Hidden Evil

Braxton

My head. It hurts. It hurts so f*****g bad. The constant voices screaming in my mind hurts my head. I've been seeing haunting figures. Their presence feels so real. I've been stuck in the hospital for over a week now. My parents have tried to get me to talk, but they haven't been successful. Max's parents haven't visited me at all. They probably hate me. I killed their son, after all. If I were them, I'd hate myself too. Everyone has tried to reassure me that Max's parents don't hate me, but I know they're just saying that to make me feel better. Everybody kept telling me that what happened wasn't my fault and that I couldn't have known that the house was indeed haunted. I know they're just telling me that to make me feel better, but I know I am to blame. It is my fault this happened. Max is dead, and Bradley is probably dead too. People keep telling me that Bradley is alive. I've even been seeing him, but it might be another hallucination. I've seen more hallucinations than I've seen actual people.

Everyone hates you, a voice spat at me, bringing me out of my thoughts. Another voice said that none of this would have happened if you left the house when your friends wanted to.

The voice was right. This was all my fault. If I had just listened to them, Max would still be alive. The sound of his neck snapping will forever haunt me.

BRAXTON, a voice screamed at me.

It scared me so badly that I fell out of the bed I was sitting on and backed myself into the corner of my room. I looked frantically around to see where the voice came from. This made no sense to me. There was no one there. The voice was so loud and close. I curled up into a ball and stared at my hands. My mind began to wander, and I was soon lost in my world. I heard the door open but paid no attention. It must be Dr. Wicker was coming to check on me. Suddenly, a hand gently touched mine.

"Braxton," a voice said.

My heart dropped. I know that voice. I slowly looked up at the owner of the voice. Bradley. It couldn't be. I reached over and touched Bradley's face. I had to confirm if he was real or another hallucination. I'd seen him visit a few times with my parents, but the voices told me he wasn't real.

He isn't real, they'd say to me, he's dead. After a few moments of touching his face, I stop, and my vision blurs as tears fill my eyes. Bradley was real. This wasn't another hallucination.

"You're real," I whispered before smiling happily at Bradley.

I saw tears fill my friend's eyes, but a voice screamed at me before I could say or do anything.

You i***t. Bradley doesn't love you. He hates you, remember? Everything is your fault.

"You're not real!" I screamed at the voice.

I shoved Bradley back and hurried back into the corner of my room. I saw Bradley take a step closer to me, but the voice kept screaming that he wasn't real. I began screaming to drown out the voices shouting nasty words at me. I tried covering my ears, but I could still hear the voices. I got so frustrated that I began pulling my hair. I noticed Dr.Wicker running into the room and coming toward me. I suddenly feel a pair of arms wrap me in a bear hug and remove my hair. I let out another blood-curdling scream. I needed to cover my ears. I struggled to get out of Dr.Wicker's grasp as he could put me in a position with my neck exposed. I knew what was about to happen. Those nurses were going to stick me with a needle. I didn't want to sleep. All sleep did was bring back nightmares. Something in the back of my mind told me to lie still.

As I lay still, I felt the nurses loosening their grip. I waited until Dr. Wicker's grasp loosened ever so slightly to break away from him. I bolted towards Bradley and slammed into him. I ran into him so hard that we both fell to the ground. I hugged Bradley tightly, but Dr. Wicker and the two nurses lifted me off of him. I want Bradley. I screamed and thrashed my limbs around, desperately trying to get free. I was placed on the bed and held down. I felt their grasps hold me down even tighter. I looked at Bradley, begging him to help me as the nurses tried to sedate me for a second time.

"Hey," Bradley yelled, causing everyone to freeze, "let him go."

"Bradley," Dr. Wicker sighed at my friend, "he needs to be sedated right now, or else he won't calm do-"

"I don't give a s**t," Bradley cursed at the doctor, "he's terrified. Let. Him. Go."

I heard a sigh as I was released. I shot up and ran towards Bradley once again. I slammed into him and clung to him tightly. I clung to him as if he'd evaporate into thin air right then and there. I couldn't hold my tears back any longer. Bradley guided us to sit on the floor. I curled up in Bradley's lap as he began to rock me. After a few moments of him rocking me, my eyes grew heavy. I was afraid of falling asleep, but Bradley's tight, comforting embrace told me I would be okay.

"Bradley," I say, "I'm sorry."

I'm sure I mumbled out the last part because Bradley didn't respond. We stood up, and Bradley guided me to my bed. I clung to Bradley's hand as he tucked me in. Bradley stayed with me as I couldn't keep my eyes open. I felt better knowing that I could finally sleep peacefully. Eventually, I drift off, dreaming peaceful dreams knowing Bradley is alive and is still my friend.