Chapter 3


I breathe in deep and push open the doors, instantly feeling the cold air drift out and around me. I wrap my arms around myself in an attempt for warmth and assurance as shivers run up and down my body.

I step through the doors into the waiting room and look around the familiar dreary surroundings, the receptionist glances over at me with disinterested eyes and tells me to take a seat.
I nod and hurry over to the old bookshelf to the side of the room to continue the book I've been reading.

I see my pink bookmark poking out the top of the pretty blue book, still in the exact place I left it 3 days ago and smile.
The time I get before entering Mrs Stone's office I spend reading the book.

"Alice in wonderland", I absently say out loud.
I reach my arm up towards it when I hear shifting and mumbling.

I jump back and look to where to noise came from and see a boy in the corner.

He's very pale with silvery blonde hair that's swaying back and forth, lightly caressing his shoulders and face as he cradles himself. He looks a few years older than me.

I cautiously step closer "Are you okay?" I ask.

He becomes silent and stops moving, "He's watching me, waiting for me to go to sleep."

"Who's watching you?" I ask feeling a bit nervous.

The boy looks up at me, his eyes wide and bloodshot with dark circles around them, "the boy with the unblinking eyes and haunting smile. He waits behind my curtains staring and tormenting me with his knife. He wants me to go to sleep."

I stare into the boy's eyes feeling both curious and frightened and wonder whether to continue the conversation or run. Before I can make a decision I feel a large hand grip my shoulder. I try to scream but the other hand is placed firmly over my mouth.

I struggle out of the grip and whirl around to see a very tall lady wearing a long plain grey dress with a stern looking face, ice cold eyes and white hair with streaks of grey.
It's the psychologist, Mrs Stone.

"Hello Angelica, I see you've met Chester" Mrs Stone says, the boy whimpers as her eyes lay upon him.

She looks back to me and roughly grabs me by the shoulder again and starts to lead me down the hall to her office, I look back around to get one last look of the mysterious boy, Chester.