As I stood there, my hands fisted so tightly they were going numb, a stray thought punched through the rage.

The mere thought of my actions if it weren’t for that little ray of sunshine – or light bulb, whatever – will haunt me for a long time.

“Wait a minute, what do you mean they told you I’d free them? And what happened today to make you believe that I would?”

Lies!

Don’t listen to her lies!

Liz squirmed and her eyes shot to the still-open door. I wondered how long we had until curfew. Once the clock chimed ten o’clock, the timers engaged and all the doors would close and lock electronically. After that, the only way to open a patient’s door was with two orderlies and a nurse; a three-point security lock. I hoped they had different procedures for the suicidal patients.

Kill her now!

“Liz?” I called, a tad softer. She looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights. Her eyes were widened to the point of freaking me the hell out. She held the covers up to her nose but her entire bed shook. “Are you alright?”

“They’re here,” she whispered and turned those huge, depthless eyes on me. I took an involuntary step backward when I realized the whites of her eyes were no longer white. Black orbs stared back at me and every hair – both long and short – on my body stood at attention.

“Who’s here?” I asked. “Who do you see?” I took another step toward my bed. Afraid of what I’d see if I turned around, I sat down and pulled my own covers up and over my head. I kept Liz in my field of view. Right now, I didn’t trust her not to attack me. I had a pretty good idea of what she saw, but I wanted her to admit it.

Instead, her arm snaked out from underneath her blanket, and her pointer finger extended, directly toward the open doorway. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Tears filled her eyes, so many they eventually streamed down her cheeks, but she never uttered a word.

Her entire arm shook, from the exertion of holding it up or fear, I’ll never know, because the timers activated and our door slid shut with a soft whoosh. The lock clicked, sealing us in our room for the night.

“Is it still there?” I asked softly but she didn’t move a muscle. “Liz!” I called a little louder. “Stop it and answer me!” My own breathing had grown erratic and I struggled to calm down. It would do no good for me to hyperventilate of have another seizure.

Liz’s head swiveled back to gaze at me and suddenly she collapsed backward onto her mattress with enough force to break her neck. She bounced a few times, her body mimicking what I’d imagine my own looked like earlier today when I convulsed.

She isn’t strong enough to fight us all.

We will silence her for you. You will be safe. He comes for you soon.

“No!” I yell and lunge from my bed, tossing covers as I went. I grabbed Liz’s shoulders and pressed her body down into the soft mattress. I pressed down with everything I had and gritted my teeth.

Spittle foamed from her lips, but she stopped seizing. I reached and turned her head to the side so she wouldn’t aspirate and slowly backed away to give her some room and air.

She will die.

She will die before you wake.

“Leave her alone,” I demand into the empty air. The voices were back solely in my head. Turning around slowly, I exhaled in relief when no shadows lurked in our room. The one I’d seen hovering over my footboard was gone as well. “Stay away,” I forced through gritted teeth. I’d accepted the voices as long as they merely tormented me, but in attacking Liz, they’d crossed a line. I refused to harm anyone and they’d have to go through me to do it themselves.

They won’t stop until they’re free. An angel’s soft echo slid through my head. Your friend is right about one thing, you are the portal and the demons will kill to keep you safe.

“I don’t understand,” I whined and dove back onto my bed, my fingers frantically clawing at the worn cotton blanket. “How am I a portal? I’m nobody.” Tears filled my eyes. “What do they want with me?”

You are the Beloved of their Master. He will come for you. Only you can set him free. Only you can EVER set him free.

“I’m nobody,” I repeat, my voice a bare whisper. “I’m a nobody.”

You’re wrong. The demons declared loudly. You’re the past, present and future.

A myriad of battle cries erupted in my head as the angels and demons clashed in combat, each one vying for control in my mind. The excruciating pain had me clawing at my temples to alleviate the pressure. It was like someone had shoved a waterhose in my ear and turned the faucet on full blast. Warmth gushed from both my nose and ears and I knew without looking that it was blood. Pressing my eyes shut as tightly as possible, I screamed at the top of my lungs to try and drown out the chaos.

A/N: Please don't forget to vote!