Your Worst Fears

Chapter 15: Going Crazy

Nick

When I woke up, I wished I hadn't. My head throbbed like someone had bashed it in, and thinking back to what had happened, maybe they had. But when I reached up and held it, it felt intact.

"Thank God you're awake," I heard Bryan say a bit too loudly, his words piercing my skull.

"What happened?" I asked in a whisper, the pain in my head not letting me talk any louder.

I tried to open my eyes to see where I was, feeling rocks digging into my back, but the sun wouldn't let me.

"Oh, my God." I heard gravel as Bryan's voice got closer, so I assumed he'd sat down on the ground beside me. "All I know is that I suddenly got ice cold and felt really weird, but then I couldn't see and felt... I don't know... like I was really far away. Then you woke me up or something, and I could see again. Then, the next thing I know, something threw you into the wall, and when I went to grab you, since I thought it was gonna drag you away, my foot slipped on some loose debris on the floor, concrete or something. Anyway, my feet slipped and I... I kind of knocked your feet out from under you. Your head hit the floor pretty hard, dude. I'm sorry."

I grunted, my way of letting him know it was okay without having to actually speak.

"I was afraid that whatever had slammed you against the wall was still there, or would come back, so I threw you over my shoulder and got you outta there. Are you okay? Think you need to go to the hospital?"

I shrugged. "Do I look okay?" I asked, barely loud enough for him to hear.

"Well, you've got a nasty bump on your head, but other than that you look fine."

I moved my hand to where I felt the most pain and winced, feeling a knot the size of an egg. At least it wasn't sunken in, which they say is worse than it swelling. Even if I had a concussion, which I figured I did, I knew they couldn't do anything for it, so I opted not to go to the ER, not wanting to have to make up some story about what had happened.

Then a thought occurred to me. "Where's the file? The papers?"

"Umm," was all he said, and I knew he didn't get them.

"I need them."

"Well, I couldn't necessarily carry you and pick up all those papers. They were scattered all over the place."

Damn. That was the whole reason for coming. I wasn't about to find that file, let this happen, and not even see what was in it.

I tried to sit up, my head swimming and making me feel a bit nauseated. "I have to go back," I said, opening my eyes up enough to see that I was sitting by the front of my car. "I'm getting those papers."

"No," Bryan objected. "We are not going back in there. There's something... something evil in that place."

The dizziness stopped and I slowly started to get up. "You don't have to, but I need that file."

"Why? What's so important about a crazy's hospital records?"

I stood up, steadying myself. "I think that patient holds the key to helping Amber."

He was standing beside me when he spoke again. "You like her, don't you?"

I shrugged. "Whether I do or not doesn't matter. She's being tormented... possessed by this thing. If we can't help her, it may...." I couldn't finish my thought, afraid if I spoke it out loud it might come true or something. "I'm going back in. They're just right inside, so if I don't come out in a minute or two, call the owner."