an was trying to smile, but it was a smile that didn't look like it really belonged on his face

member you

hite tube. There were clicking noises

re their

nd her head, and wires that ran from underneath to a machine. Looking out the

is you

a screen. It was her parents. Home movies... of her as a bab

e is Sa

there was no bandage on her head. The lights overhead went off and then came back on

d become used to. She got out of bed; the tile was cold on the bottoms of her feet

wanted to be anywhere but here. She walked to where the short corridor was met by a much longer one. There were doors in the long hall, lots of

atie

?" she

ans

e passage, the overhead lights shut off one section at a time. The darkness cl

foot

er. But they sounded... weird. They clicked, almo

it would be aroun

o her other side on the tile floor. She pulled herself up and walked backward, knowing that whatever i

w feet away. The eyes of something not-human; something dark and awful an

spoke a si

lip

yes raced forwar

ce again her pajamas and sheets were soaked. Perkins meowed

rky," Sam

tstand clock: ten minutes before her alarm was due to go off. She mig

's heater kicked on. As she brushed her teeth, her thoughts drifted to the night before. A search for Raggedy Man had once

go, R

, and she worried about how that might reflect on her upcoming monthly evaluation. Her goal from the beginning had been to impress the depart

Man want? Would he kill a

coot with the smiley-face shir

homeless man's rambling reminded her of that song Numb

he knows the time is short. Let him who hath understanding reckon the number o

, spit and went to

and Ben forced her. After she turned eighteen, she decided that it wasn't really for h

remember Revelations, the book that talked about "the beast." Wasn't that some creature w

e guy in the suit who always came to visit and ask questions. Couldn't remember his name though. When it came time to go into foster care she had been assigned a new social worker. But there were othe

her cell phone buzzed on the nightstand. Sam re

me. I was at the hos

e. "Are

a, the doc said. He'll pull through, but you k

family for as long as Sam could remember. Just last year he'd been diagn

Barnes but I'll swing by the h

ing the car in to get the oil cha

get the oil changed? Ben had always done it when he was alive

have to ask a

thy said, "I'll let

g up the phone, her mind still re

rained,