Almost Third

3:44 PM

"The burns have to be of at least second degree, merely a third," Dokéshis doctor, Maruso, explains. Dokéshi, slowly regaining consciousness "How did I get here?" He asks the doctor. "A friend dropped you off a little over an hour ago, said he had somewhere to go. He seemed to be in a hurry." Dokéshi had nothing to do but wonder what friend could have brought him, he didn't tell anyone about his burns. It's like he turned on the water and then he was in a hospital bed covered in bandages and strapped to the bed. "Uhh sir, why am I strapped to the bed?" He asks the doctor hesitantly. "Well, you wouldn't stop screaming 'Livéd' so we figured you were hallucinating. Have you taken any psychedelic or hallucinogenic drugs or substances in the past 48 hours?" Dokéshi froze. Livéd was the name of that demon, the demon that for the past two weeks had been following him, terrorizing him even. "Dokéshi, are you alright. You seem a bit pale." The doctor continues. "We took your blood pressure. 150 over 90, that's pretty high buddy. Were you running from something out there?" Dokéshi freezes, "uhh haha no sir, just going on a little jog till, you know, I collapsed." He says trying to turn the focus of the conversation away from what had actually happened ."Dokéshi, these are second degree burns, almost third. this didn't happen from running." Dokéshi had completely forgot what he was in the hospital for. "Uhh yeah haha," he pauses thinking of an excuse. "No, I was just kidding. I meant, I was going on a run and when I got home I went to the kitchen to make some tea. But when I was pouring the water I must have gotten some on my hands." The doctor holds up a mirror, only to reveal the large burn covering Dokéshis back almost as if it had been clothed by the fiery depth of his curiosity. "Dokéshi, I need you to be honest with me. The only way we will be able to help you is if you tell me exactly what happened," The doctor explains. Dokéshi panicked, he was smart enough to avoid any situation presented to him but for some reason he felt trapped this time. Like he was actually stuck, as if there was no escape. Like a nightmare as a kid, he was anxious, running from his fears, but his feet weren't moving. There were no actions being taken to avoid this fear following him. He was trapped, but only in his mind. "I-", he freezes as he watches a dark blood red hand pull around the corner. moment by moment the hand got bigger. It went from a hand to a full body within moments. Cuts torn across its body, its messy dark black hair covering parts of its eyes. Upon his small inspection he realized that hand, body and face was familiar. He looked closer, "NO PLEASE NO!" They all belonged to him. He was staring at the part of his self that created the dark, scary night terrors he had been experiencing these past few months. He screamed for help but the doctor was not there. Instead the doctor had moved behind him, "Now tell me what truly happened", He demanded. Dokéshi, unable to move, said nothing but instead whimpered as the demon came closer. The doctor began pressing the burns clothing Dokéshis back intensely. "I said tell me!" Dokéshi screamed "YOU WON'T BELIEVE ME! NOBODY WILL!" Upon screaming he woke up. His teammates surrounding him, "You alright man?" Corbel asks. "You just ran almost five miles in under 15 minutes, then you passed out." Dokéshi looked around, "What?" He asked with confusion. "Well dude you were running then you weren't. Yeah, but it was cool though. You came second, almost third. Turns out I'm faster than you." Corbel says laughing. "Yo let's get this man some water," he tells his teammates. "Hey man what happened," he asks pointing to Dokéshis burns. Dokéshi responds "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. trust me, nobody will."