She's been here for an entire week by now. It's officially been 7 days. Yet, every night she cries herself to sleep, and every night that voice comes to comfort her. At least she's had no more nightmares about fires and explosions. That's good. Therapy isn't going well, since she can't tell the truth about how he died and how she watched it happen and such. She's not making much progress, really. Then again, it's only been 7 days after all.
That corridor she got lost down on her first day is now a burnt mess. She asked why they haven't torn it down yet. She was told its cause they plan on fixing it up, but the real reason. (Amanda told her) is that anytime people go in there, they hear voices and get attacked. She'd love to go inside and look around, but it's completely boarded up and no way in.
Carrying her journal over to the table in the building's rec room, where the entire building socialises. She sits down and pulls out the pencil they gave her. Since she's not a suicide risk, they allowed her a pencil. Every day, she's been writing Cat a letter about her time in the hospital. It helps.
Unlocking the journal, she turns to the next page, and puts down the date, and where she is in the hospital. Looking around the room, she notices it's a lot more full today than normal. Rumour about her being engaged to Adrien/Cat got around and she's become somewhat of a celebrity. 50% think she's full of it and that's why she's here, the other 50% believe her. No one has approached her though, which is fine by her.
"Marinette…" A voice whispers from behind her.
Turning around, she sees no one, frowning as she goes back to her journal.
"Marinette!" The voice whispers once more.
Turning once more, she sees no one again. Sighing, she goes back to her journal. Stop it Marinette, you're not hearing voices.
"Marinette!" The voice screams, into her ear.
"What?!" She screams as she jumps in her seat, holding her ear and looking around. Everyone is staring at her, since she just screamed.
"Sorry…" Blushing, she goes back to her journal and sighs. It's nothing, it's no one, ignore it.
"Are you okay?" Amanda giggles, as she plops down in front of her.
"No! I swear I keep hearing… whispers… I'm not crazy!" Marinette whispers and looks around.
"Everyone hears whispers, and news flash. You're in a psych ward for beating up to 2 people due to grief. I think you're a little crazy!" Amanda giggles as she looks at her.
"Right, maybe a little. But I've never heard voices before." Sighing, she puts away her journal and just hugs it.
"Maybe it's the whispers of the dead? Wanna do a séance tonight before bed?" Amanda squeals and sits up straight, eyes sparkling.
"Um… sure, why not." Marinette smiles, as Amanda jumps up and runs off to prepare for the séance. Opening her journal back up, she writes.
'Dear Kitty,
Is it weird to be enjoying myself in the hospital? I made a friend named Amanda, and she's cool. But, I'm also hearing voices, I don't know if it's real or in my head. But, it seems familiar, feels familiar, like powerful, a power? I'm so tired, I think I'm finally losing it! Anyway, I love you and miss you My Kitty. I hope you're with your mother, is so give her a hug for me.
Closing the journal, she locks it and sighs. She knows this is her life now, without him. But, she can't help wonder when she's going to wake up from this nightmare. That maybe, just maybe when she gets home. He'll be there waiting for her, and she can sleep in his arms every night for the rest of her life. Instead of alone and crying being the only option for her.
Sighing, she gets up and walks back to her room. It's almost time for lights out. Another night of crying herself to sleep. Maybe the séance will keep her up all night, better than crying.
"Hey Marinette, we heard about the séance. Can we come?" The leader of the popular girls stops in front of her. "I love a good séance!"
Blinking Marinette, looks at the girls. "Ok sure, but if you make fun of it or us. I'll tell the orderly I heard you two having sex last night." To her surprise, The Leader just laughs and walks off, while nodding to her.
Walking past the burned hallway, something catches her eye. A light? Creeping closer, she tries to peer through the gaps in the wood, but it's pitch black behind the wood.
"Marinette!" Someone whispers behind the wood, before the wood bulges as if someone has hit it from the other side.
Marinette lands on her back, letting out a yelp as she hits the hard floor. Dusts settles onto the floor in front of the wood, as things settle down again.
"Ok, clearly either this place is haunted or I'm definitely nuts." Jumping up, she rushes back to her dorm, not stopping until the door shuts behind her.
"You okay? You look like shit?" Samantha asks as she stops in front of her own door. Holding blankets and pillows.
"That's the million dollar question, isn't it?" Marinette sighs as she holds her chest.
"No, I mean literally. Your elbows bleeding." She gestures to her elbow.
Looking down, she sees the gash on her elbow. "Oh, I fell downstairs. Do I need to go to the nurse for this?"
"Nah, Amanda has supplies in her room. Go ask her." Smiling, she goes back into her room.
"Thanks…" Walking to Amanda's room, she winces and wipes her elbow. "Amanda, I cut myself downstairs. Can you help?"
"Ouch, what d'ya do?" She grabs Marinette's elbow hard and pulls her to the bed and makes her sit down.
"I was downstairs when I thought I saw a light in the burnt corridor. I walked over to look, when someone said my name, then punched the wood. I jumped and landed on my back. It happened. There's dust from where the wood moved. Why did my parents pick a haunted place?" Wincing, she looks at Amanda as she cleans the cut and bandages it.
"Well, the fact it's haunted isn't exactly broadcasted to the world." Amanda giggles as she finishes with her elbow.
"How did you get all this?" Marinette asks. She has everything but rubbing alcohol and scissors.
"The nurse got sick of having to come see us for every cut and accident. She's on the other side of the building. And our feasts can get rowdy. So, she gave me all this to treat our minor wounds. At least until morning. Ready for the séance?" Amanda puts the stuff away and grabs her blanket, pillow, and torch.
"About that, the popular girls are coming. But, I told her if she messes it up, I'll tell on her sleeping with the orderly in her dorm. I walked past last night and saw them. They asked me to join in, I was tempted. No, they didn't. She didn't even know I saw them, till I said something just now." Marinette giggles as she goes into her room for her blanket and pillows.
"My journal!" She drops her blanket and pillows and rushes out of her room. In her fright, she dropped her journal and left it there. What if someone finds it? What if they steal it? Adrien gave her that journal, she can't lose it.
Rushing to the door of the dorm, she throws it open only to run into someone in the doorway. Lands on her back a second time tonight, she winces.
"Oh crap, sorry." A couple of hands grab her and haul her to her feet.
Looking up, she notices the leader of the popular girls. More she notices what's in her hands.
"My journal!" She screams as she reaches out for it.
"I found it at the foot of the stairs. I knew it's yours, so figured I'd bring it to you." Smiling, she hands her the journal.
"Omg… thank you!" Taking the journal, she hugs it tightly and wipes her streaming eyes. "This is very special to me, very!"
"I know. That's why I grabbed it for you. My name's Angela, by the way. This is Lisa and Sandra. The rest were too scared to come." Angela giggles and hands her the pencil as well.
"I'm going to start carrying my bag, so I don't drop it again. Do you really think this place is haunted?" Marinette asks curious.
"Yes, I heard screaming coming from the burnt hallway. But, because we're in a psych hospital, no one believes you." Lisa sighs and follows Sandra down the hall to the rec room.
"I was here when the corridor burnt down. One of my friends died in there. I constantly hear her screaming for help, begging to be saved. They were all locked in their rooms. Did you know that? Just locked in, and waiting to die. I can't imagine how horrible that must have been. The orderlies who should have been there were on the other side of the hospital messing around. So, they couldn't even get them out. Did you know those same orderly threw themselves from the roof? All but one died. He went insane and is a patient himself here now. So, yes. Definitely haunted." Giggling, she walks off to the rec room.
"Okay then." Following them, she stops in her room to grab her blanket and pillows, as well as her bag for her journal.
"Okay, so are we ready for the séance?" Amanda asks, as she shines the torch on her own face, lighting it up.
She looks around at all the nodding heads and scared faces. Each person has a blanket around them and is sitting on a pillow.
"Ok, now everyone holds hands. Whatever you do, don't break the circle. Or the spirits will get in and eat your eyeballs!" Amanda jumps forward, causing some of the girls to scream and laugh.
"Maybe not eat your eyeballs. But you could get possessed, which is worse." Marinette giggles.
The girls all take hands and close their eyes. Not knowing what to do, or what will happen.
"We're calling upon the spirits of this hospital. Come to us, speak to us. Let us know you are there! Who is the one talking to Marinette? Who are you?" Amanda yells to the ceiling, calling on the ones who haunt the hospital.
Marinette sighs, how she wishes she could speak with Adrien's spirit. But she knows he's not here. He's with his mother in whatever afterlife there is. This is just a silly game to play and have fun with.
Suddenly, the door behind them slams shut. Causing the girls to jump and scream.
"It's just the wind, it's okay." Amanda says with a giggle.
"What wind? The windows closed?" Marinette looks at the window, then the door. The room's as still as a graveyard.
"From the… hallway." Amanda frowns and shakes her head. "Do it again!"
The chair from Amanda's desk moves a little before flying through the air into the wall and hitting the floor.
"That's it, I'm out!" Sandra jumps up and runs to the bedroom door, pulling on it.
"It's locked, it's locked!" She screams, pulling on the handle.
Low moans slowly fill the room, as loose papers and pens, paper clips, all fly into the air, circling the room above the girls' heads.
"This isn't funny anymore, Amanda! Stop it!" Angela screams, covering her head with her blanket.
"I'm not doing this, are you crazy?!" Amanda screams and ducks a book flying at her head.
Marinette looks around and frowns, she could hear a whisper amongst the moans and the screams.
"Marinette... Marinette...MARINETTE!" The whisper becomes a shout, as everyone covers their ears, not even hearing their own screams over the yelling.
"ENOUGH!" Marinette stands up and throws her arms out as she screams. And just like that, it ends. The door flies open and everything hits the floor at the same time.
The girls all stand and stare at Marinette before they gather their things and run.
"Well... that was... fun." Amanda says from her spot on the floor, surrounded by books and papers and the remains of her chair.
"Yeah, fun…" Marinette looks towards the door. That is no ghost. So, what is it?