The Poison Inside Chpt. 2

The cluttered room was painted white from top to bottom. The chattering of the nurses became louder by the second; each trying to talk over the other. Guards to each side of the room dressed from head to toe in black uniforms. 9. millimeter pistols, handcuffs, and taser guns strapped to their leather belts. Far on the left side of the room, bulletproof glass-walls protected nurses working on current documents. Circular lights embedded in the ceiling tile lit the entire room as bright as the mid day sun. A few scuff marks on the pre-waxed floors, and smudged hand prints on the bulletproof glass made the place seem more sane.

Neither the nurses or guards acknowledged the patients existence. With a feeling of relief filling her conscience, she slowly made her way in an elevator at the left side of the room. A deserted hallway caught the attention of the patient, as she pressed the elevator call button. Her long brown hair remained draped over the right side of her face. She began to breathe slower from recovering from her nervous state of being.

The elevator begins to make a pinging sound as it slowly makes its way down to "Fl. 5". A sharp piercing pain strikes the back of the patients head. She grasps the side of the wall trying not to bring attention to herself. She begins to take a deep breath in as a white light flashes in front of her eyes. Closing her eyes, she's brought back to a memory.

Inside a parking garage, she stood above a man bleeding at her feet.The garage was completely empty of all life. Small orange light fixtures hung inside the large over-head gaps in the ceiling. The mans brown-blood-stained trench coat slowly became soaked with the water leaking in through the roof. He remained curled up into a ball holding to his stomach and side. A small puddle of blood began to circle her feet as she looked into his blurry face. The patient hid her face behind a white blank mask, as her hair draped over both sides. She stood a shadowy figure in black baggy jeans, a pitch black ripped up tee shirt, and a ripped up jean jacket.

Placing her left boot on the man wounded arm and rolling him over, a sound caught her attention. She looked up to see she was surrounded by figures all in black; wearing black masks and black goggles. They had her pinned in at gun point. Remaining calm, she slowly turned around to see how many were surrounding her. A figure in a white lab coat caught her attention, as it slowly made its way through the group.

A scream brought the patient back to her reality. An ear piercing scream of one of the nurses down stairs. The patient quickly looked back to the elevator doors and read "Fl. 2". The sound of the stairwell door swinging open and smacking the back wall, echoed throughout the area. All of the armed guards sped off quickly down the stairs unclasping their guns. Another scream passed through the area. The patient peered to the nurses flooding the doorway and running down the stairwell. With this, she quickly realized she had no time to wait; now or never. The patient was left with no choice but to take the deserted hallway.

Slowly pulling away from the elevator with one last look, she walked calmly, but quickly into the hallway. Big wooden doors stood to each side; all requiring a keycard to enter. The patient continued to the end of the hallway where a large black sign hung on the wall. "Welcome to Maple View Mental Hospital. Below you will find a map of Ground 1. We do all we can to help." A small faded map was no help to her. She had to think and react now.

Two separate hallways stood to each side. Neither of them showing any sign of life nor an exit. Without thinking twice, she took the left hallway. It lead to a dead end. One large brown door at the end of the hallway; keycard required, as the rest. She quickly swiped the stolen keycard into the system and waited for the door to click open. A loud buzzing noise turned on as the doors system unlocked. Without hesitation, she pushed the door open and ran inside, closing it behind her.

Each light turned on one by one; controlled by a motion detective system. The room was cluttered with filing cabinets, documents scattered across the floor, and computers lining the walls. But one thing above all caught the patients attention at the end of the room. Between large filing cabinets with printer paper boxes stacked ontop, stood a hidden door. This time, no keycard was required. She slowly made her way to the filing cabinets, while slowly making her way through the mess in the floor.

The patient stopped at the center of the cabinets, then leaned over to see how to move them without making much noise. Surprisingly, the cabinets were out far enough for someone to squeeze behind them. She reached behind the cabinets, and slowly turned the door handle. The door slowly opened to a pitch dark room. Little light could be seen from inside. Slowly squeezing behind the cabinets, she stepped into the room and closed the door softly behind her. The room was tidy, unlike the filing room. The only thing the patient could see in the dim lighting of the room was a large black metal cooler to the right side. The light in the room was coming from a small computer flashing the words "Positive Reaction". No chairs, nor filing cabinets in the small room.

Rising her curiosity, she approached the computer and began to read the page. Her curiosity was filled with a huge surprise. Her picture was on the page, and "Positive Reaction" was flashing across the top of the page.

"Patient Identification: Aurora Mares, 00-057-091

Sector A - Quarantine Zone C

Level 5 Security

Ground Fl. 2

Subject: 20,902

Procedure: 19-003-L5

Documented Reaction: Positive"

Before the patient could continue reading, the pain in the back of her head returned. This time, it was a different memory; more confusing than the last. She dropped to her knees from the pain, grabbing a folder of pictures in her hand, which was hidden between a large break in the edge of computer desk.

The patient is in a white room surrounded by doctors and nurses all wearing safety masks. A bright light over head caused her to see spots around the blurry room. Unable to move from restraints, she closes her eyes hearing strange voices. The sound of her heart beats being recorded on a monitor echoed in her ear. She began to become cold from the rooms icy temperature. She was slowly slipping unconscience once more.

Suddenly, she was beginning to wake, but in a different room. A nurse screamed out in fear "She's coming to!" A low pitch buzzing noise could be heard from her right side. With her strength slowly building up, she rose from the bed quickly to see a doctor placing a tattoo on her wrist. Her body grew numb as she looked to small tanks marked "L5" sitting beside the bed. All connected to the small tubes running into her body. A sharp stinging pain pierced her left arm, causing her to become less aware and slowly fade unconscience.

The patient awoke, laying on her back in the middle of the floor. The computer screen continuously flashed "Positive Reaction". She was back to reality once more, but this time, she awoke with a warm liquid on her face. Pulling herself from her resting place, and becoming stable once more, she begins to wipe the warm liquid from her face. On her hands, in the light of the computer, was blood. Her nose was bleeding from the painful headache for unknown reasons. On her right arm, she saw the vertical tattoo on the bottom of her wrist "00-057-091". The patient was not who they claimed she was. Not knowing why they hid her real identity, she slowly reached into the floor, picking up the fallen pictures.

"Aurora Mares" in bold red marker, was written on all of the picture. But the pictures brought more curiosity. The pictures was taken of Aurora inside normal hospital room with bullet hole wounds puncturing her chest and stomach. Pictures of surgeons surrounding her as they rush her off to surgery. Many questions formed behind each picture. One picture stood out above the rest; a picture of Aurora and the people from her first memory. Surrounded by people holding her at gun point, while she stood over a dying mans body. It was taken at the same angle where she saw the white figure. In Auroras right hand, she held a bloody knife.

Suddenly, over a large speaker hanging in the room, came an emergency warning "Code 90383 Commencing. Lock down will begin in five - four - three - two - one". A loud alarm was sent off throughout the hospital. Red lights began to flash from under the door, and remained flashing for 10 seconds. The sound of guards could be heard outside the room door; all searching for her. Aurora quickly searched for a place to hide inside the room, just incase they found the hidden door as well. She quickly and quietly found a hiding spot behind the large black cooler in the room and slowly crawled behind it. She found herself in the coolers wiring system beneath the machine.

Long wires hung down around her. Desperately trying to clear them away from her face, she realized the guards were right outside and had discovered the hidden door. She remained quiet and slowly pushed herself further back into the machine.

"The sick bitch is in here somewhere." franticly spoke Steven, a guard, aiming a flashlight around the room. Stevens brown eyes searched the room over carefully. A large amount of hair gel in his short black hair, glistened from the computer light. Only experienced in 2 years of police training, he arrogantly saw himself as top of command

"Look at this.", spoke Mitch, the second guard, softly. "Someone's been here. They're bleeding..." The guard slowly kneeled down to the blood on the floor. "Think she's hurt?", he asked as he dabbed his fingers into the blood. Mitch had been working at Maple View Mental Hospital for many years. He was an elderly man with a grey stubble beard. He always kept his graying hair combed and slicked back.

"Whoa...", Kayla, a female guard, spoke up with a slightly gasp to what she saw. She had discovered the entire left wall was covered in pictures of Aurora and pictures of murdered victims. "This is one fucked up room." She began to stutter, "Who does this ro-room belong to again?" She asked turning around slowly pointing the flashlight into Mitchs face. Kayla is a well experienced fighter. Four years of combat training, and three and half years in the military, only to be removed after being wounded severely. A brace on her left leg bounced the light of the flashlights all over the room. Her short brown hair pulled back into a braided pony tail revealing a large scar across the right side of her neck.

"This room isn't even on the mapping system. I don't see any names belonging to anyone other than Aurora Mares", Mitch replied, while looking over the pictures in the floor. "Aren't getting scared, are you Kayla?"

"Fuck no, dude. Just kinda eerie knowing someone is so obsessed with this freak.", Kayla replied as she began to make her way slowly back to Mitch's side. "I'm going to go back out into the other room... And look around.", she said calmly as she exited the room.

Mitch and Steven begin to laugh amongst themselves. "Wow... And to think she went through 7 years of combat and military training.", Steven spoke slightly chuckling.

Mitch peered to the computer screen and noticed "Positive Reaction" flashing on the screen. "Steven, check this out." Mitch leaned in a bit closer. "Ever hear of Procedure 19-003-L5?", he asked curiously.

"No, what is it?", Steven asked as he began to approach the cooler.

"I have no clue. I've never heard of it before. And I've worked her for years. Same goes for this room. I've never seen it before in all of my time here." He continued to read the page until he reached "Upload aborted".

"Well, that's strange. You think it could have been done before you got here?", Steven asked as he searched inside the empty cooler.

"I highly doubt that. Aurora has only been here for about 2 years. I've been here for 24 years. I was one of the guys who moved her to quarantine. And Aurora is only 20 years old... I still haven't figured out why she was placed there... Another thing comes to mind. I don't recall seeing them bring her here.", Mitch replied, looking to Steven. "I wonder what the deal is with her... Now that I think of it, she was in a normal cell before she was moved to quarantine. I was on a lunch break when they called me to the room to help move her. She was unconscience then. That's when I first saw her. She had strange puncture wounds on her arms, neck, and chest. I think there was more, but they weren't visible."

"That's nice Mitch, she was attacked by a vampire!", Steven said sarcastically. "Get over here and help me slide the cooler out. I think something's behind it.", he demanded. He slowly placed his hands on both sides of the cooler. Aurora sit peering at his hand, fearing the worse. A loud blood-curling scream came from the other room catching the two guards attentions. "Oh shit!", Steven exclaimed, drawing his gun from his belt. Mitch fallowed closely behind as Steven kicked the door open to the filing room.

The cabinets fell with a loud crash. Both Mitch and Steven pointed their guns dead on heavy set nurse with her hair pulled up in a bun and Kayla. Barb, the nurse, stood holding her chest, and breathing heavily. Her pink flowery shirt stood out clearly in the messy room and next to Kayla's all black uniform.

"What the hell is this?", asked Barb, looking into eyes of the boys surprised. Kayla began to laugh at their reaction.

"What ... In hell was the scream for?! I could have blown off your fucking heads!", Steven spoke angrily.

Mitch began to laugh at Stevens reaction. "Super guard here seems a bit jumpy." Mitch spoke up in a humorous voice. He slowly made his way passed Steven, placing his gun back into his belt.

"I'm not jumpy! I'm just very cautious... You never know when that freak is going to pop up anywhere." Steven spoke softly, trying to place his gun back onto his belt. A laugh was shared between the small group.

"Anyway, what was the scream for?", asked Mitch as he leaned back against a table in the room.

"That would have been me. I didn't know anyone was in this room. Little Ms. Hide In The Dark scared me. She wasn't moving around so the motion lights weren't on." Barb answered in a slightly serious tone.

"What were you doing, Kayla?", asked Steven curiously.

"Sorry.", Kayla smiled, "I started day dreaming and I didn't even realize the lights went off. I still had my flashlight on but it was on the table upside down.", she replied picking up her flashlight and turning it off.

"Anyway, I came in here to get printer paper, but I didn't expect to be picking it up piece by piece. And what in hell is that room?" Barb asked pointing to the wide open door.

"That's a room, apparently, no one knew about. It's completely empty, I checked it out from top to bottom. But they're some very strange things inside. Tons of pictures of Aurora Mares all over the walls... Do you know of a procedure called 19-003-L5, by the way?" Steven asked.

"Never heard of it. Could be one of Elan's new experiments she's been working on.", Barb replied. "You know Elan. She stays cooped away by herself and is rarely seen. Always working on something new to become a world famous doctor.", Barb said with a slight giggle in her voice. Barb starts to make her way through the group to the turned over file cabinets. Quickly, she turns and says "Oh, and before I forget, Dj called down to the nursing station reporting hearing some sort of strange noise in a patients room on the third floor. But..." Before Barb could finish her sentence, the three guards are already out the door and heading toward the elevators.

Barb began to pick up printing paper from the floor. Suddenly, a noise caught her attention from the room ahead. The sound of something crawling into a large vent. "Damn rats. I figured the health department would have closed this place down years ago." Barb spoke to herself while continuing to pick up the paper.