'Drip, drip, drip' I slowly blink my eyes open, my head is pounding. I look around to see that I'm on the floor of a room which seems to be a prison cell, it smells as if a rotting corpse was just taken out of here. The walls are all slimy and filled with vegetation that's growing from the corners of the room. The only light provided is a torch on the wall thats burning dimly. I hear water dripping but can't find the source, the drips echo as if this place is all stone walls and they go on for miles. My heart starts pumping harder, I take deep breathes trying to calm down my racing heart and mind.
'The last thing I remember was sitting in my desk at the office sorting through files. So how did I get here, and why am I alone? Unless I'm not, or this is a dream and I need to find out what happened but we haven't had a case in two weeks….well I better find my way out of here anyways. Dream or not."
Deciding to find a way out I look around and spot a door on the opposite side of me I cautiously walk towards it trying not to make noise, If anyone is here with me I can't let them know I'm awake yet, at least not until I figure out what's going on and how I got here.
"I can't believe I was kidnapped and nobody noticed, unless I am dreaming and all of this is pointless. I'm sure Naru will come for me either way but I can't always wait around to be rescued. COme on Mai, all you have to do is look around a bit and then you can leave." I tell myself hoping that the dread I feel is for other reasons other than me being kidnapped or sleeping and get stuck in this dream. I hear faint footsteps echoing outside the door, deciding it was time to go I open the door slowly and feel better when the door does not creak.
I walk out into the open hallway and seeing that there are still only torches I reach up and take one to light the way. I look both directions before my instinct tells me to go right so I follow it. I hear the footsteps getting closer and suddenly my torch goes out. I take slow deep breaths and try not to panic while I move closer to the light coming from an adjacent hallway, which I presume there is another torch placed. Hushed whispers are in the other hallway which is illuminated with light, I listen closely trying to get some useful information.
"Why did you bring her here, she is a traitor she disobeyed him she doesn't deserve to be his sacrifice, she isn't worthy." A feminine voice harshly whispered.
"Now, now Agatha Doctor Herald knows what he is doing but you have been off of your meds again haven't you? Let's get you back to the room." A deep voice replied to her rambling. They start walking towards my direction when I realize there's nowhere to hide, so I lay on the floor pretending to be asleep. I hear them stop just a few feet away from me.
"Look who we have here, wondering around the halls again and pretending to be asleep. Taniyama, Mai patient number 666. What ever shall we do with you, well let's get you to Doctor Herald and he'll take care of you." the man said.
I open my eyes and look at him, he knew I was awake and why did he call me a patient? Just where am I exactly? Who is Doctor Herald? I looked around as he continued walking down the hallway and stopped at a door, it read Doctor Herald: Doctor of the Sand Haven Asylum. I could hear screams coming from inside before they suddenly stopped, as if whoever was screaming couldn't anymore. The man holding me put me on my feet but still had a tight grip on my arm so I couldn't run anywhere.
My breathing became ragged as I knew what was beyond that door wasn't human, nor was I going to live if I went into that room that smelled of rotting corpses. He opened the door and what I saw, I wish could be unseen. A pile of rotting corpses in the middle of the room while there were chained shackles hanging from the ceiling and connected to the floor.
He dragged me to the chain and put them around my wrists and feet I struggled against him but he was getting irritated and slapped me. Tears brimmed my eyes as I felt the stinging sensation on my left cheek. He left and shut the door, blocking the only light in the room. I heard the lock click and I knew that there was no way out if this one.
Growling came from the front of me but it was so dark and pitch black that I couldn't see what it was. I sobbed quietly as it got closer. 'Naru, I'm sorry.' I thought as more tears ran down my face. I felt something brush against my leg, there was a slime-like substance that was now dripping down my leg and onto the stone floor.
"Mai! Mai!" I hear his voice call to me, I heard Naru calling for me.
"Naru! Naru, Please help me! I can't see, I don't know where I am! Naru, I'm so scared." I yelled into the blackness but as soon as I was about to call for him again something clamped against my leg and I felt something sinking into my flesh as blood was streaming into a puddle on the floor.
"Ahhhhhhh, N-Naru something just bit me. Please Naru help me." I sobbed as the pain was becoming unbearable.
"Mai! MAI! Wake Up! Mai, listen to me you're dreaming, you need to wake up now!"
"How? I don't want to be here Naru, tell me how to get out." I pleaded as his voice came back.
"Close your eyes, and breath."
"Naru there's something in here with me, if I close my eyes I won't know where it is. Ahh!" I screamed as something clawed at my chest. I closed my eyes tightly and breathed deeply.
"That's it Mai, just breath. Now open your eyes." I shook my head no, not wanting to open them and see that I was still there with that thing. "Mai, it's alright now. Just open your eyes." I opened my eyes and saw dark blue ones staring back at me. My eyes teared up as I started crying and hugged Naru.
I clutched at my chest while trying to stand up but fell to the ground as blood started seeping through my shirt and pants leaving a dark red stain.
The pain was almost unbearable, as Naru called an ambulance and had Lin try to stop the bleeding.
"N-Naru, it hurts, please just make it stop." I whispered as the edges of my vision fade into black. I start to cry harder hearing the growl come from behind me. "Go away! Please just leave me alone!" I put my hands up to my ears to block out the growling and the creaking of the door being opened.
"Aw but Mai if I were to leave you alone that would be no fun." I recognized the voice as the same man who put me in that room.
"Why are you doing this to me? I didn't do anything! Who are you? What do you want with me!?" I yelled as Naru was at my side telling me to calm down and breath. I take deep breaths while holding Naru's hand and soon begin to hear sirens right outside.
"Mai? Who were you talking to? Mai! I need you to stay conscious just a little longer" he called as my vision was fading.
"Naru, It hurt's so much, I don't think I can stay awake. I'm tired, can't I just take a small nap?" I asked as my eyes closed and the last thing I heard was the door of the office slamming open and peoples footsteps surrounding me before I lost all consciousness.
To be continued...