BANSHEE

Chapter 2

Everything was so dark but I could hear them weeping. I could feel their sadness, the feeling of loss surrounded me like a plague and it made my skin feel ice cold. It felt like I was buried in ice. I wanted to see light, to be out of the dark.

There was a beeping sound and a familiar voice. My father's voice, I decided to concentrate on that. My eyelids felt heavy as I tried lifting them up. The beeping sound increased and I felt someone rush beside me.

"she is awake!"  I heard my grandmother exclaim and I squinted my eyes. She sounded so loud my ears were ringing.

"Catherine give her some space please" my father said watching me.

She smiled as she moved away a bit but she still held my hand softly "oh honey you had us scared to death" she said with worry evident in her eyes.

"what happened?" I asked as my eyes adjusted to the light.

My dad seemed tense "What can you remember?"

I was quiet for a few seconds as I tried to recall what had happened. "I was walking to the bus stop then...that was it. Everything just went black after that..." I said. The police outside my room caught my attention, they were a lot. It seemed as if something was going on "Why are there cops outside?" I asked softly.

"they would like to ask you just a few questions honey" Catherine said and I felt my stomach drop

"why?"

My dad moved closer to me "Aili two of your school mates were found dead yesterday in the bogs close to were you were found passed out" he said softly.

I sat up straight, my heart was pounding so hard and my head felt like exploding. This wasn't good. I knew something wasn't right. I wasn't crazy but still noone would believe me. My dad looked worried as he watched my reaction. "you don't have to answer any questions right now, you can do it later when you are ready"

Before I could respond two cops walked in. A lady with long black hair tied in a pony tail, dark brown eyes they almost looked black and beautiful olive skin. She was accompanied by a very tall, lean dark handsome man.

"it's okay" I told my dad wanting to get this over and done with.

The lady smiled "thank you for letting us talk to your daughter Ryan."

My dad nodded his head "We will be right outside by the door" he said to me.

"okay" I replied swallowing hard. I was really nervous to be honest. I didn't know what they wanted to ask or what I would even tell them. I watched as my dad and grandmother walked out. It honestly felt like I was being left for the lions to feast on.

The lady sat on a chair next to me. "I am Shelly and this is Tom, you are Aili right?" she asked and I nodded my head.  "I understand that you were at the party at the bogs but you decided to leave."

I nodded my head. I couldn't seem to find my voice, it felt like I had a lump in my throat.

"why did you leave? Did something happen?" she asked and suddenly it felt even colder.

I didn't have an answer for that question. They would think I'm crazy. I thought I was crazy! "I wasn't feeling too good. I'm sorry but what happened? Who... died?" I asked even though I felt like I knew the answer to that.

"Amanda O'Connell and Richard Duddley both 17year Olds from Sherfield High. Apparently Richard was supposed to give Amanda a ride back home after everyone had left but they were both found later that night dead. It almost looked like they were buried in the bogs. It also looked like they drowned. There's no evidence of them having being drowned, no bruises or violent marks" she was silent for a second "You were found a few minutes later unconscious. You almost looked dead, your heartbeat was very faint."

"so they just drowned? Both of them... that doesn't make any sense" I said out loud. Amanda, I remember seeing shadows around her "where there shadows? Shadows around her body?"

"shadows? What do you mean Aili" Shelly asked

I rubbed my arms softly "there were shadows around them like death. I could feel it. That is why I left, something was not right"

Shelly looked at me with a look I couldn't quite decipher. It looked like she felt pity for me and I hated that. It only meant that they were not listening to me. Tom cleared his throat "maybe we should leave the young lady to rest. Thank you for your time Aili, make sure you get plenty of sleep." he said signaling Shelly to follow him out.

Shelly smiled at me before walking out as well. I shook my head as I blinked away the tears that threatened to come out. I watched as the cops talked to a doctor and my dad. My grandmother walked in, she looked concerned.

"Aili the doctor said you will be spending the night here just so he can check up on you. Then tomorrow you will be back home with us." she spoke.

I already knew that there was nothing I could do to convince them not to keep me here so I just didn't resist.

"okay I will be fine"

My dad and the doctor walked in. The doctor had a needle in his hands. "I will come get you tomorrow, call me if you need anything okay" my dad said before kissing my forehead and I nodded.

The doctor smiled and nodded at my dad as they left. "This will help you sleep really well. You will see when you wake up those bags under your eyes will be all gone" she said walking towards me. She was a bit older with grey strands of hair mixed with blonde. I nodded, she was trying to keep me calm but I wasn't afraid of needles and I was actually very tired.

*** ***

It didn't even feel like I had slept at all as my eyes  opened. All I could hear was weeping everywhere. I got out of my bed and dragged the drip with me as I stepped out of the room I was in. It was dark but I could see them clearly, shadows dragging away peoples souls and so they wept. Everything looked so unreal and disturbing.

These souls didn't want to go just yet. They wanted to live and so they wept begging me to help them. I stumbled back as a shadow spotted me, it was so dark and scary with blood red eyes.

They looked like demons, my hands started shaking as It came closer. I ran into the room closing the door in front of me. The shadow was right by the door staring back at me, it felt like hell was ready to devour me. I screamed so loud my own ears started ringing, the glass on the door cracked and it felt like the whole room was about to explode. The shadows suddenly burst into oblivion letting go of all the souls they had in their hold.

My eyes snapped open as I felt someone's warm arms around me and a soothing voice whispering in my ears. It felt so comforting.

"it's okay honey, shhh it was just a bad dream" my grandmother said holding me tightly. It was daylight now, it was all a bad dream. I breathed out loud as I looked at the glass door. There was a large crack on the glass. I shook my head, it wasn't real. It couldn't be real, it was a dream.

After wearing the clothes grandma had brought for me from home I waited for her to sign my release form by the reception. It was taking a bit long because there seemed to be a queue. The hospital seemed very busy today but it felt like there was... Joy. Nurses were running around while a lot of people were signing release forms. I sighed a sigh of relief as my grandmother walked towards me. My father didn't come but I wasn't surprised.

"why is it so busy?" I asked as we walked out of the hospital.

My grandmother smiled "Seems like a lot of people have recovered. The nurses say it's a miracle, some patients were in comas and expected to die but today they all regained consciousness just like that. Thank God. "