"The coldest and the strongest emotion of mankind is fear and the oldest and the strongest kind of fear is the fear of unknown."-H.P.lovecraft

Chloe's POV:

Third day

        Its been two days since I woke up from my coma. I didn't believe when the doctors told me that I even went under a cardiac arrest. Maybe I prefer ignoring it since I have much more to fear about my present conditions.

It was indeed true, I have hallucinations and headaches as a side effect. My dull orbs are playing dirty tricks on my mind without a second thought.

The second day was just another nightmare for me. Everything was going smooth until one of the prettiest nurse that came up to deliver my lunch ended up getting screamed at and thrown stuff she just bought for my growling stomach.

No, it wasn't jealousy that raged me, but rather my another dose of stupid hallucinations that made a innocent lady look like Voldemort with three horns and again a glass piece in it's hand.

My screaming didn't stop nor did the food fight-where I was the sole attacker- until I threw the empty tray right at nurse who looked like a species from parallel universe.

my aim... 

I slammed the tray right on her lovely nose, which has to be bruised by now after taking a hit with a solid tray.

I think I got something to do with launching assaults on people's nose.

 And whats with hallucinating zombies and glasses...

Did I pass out into a coma watching some random zombie movies where glasses were used?

Either ways, by now I probably scared half of the staff by doing some physical damage to their beauty.

I'm pretty sure most of them hesitate coming into my room.

"Please check the scalp on her head."

The female doctor, who I found out was Dr.Cathy, orders the nurse who was now doing my check up. The staff comes into the room for daily check up and X-rays.

The two busy ladies where working on me and my attention was directed to the other new member of staff I met.

I had to scold myself several times to listen to her instead of staring shamelessly at her gorgeous eyes.

"You may have few problems adjusting with your daily life and find yourself confused and flustered while communicating to the people around. Not to worry, its completely normal since you just woke up from a deadly coma and suffer from PTSD(Post traumatic stress disorder)." Sarah tells and gives me a reassuring smile.

Dr.Sarah is my psychiatrist and helped me gain some control over my uncontrollable emotions and what not.

When I got up this morning, we had another episode of me throwing tantrums telling I was chained to the bed.

The doctors were going to once again inject me with anesthesia.

To my luck, Sarah dashed into my room protecting me and telling the doctors to leave it to her.

I must admit, apart from her magical eyes even her voice helped me calm down and break free from panic attack that I got earlier in the morning.

I nod and gaze at her eyes. I could feel the warmth from her soft green orbs staring in my brown-stressed ones.

She talked to me for hours and explained about the difference between hallucinations and visual hallucinations.

She didn't push away my madness when I cried to her about people suddenly transforming into disgusting creatures out of nowhere.

Listening to me, she replied that its because of the bump in my head, making my brain form images due to the trauma it saw before I fell into this coma.

I tried my best to understand every bit of information.

But I could tell Dr.Sarah couldn't pin-point the fact about me hallucinating this level of madness.

"So, do you remember anything before you got into the coma?Anyone,any memory?", concern laying in her voice.

I look down at my rough pale hands in shame, fidgeting with my fingers and shaking my head.

That's right, due to severe brain damage and loss of blood, I lost my memory of past. Temporary amnesia.

Its a temporary loss, said the doctors and chances are there that I may slowly start to remember.

 Did I tell you about yesterday's other incident?

One could easily crack dozens of jokes seeing my priceless face when doctors asked me my name and I zoned out of this world. It was yesterday when I discovered the horrible truth of my memory loss.

"Don't worry. Don't pressure yourself too much." She places a hand on my shoulder. I nod trying not to pass out in horror of my blank memory.

"Can you tell me more about my he-health and .. wait what day is it today?" I ask in a low voice, blushing inwardly on the lack of my basic knowledge.

It was beyond scary, waking up in an unknown place with no memory or knowledge.

My voice finally returned to its normal form, today. I thanked god for the millionth time.

Living with such crazy doctors, I needed my voice before they try injecting me with more drugs just because I start panicking.

Lets ignore the fact that I attack innocents here for now...

Sarah smiled and nodded, pulling her metallic chair near to my stretcher. I straighten and braced myself for what is to come ahead.

"Today is 30th September,2021. The day you were admitted to the hospital was 19th February 2018, around 2:30a.m."

"I was told that someone dropped off your body outside the hospital's stair case and one of the security guards got you inside on the stretcher. No one was found near your unconscious body by the guards. Your head was severely injured and the cuts were too deep that a lot of blood was lost until you were escorted inside the hospital."

I inhale sharply. It's been almost more than two years since I met an unfortunate accident that led me to where I'm today.

My heart starts racing hearing the past I'm not aware of anymore. I didn't talk about the horrendous feeling I get everything I think of my blank memory.

I tried to keep my face neutral while absorbing the bitter details, but kept shaking internally the more she spoke.

The female doctor from earlier dismisses the nurse after their daily check-up and takes a seat across Dr. Sarah.

"The mysterious part was that you were dropped by a stranger at the doors of the hospital on the day when their was chaos around the Hilton's town."

I furrow my eyebrows at her. "What chaos?"

Dr Cathy speaks this time," You see, there was a jail break about few meters away from the Hilton's town. The prisoners that were drugged ran out towards the town and many people were attacked and robbed on that day. It took months for police to hunt down every prisoner. Since this hospital is miles away from Hilton and two more towns, we couldn't find a missing report of any girl of your age. It was unlikely that you even belonged to Hilton's town."

I didn't understand the part about drugged prisoners rushing out but decided to ask later.

I cock an eyebrow, curious. "Why so?"

Cathy presses her lips into a thin line in a Deep thought and continues.

"Looking at the severe damage that was caused to your head, you would have not survived a trip of such long distance of two towns to this hospital. Also, the cuts caused at the side of the head are due to sharp objects which were purposely pulled out, maybe to avoid any clues as the doctors couldn't find anything during surgery. It can be assumed they were glass pieces."

My breath hitches, a shudder passes through my spine making me want to curl up in a ball.

I cringe at her words, looking down at my palms again.

Is that the reason I keep seeing glass pieces?

I shake my head and inquire further,"Why would someone pull out the sharp objects from my head and the stranger who bought me here was he/she ever seen again?"

Sarah's monotone voice speaks, "Honestly, no one knows about that. Like Cathy proposed, it must have something to hide regarding the incident you were put into. Whereas the stranger that dropped you here was never found again. That night, there was a power cut due to the fluctuations. So, security cameras were not able to catch the person's identity."

The information sank into me slowly and boy it hurts to know everything.

I slowly lift my gaze towards the two ladies in a one hope that was deeply bothering me. "Over these past two years, did anyone come in search of me?"

Its frustrating that I don't even remember a friend, if I had any or my family, again if I had one.

Both of them looked at each other and back at me with disappointment and shook their heads.

I felt like I was stabbed just by a mere response. Sarah gives me a tight lipped smile and pats on my lap.

Was there no one out looking for me?

I swallow the pulp in my throat and try not to pressurise myself with dozens of questions to which I had no positive answers.

The doctors talked to me for a while. Dr.Sarah handed me a few books to read so I can improve my speech, develop my brain and get speedy recovery.

"Okay, my shift is over for today Chloe. I'll take my leave."

My forehead creases in confusion at Dr.Sarah when she got up ready to exit with Dr Cathy.

Chloe?

I watch them leave but decided to voice my confusion that would definitely bug me for the rest of the night.

"Chloe?"

Sarah left the room and didn't catch my question but I still managed to get one's attention.

Dr Cathy turns giving me a warm smile.

"Yep. We are going call you Chloe from now on. I don't want to keep addressing you as patient- C263. Goodnight." With that the door shuts leaving me dumbstruck.

I smile and mumble a goodnight.

She was considerate enough to name me, not bad. After all I don't even remember my own name...

I lay down on the bed exhausted with everything that happened these three days. Within seconds I start to drift into my deep slumber.

---

I found myself walking into nothing but darkness. It felt weird yet so peaceful at the same time.

Am I dreaming right now?

Suddenly a bright light emits. I shield myself with my arms as it shined into my eyes. I look around to be surrounded by a forest. It looked awfully familiar and serene.

"Haha, try as much as you want but you can't catch me!" A tiny voice chirps. I turn around to see a little boy sticking his tongue at me and then giggling. I squint my eyes at him.

Was he talking to me?

The wind blows making the trees around dance with a rhythm. Sunlight peeked through the leaves creating a breath taking view.

For a second I was mesmerized by those little brown eyes,glimmering under the daylight even though the forest was more intriguing.

I walk towards the laughing boy, but halt on my track.

I felt something pass right through me.  A small frame emerges through me of a kid wearing a grey sweater, walking ahead of me.

The frame of a boy walks ahead who had a messy hair, with few leaves sticking to the sides. He had a mushroom cut, making the little kid look amusing with the leafy decoration.

It emerged as if I didn't exist.

I stood confused, starring at the scene. The other kid ran towards the boy.

"You're an idiot! I found you and you have already lost." Her soft tiny voice screams at the boy.

Oh..its a girl, so much for that hair cut, I smirk at my thoughts.

She then takes off running after the boy who ran ahead trying to escape her. Not knowing where to go, I follow them.

They seem to disappear into the woods. I tried chasing them to no avail. Running deeper into the woods, I came to a halt.

There was a clearing with no more trees around here.

The sky stood painted in different colors of crimson, red, orange hues with the sun hiding beyond the horizon of the large lake.

A lake. It looked so familiar but so distant in my head.

I watched in awe as the waves hit the shore.

And just like that with my one blink I'm surrounded by the darkness of my dream.

Was my mind playing some tricks or is this is how it feels to dream peacefully?

I keep walking into the darkness again, this time I feel a shiver run down my spine. I stop alert of this strange feeling.

"....."

"ru..."

At first I stopped, hearing tiny whispers of voices of people I don't recognise in unison. Then, they grew louder making me feel suffocated.

It felt like I was being strangled. I choke on my unsteady breaths while hearing incoherent words.

"A..."

"You nee- ....-ome back" .

"Eve-"

"I'll ma-..sure yo- taste a painful slow death..." came a voice stronger than others.

This one was caught my attention not with its voice but with its words.

I felt my ears ringing with different voices still I screamed back at them to stop. I don't really recall when they stopped but I know that I was finally back into my dreamless slumber.

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