Asylum

Chapter 1

The afternoon was blazing hot, causing me to feel as though i were being drowned in the immense sunlight that the summer often brought. Luckily enough though, it was the last day of a long and protruding sophomore year. The back of my hand found its way to my dripping forehead, wiping away the sweat that had been trickling down my face for the past twenty minutes while I continued to drag myself around the school's track in what seemed to be an endless loop. Our gym coach was still making us walk laps as a way to finish off the year on what they call a "healthy note". Tiny strands of my raven hair clung onto my oily face and the crook of my neck and i wanted more than to jump into a nice cold bath after this. After this one last lap, i would be out of here for good and wouldn't have to look at any of these kids' faces for the next two months.

As i was about to come to a stop, the strangest most bone-chilling feeling crept its way up my spine. That sort of feeling in your gut when you know something has gone south, like someone's behind you. Like they're following you. Like they want to hurt you.

My throat ran dry while i slowly turned my head enough to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be the most inhumane image i had ever seen through my peripheral vision. About five steps behind me stood a six foot figure with an ax clenched in its bony hand. I fixated both of my eyes onto it now, noticing as it was covered by a black hood hanging over where its face was supposed to be.

I didn't know what to do or say in that moment. I found myself frozen in place, frozen in time. What does one do in a situation like this? The creature then began to glide towards me in an unnatural manner, like it was a glitch in a computer software.

I had to blink twice to make sure my eyes weren't just seeing things and that the heat hadn't gotten to me. What i was seeing was real and it was about to come into contact with me at any given second.

I jerked away once the fear settled in, eyes wide in terror as my feet got the memo to run. I didn't know where i was heading but I had to get away from that thing. It was after me. I turned around to find it standing right behind me, extending its ghostly arm and gripping my hair in its skeletal fist. Blood dripping from under the hood, it pulled me in closer. I gritted my teeth in pain as i felt each strand of my locks being pulled out of my scalp.

"Help!" I shrieked in terror and tried to break free from its deadly grip but found it useless as i was physically incapable of being stronger. That thing wasn't human. The heels of my shoes were scraping against the track as i was being dragged backwards, watching as the trees by me moved in fast motion.

"Someone help me!" Tears ran down my face and I couldn't stop the sounds coming from the back of my throat as i tried to fight out of its grasp, using all of the strength within me to push the creature away from me.

I looked around at the kids that were walking on the other side of the track, heads bopping side to side as earphones were plugged into their heads or having conversations with one another like nothing was going on. It seemed like nobody could hear or see me. I was invisible.

"Help!!!" I screamed until i felt a burning sensation growing in the back of my throat.

Suddenly, a voice pierced through my ears and through my chest as if trying to claw my heart out. It was the creature's voice, raspy and straight from hell.

"No one can hear you and no one can save you my darling." It hissed into my ear as i stood underneath its blackened hood. I couldn't stop trembling.

Its evil laugh took over each of my senses and the last thing i remember was the ax. Swinging down on me, towards the back of my head before everything quickly went black.