Scream Silently

At first, Dalton wasn’t sure about the headlines. “Girl goes missing from St George’s hospital.” He immediately panicked, wondering if it was Scarlett, but the chances of that were low. She was probably fine. Really, he wasn’t even sure St George’s was the mental hospital they had sent Scarlett to.
So he calmed himself down. The faceless man didn’t get her. He couldn’t get to her.
---
Scarlett felt dizzy. Vivid colors swirled around her, and she didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know who she was, but she didn’t care. She was happy, euphoric even. Everything was in its right place.
---
Dalton debated over trying to visit Scarlett, but he didn’t really want to see her. Not like this. He couldn’t stand to think that she was insane, because that would mean he might be crazy too. Maybe it was her. Maybe her insanity was making him crazy.
---
Sirens sounded throughout the town. Scarlett was too far into the forest to hear it, but they kept upsetting Dalton. He stared up at the ceiling and let his thoughts die out to the whistling sounds. Maybe there was a murder. Maybe someone’s house caught fire. Maybe they caught a serial murderer.
---
There were faintly outlined sockets where his eyes should have been. Sometimes, the shape of a mouth stretched itself out of the white fabric-like skin, but mostly the tall, slender man remained faceless.
He towered over her from across the table, but Scarlett didn’t mind. For now, he was her savior, it didn’t matter how or why, he took her out of the goddamned hospital. Nothing else mattered.
---
After a while, her high wore off. She felt tired, but still conscious. “Who are you?” she asked him, “Why did you save me?”
He was still and silent.
“Did you see Dalton too? Have you taken him here? I can smell him.”
The boney figure remained motionless. Scarlett stood up to examine the room he held her in; it was small and cozy, and almost reminded her of a fairytale home. She could stay here, it would be nice, she thought.
---
A few days went by, and Dalton noticed a news broadcast saying that the girl from St George’s still hadn’t been found. He worried, but it passed. Maybe Scarlett would get out soon. Then he wouldn’t have to fret over anything. He left the room while he was still optimistic, missing the announcement of the girl’s name with her picture.