***Warning Slight Gore***

My senses return slowly, starting with smell. A strong scent hits me, a sickening almost metallic aroma, which would have made me gag if I were in the right state of mind. Taste comes next, I can almost taste the smell it's so strong, and as feeling returns to my tongue I let it roam over my cracked, dry lips. This time I really could taste the thick copper. Familiar to me, but not quite recognizable.

I slowly feel the numbness exit my hands, a stickiness covers them, and as my hands finally curl, I feel something thick and warm ooze its way through my fingers. A sickening feeling, yet almost fascinating.

Hearing follows. All I can hear is the pounding of my own heart, my breathing heavy as I slowly regained feeling throughout my body. An aching in my muscles present, but hardly noticeable against the strong feeling of dread that sat just at the bottom of my stomach.

Finally my vision returns, adjusting slowly to the darkness around me, the first thing I see is the ground which I lay on, cold and hard. I push up on shaky, sore arms, only to notice a thick red covering my pale hands. I stop, my eyes watching it glint in the small bit of light that shone into whatever building I now sat in.

I feel myself involuntarily gulp, as I push the rest of the way up, feeling my muscles tense with the slight movement. I clench my hand shut, feeling that same oozing, only looking at it now made it so much worse, as the repulsive crimson dripped to the floor. I let my wide, glazed over eyes move up, more of the same red covered the floor, in splatters and puddles that seemed to reflect no light.

I feel my tongue reluctantly trace my parched lips again, and this time I recognize the strong taste. It's the same taste after I'd so many times bit my tongue or lip, and felt my own red leak from it. That's when I feel my hands begin to shake.

I feel my face pale as I finally look across the floor.

A body lays, the pallor of a corpse. Yet, as I crawl my way closer, I feel any dread replaced with stone cold terror.

It was the man, I remembered him. The one Anti had been fighting with before everything went black. But he was hardly recognizable anymore.

His chest was ripped open, as though shredded by a wild animal. The crimson that once flowed through his veins now lay around him in nauseating puddles. His internal organs which once kept him alive now lay falling lazily from the cavity in his chest. I can't pull my eyes away despite the bile I feel rise in my throat, threatening to spill out and mix with the garlands of red scattered about.

Finally I manage to pull my eyes away from the grotesque display of crimson and I let my eyes wander up to his face, all my urges screaming at me to get away.

His eyes remained wide, staring directly at me almost seeming to blame me for his cruel demise. The last bits of fear he surely felt were stuck in those lifeless orbs, glazed over so they almost looked gray, contrasting the red dotted across his insipid face. His mouth remained ajar, a silent scream for help, for mercy still present.

Did I do this...?

I slowly stand, feeling the bile burn at the back of my throat, I back up, feeling my shoes splash in a couple puddles of the thick blood. I back away from the carcass, until I feel my back hit the cold wall.

That's when my legs give way. I fall to the floor, finally noticing the red staining my once gray shirt. I feel my chest tighten as finally it catches up with me. I realize this isn't a dream like I'd been hoping, like I'd been praying. That's when the first tear breaks free.

More follow, until my cheeks were covered in the salty liquid, an unbroken stream washing away the remains of the man in front of me... The man I couldn't save...

My eyes shut tightly, wanting to block everything out. The smell, the sight, the memory, everything.

My breaths come in short panicked spurts, the air thick, throat tight.

My hands tangle in my hair, coating the faded green in a deep red, clumping the strands together in a sticky mess, but I don't care. I tug at the hair, pulling some out of my scalp as more tears roll down my cheeks.

The bile remains in my throat, but I swallow it back, I wasn't going to vomit. I refused despite the nausea that seemed to sway the room around me.

I slowly let my eyes, blurred with tears, open again, and at the sight I feel it rise up my throat.

I sob quietly at first, before they turn into loud, pained cries.

Sounding as some pained animal I sat there screaming throat soon becoming scratchy, unable to cry out anymore without an intense pain.

And once my tears finally ran out, I sat there, choking on silent sobs.

I did this...

~~~~~~Mark's POV~~~~~

I invite the man into my house, he sits on the couch, and I on the chair across from him. I feel my throat tighten as he studies me, and even before he opened his mouth I knew what this was about.

"You're Sean Mcloughlin's doctor, yes?"

I nod, keeping my face stoic.

"I'm sure you've heard the news?"

I give a slight shake of my head.

"What news?"

Just play stupid... Play stupid... He seems to buy it, releasing a small huff.

"Sean Mcloughlin got out... again..."

I force my eyes to widen, straightening my back as though the new surprised me... Not like he was in my house a few hours ago...

"He did? When? How?"

The officer shrugs, eyes boring into me as though to catch me in a lie, to be able to call me out right then and there. I don't' give him the chance to.

"Don't know... All we know is you were last to leave the building, aside from security, and this is the second time he's gotten out..."

The officer's eyes harden, as though trying to guilt me into telling the truth. I keep the façade up strangely well.

"There has never been any incident.... Until you showed up..."

I feel my throat tighten, but keep my face blank. I feel Dark even tense up in my head, though he remains quiet.

"So, you see why we came to you..."

I give a slight nod, clearing my throat, though the lump remained.

"Yes... I see how suspicious it seems..."

I let a breathless chuckle escape me.

"But I couldn't tell you... In all honesty I felt we were making progress during our sessions."

I put on a neutral voice, one I'd gotten used to using when talking about work. The officer nods, finally letting up on his intense stare, letting me relax ever so slightly.

"What do you talk about during these... Sessions...?"

I tense again, but give a sympathetic smile, trying to remain outwardly relaxed.

"I'm happy to help officer... but I legally can't give that information away... Patient confidentiality, you know..."

He nods again, narrowing his eyes considerably. Habit of his it seems...

"Fine... what's his diagnosis?"

Damn... That question I can legally answer... I hesitate. I certainly couldn't tell him the man was possessed... So I make something up.

"Not sure yet... Schizophrenic maybe... Undeniably bipolar..."

I suppose not a complete lie, bipolar was a definite. The way he switched moods, the way he was so quick to anger.

The officer notices my hesitance to answer, but seems to brush it off, for now at least.

"Dangerous?"

This time my hesitance is longer. I chew on the inside of my lip. What do I say to that? Sean himself certainly isn't dangerous... it's the thing living in his head that's dangerous... But Sean, he's just along for the ride... a scared man who was thrust into this cruel world of demons...

I finally snap from my thoughts, realizing the officer expected an answer. I falter once more before speaking, each word careful.

"He's... He's scared... Unpredictable... So given the right circumstances..."

"The answer is yes then..."

The officer finishes with a grunt. Finally, after scanning over me once more he stands from my sofa, giving a sigh.

"Right... I'll leave you alone now..."

He turns to walk, but stops as my phone rings. I pick it up looking at the screen.

Unidentified Caller

I narrow my eyes, wondering if Sean took control again... Maybe it's him? Perhaps I'm just hoping, but my gut twisted nonetheless.

"You going to answer that?"

The officer must have noticed my expression, which I only now realized I've let break. I shake my head, giving a weak smile.

"No... I'll let it go to voicemail..."

My smile drops as the officer stares me down, silently urging me on. I sigh, praying to whatever god there may or may not be, and answer it, putting the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

I speak softly, silently hoping it was a wrong number call...

"Mark...?"