CRACKED

DAY SEVENTEEN

There’s a cloud hanging over my head. It’s dark and black and flashes with an unknown light source ever once in a while. I try to reach up and touch it but it skips away every time.

I can’t really see anything but the cloud. When it skips away I feel this blinding light come into my vision, but the cloud always comes back, so I only have about a second’s glance at it. I feel around me and it’s all soft. I don’t like it. I don’t like not knowing where I am. But there’s this cloud, and it presses down so hard on my lungs that every time I try to ask a question it comes out as a barely audible squeak.

The Voices are back. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a visit from them. Can’t say I missed them. Their bickering gets old after a while. I try and try to remember how I got rid of them in the first place, but there seems to be a block on my thoughts. Eventually I hear nothing but The Voices and see nothing but the cloud. It makes me nauseous.

Killing the guard was a stupid move. One of them says.

You don’t think I know that? I snap back.

So was antagonizing that doctor. A huskier one says.

That’s what I do. It’s pretty much my job. I say.

You’re not too good at it. Look, you have no idea where you are, you can’t see, and you only have us to keep you company. Doesn’t scream “Success” to me. The first says.

My teeth clench. You know, you ought to quit while you’re ahead.

Sweetheart, I’m in your head. Threatening me doesn’t work. It snickers. I growl, hating that it’s right.

Pointing out what she did wrong isn’t going to do anything. Right now we have to figure out where we are. A calmer one says.

Well, we’re obviously under some sort of sedation, so I doubt we can do anything until it wears off. The huskier one says.

I doubt they’ll let it wear off, though. We’re insane. They’re not just going to let that get up and run around. Someone entirely new says.

They have before. Says the first.

Maybe they’re learning. The calm one says. The first only laughs.

They’ll learn when hell freezes over…or better yet, when we get our sanity back. It says through giggles.

The calm one sighs. Anyone have any ideas?

For the first time in two days there’s silence.

We could kill someone again. Cause that works oh so well. The first sniggers. That sets them all off. They start fighting and yelling and screaming over one another. I press my hands to my ears, trying to make them stop. I’m getting a headache.

COULD YOU GUYS SHUT UP FOR FIVE MINUTES?!

The silence that follows my outburst is deafening.

Thank you. I mutter.