***NEED WORK

Dark...and cold...

Whispers echoed into the endless dark, overlapping with one another.

"Look, over there..."
"That's the boy..."
"His mother was a witch and his father was taken by a demon..."
"A cursed child---"
"Tainted soul---"
"Yes, the cursed-born..."

Suddenly, the hushed voices became one in a synchronized chorus.
"Impure...impure, impure, impure..."

The whispers grew louder and louder still, and as sudden as it came, it stopped.
"Stay away..." they whispered...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Vayden... hey VAYDEN!!"

Vayden snapped out of his thoughts with a start.
He wheeled around to the person who brought him back to reality, his heart pounding.
He frowned, not particularly thrilled.
"I wake from haunting thoughts to a face of a horrid nightmare," he muttered, looking down at the face peering up at him.
He gave an exaggerated sigh.
"What now, Arlanya?"

Arlanya raised an eyebrow, glaring daggers.
"Don't be taking that tone with me, boy. Not after you dragged me out of the orphanage while I was sleeping!" she growled.
Vayden rolled his eyes, sudden fatigue settling heavily on his shoulders as his partner went on ranting.
"Is there anything else you do on your free time other than sleep?" he asked wearily.
Arlanya scowled, her eyes flashing.
"There are plenty of things I do other than sleep. One of which would be to kick your ass!!" she hissed.
Vayden chocked down a sudden laugh.
"Ah...you teenaged girls always get bitchy when you wake up." he chuckled.
Arlanya put on a toothy, sarcastic smile.
"Ha, ha, ha. Shyaddup. You’re a bitchy teen too, the last time I checked." she snapped.

Vayden sighed and rolled his eyes.
Then he mentally kicked himself for it.
"Don't be all sighin' and rollin' your eyes at me! Don't be givin' me that shit!" Arlanya demanded.
Vayden looked away and continued walking down the empty streets, hiding his weary expression from his moody partner.
Don't be this, don't be that. The night just seemed too long and endless...

A feminine laugh rang out into the night sky, echoing in a haunting tone.
The two froze, their senses jabbing into the cooling air.
"You hear that?" Vayden asked.
"Of course I did." Arlanya returned.
She jutted her chin forward in a quick nod.
"Lead the way."
Vayden nodded and took off sprinting down the vacant street, Arlanya right on his heels. Emptied office buildings and stores lined the streets, their gloomy dark windows staring down at them as the pair made their way through the dark. The swirling dense fog stirred and snapped at their legs as they swept through the thick settling cloud.
Vayden focused hard, trying to calm his pulse that had suddenly spiked out of control.

Something is waking, Vayden thought to himself with an unexplainable dread.
He twisted and wheeled around the corner with a sharp turn, continuing on sprinting in the new direction.
"Hey, are you sure this is the right way?" Arlanya called from behind, easily keeping up with Vayden's swift pace.
Vayden looked around him, not slowing.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." he said.

It had to be---his skin was turning icy, and chills were running crazy up and down his spine. Vayden took another step forward, making his way into the looming shadows.

A cold feminine laugh rang out in its hollow echo from somewhere not far away.
Vayden skidded to an abrupt halt, causing Arlanya to collide into him.
"Ey! What the hell!!" she yelled out.
Vayden bristled at the loudness of her voice. Without wasting a moment, he grasped hold of Arlanya's slender wrist and yanked her into an empty dark alley after him.
Arlanya opened her mouth to comment but Vayden shot her a warning look. She scowled, but kept it down to a questioning glare in his direction.
Vayden said nothing, listening intently.
Something was so close; he could practically reach out and take hold of the intense energy that lingered in the air. Silently, he peered out and searched the seemingly vacant street.

"Hey. Psst! Vayden, what's going on?" Arlanya hissed demandingly.
"Why the hell are we just sitting here and rotting for, hey? Come on, chop, chop."
Vayden groaned inwardly to himself.
His partner was being impossible tonight.
"Arlanya, would you just shut up and stop acting so black for a little bit?" he asked exasperatedly, keeping his voice low.
Arlanya gave him a wild look.
"What the hell? I AM black!! Pardon me, but I can't help my great blackness, so stop bitching!!" she growled.

Vayden went to retort back, but then he gave up. There was no winning with Arlanya like this.
He returned his attention back to the street.
Where was it coming from, this static?
Vayden focused harder, trying to block out Arlanya's untamed mouth.
He could feel it, but he couldn't identify the source or type.
Where...where?
Was it good, or was it bad?

Vayden shook his head, clearing that last thought.
Energy this great and powerful had to be evil... no. This static had no ill intent…

Suddenly, another cold ghostly laugh broke through the air. It quickly faded as it moved away like a passing breeze. The mysterious energy shifted with it, the warm static lifting.
Vayden hurriedly ran out of the alley and out to the street.
But not a trace of that energy was felt.
"Dammit!" he cursed, and took off running.

He took another turn to the left, slipping through the shadows on silent feet.
Where are you...where is she... he thought to himself.
Vayden felt a gentle touch of warm pressure brush against his cheek. Quickly, he hid himself in the shadows, standing on the edge of the corner. Hiding his presence, he glanced around his surroundings.
Everything on the street was still, cold and lifeless.

Frustrated, Vayden huffed out, his brows scrunching.
What was that feeling, that sensation he felt back at the orphanage? Was it just his mind?
He could have sworn something was just outside those rusted gates, gazing up at the window...
No. It was definitely real. He was sure or it. He could feel it, but he couldn't see it.
It was strong, heavy and dense but at the same time light and gentle. And strangely, he felt safe, comfortable and at ease.
What is it? he asked himself yet again.
Maybe it was the way he was searching. Maybe he had to look deeper.
Vayden held his breath as he dared to look around the corner.

"HEY! HEY YOU!"
Vayden threw himself back into the shadows at the loud voice that came from behind him.
"OOMPH!!"
He felt someone collide into him and instinctively caught the person and pulled them into the dark with him. He almost fell; his leg caught the side of a nearby trash can. It wobbled and tilted, landing on the hard pavement with a silence breaking crash.
Vayden grimaced at the noise but stayed perfectly still.
I'm not here….it's nothing…ignore it; it was nothing…he thought pleadingly, barely breathing.

The silence returned with a ring that was almost painful. Vayden stood still as he felt the warm static turn his way, searching for him. He was almost shaking, his muscles aching with anxiety.
Come on….there's nothing there! he pleaded.
The static brushed by, just inches away barely missing Vayden. Then it’s attention shifted, disappearing and leaving the cool night air strangely empty.
It’s gone, Vayden thought.
He let out a great sigh of relief.
That was close, way, way too---

A sudden sharp pain shot through his right hand and Vayden let out a sharp yelp. He snapped his hand to his chest on instinct, his hand throbbing painfully. He heard a loud gasp followed by heaving from the person he had caught.
"Damn, I thought I was going to die!" a girl's voice gasped.
Vayden gingerly massaged his right hand.
"Dammit Arlanya, what the hell's your problem?!" he demanded.
Arlanya gave him an incredulous look.
"Me?! You're the one who was suffocating me with your big-ass hand of yours. Covering half my face like that…Pssh, a girl needs air!!" she spat angrily.
Vayden shook out his injured hand, the pain still stinging.
"You…you bit me!" he said with disbelief.
Arlanya huffed and crossed her arms.
"Yeah, and now I gotta go and sanitize my teeth and drink bleach or something!" she growled.
She turned and stepped around the corner.
"Hey, are you coming?" she demanded
"You better hurry, it's getting away!!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You sure it came here?" Arlanya asked.

Vayden nodded confidently, completely sure.
This had to be the place; the warm energy was clinging onto every surface of the area.
He looked up at the tall, pale, seemingly vacant building. Ludwyn Medical…certainly not a place he wanted to be.
He stepped forward, entering the long drive in.
"Come on, Arlanya." he called as he made his way to the surrounding wire fences.
"Hell no. I rather eat glass than go in that building." Arlanya said defiantly.

Vayden sighed, getting irritated.
"Come on; we don't have all night."
Arlanya didn't move.
"Ugh, I don't give a damn! You know what happened in there," she growled, eyeing the hospital with disgust.

Vayden pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting the weariness washing over him.
"Hey Arlanya, how about you stop acting like a little kid and work with me here?" he said tiredly.
"Hey Vayden, how bout you stop acting like a little bitch and stop telling me what to do?" she retorted.
Vayden shrugged, turning away.
"Fine. Be a wimp that you are and stay out."

He resumed walking and made his way forward. He heard angry stomps catching up to him from behind.
Arlanya stomped past him, marching to the door.
"A wimp…ha!" she muttered to herself.

Vayden smirked to himself satisfied as he watched his partner climb and clear the fence with ease.
It’s funny how that girl kept changing her mind…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Here---we go!" Vayden grunted, wedging a knife in the space of the slide doors.
It slipped in, allowing him to push his hand in and push the rest of the door aside. The door gave a weak resistance under his hand, creaking open reluctantly. A slight breeze brushed past him and into the empty space of the hospital entryway. The dusty old smell lingered in the air, almost suffocating him.

Vayden looked back at Arlanya. She simply beckoned at the open door with a nod.
"Losers first," she said, urging him in.

Vayden gave her a dramatic sweeping bow before stepping into the dark.
Slowly and carefully, he made his way deeper into the hospital, picking his way through the cluttered debris and broken furniture. He heard Arlanya following close behind him, fumbling with something.
"Here, take it." she said and clicked a flashlight on.
Vayden took it silently with a quick nod. He turned back forward, sweeping the bright light across the floor in steady strokes as he continued forward. They were in an open space that seemed once to be wide, round lobby. The couches and coffee tables that once furnished the lobby were left in broken pieces. The surrounding area was a mess; the floor and the wall covered in grime and dust. Vayden saw another beam of light trace up the wall, revealing the amount of filth.
"This is absolutely disgusting," Arlanya said in a hushed tone.
Vayden mused in agreement, choosing his footing with great care. Littered trash and dead bugs crunched under his shoes, the sound loud in the empty silence
Arlanya turned her flashlight up to the ceiling.
"Ugh, whatever that is, that better not fall on my head."

Vayden looked up, turning his own flashlight up above him.
Something dark and slick glistened under the light thick and frozen in half-falling drips pulling away from the high ceiling. Vayden looked across to the other ceiling panels surrounding the one right above his head, and saw the mysterious substance covered most of the ceiling area.
"What do you think it is?" Arlanya hissed, sounding revolted.
Vayden shrugged, turning his flashlight back to the ground.
"It's probably just a burst pipe or something." he said.
He carefully placed a cautious step forward, moving on deeper into the dark.

The eerie silence continued on, leaving a tense gloom over the pair. They continued on at a slow steady pace
"Ugh, I can't get over the tension of this place. It fills up the breathing space." Arlanya said as she scanned the opposite direction into a dark hallway.
"We're hunters; this should be something we're already used to." Vayden said calmly, not stopping as he made his way through the littered ground.
He heard his partner scoff.
"I never said I hated it; it's exciting." she said.
Vayden could practically hear the smirk in her voice. He stopped and swiftly scanned his surroundings with the flashlight.
"Well, nothing unusual here…let me check the front desk to see if there's a map or something. There should at least be some sort of visitor brochure left lying around." he said.

He started off in a direction he assumed the front desk was located, skipping over a large cluster of broken furniture. He swept his flashlight up from the ground and to straight in front of him.
Hugging the wide corner on the right wall just a few feet before him was a counter with a vase of wilted dead flowers. He approached it cautiously, keeping his guard up. He skimmed his light over the countertop, looking for anything he may be able to use as a guide.
"Hey Arlanya, I found the front desk," Vayden called.
He heard soft taps of her footsteps coming from behind him.
"Of course you did. Front desks of hospitals are made so people can see it. They aren't exactly something hard to find or easy to lose." she said sarcastically. "Find anything useful?"
Vayden ignore her sarcastic tone and continued to scan the area with his flashlight.
"I don't see or sense anything abnormal," he said, peering cautiously over the counter.
Arlanya gave an exaggerated sigh, stepping forward.
"Well, we won't find anything useful if we just stand around worrying about nothing." she said.
She walked up to the front desk and lightly knocked on the counter lightly with her knuckles. She followed along the counter until she came upon an opening leading to behind the desk.
"Hey Vayden, help me out? We'll probably find something behind the counter"

Arlanya went to step forward, entering the area behind the desk…
Vayden felt a sudden feeling of dread wash over him.
"Arlanya, wait! Just---"

Suddenly, there was a loud screeching noise and a crash as something big and dark came flying from the left, colliding into a wall. Dust blew out in every direction, making it even harder to see. Vayden saw Arlanya jump back, just barely avoiding being slammed into the wall.
"What the---" she cried out, quickly reaching down to the holster belted to her thigh.
She flicked open the clip and snapped a pistol into her hand all in one motion. She brought it in front of her in a defensive hold, ready to fire at anything that comes out of the settling dust.
Vayden, too got out his gun, holding his flashlight pointedly to the wall.

They waited…and waited.
The cloud of dust started to settle as the air slowly regained its stillness. Neither hunter moved or made a sound, each tense with dark apprehension. Vayden could practically hear his heart beating inside his head as he waited for someone, something to jump out of the cloud of dust and attack them…

Arlanya inched closer to the wall where whatever the thing was, had crashed.
"Hey," she breathed to Vayden.
Vayden nodded and joined his partner.
"Cover me; I’ll go first." he hissed.
Arlanya gave him a quick nod before turning her flashlight back onto the impact site. With one deep breath, Vayden took a deliberate forward.
Nothing moved or made a sound.
Vayden continued to inch his way forward, every step cautious and calculated. He gripped onto his flashlight tight, keeping it trained on the spot---

The dust finally settled, the air finally returning to still silence…to reveal a big crumpled piece of metal.
"What the hell is that?" Arlanya whispered, keeping her flashlight trained on the mystery object.
Vayden experimentally poked at the piece of scrapped metal with his gun.
"I think it was a file cabinet or something." he said, frowning.

Was it crushed like this because of the impact?
He looked at the tail end of the metal. It was caved in as if a truck had pinned it to a wall.
"And I think it was usable until just very recently…" he murmured.
Arlanya approached him, slowly lowering her gun. She looked to the left in the direction the file cabinet came flying from.
"Well, whatever it was that threw it here isn’t here anymore." she said.
"Hey, I’ll start looking through that bookshelf over there; check out the desk draw over there."

Vayden straightened to a stand and scanned his surrounding area behind the front desk. Everything was covered in dust and the floor was just as messy as it was in the lobby. He turned his flashlight to the front desk. There he saw an old, out of date monitor, covered in a layer of dust. The desk draw was right under it, half open.
Okay…let me have some luck…
Just as he was about to reach for the draw, he noticed that the computer was blinking orange at the bottom of the monitor. Strange; why is the computer on?

Curious, he pressed a random button on the keyboard.