She Who Keeps The Dead Down.(Worm/Old Kingdom)

Part Twoor,Awakening.

I dreamed.

I dreamed of a great river, cold and treacherous.

I dreamed of its rapids, its waterfalls and most especially of its cold, dead denizens.

I dreamed of those that hungered for Life and for those who possessed it, and kicked and screamed and dragged themselves towards it. One of them turned towards me, eyes wide and white as it moaned at me with a mouth that extended itself off its face and down its neck. It reached for me, and I couldn't move, couldn't run. Its scent, rotten and disgusting choked me, and my breath grew quick and panicked. It was getting close - too close and I couldn't run couldn't breathe. It grabbed me -

I woke up in a cold sweat, breathing hard and heart pounding.

Beep beep beep.

The frantic beeping drew my attention to a device I identified as a heart monitor on its stand, sitting next to the bed I laid in.

Beep beep beep.

I ignored its cry and looked around. I seemed to be in a typical hospital room. White walls, wheeled beds, curtains for privacy, TV in the corner. All of it in sterile white, cream or light blue. The curtains on the wall were pulled, so I guessed it must be late. Not that I felt like sleeping after a dream likethat.

Beep, beep.

My dad was slouched in a seat next to my bed. His face was lined and tired, and his clothes were dishevelled. I felt a pang of guilt of having worried him so. I let him sleep. Clearly he needed it.

Beep, beep.

I shivered. Somehow, in spite of the heating that was undoubtedly running and the thick blanket on my bed, I felt unaccountably cold. I didn't know how to put it into words. It was uncomfortable.

(It felt like Death)

I suddenly felt the urge to get up, get away from this feeling. I pushed back the covers, swung my legs over the edge and sprang upright. I felt a tug on my chest and-

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...

-the heart monitorscreechedas the cable, still attached to me, was ripped out of its socket. Dad jolted awake, one hand reaching for the bedside table upon which laid his glasses.

"Taylor!" he exclaimed, shock in his voice and on his face.

"Dad..." Eloquency Queen of the Year, everybody, Taylor Hebert.

Dad's face went slack with relief, and then I found my face pressed into his chest as he desperately clung to me. "Oh Taylor, you had me so worried..." He was warm, a warmth that filled my chest and chased the cold from my bones. He also smelled a bit of BO, but I didn't really mind.

There was a thump as the door slammed into the wall, a harried nurse with coffee spilt down her leg ran in. She took in the sight of me and my dad blinking owlishly at her and sagged. "Miss Hebert. You're awake. How are you feeling?"

Dad and I sat down on the edge of the bed, while the nurse busied herself turning off the heart monitor. I began, "Well, I feel surprisingly fine. I was a bit cold when I woke up, and I'm a bit hungry."

"That's normal with receivers of Panacea's work." The nurse replied. She pulled out a clipboard from the foot of my bed and made a few notes. "We'll probably discharge you in the morning."

Panacea healed me? "Can you pass on my thanks?"

The nurse smiled a brilliant smile at me. "Of course. Now is there anything else you need? I've got something to mop up, but I can get you something from the kitchen?"

"Yes please." I answered politely.

"Alright," and with that, she swept off.