I stepped into line just before reaching the dining room doorway. The hallway was so wide and the doorway so narrow, that we sort of bottle-necked into the room.

I paused long enough to spot a vacant seat and made a quick bee-line directly for it. I always tried to sit facing the only entrance and/or exit; by never knowing what the voices were up to, I needed an escape route in order to relax.

Frosted teeth clatter to the floor, covered in white, they will be no more.

Roses are red, but so is blood. I’ll drink till I’m full and enjoy the flood.

I rolled my eyes. Great, now they were being poetic. Reaching up to probe at my temples, I desperately wished for the angels' return.

Even though I regretted the wall, it helped block the demons long enough to calm their banter. I’d talk with Dr. Miller about strengthening the wall, but she’d probably want to up my medication and I was running out of places to dispose of the pills.

“Penny!” I jumped when someone across the room called my name. Scanning the growing crowd, I watched for movement. “Penny, save me a seat!” I groaned when Liz emerged from the sea of blank stares with a peach in her hand.

She sat to my right and scooted her chair as close to mine as possible.

“I snagged a peach, you want half?” she asked.

“No thanks,” I mumbled, and winced when my headache ratcheted another pain level. It was now at a throbbing seven. Once it reached ten, I’d probably black out, but I held out hope that it would abate before then.

“Your nose is bleeding,” Liz murmured around a mouthful of fruit. “It do that a lot?”

“It’s nothing,” I snapped, and grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the table.

Forever in the shadows, shies from the sun. Walk into the light, O Little One.

“Being roommates, I’d thought we get to talk a little more,” Liz announced and licked peach juice from her lips.

She’d sucked the seed dry and placed it on a napkin in the center of the table. “I’d rather talk to you than the others.”

“Okay.” I pinched the bridge of my nose in an effort to alleviate some of the pain. “Why are you in here?” I asked, thinking that was a good place to start.

“I killed my husband,” she answered nonchalantly, and I frowned at her.

“How old are you?” I blurted, actually surprised her age was the reason her admission shocked me.

“Twenty-three.”

She looked seventeen.

“Did he beat you?”

Maybe even younger.

“No.”

“Why’d you do it?”

“The voices told me to.”

Her answer froze the blood in my veins and thousands of conversations erupted in my head.

Told you!

She’s one of ours!

Just like you!

But she’s weak, that’s why you’ll kill her and suck the marrow from her bones.

“You ok?” she asked, her voice a mere whisper through the thick haze converging on me. My vision blurred and my heartbeat thundered in my ears. The pounding sounded, and felt, like a herd of wild horses racing across my brain.

I almost cried out when the pain climbed another notch. My stomach rolled, nausea shoving bile back up into my throat. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to puke. I reached out and plucked the glass of water from in front of me and took a couple small sips. Sweat both coated my upper lip, and snaked a trail down my backbone.

What’s happening? I thought to myself.

It’s almost time!

It won’t be long now.

She’s breaking!

“Penny, are you sure you’re ok, your eyes are bleeding,” Liz asked softly and reached out with her forefinger, catching the warm liquid rolling over my cheek. She pulled her hand away from my face to show me the crimson droplet. “I’ve never seen anyone do this before,” she observed, and studied me like a flayed frog under a spotlight.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” I murmured, and shoved back my chair. But before I could get to my feet, the room spun and then everything went black.

A/N: Please don't forget to vote!