Z2012SITEFTHESHRIEKING



Lydia heard the shrieking again. It always happened at night when the patients were settled into bed. Yet, the screams seemed distant, as if they were in some far away land. Lydia knew, however, that they had to be coming from inside the infirmary. There was nowhere else around. She closed her eyes, sighing as she tried to will herself to sleep. It was hopeless. She couldn’t sleep in this place no matter how hard she tried. Lydia jumped as she felt her bed sink down as if someone else was in the room. ‘If I pretend to be sleeping, they’ll leave,’ she thought. Then, she felt an icy hand on her arm. Lydia opened her eyes slowly, daring to chance a look at this cold intruder. A young girl sat on the edge of her bed. She had long, wavy black hair and pale skin. Her green eyes met Lydia’s, and the girl smiled shyly.

“Wh-who are you?” Lydia stammered out.

“My name is Brooke,” the pale girl replied. Lydia nodded slowly. “You’re Lydia,” the girl continued. Lydia froze. She’d never seen this girl before, so she had to be new. How could she possibly know her name? As if Brooke could read her mind, she explained “I’m your new roommate. The nurses, they told me about you.”

“Oh, okay,” Lydia breathed out. “Nice to meet you, I guess.”

“So what are you in for?” The girl asked. Lydia wanted to roll her eyes. As if she didn’t know. This was the psych ward after all. Lydia hadn’t started off here, though. She originally became very ill and had to be sequestered in the infirmary. None of the doctors were sure what exactly was wrong with her, but they cared for her regardless. Then, something strange had happened. Lydia became delusional. She started seeing things that weren’t there and hearing voices that no one else heard. The doctors deemed her mentally unstable and had her transferred to the infirmary’s psych ward. The medicine must have been helping because Lydia hardly ever heard the voices anymore.’

“Um, I’m not really sure,” Lydia replied. “Depression, I guess?” She lied. There was no use in telling Brooke the truth anyway. Lydia had a hard time admitting that she was crazy, and she certainly didn’t want to make friends with another crazy person.

“Oh,” Brooke replied. “That’s interesting.”

“What are you in for?” Lydia asked.

“I was sick, not the mental kind. But when I got here, the doctors discovered that I had lung cancer, so they immediately moved me to quarantine. Then somewhere down the line, they declared me certifiably insane.” Lydia stared at her roommate. Her story seemed a little too similar to Lydia’s. ‘Maybe cancer is contagious, after all,’ Lydia thought. ‘That would explain why everyone in the infirmary seems to be coming down with it.’

That wasn’t the case, though. Lydia had no idea of the awful secret the infirmary had covered up. There was no way for her to know that the government had made the horrible mistake of building a hospital over an asbestos site. By the time they uncovered the truth, it was too late. Instead of having the building torn down and admitting to the misfortune they had caused, they began to mine out the asbestos. That didn’t stop the problem, though. Every time they checked the records, another person had been diagnosed with lung cancer. That still didn’t explain the mental disorders, though. The asbestos didn’t cause any kind of brain trauma, yet it seemed that whenever a person was diagnosed with the disease, they were moved to the psych ward shortly after.

“I’m glad I got a roommate my age,” Brooke said. “I think we’re going to be great friends.”

Something in Brooke’s tone and the hideous grin on her face made Lydia sick to her stomach, and she silently prayed for God to cure her.

“How’d you sleep, Miss Lydia?” the young nurse asked when she brought breakfast.

“Not well,” Lydia replied solemnly.

“Well, that’s sure unfortunate,” the nurse said. “Have you been diagnosed with insomnia?”

“No,” Lydia replied. “I’d never had trouble sleeping before I came here. It’s that awful shrieking. The nurse looked perplexed.

“What shrieking?” she questioned.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Don’t you hear it?” Lydia asked. “The shrieks that happen at night.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Are you sure you’re okay, miss?” The nurse asked, concerned. Lydia sighed. ‘She must not have the night shift,’ Lydia thought. When Lydia remained silent, the nurse turned to leave.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Wait,” Lydia called out, suddenly remembering Brooke. She hadn’t seen her in a while. The nurse turned back to Lydia.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Yes, miss?” she asked.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Do you know what’s happened to my roommate?” Lydia asked her. The nurse paled. Lydia thought something bad must have happened and that’s why Brooke wasn’t around anymore. She couldn’t have died, could she?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Miss Lydia,” the nurse began, finally. “You don’t have a roommate.” Now, it was Lydia’s turn to be confused.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“My roommate,” Lydia said again. “Brooke. She has long black hair. Don’t you know her? I met her the other night.” The nurse shook her head.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“I think you must have been dreaming,” she explained. “You’ve not been assigned a roommate.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“It wasn’t a dream,” Lydia insisted. “She was here. She was real.” The nurse looked upset.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“You do not have a roommate,” she repeated, slowly. “Perhaps, one of the patients escaped their room the other night and came to visit you. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” And with that, she turned, leaving Lydia more confused than ever.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">The Shrieking was happening again. It was louder tonight. So loud. Deafening. Lydia clamped her hands over her ears, determined to block out the screams. It was no use. She could still hear them loud and clear, almost more clearly than before. Suddenly, Lydia sensed a presence in the room. She uncovered her ears, noticing that The Shrieking had stopped. Brooked sat up on her bed, scanning the room. Nothing. She closed her eyes, sighing. She opened her eyes again and saw Brooke standing before her. Lydia wanted to scream, but she couldn’t find the strength.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Everything okay?” Brooke questioned suspiciously, raising one eyebrow.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Wh-where have you been?” Lydia stammered.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Around,” Brooke replied. “I was being treated in the sick ward.” Lydia stared at Brooke. Something about her just didn’t add up. “Okay, well I’m going to try to get some sleep,” Brooke said. “Not that there’s any point. That shrieking could wake the dead.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Lydia froze. “The what?” she asked.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“The Shrieking,” Brooke explained. “Don’t you hear it?”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Lydia was confused. None of this made sense. Why could she and Brooke hear the shrieking but no one else could? Lydia lay back down on her mattress, knowing she wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">When she awoke, Brooke was gone again. Lydia didn’t know where Brooke went in the mornings. She was only around at night. Maybe the nurse had been right. Brooke was just another patient in the ward who came to visit Lydia at night.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">The Shrieking was worse than ever tonight. Lydia felt as if the world’s population was screaming in horror all at once. No matter how hard she tried to block them out, the shrieks were too loud. Suddenly, Lydia saw Brooke in front of her. “We have to get out of here,” Brooke said firmly. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“What?” Lydia hollered over the clamor. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“I’ve packed our bags,” Brooke explained. “We have to go. Now.” Brooke grabbed Lydia’s arm so forcefully Lydia was worried she would pull it out of the socket. Lydia followed Brooke through the never-ending hallways until they arrived at a window. Brooke tried to force the window open, but it wouldn’t budge. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“It’s locked,” Brooke said. “We have to find a way to open it. There has to be a way.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Sirens began to blare through the infirmary. Lydia began panicking as she heard footsteps in the distance. Then, there was a crash as Brooke shattered the window. She hurried out the small space. Lydia froze. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Lydia, come on!” Brooke screamed. But Lydia couldn’t. The footsteps were getting nearer now. Lydia turned, spotting a group of nurses and doctors approaching her. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Then, she threw herself through the broken window. A feeling of relief washed over Lydia as she felt what she’d been longing for the past six months. Freedom. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Come on,” Brooke was ordering. Lydia could see her in the distance, waving her along. Lydia hurried after her. Brooke stopped at a bush next to the infirmary and pulled out a suitcase. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Where’s the other one?” Lydia asked. Brooke glanced at her, as she retrieved a map. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“We don’t need much,” she explained. “I’ve packed us both enough to make it to town.” Suddenly, Lydia realized they were on the run. Fugitives. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Lydia hurried after Brooke into the night. The entire community was alive with the sirens now. Lydia knew they had to move quickly. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Come on,” Brooke urged. “It’s this way.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Suddenly, Lydia couldn’t move. She saw a building a few feet away. It was a small brick shed. There didn’t seem to be much room for anything, but Lydia could see people moving through a window. She could hear shrieks of terror from the small building. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Brooke,” Lydia hollered. “Brooke, we have to help them.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Lydia, there’s no time,” Brooke argued. “Come on. We have to hurry.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“What are they doing to them?” Lydia screamed. “Brooke, what’s going on?” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“They’re experimenting, Lydia,” Brooke said. “I’ll explain later. Just come on.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Experimenting?” Lydia shrieked. “What do you mean? Wh-what are they doing?” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Trying to fix them,” Brooke said. “Lydia, please,” she pleaded. “They’re a lost cause. We have to save ourselves or they’ll try to fix us too.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Lydia hurried towards the shed. She had to save the others. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Lydia, no!” Brooke shrieked. “Lydia!” But Lydia didn’t care. She had to help them. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Lydia felt a pair of hands around her. “No,” she shouted. “Let me go. Brooke, let me go!” Her arm was injected with something, a sort of drug. Lydia frantically looked around, scanning the night for Brooke. The last thing she saw before blacking out was a pale figure with long black hair fading away into the night. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Lydia awoke with a start. She was in a small room. She tried to sit up but noticed that she was tied down to a bed. ‘What’s going on?’ she thought. ‘Where am I?’ She wasn’t in her room. She knew that much. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Suddenly, a figure appeared above her. It was a man. He was holding what appeared to be some sort of wire. Lydia’s eyes widened. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">The man placed two identical wires at each end of her head. There was a jolt, and Lydia’s entire body shook. She shrieked. Another jolt. Then, another. The jolting seemed to go on for hours. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Finally, the doctor removed the wires, and Lydia was left in the cold dark room alone. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Lydia,” a soft voice said. “Lydia, it’s me.” Lydia opened her eyes. Brooke was staring down at her. Lydia tried to speak. She tried to ask Brooke what had happened to her, what was going on. But she couldn’t force her mouth to open, couldn’t force the worlds to come out. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“Lydia,” Brooke started, quietly. “Let me explain. The infirmary, they didn’t know.” Lydia was confused. What was Brooke talking about? “There were asbestos, Lydia. A different kind. They had horrible side effects. People went crazy. You went crazy, Lydia.” Brooke paused. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">“They realized what they had done,” Brooke said angrily. “And they tried to fix their mistake. The government ordered special shock therapy to be performed on the patients. They thought it could fix everything.” Brooke choked out a bitter laugh. “I’m sorry, Lydia,” she said. “I tried to save us. I tried. I tried.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px;">Brooke kept repeating that she’d tried. Each time it got quieter and quieter until it was barely a whisper. Lydia closed her eyes and let herself fall into the deep sleep she’d been waiting for for so long.

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