Control

"Blyth! Hey Blyth, look at this!"

Blight kept messing with the nurses that came by every often. With him being invisible to everyone else, he took it upon himself to provide me with "entertainment," at least that's what he said he's doing. I was worried that he might hurt the staff at first, but they really didn't seem to be fazed at all so I just ignored him completely.

"C'mon, you're the one who said you were bored right? How long are you gonna read that thing? Look, here." Blight then thrusted his arm into the nurse and it went right through them. I was surprised at first, but it doesn't seem like they are affected by anything he does.

"Hm? You seem startled, Mr. Alaric. Is there a problem?" The nurse noticed my discomfort, why wouldn't I be? I just watched a lunatic thrust his entire arm into her back.

"No, no, I'm quite alright Ms. uh… uhm…" Crap, I never caught her name. This just became awkward as hell.

She was taken aback after what I said and proceeded to let out a light chuckle. "I'm sorry, it's just that, after getting engaged no one ever addresses me as 'Ms.' anymore. But, you can call me Liz." She gave me a pleasant smile and finished replacing my IV bag.

I was glad that the situation didn't spiral out of control. After this, I realized it really was just me who had to deal with him.

Is it really gonna be like this all the time with Blight?

"Yep, you've got me all to yourself Blyth, you don't need to worry about me finding someone else."

Crap, I forgot he could read my mind. So much for privacy from… well… myself? He did claim that he was me.

"You still hung up on that Blyth? The sooner you believe me, the easier it'll be for the both of us." He said this while imitating Liz who was writing some notes down and checking the room.

Just what did he mean by that? What will get easier? I had so many questions, but if I asked now I would just seem crazy to everyone else here. As nurse Liz was about to exit my room, a staff member entered my room carrying my lunch for the day.

Oh boy, hospital food again.

He crossed paths with nurse Liz. The two shared a brief glimpse at one another and proceeded to go about their duties. The nurse leaves and the staff member sets up my food.

"Are you guys close?"

I asked him, out of curiosity or maybe, out of boredom? I'm not usually the type that pries, but it beats having to look at Blight dance around my room before driving me into complete insanity.

"I… don't know what you're talking about. We're just co-workers, that's all."

I wasn't satisfied with his answer, so I pressed him further.

"Yeah, the way you looked at each other didn't really seem like you were just co-workers." His eyes widened, I seemed to have gotten it right.

"She told me she was getting engaged, I figure that you're the lucky guy?"

His body twitched, bingo! What a lovely couple I chanced upon today.

"Congratu⎯"

"Please stop talking."

He whispered under his voice. He refused to make eye contact with me after that.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I get that wrong? It's just that you two seemed to know each other. With all that staring and the ring and all I thought…"

"Just mind your own business, please." He said in an aggressive tone, clearly I've gone too far. Yet, I was usually good at piecing together situations like this.

"Hey, I'm really sorry. I should never have assumed. It's been a tough couple of days and I just woke up yesterday. You wouldn't believe the things that have happened to me lately." I tried to force a chuckle to lighten the situation.

"She seems like a lovely girl though. I could also tell that you care a lot for her."

I should probably stop, but I offended this guy and I didn't want to leave things at that.

"She is, and I do care about her. But… none of that matters anymore."

His tone changed into a somber one. I decided not to question him anymore and just stay quiet.

"I'll take my leave now, enjoy your food, sir."

I spied a hint of pain on his expression as he stood up and approached the door. There was something more interesting about him though, I spotted this small dark mass on his shoulder. It didn't seem natural so I tried to ask him about it until…

"That's his trauma, Blyth."

Blight cuts me off before I could ask the man about it.

"What do you mean it's his trauma?"

The man had already left the room but I could still see him through the window. He stopped right outside to gather his things.

"You think you're the only one who has trauma, Blyth? Everyone can have it. Man, woman, child, they all have things they regret and wish to forget completely. Things at the back of their minds that eat away at them any chance that they get."

Blight turned serious all of a sudden when this topic came up.

"But I don't understand why things like you exist in the first place," I inquired, seeing as how this might be the perfect chance for me to get more information out of Blight.

"We exist because of people like you, people who have strong hatred for themselves or towards others because of things that happened in their lives. We feed off those emotions, amplify them even to a certain extent that the person is convinced to go through with it."

People began to pass by the man outside. He seemed to be more annoyed than ever as he dropped the things he was carrying and scrambles to clean it up. No one even bothers to help him. He fixed it himself and walked away.

"So why? Why do you do these things to us? Can't you just leave once you're satisfied?" I looked away from him, I was afraid that he would show me those things again. Even so, the fact that I didn't know anything was frustrating.

"We, trauma, have one definite goal. To use these repressed emotions of the person, drive them to the point of complete hopelessness. Where they're eventually forced…

...to kill themselves."

What did he just say? He wants me to… kill myself? That's not possible. I would never⎯

"But you would Blyth, if you knew the things you've done. Those visions I showed you weren't fake. They're your past coming back to haunt you."

This was unreal. So he's saying that this all ends with me killing myself? And to top it off, those dreams and what he showed me were all real things that I forgot? This is… too much.

"You can think about those things when you get outta here. For now, you seem to have a guest." I hear the door open and see a familiar face. She had a surprised expression on her face with eyes on the brink of bursting into tears.

"Kiara… hey… I'm glad that-''

Before I could even finish talking, she darted to my side and slapped me across the face. Even Blight was surprised by this. I turn to look at her again and see her crying.

"You idiot, I thought you were gonna die."

She gives me a hug and proceeds to cry even louder. I embraced her as well and assured her that I was very much alive and well.

"Hey Kiara, my clothes are getting kind of soaked so…"

"SHUT UP IDIOT! This is all your fault!"

She says this in between sobs and sniffles. She eventually settled down and replaced the flowers she brought before with new ones.

"I also brought my notes with me, in case you wanna do some light studying. Also, I informed all our professors of what happened to you and they decided to push back your deadlines a week further from the time you feel better. I also informed your family about…"

She continued to speak about all the things she did for me. I may tease her a lot, but I'm lucky to have a friend like her.

"You did all that? You're amazing Kiara!"

"NO, NO, it's nothing! I was with you when you got into that accident and you were obviously feeling sick that morning and I still made you go to school with me. I'm sorry for that, Lyth." After hearing her heartfelt statement I couldn't help but burst out into laughter.

"HEY! Why are you laughing at me?! What's so funny?!"

She pouted, obviously confused by my sudden outburst.

"It's nothing, just… Thank you Kiara. For being here and visiting me everyday. I'm so lucky to have a friend like you."

For some reason, she looked away after hearing this.

"Hey, you okay there Kiara? Oh, that reminds me, have you eaten yet? This hospital serves the best food around. I was actually surprised, I heard hospital food tasted bad. Here, try some."

I give her some of the food that was just delivered to me and she eats a spoonful.

"YUCK! This tastes horrible Lyth!"

I once again had a laughing fit.

"You were acting all weird and apologetic so I thought I'd prank you a bit. Did it work?"

I continued to laugh, unaware of the fact that she had taken a spoonful and somehow shoved it into my mouth. I was forced to swallow the entire thing. It was horrible to say the least. Afterwards, she updated me on a few happenings around the university and some light conversation with occasional teasing.

"It's getting kind of late Kiara, you should head home while the sun is still up."

She gathered her belongings and left her notes on the nightstand. She heads toward the door and turns to say goodbye.

"I'll be back tomorrow to check you out of the hospital okay? Don't hit on any of the nurses until then."

How dare she even assume I can hit on anyone in my current state.

"Oh please, I was barely a chick magnet when I could walk."

I gave her one last smile and bade her goodbye as she left the room.

"You like her don't you Blyth?"

I gave him an annoyed look and decided that answering him won't be worth the trouble since he could read my mind.

"You're finally getting it, Blyth! Good job!"

With that I turned to the other side and went to sleep. Blight continued to tease me, but this entire day that started out boring has managed to leave me so tired that I could barely hear him. I closed my eyes and hoped for a better morning tomorrow, hopefully one without this annoying lodger in my head.

~~~

"Do I really have to use a wheelchair, Kiara? I can walk pretty well now."

"Says the guy who fell over himself in the bathroom earlier. Just deal with it until we get you home, okay?"

No point in arguing with her, and it feels nice rolling about the hospital on a wheelchair. Really gave me a sense of luxury.

"So please sign here, and here. Afterwards you can proceed to the exit."

Kiara began filling up the necessary forms and I provided her with my details. Just then I overheard some of the nurses talking.

"So they really are engaged? I thought he was going out with Marcus."

"I heard it was because of her family, they forced her to accept his proposal just because he's this successful doctor while Marcus is just utility staff."

"Come to think of it, could that be the reason he's been acting weird recently? He was always fun to be with, but now he just ignores everyone."

Could this Marcus be the same guy from yesterday? This seems to be a bigger issue than I had thought, but seeing as I'm about to leave it doesn't really involve me anymore. Kiara finishes the last of the paperwork and we proceed to exit the hospital. She rolled me into the parking lot and helped me into her car.

"Oh crap, I forgot my ID at the receptionist's desk. Wait here, this'll be quick."

She left me in the car and walked all the way back towards the hospital entrance. There was a brief silence inside the parking lot. A few moments later a car came in and parked at the space opposite Kiara's car. Judging from the car itself, the person who owned it seemed to be doing pretty well for themselves. The owner exited their vehicle, he had a lab coat hanging over his arm so I assumed he was a doctor. He was in a conversation with someone on his phone. I could almost make out what they were talking about, but decided against it. If I were to get caught eavesdropping it would get pretty messy.

The doctor started walking towards the elevator. At that moment, I saw someone else exit a parked car, it was Marcus. The guy from yesterday who delivered my lunch. Marcus approached the doctor, but something seemed off. He was careful, almost as if he didn't want to be seen.

"And so it begins." Blight appears out of nowhere. "And yes, it is exactly what you have in mind. This is our power over you. This is trauma."

Before I could say another Marcus rushes the doctor and jams a knife into his back. The doctor then drops to the floor. Marcus, still unsatisfied, proceeds to stab the doctor multiple times more.

"I can't just stand by and watch."

I unlocked the door and grabbed the handle to open the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The man is already dead, what do you think will happen to you when you exit this car?"

He gave me an amused smirk.

Marcus stopped the brutal attack for a brief moment and started talking to himself. It was faint but I could make out the name of a woman.

"Eli… Elizabeth?"

Could Elizabeth be nurse Liz? The same nurse who switched my IV bag yesterday. The one I thought Marcus was in a relationship with. So she's related to this somehow?

"Jealousy is a fascinating thing, really. Goes hand-in-hand with love and that is just a recipe for disaster. Makes you do things like… well… that."

Blight pointed at Marcus who continued to stab the lifeless body of the doctor.

"I can't just sit here doing nothing!"

"Then by all means, Blyth. Open the door."

I clutched the handle, but nothing happened. My hand won't budge, my body is paralyzed with⎯

"Fear, Blyth. What you feel now is fear, ramped up to eleven by yours truly."

"You bastard! You know I wouldn't just sit back while someone else get hurt!"

Blight doesn't respond. He left me to deal with this situation because he knew I couldn't do anything right now. I look back at the gruesome scene and see Marcus standing over the doctor's corpse. I noticed the black mass with Marcus again, but now it seems larger than how it was before. All of a sudden I heard gunshots and Marcus was sprinting while being pursued by guards. Gunshots, gunshots, then a sound. A thud, as if something heavy dropped to the floor.

"In the end he succumbed to his trauma. And so will you, Blyth."

I was still trying to comprehend everything that just happened when suddenly Kiara came back looking out of breath.

"Hey are you okay?! I heard gunshots and I ran back as fast as I could."

"Kiara… let's go home… please…"