Chapter 2: Awakening

Awakening

-How are they doing?

A woman asked. She appeared to be a nurse or somekind of healthcare worker.

-They are still unconcious but they are stable.

The man responded. He was a tall dark haired probably on his late twenties. He appeared to be a doctor. 

They were talking in a well lit white corridor. 

The building was grandiosa and showy, the kind that would really stick to a persons memory if they ever saw it.

It seemed very unbelievable that something as big and majdstic as that facility was not public knowledge. 

It was all thanks to the people operating it. The building was in a very secluded hard to find location, plus it was protected by special barriers.

The place they were in is called HertzMann’s Quarters namff after one of the founders of their organisation Jacob Hertzmann.

The organisation in question that Thomas and Henry both belonged to was called ”Psychus-org”. 

It was founded in the United Kingdom in 1969.

Back then it went by a different name. Later it was merged with other similar organisations from other countries and thus the secret organisation ”Psychus-org” was born.

Their purpose was to exterminate demons.

Hertzmann’s quarters was the English facility. The entire place was filled witg operators (ESP), doctors, nurses and other personnel.

Thomas was a senior operator his rank was [ -].

Henry on the other hand was a junior operator, his rank was [ -]. 

They were partnered up after Thomas’s first partner died. 

The pairs are usually formed to compliment each others abilities. 

Henry was always a very promising specimen his test results were always excellent. 

Thomas didn’t start so strongly, but his experience should have more than made up for it

And yet it didn’t..

-Hi Dr.Modrik and nurse Sibyl!

A young woman interrupted their conversation. She looked like a cheery up-beat type of ”neighbour-girl”.

She had blonde hair on a ponytail and eyes that were hypnotically blue. 

Despite her innocent face she was still wearing the same operator’s outfit as Thomas and Henry wore.

She was a few years older than Henry and two ranks higher than him. 

Many operators looked up to her, not kust because of her exceptional ability to reach  a high rank at a young age, but also her outgoing and likeable personality and dashing looks received both envy and adoration from many.

She had just returned from a mission and had heard the news that two of her fellow operators had been badly injured during a mission. 

-Oh hi Ms.Burgundi!

Doctor Modrik responded.

-Hi Anna!

Nurse Sibyl said, shortly forgetting the professional conduct they are supposed to follow.

-Sibyl!

Doctor Modrik quietly notified her of this, trying to be as sly as possible about it. 

Anna giggled a little while trying to pretend that she hadn’t seen anything.

 It wasn’t uncommon for her to have that effect on people. It was because of that, that people sometimes found her hard to approach, she seemed so good that it was intimidating to many.

-So who are they?

Anna asked.

-I was told that ”two operators” got injured, but I didn’t hear their names.

She continued after a brief confused silence from the doctor.

-Oh yes right, right! The injured operators were Thomas Dirk and Henry Johnsson.

-Hmm..

She had a vague memory of hearing those names sometime before. They obviosly knew of each other as all operators in the facility did, but she had a feeling that she had heard atleast one of those names before in a vastly different context. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

- I see , and how are they now?

She asked

-They are stable, but we can’t allow any visitors just yet.

-Oh I wasn’t going to… never mind.. Excuse me Dr. Modrik, nurse Sibyl, but I have somewhere to be . It was nice seeing you.

Anna said and started walking.

Sibyl looked after her with a worried look on her face.

Anna walked away feeling worried, she could’ve sworn that she had heard that name somewhere before, but could’t pinpoint where or when.

He woke up in a brightly lit room full of beds, strapped to one of them. He had no memory of how he had gotten there. On the bed next to him was laying someone else, he didn’t seem to be awake.

He felt like he had been hit in the head with a metal bat , and was feeling very light headed.

He tried to look around him, but his head was also strapped to a neck support so he couldn’t move his head much. He was trying to remember how he got there , but his memory was a jumbled mess. Bits and pieces of information were flashing in his mind as he was desperately attempting to construct a cohesive image to understand what had happened to him.

He could remember a wooden-corridor and a terrifying feeling.. He was there and then… something.. He was with someone aswell, he remembered that clearly.

-I.. what the hell happened to us?

He said to himself

Ah.. Henry is that you? Hey Henry! You awake?

He tried to call out to the other man lying in the bed next to him.

-The demon.. damn it .

Thomas started to remember…

At that moment the door slammed open. The sudden change made Thomas completely lose his train of thought. The door that Thomas had thought had been locked, violently bursted open. A beatiful blonde woman walked in like she owned the place. Thomas was in awe and couldn’t get a word out of his mouth.

Thomas lied on his bed still silent.

He couldn’t move his head much so he could only see the woman from the corner of his eye.

She had a sternly determined look in her eyes. It was almost like she was mad about something, she then approached Thomas and coldly asked.

-What happened during your last mission?

Thomas was taken a back by her, and given that he had just barely remembered it himself he was struggling to get the words out.

-The demon…

She continued.

-How did it destroy both of you like this? And if it was this strong why didn’t it take your souls?

She continued barraging Thomas with even more questions.

-I..I’m not sure

Thomas finally said.

-Not sure? What do you mean not sure?

-The Demon.. it talked about wasting potential and something or someone would be mad if we would be ”harvested”…

She leaned back and her expression changed from stern and determined to the same look people give when they find out mother is also their sister. Her gaze was filled with suspicion like the person she was talking to wasn’t really who she thought they were.

Thomas started to feel like he was a freak on display.

-A-After he said that the ghostroom just ”collapsed” and we were pretty violently thrown out of there.

Thomas broke the silence.

Anna looked at him confused. She had never heard of such a thing. Usually all demons desire nothing else but the ability to become completely ”real” and physicall, the idea that one would just spare a prey for any reason was unheard of.

She thought for a second and then opened her mouth again.

-Why do you think the Room collapsed then?

Thomas was caught speechless again. Her question were fired at such a rapid pace with no break in between, plus he had just woken up. He was having thought time to collect his thoughts. Thomas didn’t even recognise who the woman was, he was just entranced by her presence so he had stated talking without even realising.

-The ghostrooms are a part of the demons if the room is destroyed for whatever reason, the demon should be dead.

Anna was questioning Thomas’s story.

-I know… I know… of course I know that

-Are you sure you didn’t misremember?

Anna questioned.

-I guess it’s possible..

he said

-The team that rescued us probably also investigated the scene, they should have an extensive report of what they found.

He continued.

-I see I’ll go ask them. Do you know what team it was?

-No, I just woke up , but the Head Commander should know.

-Ah of course … Thank you.

Anna turned away to leave and just as she was about to step outside Thomas called for her.

-Hey excuse me Ms. Burg..

He finally recongised her.

-It’s Burgundy, Anna Burgundy.

She said with a smile.

-I just wanted to ask … why are you so interested in this case?

Anna took a brief pause, looked out of the window and then said.

-I just have a personal interest in the matter.

She closed the door and Thomas was left lying in his bed . Henry still hadn’t woken up.

The facility was a very large building that had different wings for different departments. Psychus had gone to great lengths with consealing its presence and protecting it from outsiders. Fortunately it was also very hard for them to find as it was in the middle of a forest.

Thomas kept lying on his bed thinking about Anna and what had happened. He felt his eyelids starting to get heavier and a wave of tiredness was beginning to hit him again. He decided to close his eyes again.

She was running by herself in a dark forest. Her breathing was heavy and she seemed shocked. She kept looking behind her, almost like she was running away from someone or something. Her running also looked irratic and uncontrolled, like she was trying to run faster than she was cabable of. The forest was a pinewood forest so the grounf was pretty clear aside from occasional branches that could’ve easily tripped her, had she not been careful.

There didn’t seem to be anyone else around and the forest was almost like it had no end at all.

The same template pattern of trees just kept repeating over and over again despite how much she ran. The forest was vast and unnerving, she looked like she had been running for some time now.

Her hair was dark and short, barely up to her shoulders and she appeared to be in her early teens. She wore a pinkish dress long enough to almost reach her ankles (wich definetly didn’t make the running any easier.) and a red cardigan on top of it.

She was running so fast and yet no one seemed to be after her, nothing was coming behind her. She constantly looked over her shoulder, and looked terrified while doing so, but there was nothing there.

She ran up behind a tree and took her cellphone out, while still carefully looking around her. The phone had no reception. She helplessly tried everything she could to make it work, a tear stared to fall from the corner of her eye as she desperately tried to contact someone… just anyone.. but to no succes..

-Someone please.. help me…

She said, so quietly she basically whispered , but the voice in her heart didn’t allow her to be any louder. She knew it was useless and yet still she wanted to scream.

She was afraid that screaming would alert the monster…

If only she could..

-Where are you..?

A voice that reverberated like a chainsaw could be hear from the distance. It felt to be far away, but she heard it like it was whispering in her ear.

-Do you actually believe you can escape?

The same voice continued.

-You’re weak, you can’t do anything but run, and this is the end of the road for you. No one is going to save you… do you underestand that?

The berating voice kept talking to her, slowly moving closer and closer while she stood there, paralyzed by fear.

The hopelesness started to feel like a noose around her neck, growing tighter every second.

She knew she was alone and that nobody would come to her aid no matter how much she screamed. Yet , even despite knowing that she still clung onto something. She was so afraid it was a miracle that she hadn’t passed out already, but the fear, the noose around her neck , as tight as it was , only showed her that she still had some life left in her.

She wasn’t ready to lose and she wasn’t ready to die. She would die either way would she not do anything, but sometimes the cornered mouse will attack the cat.

-I’m reaching you… I’m reaching you…

The same deep frightening voice that rung like a bassline from hell, reminded her yet again of her impending doom.

-I-I can’t hear you… You are not there!

She yelled, stuttering at first, but filled with figthting spirit.

-Ku-ha? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Are you serious? Do you seriously believe there’s something you could do to save yourself? How stupid can you be? I underestand now why you’re here you pathetic excuse of a human being… Did you not even consider the fact that you just basically told me where you are?

The demon couldn’t contain its laughter.

-Of course you didn’t… hihihiihhih…

The air was filled with anxiety and anticipation, the fight-or-flight insticts were heightening every second.

She was gritting teeth and tightening her fists, the evil behind her would only get angrier that she even so much as dared to talk back to it.

The escape routes were sealed. Infront of her was nothing but space and the vastness of the huge forest felt sublime. Yet even despite that she couldn’t help but feel like she was in a deadend.

The drumroll into their collision was getting faster and faster. Her breathing was hypersonic and her heart was nearly exploding .

-Prepare to die!

The monster screamed at her while she jumped from behind the tree to confront it. She had no plan, no knowledge what to do. The only thin she knew was that fighting was her only option.

Time almost stopped. Everything was moving so slowly it looked like a still image.

The Monster infront of her was nearly shapeless, a concentrated ball where darkness and light wrestled continuosly, emitting so mant negative emotions she felt like she was looking at death itself. But she was not afraid , not anymore.. and she screamed.

-I… am stronger than you! You are not there, because you are not real!

Time began moving again as everything was blinded in the blink of an eye , and the oddity infront of her bursted into millions of pieces that burned away from the strength of her resolve.

Her eyes were closed. She could feel herself shaking and sweating. She was still scared, but for the first time it felt like a good thing. It was the unknown that scared her , ”what would come after?” But it didn’t matter now, she was happy despite that.

A tear of relief started to fall down on her cheek as she started to realise that she was safe , she had won.

She opened her eyes, slowly like a newborn and was greeted with the lonely but warm light of her single bedroom lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. She was crouched on the floor in a fetal position, clinging to her knees and crying tears of relief.

Don’t close, don’t close… damn it!

Anna was trying to make it to the elevator to catch uo with the Head Commander, but just barely missed it. She had been running around looking for him for a while now and just recently found out that he had been in a meeting the entire time. Anna was tirelessly trying to find him so she could ask him about the records of the incident with Thomas and Henry.

The Head Commander had most likely gone up, because that’s where his personal office was located. Anna had already been there several times, but could only see an empty desk behind the office glass wall.

The building was obviously filled with personnel, but most of them were incredibly busy and the HC wasn’t exactly the type of person to have his personal schedule be public knowledge.

Anna continuosly pressed the elevator buttons to vent her frustration. Finding out what happened during the mission was extremely important to her .

After what felt like an eternity she got on the elevator and headed straight to the top floor.

She rushed to the Head Commander’s office and knocked on hid door.

-Come in, it’s open.

A nonchalant voice could be heard.

-Good morning Mr. Head Commander. I’m sorry to bother you, but-

-Oh Anna! Good to see you!

The commander completely interrupted her in his usual overly friendly manner.

Anna didn’t particularly enjoy that he called most people by their first names, because she thought it sounded unprofessional.

But she had gotten used to it as time went along, however she still couldn’t stand his habit of interrupting and not paying attention.

-I actually have a pretty urgent mission for you here. Hold on a second..

He continued

- Umm.. I actually had something I wanted to ask you.

She said as the commander was shuffling thru the papers on his desk. He didn’t pay attention to her and kept looking for something from his desk drawers.

-Excuse me! Hey! Head Commander?.. Ronald!!

After calling him with his first name he finally turned to look at Anna, like he had no idea that she had been talking to him before.

-What is it Anna?

He said cheerily.

-Do you know what team rescued operators Dirk and Johnsson?

-Well that would obviously be whatever team happened to be closest to them when the emergency signla arrived.

He said bluntly

-I think it was.. hold on I have it here… Yes, it’s Moreno and Holloway.

Anna smiled, dropped a curtsy and left the room without saying anything else. That was all she had to know.

Thomas was still in his room when nurse Sibyl walked in.

-Oh good, you’re awake! How are you feeling?

-I’m good… erm miss..

-Sibyl!

-Yes! Miss- Nurse.Sibyl..

Thomas was feeling a lot better now, so aside from a few hookups he felt completely restored.

-Hey can you take those of? I’m feeling completely normal already.

He asked

-Umm I’m really not supposed to yet… Your partner hasn’t even woken up yet.

-So? Leave him be. Let him rest his injuries away, and let me go already. I’m fine now.. please..

She looked at Thomas for a second and then told him to wait as she goes to ask the doctor.

Thomas felt like making a sarcastic remark about telling him to ”wait” as if he could do anything else, but decided to keep his mouth shut as it would probably be in his best interest.

After a short while she returned. She brought somekind of questionarie with her. Then she started asking Thomas questions and writing down his answers.

When she was done with her questions she told Thomas that she would take his straps and supports off and that they would be trying to move around a bit.

While rocky at first he quickly got a hold of it again and in no time Thomas was walking around in his robe without any assistance.

-Okay you can leave now, but I’ll escort you to your personal room.

Nurse.Sibyl said, looking happy for Thomas’s quick recovery.

-No! I can take it from here, thanks!

Thomas responded swiftly.

Sibyl nodded respectfully albeit she also appeared slightly worried.

Thomas opened the door and immadietly after stepping outside the room he felt like his entire body was re-vitalised. There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with the room they were resting in, but something about being on the hospital bed, despite not being Thomas’s first time, caused him severe anxiety. Although it’s doubtful anyone would like to be strapped to a bed barely being able to move. Thomas left the hospital wing as fast as he could.

The Operators all had their private rooms in the facility, some might call them offices, but they were really more like hotel rooms.

They all had bathrooms and showers and even beds and Tvs. Most Operators still had their own appartments or houses somewhere else, and it was rare for anyone to live in their room for long term.

The rooms mainly existed as very luxurios living quarters for the Operators who were currently stationed in the facility. It was vital for them to keep a solid number of Operators at arms lenght, at all times.

Especially Thomas’s room was one of the nicer ones (obviosly) considering how long he had worked there. He had earned himself some upgrades.

Henry didn’t even have his own room yet, outside of the cadet’s quarters where newbies and visiting trainees would stay if need be.

As soon as Thomas arrived at his room the first thing he did was rush into the shower. The water hit his body and he felt like he was being cleansed. The feeling of relief started to only truly set in after he left his hopsital room, but being in his own room, in his own shower , he felt blessed.

Hospital rooms and the likes, cause anxiety in him, they always had, but he never really knew why. It’s common for people to associate hospitals with sick and dying people, wich might remind them of how fragile life is or mayby it brings them unpleasant memories of someone they know.

But Thomas didn’t have a family, he was raised by scientist. He had no personal affiliations with hospitals, wich is why he never understood where his anxiety came from.

He was so lost in thought that for a while he didn’t notice that someone had been knocking on his door.

He snapped out of his reverie and got of the shower.

-I’m coming, I’m coming…

He got dressed as fast as he could, to see who this impatient intruder behind his door was.

-Hey Thomas! I really need to talk to you about something.

It was Anna. She walked inside of his room like it was her own as soon as he opened the door.

-Umm… Miss Burgundy?

-Oh c’mon aren’t we on a first name basis already? Call me Anna.

-I’m surprised you even know my first name…

Anna wasn’t even listening to his response. She seemed so eager to tell him something.

-The Ghostroom!

She said suddenly.

-What about it? Did you find out what happened to it?

-Hmm… Yes and no..

She said oddly

-Umm what does that mean?

-Well, I got the report so I know what Moreno and Holloway found when they recovered you, but… it doesn’t explain a lot of things.

-Like what?

-Well, take a look at this.

Thomas took the paper that Anna was holding out to him, and read the paragraph that she was pointing at.

”Operators Thomas Dirk and Henry Johnsson were found lying unconcious right infront of the Ghostroom of Cluckston Str. No civilians had noticed them or alerted the law enforcement. The time of day was 9:30. Operators Hana Moreno and Elisabeth Holloway arrived at the scene 15 minutes after the emergeny signal was received.”

-What’s strange about this, seems like a completely normal report?

He stopped to ask.

-Just keep reading.

She said.

”The Ghostroom itself was gone. No traces of it could be found”

Thomas read the line again thinking that he made a mistake reading it.

He then looked into the distance with a very confused look on his face.

He stayed silent for a long time.

-I know right…

Anna said to the wondering Thomas.

-I’ve never heard of anything like this… Are you sure that this isn’t a mistake?

-I already asked Moreno about this and she said it’s been confirmed by another team aswell. They told everyone who might cross aroung there to keep a look-out of that place.

Thomas started to look worried.

-What did the Head Commander say when he saw this?

He asked

-He probably hasn’t even seen it yet.

Anna replied shyly.

-What?! What do you mean ”hasn’t seen it”?

Thomas yelled.

-He has a lot of important responsibilities? Just earlier today I was searching for him everywhere and he had been in a video meeting with our international center and other Quarters.

-But this is completely unheard of?! He needs to hear about this!

-I know, I know… I just wanted to show this to you first…

Anna said quietly.

-I thought that you might remember something or… erm I dont’t know… It’s just kind of personal for me and I know once HC knows about this it probably becomes someone else’s case..

-He might give it to you..

Thomas said with a softer tone, because he didn’t really know what to say.

-He said that he already has a case waiting for me…

Anna scoffed as she looked at the floor.

-Plus when something like this becomes ”public knowledge” I imagine it’s going to cause quite a stirr...

-I guess I just wanted to investigate on my own a little bit first..

Thomas would normally condemn behaviour like that, he believed that people should never put their personal interests before the greater good. A case like this is definetly urgent and Anna should have taken it immadietly to the HC.

Yet for some reason, he found himself to be surprisingly calm about it, he had no desire to get angry at her or reprimand her behavior. He felt like he could sense a great burden weighing down on her. It was unusual for Thomas.

-You’re right I’m going to take it to him right away.

Anna sort of mumbled the end of that sentence.

-So? No comments? Nothing poppinng up?

She looked up and asked.

-No, sorry I’ve already told you everything I remember.

-Allright then! I’ll go and take these papers to the right addres, as you said.. See you around!

Anna swiftly dropped a curtsy and left the room as fast as she had barged in.

10 years ago, in the Burgundy residence: 

Anna and her brother Jakey were just waking up on a sunday morning. She had had a bad dream that night and her brother was consoling her.

-It was just a dream Anna. Everything is fine now.

He said as Anna sobbed quietly.

-Good morning my sweet little- What happened? Anna why are you crying?

Their mother came to wake them up and was caught shocked by her daughters tears mid-sentence.

-She had a nightmare.

Jakey said.

-Oh Anna, it’s okay sweetie…

She went to hug Anna as she sobbed.

-What was your dream about? Sometimes it helps to talk about it.

Her mom said.

-I – You were all dead!

Anna stuttered thru her tears.

She contitnued crying, even harder after she said that.

-It was just a dream honey. We are all fine and alive me and your brother are right here by your side and your dad is downstairs making breakfast for all of us. Sometimes you just have bad dreams, it’s perfectly normal.

-But it felt so real when it happened …

Anna said quietly.