I am back... I need you no more... Leave my body...

A set of incoherent mumbles kept repeating in Amelia's head. She could neither adhere to it nor ignore it. She wanted to wake up so badly but she was held captive in sleep. Her limbs ached severely. It was a sharp sting from her right forearm that gave her a pull from the pit of unconsciousness.

She found herself in a place she was partially familiar with. It was obviously a hospital . One could blindly identify a hospital with its smell. But Amelia found the place eerily familiar.

She looked around the room which was illuminated by blood-red, warm early morning sun light. The interior design was quite similar to that of the VIP wards in her own hospital. She knew well that she wasn't at Brooklyn. The back of her throat tasted bitter as the truth started to sink in.

She was in Manhattan. She was so close to her doom.

With mighty effort, Amelia leaned both her hands on the bed sides and tried to raise her body. Another sting from her right arm, she helplessly slumped back to the bed. It was then she saw the bandage which was wrapped around from her knuckles to her elbow. Even the minutest of movements in that arm made her wince in pain.

Engrossed by curiosity, she slowly undid the knots of her bandage and unwrapped it. As the bandage became thinner and thinner, her wounds became vulnerable to bleeding and infection. Like hot wax being ripped from skin while waxing, she pulled the sheets of cotton that caressed her cuts with antiseptic.

She gasped as soon as she saw the message conveyed by the wounds. Though the cuts were made at a safe distance from her wrist, the idea of passing messages using flesh was savage. None of her alters appreciated the idea of self-harming. The words I AM BACK  were highlighted dark red over her pale skin.

Her chest tightened with lack of air. She forgot to breathe in the surprise caused by the cuts. It was so unusual. To her knowledge, all of her alters were right handed, but this action had been done using her left hand!

She would wager that it wasn't Leo or Nick or Barbara or Iris. Though she slightly doubted Charlie, her last alter, the thought immediately faded as Charlie was a ten year old who was frightened to do such blood-curdling tasks.

She ran a hand through her messed up brunette hair. Her hand stopped in the middle of her head, not only because her hair was knotted, but a creepy idea crawled out of her mind and squeezed her insides.

Is there a possibility of these cuts being the work of a new alter? The seventh one?

Amelia wildly shook her head sideways, "No. It couldn't. It couldn't be"

Without an alert, tears strode down her cheeks uninterruptedly. Accidentally a drop of tear fell over her cut and seeped into it. Amelia tugged at her lower lip as the pain from her arm increased minute by minute. The door creaked open and a nurse stepped inside yawning.

Her face became pale at the sight of Amelia with her bandage removed. She was tired from looking after her mistress wide awake round the clock. A few minutes before she left for a coffee break hoping that Amelia wouldn't wake up in the mean time. The nurse was agitated, for she might as well be fired by the hospital for her carelessness. Amelia lifted her tear-stricken face and glanced at the nurse which made the insides of the nurse melt. She didn't care about being fired anymore, for all mattered was the injured patient who needed her assistance.

Immediately the nurse grabbed a bottle of distilled water and started cleaning the cuts. She never uttered a word, as not alone she but all the staffs of the Hamilton group knew how much of a ill tempered person was Amelia Hamilton.

Amelia yanked back her arm curtly. She wasn't angry with the nurse but with herself for being so weak and vulnerable. She wouldn't be shocked if she wakes up next time as a new alter. All she did was lock up inside her room and cry which brought her to this position. If she had done something before, then there would be no reason for her to be the D.R.E.A.M's target.

The nurse didn't give up. She was persistent to keep her name in the hospital's employee list. She held Amelia's wrist, this time with force implied. Amelia shook her hand away, annoyed.

"Don't you dare" threatened Amelia with a flaring look. The nurse determinedly stood before her, where others would've crouched with fear.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. I think I have to sedate you" She was ready to go to any extent to have her duty done.

"There is no need for any sedation. She needs to stay awake today" The nurse's cheeks flushed red as Ethan walked inside the room. Amy felt relieved to see Ethan unharmed. She threw her hand around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder.

Ethan sighed, "For Christ's sake Amy, please have mercy on my suits. This is the second one you are spoiling"

Amy noticed blood stains at the suit's collar and immediately withdrew her arm. Though she knew Ethan didn't mean it, she felt sorry for ruining his costly suits.

"Where were you all this time?" moaned Amy

"Paying compensation. The company do need money to buy detergent for washing the blood stains from the seats. You know blood stains don't fade easily so any ordinary detergent wouldn't do good" said Ethan. He made the sarcasm sound so serious that Amy burst into laughter. Ethan smiled without his knowledge just because Amy laughed. 

"Well if you don't wrap up your cuts, you need to pay the same amount of compensation to me" said Ethan.

"Yeah. Anyways after me you have to look after my money so it doesn't bother to give away a little now"

Ethan's chest hardened like a boulder on hearing those words. He knew well that Amy was speaking the inevitable truth and there was no way for him to lie about it, yet he gave his best to maintain the humor in the atmosphere.

"Show off. As if I can't" he mocked. He couldn't utter a word after that. To save him from trouble, the nurse completed bandaging by then . Without another word, she exited the room before they both could think about employee dismissals.

Ethan locked the door as soon as the nurse left. He turned back to Amy with grimace spread all over his face. Suddenly the light and warm atmosphere became biting cold. Amy didn't like the idea of walking her hidden truths over the arena.

"Why did you do it?" was Ethan's first question. Amy anticipated it, but didn't prepare any answer for such a nerve-wrecking question. She dug her palm with her fingernails. She would've appreciated if they continued mocking each other which made her forget everything for a moment.

She stared at the ground for awhile and eventually decided to tell, for Ethan was the only creature who genuinely cared for her. He deserved to know the truth at least for saving her every time when she was in trouble.She lifted her chin to meet Ethan's olive black eyes which was filled with apprehension.

Determinedly she said, "Ethan. I think, a new alter showed up"

                                                                             **************

It took all of Amy's guts to take a step outside the hospital room. The thought of appearing for a trial before the D.R.E.A.M was the only nightmare which daunted her for years. She fooled herself that she wouldn't live to face such a dreading moment but unfortunately she lived, regretting each and every beat of her heart.

Not appearing for the trial had unimaginable consequences for which enduring the moment would be a million times better. She wore a full sleeve blouse so that her bandage would remain concealed. Winding up all her fears, she was left with a considerable amount of audacity which took her to the car. Ethan himself was the driver. He wanted to spend the last few moments by shoveling Amelia's perseverance.

Silence prevailed till there were only a few miles left to reach the D.R.E.A.M's headquarters. Amy's legs trembled evidently showing her trepidation. Ethan couldn't help being annoyed by her act.

"Amy will you please stop doing that. Your body language is enough to make people assume some shit about you" Ethan had never spoke so harsh to Amy. He found himself in a devastating state that he uttered foul words without knowledge.

"I'm sorry Ethan. I couldn't help it" Amy burst into tears which she had been holding for long. Ethan felt remorse for taking it hard on a kid.

"I'm sorry Amy. I'm just mind fucked with all those things going around you. They affect me as much as they affect you. Remember we are always a family. We stand up for each other. Now could you make me a promise?" requested Ethan

"Don't ask me to stay alive. It is out of my hands" retorted Amy

"I want to ask something more than that. Just promise me that how much ever intense your sorrow becomes, never lose hope on life. Have in mind that myself, Hayden, Ellie, Lance and.." Ethan thought for awhile before adding a new member to his list of trusted people around Amy.

"And?" Amy raised an interrogative eyebrow.

Ethan took a deep breath, "And Jake. We'll be always looking for you so never have the idea of doing something stupid"

Amy smiled at Jake being added to the list of family. Ethan did it on purpose. He knew that Amy was comfortable when she was around Jake. Ethan didn't know what she found in that sorry excuse for a secretary, but he found that Amy was beginning to feel confident to face the outer world assured that Jake was always there to hold her back. He also knew that their feelings were mutual, only they didn't discover it yet.

"I'll try" said Amy. She neither swore nor refused. She just procrastinated her promise that depended on the results of the trials which was about to happen in an hour.

                                                                            **************

Amy couldn't believe that only ten minutes have passed since they arrived there. They waited in the lobby expecting to be called in. Each minute passed dead slow, that she wished she was already in there instead of waiting every weary second in the void lobby.

Light footsteps that echoed from the hallway to her right grabbed Amy's attention. She straightened on her seat and faked a calm expression on her face. With arduous mental effort, she prepared herself to meet with anyone. Except for one person.

The footsteps were heard louder.

Let it not be Orion. Not that demon. Please.

And the person showed up.

Amy felt ashamed of herself to reach the depths of anticipation to see a boy of merely fourteen or fifteen years of age. He was so innocent with the warm smile on his face. He never ceased to be overjoyed on meeting new people. He waved his hand and took a seat next to Amy.

The boy was wearing a grey linen shirt and trousers, which was the uniform for the D.R.E.A.M's patients. Amy felt life was more cruel to him, as it afflicted his childhood with DID. Yet he seemed to be happy as he never wiped off the endearing smile from his face.

"Hey lads welcome to the Dissociation Rate Evaluation and Analysis Monitor. Let the odds be in your favor" he sniggered.

"How do you get to see hunger games in there?" questioned Ethan. Amy had zero percent knowledge on fantasy movies and books. Maybe Leo or Iris would know as they use the home theater room most of the time back in the mansion.

"Well we have ample time for recreation. They think it is a great diversion for mentally disturbed people." said the boy, "So who is the one with the it?"

"It? What is the it you are talking about?" Amy was invoked by the boy's interesting attitude.

He shook his head, "We have this stupid psychology, that if we don't think or talk about it we have chances of controlling it. So if I say what it is it, I might have to undergo detention for saying it about it"

"Whoa, do you hear yourself while you talk?" said Ethan, infuriated.

"Actually I don't" he agreed

"That explains it" said Ethan

"No! I didn't explain it. When did I explain.." Amy shut the boy's mouth with her hand to stop him from uttering nonsense.

"Just stop it and tell when the next trial is to be held?" said Amy. She was getting tensed because of the boy whom she thought was innocent. The boy licked her palm to get rid of it from his mouth. Amy withdrew her hand with a disgusting look on her face.

"Eww..gross." Amy wiped her hand over his linen shirt until it was clean. The boy shrugged which expressed that it was Amy's fault to shut his mouth first.

"So you are here to be one among us! What a pleasure!" he shrieked.

"Don't say that yet. I will prove myself in the trial and get rid of this hellhole" retorted Amy.

The boy caught her left wrist and rolled her sleeves over the monitor fixed on it, "You know what this thing is? They fix it on you only after getting a strong evidence of your mischief that would make you lose in the trial. They lure you into a trap showing that you have fat chance to win the trial while you end up falling into the pit. I have seen it being done to many people including myself" he wasn't playing around anymore. He genuinely warned Amy. Worry glinted over the surface of his eyes.

Beads of sweat trickled down Amy's forehead. The boy had known more about the seriousness of the trial than she did. Probably it was the way the trap worked. Why she had been so foolish?

Another pair of heavy footsteps clopped to the lobby. It was the demon Amy awaited. He was as daunting as ever with his silver eyes, silver hair and lustrous silver lips.

Orion sneered at the sight of the boy with Amy and Ethan, "Hermes! Go back to your dorm or else you have to spend the entire night in the dark hole"

The little boy Hermes darted away frightened. Amy's eyes were fixed to the ground. She didn't dare to look once more at his face. Orion was impressed by the way he stirred up the dread inside Amy. He simply liked to be around her for that reason.

"Miss Hamilton, please follow me. Your trial would be held in a few minutes" Orion turned back and walked down the hallway. He didn't have the necessity to turn around to check whether she was following as he knew that she had no better choice. As expected, Amelia followed him suit. She turned behind to have last glances of Ethan in the lobby before the door closed.

He took a left and then a right. They walked down many impressive hallways which Amy couldn't help but admire. Finally he stopped before a room with huge double door entrance. He dialed the door's password before they were granted access to enter. Orion beckoned Amy to follow him.

Amy clenched her fists. She shouldn't show her weakness to anyone inside there. As Ethan said, she shouldn't let people assume shit about her. She cleared her troubled mind and entered the room half-ready to face anything to be thrown at her.

Trial number one-five-zero-eight. Name: Amelia Hamilton. Age: twenty six. Sex: Female. Blood group: AB positive. Alter count: six. Dissociation rate: abnormal.

One of the directors of the board announced her details and took his seat among the others. All of them including Orion were wearing black suits, which resembled a funeral gathering. The room had a lengthy rectangular table with twelve members, six on either side. The board members were having blank expressions on their faces which made her worry even more.

Orion pulled a chair at one corner of the table which was separated from all the others and gestured Amy to sit. Amy immediately sat as she couldn't control the violent shivering of her legs. Orion took the empty seat beside her which was meant for him. She gave a quick glance around the table and found few familiar faces who were acquainted with her family.

"Folks, as Aaron said we have our trial number one-five-zero-eight, Amelia Hamilton. If you want to ask her any question, feel free to ask" said Orion.

Aaron, the director who announced her details, raised his hand, "Miss Hamilton, everyone in this table know that you are the only true heir to a billion dollar group. What will happen to the Hamilton group and the families dependent on it if you were found guilty?"

You power hungry bitches. You have no consideration for anything other than money. I might as well have my property transferred to my rivals instead of money thirsty souls like you.

"It depends on my decision. You needn't worry about it" grumbled Amy

"Well, we need to worry when you are proved insane in this session. Best of luck miss" simpered Aaron. Amy wished she was like Nick, who wouldn't hesitate to damage handsome faces when he felt like it.

Orion interrupted their conversation which was heating up. "Quiet please. I received a video from an unknown source two weeks before. It has enough evidence to make Miss Hamilton not leave this place. Please do enjoy yourself gentlemen"

Orion snapped his fingers and instantly a blank image popped up on the screen hung over the white wall to her opposite.

"Play" ordered Orion.

The video played. Amy gasped.

Who the hell gave them this video?

--------------------------------------------

AN: Three cheers to myself for writing a long chapter after a long time. Hey guys, thank you so much for waiting to read each and every update of Phases Eight. I'm so held up with studies that I could update only once a week.

In today's chapter you met a new character- Hermes. Please do express your views about the cute little creature.

You might have doubts about Amy's last alter- Charlie, the ten year old boy. If you go back to Phase 11 Hallucinations, you can find Charlie over there.

And finally I dedicate this chapter to @xxlakscoolxx as a birthday present. Many more happy returns of the day dear!!

Thinking of which, I've decided to dedicate a chapter to my readers on their birthdays as my birthday present. So tell me, when is your birthday?