"A pleasant illusion is better than a harsh reality."- C.N.Bovee

Chloe's POV:

It is the same tree I'm seeing this time. The leaves are crimson, yellow and red indicating the season of Fall as they rustled against the wind.

I stare at the huge thick trunk wondering what's so special about such an old tree.

I turn around walking away in the other direction. The sky matched the autumn season as the sun took its time to set. I stop when a small frame of a boy appears few feet ahead of me.

I stare at him as his back faces me. The boy looks over his shoulders and I squint my eyes as those soft hazel orbs stare at me.

For some reason, I knew these eyes but I couldn't pin point who this person is.

My memory if too foggy that I'm unable to reach to my segments of the past.

A scream escapes my lips and a dull agonizing pain bursts at the side of my head. Instantly my hand covers my skull and I crouch down on my knees as the pain begins to make me numb.

I blink, my entire body shaking. I squint my eyes open and blink several times to clear my vision. The headache vanishes making me sigh in relief.

I tilt my head up and freeze at the sight.

My entire surroundings changed and I stood in front of a mini cooper that lay upside down. The wheels of the car kept rotating showing it was just recently trashed in this position. The side of the car where the engine was below it, fumed with hot steam, rising up in the dark night.

I gulp when my eyes trail down and lock itself at the windows that were no longer tact. It's pieces were shattered into tiny shards and scattered on the gravel road where I stood deadpan.

My breath hitched as I spotted pool of blood gushing from inside the car. I kneel down in panic, wondering If someone is inside and wounded.

My gaze lands on the young girl, her back was hunched in a awful position. Blood oozed from her head where the glass pieces pierced their way into it. Her dark wood hair were soaked in her own blood that covered her face. Her chest heaved up and down in slow rhythm telling she is alive.

My hands trembled as I lean towards the girl planning to save her. The blood painted different streams on the road, soaking my shoes with it. I try to reach for her making sure not to touch the broken glass frame.

Sweat beads form on my forehead and I raise my hand towards her face to push her hair aside in an attempt to inspect the wound. My thin fingers slowly graze her soaked hair and I push them behind her ear. I look at the gash that went deep in her head making me cringe. Blood gushed out from the wound.

My eyes trail towards the face of the poor victim and I stun in horror. My stomach drops and I felt the air knocked out of my lungs. The headache starts to appear but my sight was more terrifying than the pain for now.

I stare at the girl who looked like me, years younger than me. The same hair color if not, it was caked in crimson liquid. The same pale face and lips, her nose-

My heart stops beating as I stare at myself. 

A deep scream rumbles across my chest as I back away from her. I trip and fall behind, my eyes growing wide in absolute terror.My face contorts in pain, the headache started to multiply its killer effect and my sight started to blur.

The last thing I heard was faint sounds of shuffling and a scream similar in a odd way. A face of a old man flashes in front of me that was blur. And just like that I was thrown back to the empty void of darkness.

---

"Help us find her you lazy ass."

I shift in my covers as the voices grew louder. I open my one eye to find Melissa screaming at Aiden's sleeping form who groans and mumbles, "She probably decided to play hide and seek."

I yawn and sit up straight. I rub my eyes and Mel notices me. Her features were tensed and her black orbs stared back in panic.

"Chloe, Bella is missing." I furrow my eyebrows, my sleep vanishing at her words. I look at her curiously and her lips tremble.

I glance around the room. Emma and Bella weren't here.

"Emma went to- I..-S-she never did such a thing before.." Her voice came out rough in worry. I guessed Emma was probably out searching for her sister.

I push away my covers and send a firm nod at her, "I'll go help Emma search." This time Aiden gets up getting worried, standing on his feet next to Mel.

I leave the room in hurry as a weird feeling starts to form in the pit of my stomach. 

I rush around different corridors wondering where Bella was off too. I decided to go take doctor's help and made my way outside the asylum. I send a quick scan over the ground to find very few patients and nurse. 

No sign of Bella here.

I take a turn to the left, running towards the office. I push open the doors and step inside only to find it empty. My forehead creases in utter confusion. This is the time where office is usually filled with those three doctors as they arrive to the asylum.

I walk back outside and hear a screech as the gates closes. I cock my head towards the gates to find the same aged nurse that I met when I arrived to the asylum.

Her face stretched with deep sadness as she kept shaking her head mumbling under her breath. She looks up at me to find my confused state and a small tear falls down her cheek.

I rush to her side. " What is wrong sister? You okay?"

She shakes her head. " Oh my..our poor Eric met an accident yesterday evening." It felt like someone poured a entire bucket of cold water over my head. The nurse looks at me wearily and continues.

"It was reported after he left the asylum, their car was attacked by a small group of serial killers. His parents were brutally murdered and.." My heart drops down as she trails off. I recall reading one of the newspapers stating the increase of serial killer in this town, yesterday.

A dull ache spreads over my chest.

"Tell me Eric is fine..." A whisper comes out of my trembling lips, so weak that I barely heard it myself. She gives me a pitiful look knowing how close the boy is to us.

"Eric has been reported missing." I stare at her dumbfounded, wishing its a joke.

"Rachel and Trinity went to the town as the police summoned them for investigation. Doctor Donald isn't here and-" I look at her and my eyes grow wide.

I had a nightmare this morning, I'm sure of it.

But why did I see someone similar to Dr.Donald..

My heart skips a beat and I dash towards the asylum cutting of the nurse. The feeling in the pit of my stomach worsens. For reasons I can't figure out, I tried to use my dream as a signal.

I run across the corridors taking sharp turns as the stair case started to come into my view.

Please, let my gut feeling be wrong.

A nurse was passing by and I bump harshly into her shoulder. I shout an apology at her and with new found determination I start to ascend the stair case I once vowed not to cross.

"Where do you think you're running off to miss?" The nurse yells back reminding me I'm not suppose to break the rules but I already reached near the second floor by the time she spoke.

I couldn't care less about any crappy rules for today. They may go to hell is all I thought.

The fear starts to grip my stomach turning it into knots. My feet ran as fast as possible carrying me higher above the grounds. The light that was so bright at the first floor started to dim. It became dark like there is some sort of power cut as I reached the third floor.

I inhale deeply and muster enough energy to fight the fears that lurk on this floor. Its almost nine in the morning, so no question of daylight helping my sight by lighting it up.

I lick my dry lips and pray Bella is somewhere lost in these dreadful hallways. I prepare myself for the worst and dash like a lightning bolt into the darkness. My vision was able to make out the bars that trapped insane souls within them. I kept a safe distance from them and running ahead.

Screams started to echo as I ran past each of them provoking the beasts that lay behind the bars. The corridor ran across as long as one could see with various large ancient looking wooden doors. I tried pushing each of them to no avail. This floor is filled with lunatics and looked doors.

I grit my teeth and rush back towards the stare case ignoring hands of people that came out of their prisons in a frail attempt to catch me.

I race to the fourth floor. The foul smell of dusty furniture and carpets hitting my nostrils. My legs felt like they would collapse from all the running. I surface the floor and frantically look around.

I never came up to this level till now.

The place looks like abandoned mansion untouched for years. My chest was rising and falling. I tried to calm my nerves and push my sore feet against dusty floor. Oddly enough, the gigantic window that comes into my view wasn't blocked by wooden planks like third floor.

Sunlight peeked through it, lighting up the corridors.

I was panting heavily and I rush towards the first door.

Locked.

I look around getting impatient.

"Bella!" I scream into empty corridor to earn no response.

I run past a room which had few metallic bars that weren't erected or probably broken.

This place was supposed to be like the third floor but the construction of the prison bars was either unfinished or if done, the rooms were empty.

I run towards the other corridor, tears brimming my eyes.A room stood towards my side with its metallic jail-door wide open. I step in hoping to find Bella to no luck. It was a empty room with few miscellaneous objects and furniture scattered around. The other side of room had another door and I ran towards it.

It was open just like the previous one and I step into the same corridor just from the other side of the room. It was a spare door. Both of them led to the same corridor.

Frustrated I dash in a random direction when a inhumane growl echoes and I halt abruptly. I snap my head to a room towards my left, it had no door or bars attached to its door frame from where I stood.

I slowly stalk towards it, reaching the room. I gulp and cock my head in the room and freeze. My eyes grow to the size of moon and my jaw slightly opens up.

A few feet apart from me, inside the old dusty room was Eric. My gaze scans him in horror.

Eric was unconscious, his hands and legs were tied firmly to the chair. His head hanged low and the side of his face was covered in fresh crimson liquid. Blood.

Questions swam in my head as to why on earth was he in the asylum.

My breath hitches and I step in the room in hope to get Eric out of here but I stun in shock and fear.

Another loud low guttural growl erupts in this room.

My palms felt cold as I clenched them. I slowly and hesitantly look towards the source of the noise, at the corner of the room. What I see next shakes me to my core, making my body numb in pure terror. The color from my face drains.

A pool of blood surrounded the body that was laid on the floor, the person was covered in nothing but crimson liquid that soaked the asylum's female uniform. Her blonde hair caked in that liquid. Her face was pale, too pale for an average human.

Bella.

My eyes trail up, towards another person in the room. No, it wasn't a human.

That thing wore a white coat like the doctors here, covered in red liquid.

It was crouched near Bella, it's head dipped towards her other side of the body. With a groan the thing tears a piece of flesh from the girl's arm, raising it's head chewing on the remains it caught in the mouth. It dips his head back towards her arm, as her entire body shakes due to the brutal force when he tore more flesh.

Just like a wild animal eating his prey.

I felt my own body tremble, my knees going weaker unable to bear the weight of the body. When the monster raised its head repeating the process, I realized it is Dr.Donald.

My head spins and a nauseous feeling started to form inside me.

My lips quivered and I couldn't fight back the stinging feeling at the back of my neck. The bile rushes up my throat, burning as it threatened to come out.

I swiftly turn away from the disgusting scene covering my hand over my mouth. It rushes into my mouth and I throw my guts out, right where I stood.

Hot tears brimmed my vision,I blinked my eyelids trying to clear my sight.I grabbed the side of the door frame for support, digging my nails into it as I kept throwing up. It is impossible to erase the images that now were registered deep in my brain.

My breathing started to slow down, I felt the air was beginning to suffocate me. I turn my head towards Bella as she laid not unconscious but dead. 

If only I made it here in time.

"No..Bella.." A whisper escaped my lips followed by a loud hiccup.

The sound makes the monster snap his head at me. My own eyes bulge out seeing doctor's inhumane features. His face was painted with nothing but blood, smeared all over his lower chin and cheeks. His eyes were bloodshot red and a yellow type of liquid forming around the outline of his eyeball.

He sniffs in my way as he slowly rises up from the spot. His head tilts in weird angles before he snarls like a wild animal.

I stand deadpan, staring in disbelief. My legs were wobbly no longer able to run.

Run.

"D..Dr.Do-n-nald."  He snarls once again moving towards me.

My heart starts to pound wildly inside my chest. My steps instinctively back away from the room as he comes closer.

My feet get entangled within themselves and I fall harshly on my back. I don't give time for the pain to shoot into my lower half and glance at the beast, petrified.

That was the last snarl he gives out and starts running in my direction.

A scream rumbles through my chest and I quickly get up ignoring the new pain shooting up in my limbs.

I'm not running away for nothing.

This time, I'm running for my life.

I dash into one of the corridors well aware that he is hot on my heels.  A thought strikes me. I can't let him chase me down at the lower floors. He will attack others or most probably kill him.

I need to make him loose my track.

Adrenaline pumps into my bloodstream and my legs start to carry me faster with new strength and determination. I take a sharp left turn and keep up my pace.

Growls echo in the empty corridors as he chases me in abnormal speed, catching up on me. My mind wanders off to that one particular room with two doors.

If I manage to lock him there, I can get out safely and get help.

The moment the thought hits me, that room comes into my view. I hear footsteps just behind me knowing he is following me.

I take a swift turn and enter the room. The exact moment he follows me,  lagging behind by mere seconds. My heart thunders inside my chest as I close up towards the metallic bar.

I run out of the room and turn abruptly to grab a hold on one of the bars. I swing it as fast as possible and shut it close, securing the lock. It clicks loudly indicating its locked and I turn back.

One more door to lock.

The moment I move one step ahead from prison, my back facing towards it, a hand comes out of the metallic bars. It grabs my ankle and I loose my balance.A loud screech erupts from the monster.

A yelp escapes my mouth and I land on my face with a loud thud. My head connects with the ground with a brutal impact making my ears ring. A sick agonizing pain cracks in my head. Blood starts to drip from the side of the head, over my eyelids making them flutter.

Tears brim my eyes as my vision starts to blur little by little.

No no no.

The beast drags my leg and my body slides towards the door, to him.

If I don't react, he will hunt others.

I turn around in that same position, my ankle twists in his grip before I use my other leg to defend. I use a large amount of force and land my feet through the bars perfectly on his face.

His grip on me loosens and he lands back with a force on the other side. I free my legs and get up. With my last ounce of energy I limp towards the other door as quick as possible.

I walk inside the room, watching from the corner of my eye as the doctor tries to get up. I quickly grab the bars and shut the door close and lock him inside.

I back off this time immediately. I turn around and head towards the stair case ignoring his screams and snarls.

My breathing starts to slow down, the blood drips from the side of the head all over my face. I squint my eyes trying to keep my sight straight.

One of the worse headaches I ever had till now attacks me.

I fall down, using my hands to take the impact of my body in order to avoid hitting my wounded head.

My head feels heavy and I felt like it will burst open any second.

"CHLOEEE." I hear a faint voice coming downstairs. It kept growing as it ascended towards this floor.

My vision starts to zoom in and out, tears blurring the view.

Aiden walks up screaming over his lungs. He rushes to my side and my voice gets caught up in my throat.

Eric.

Bella..

I didn't make in time.

"Bell-She..other..room..-Eric.." My voice dies off not able to speak anymore. It tired me. He nods at me vigorously.

His eyes widen as he looks behind me. This time , I start to drift into serene blackness. My eyelids keep shutting as the pain shoots up in every muscle of my body specifically the head.

"Chloe,keep your eyes open."

"Don't you dare die on me." My eyes fluttered to him.Those hazel eyes. Right then, my eyelids shut once again, blocking any further view.

It was him I saw..

He muttered more words but it felt deaf to my ears and I felt extremely tired. I felt my body lifting up from the ground as only one thought rang in my head.

Why is he calling me Chloe?

----

AYEE, that was crazy and one of the longest chapter I have written so far.

What happens next? Stay stunned for more.

Poor Eric and Bella.

Love,

Cadance.