She didn't see a little girl run from one the rooms behind her and down the stairs. Reaching the door she had chosen she opened it and stepped into the room.

I've stepped in puddles deeper than you!

Robyn recognised the voice she heard as the same voice she'd heard in the kitchen. Something deep within told her that she knew that voice but she couldn't remember why or who it belonged to. Not wanting to hang around too long in this room she left it and headed for the room next to it. Opening the door she stepped inside and looked around.

How many more lies are there? How many more times do I have to learn the truth this way? If I could dash my head against a wall until this gift vanished I would. It's nothing but a curse.

That voice had been her own. She tried to remember why she had spoken those words and what the gift she had mentioned was. Yet again her memory failed her, there was nothing there. There was only one room left to look into, leaving this one she walked over to it. After opening the door she walked into the room and saw that this was a bathroom.

Are you absolutely sure you're ok?

"No I'm not." Robyn replied her voice choked by sobs.

"Why not?" A voice asked from behind her, it was a voice different from any of the others before it.

A chill ran up Robyn's spine at the sound of this voice. Her heart pounded in her chest and she didn't need to turn around to see that the person standing behind her was reaching out for her. She flinched when their hand touched her dishevelled hair, when the hand turned into a fist and pulled her hair tightly she cried out in pain. The hand dragged her by the hair out of the room and threw her down the stairs. She hit the wall at the bottom with a crunch.

Through the sound of her blood roaring in her ears she heard footsteps following her down the stairs coupled with a harsh grating laughter. In absolute agony she couldn't move to escape before the hand grabbed her hair again and dragged her across the floor through the dust which choked her. She felt the hand let go of her hair before her attacked lifted her up and threw her down on the table. When her head made impact the table she bit her tongue leaving the rusty taste of blood in her mouth.

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw a white, expressionless mask staring down at her. Its eyes and mouth were hollow and the picture as a whole was threatening. The mask wearer tilted their head slightly one way and then another as if trying to find the best angle to look at her from. Finally the mask wearer gave up and climbing up onto the table straddled her.

"My, my, my. I really thought you'd enjoy this little place I set up for you. It seems you don't. I'm most disappointed, all this work gone to waste." The mask wearer complained their words coming quickly.

"What is this place? Who are you?"

"One at a time, one at a time. I'll answer you're first question first, you're here."

"Where is here?"

"Your mind. You see the other half of your mind, the one that told you where you were to begin with, is very clever. Very clever indeed. It protected you from us. It kept us from taking over but unfortunately it could only do that while you were awake, when they shot you it couldn't help you. You were knocked unconscious and now we've taken over. We can't let you get back to your body, I see you remember now. You're so deep in your own mind that you'll never leave."

Robyn began to panic, "Who are you?"

The mask wearer chuckled and sat back. They lifted a hand to their mask and slowly slipped it off. Staring back at Robyn was her own face.