Nothing To Fear ....

Rude Awakening

       "Faith !" 

       "Hmmm ?" , she mumbled , as the voice barely penetrated her consciousness .

       "Faith , I need help !" , the urgent whisper came again , bringing her closer to wakefulness . "Please , help me , it hurts !"

       Rolling over in bed , she was jolted by the sight of a familiar face , smeared with blood and contorted into a grimace of pain .

       "What ... ? How did ... ?" , she questioned . Frightened , confused , and still not fully awake , she started struggling with the bedcovers , attempting to get out of bed .

       "I was outside ." , the individual kneeling at the edge of her bed moaned . "Something grabbed me , but I got away . Please , help me !"

       She was now fighting frantically with the comforter , her panic causing her to become more tangled , as opposed to freeing herself from the pile of fabric .

       "Let go of me , dammit !" , she raged at the bedclothes . "Of course I'll help you , as soon as I can get out of the fucking bed ! I'll call an ambulance, and wake everyone else !" 

       "No , don't do that ! Let them sleep , don't disturb them ."

                        __________________________________________________

       Diana felt herself coming up out of a sound sleep , with the sense that something wasn't right . She had learned to pay attention to this feeling during her time in the Marines , it had saved her life on more than one occasion .

       As she tried to concentrate , to figure out what had roused her , she heard Faith , apparently talking to herself on the other side of the room . She rolled over to look in that direction , and was shocked into complete wakefulness by what she saw ; Faith , struggling to extricate herself from the comforter , while Molly knelt , bloody and battered next to her , reaching out her hand , as if in supplication .

       "Oh , My God , Molly !" , she gasped , as Molly reached out her hand towards Faith , as if to touch her face .

       As the child's hand made contact with Faith , Diana remembered that they had left Molly in D . C . , she wasn't even there . At that moment , everything seemed to happen at once .

       "Jenny , wake up !" , Diana shouted , as she leapt from her bed , and Jenny instantly sat upright . As she did , 'Molly's' hand brushed the side of Faith's neck , and a  blinding white flash , like a lightning strike , caused both women to fling up an arm to shield their eyes . 

       Simultaneously , both Faith and the intruder screamed , and it bolted from the bed and hurled itself through the nearest window , taking the curtain , hardware , and glass with it .

       "Dude , what the fuck ?"

       "What the HELL was that ?" 

       "Jesus Christ , what's going on ?"

       These questions , and others , were heard from various rooms , and several sets of footsteps came stampeding up the stairs , as everyone emerged from their rooms to find out what the commotion was about .

       Everybody piled through the bedroom door , to find Jenny sitting on the edge of the bed , attempting to calm Faith , and Diana looking through the shattered window , with gun in hand .

       "Agent Thomas , what happened here ?" , Crane inquired , as his eyes swept the room , observing the scene .

       "I'm not entirely sure ." , she replied , as Jon and Ashley moved past them to help Jenny with Faith , and the others stood watching , half asleep , puzzled , and worried . "The whole thing was weird ."