Day 25:
The room has a pinkish glow from the sun rising outside, engulfing the stirring Hal. His room is very neat and organised, just as he left it. He feels the unfamiliar straps chaining him to his bed. He gives them a small tug, just to make sure they are still tight. The door creaks open and Alex walks in with another glass of water.
"Oh, you're awake!" she says sounding a bit startled. "It's been three days! I thought you were never going to wake up!" She places the glass on the side table and an awkward step back. They exchange a few timid glances before she turns to make her way to the door.
"Alex," Hal croaks out, his voice a bit shaky. She turns to face him.
"Yes?"
"…Thank you."
She pauses for a moment, "It seems like that is all you can say lately," she says jokingly.
"Sorry," he replies, laughing a little.
The room is silent as they exchange awkward smiles. Alex turns and starts out the room again, but she stops dead in her tracks and rushes back to Hal's bedside.
"You should be sorry!" she shouts at him. The soft look that was on her face moments before is completely absent.
"Wh-," Hal starts, very confused and slightly frightened by Alex's sudden change in behavior.
"It's your fault I'm dead!" she cuts him off, "You killed me, Hal!"
"What?" He jerks back in his bed, "Alex, where is this coming from?"
"You killed me too, Hal…" A second voice joins Alex's.
"A-Annie…." He whimpers as Annie appears at the foot of his bed. Her face is filled with the same, silent fury that covers Alex's.
Two more voices join in with the accusations. "It's your fault we are dead too!" Leo's voice is harsh, bringing the first of the tears from Hal's eyes.
"You killed us both!" Pearl bellows into his ear.
They continue shouting at him as they each grab hold of part of his body. More people join in the commotion, all shouting the same accusations. Each person is now tearing and clawing at him. He can feel all of their hands on him, all of their nails digging in to his skin, and all of their pain now becoming his. He closes his eyes to retreat into his shell.
Then, it stops. Silence, He slowly opens his eyes to a clean, quiet, and empty room. He can still feel the pain of his victims, along with their piercing echoes. He lets out a sharp scream from the shear intensity of the pain.
Tom and Alex rush franticly into Hal's room. "Hal! Hal, what's the matter?" Tom grabs Hal's hand, causing him to cringe, increasing his screams.
"Please!" Hal manages between screams, "Please, stop!" he begs of the apparitions, tears streaming down his face.
Tom and Alex are taken aback. Tom releases Hal's hand, but Hal continues to scream, writhing. Hal squeezes his eyes shut, trying to force away the pain and the voices but, when he opens them, his eyes have turned to a glazed jet-black. When he opens his mouth to scream again his fangs have extended. Tears still flow from his eyes, and screams still spew out of his fanged mouth. "Please!" he begs again.
A voice that wasn't there before joins in the chorus in Hal's ears. It is low and clam, yet it overpowers all the others. "Hal," the voice stabs. "You did this to them Hal. You deserve this." Hal can feel the breath of the speaker on his cheek. "You were great once, Harry, but now, you are weak. And for that-," the voice pauses, as its hand plunges into Hal's chest, "You deserve this," Mr. Snow's hand emerges from Hal's chest holding his heart. Hal lets out one final shriek agony. Mr. Snow's words linger on Hal's ear as the pain disappears.
Hal's breathing is quick and labored after the pain and screaming stop. Alex and Tom stand staring at Hal with disbelief. "Are you alright, mate?" Tom cautiously approaches Hal's bedside. Hal shakes his head. It has been centuries since he had felt this much pain. He knew it was just a dream, but the pain was real, and unbearable. He could feel the warmth of their hands on him, the sharpness of their nails digging into his flesh. Just thinking of it sends tremors through his entire body. However, it isn't the pain that terrifies him most; it is the realness of Mr. Snow. He had been in Hal's dreams before, but never like this.
Hal slows his breathing as he lets the last of the tears escape from his eyes, which have faded back to their normal hazel. He tries to sit up in his bed, but the straps and the lingering pain in his chest make it difficult. Tom comes closer to Hal's side. "What happened?" he asks gently, handing Hal a glass of water.
Hal shakes his head slightly. "I-I'm not sure," He says in a low voice. He takes the glass from Tom and takes a big gulp. Water has never tasted so good, for it isn't until now that he notices the burning in his throat. He finishes off the glass quickly.
"What were you screaming for?" Alex asks from across the room, still quite shocked from Hal's episode.
"It was a dream," he starts, "or, at least, I think it was a dream. I don't know." He pauses, getting hold of himself. "Whatever it was, it was the worst pain I've ever felt." The room is silent as Alex disappears and the reappears a moment later with a new glass of water. She hands it to Hal, but then quickly backs away from him. The three stand, again, in silence, with looks of worry strewn across all their faces.