Mysteries of Riverwood

Chapter 43 :- The Enigma of the Sealed Records

Alex leaned closer, heart pounding. "Dan, can you hear us?"

Dan’s voice, a ghostly rasp, barely penetrated the heavy silence of the room. Alex leaned in, desperate to catch the faint words, when suddenly Dan's hand shot out, clamping around his wrist with a vice-like grip. The flesh felt cold and clammy, sending a shiver down Alex's spine.

As the grip tightened with unnatural strength, the heart rate monitor beside the bed erupted into a chaotic symphony of beeps, the erratic sounds piercing the oppressive quiet, amplifying the growing sense of dread.

"Ow! Dan, let go! You’re hurting me," Alex shouted, trying to pull away.

Dan's eyes were glazed, and his voice came out strained, "No... Helping... Help friends."

Dwayne lunged forward, grabbing Dan's arm in a desperate attempt to free Alex. His fingers dug into Dan's wrist, but before he could pry it loose, Dan’s free hand twitched, and with a burst of unnatural strength, Dan flung Dwayne backward. He crashed into Ava and Noah, sending them all sprawling to the floor in a tangled heap.

The lights began to flicker, casting eerie, dancing shadows across the room. Dan moved slowly, unnaturally, as he sat up. His eyes were vacant, yet something malevolent seemed to glimmer in their depths. When he spoke, the voice that emerged was not his own. It was a terrible, cold whisper, filling the room with an oppressive chill.

"All better now... everyone together."

The lights went out entirely, plunging the room into darkness. Alex struggled against Dan's grip, but it was like iron.

"Alex, what do we do?" Lucy’s voice was filled with fear.

"He's too strong! I don't want you to get hurt," Alex shouted back, his voice trembling.

Wind howled from nowhere, whipping around the room. Before Alex’s eyes, the room seemed to warp and stretch, the back wall falling away into an abyss of darkness. The friends huddled together against the onslaught, the heart monitor’s beeping quickening until it became a single, unsteady keening sound.

"Please, Dan, let me go," Alex pleaded, his voice breaking.

Dan's eyes were vacant, and his voice echoed with that terrible whisper. "No... I helped... all better now."

Ava shouted, "Yeah, this is not my idea of 'better,' so how about you get the hell away from us!"

With a wild gesture, a chair beside her flew up and shattered into pieces. The room seemed to vibrate with her anger. Dwayne, seeing the opportunity, mustered all his strength and lunged at Dan, prying Alex's hand free from Dan’s iron grip.

Alex yanked backward, crashing into Ava and knocking her down again. Just then, a blinding light surged into the room, banishing the eerie darkness that had enveloped them moments before.

As the light settled, Alex's eyes began to adjust, taking in the familiar surroundings. The hospital room, which had moments ago seemed distorted and sinister, now looked ordinary and calm. The chair that had been shattered lay intact in its usual place, as if the chaotic events had never occurred.

Dan let out a long, shuddering sigh, his body going limp as he collapsed back onto the mattress.

"Is it over?" Lucy’s voice was a mix of fear and hope.

Alex winced, looking at the purpling bruises on his arm. Leo edged forward, checking the monitors beside Dan's bed and then feeling his forehead.

"Looks like it... for now," Leo said, his voice tense.

"Is anyone hurt?" Kimmy asked, her voice trembling.

Ava groaned, "Only on my everywhere. Next time, I want a plan where no one body-slams me onto dingy linoleum."