Page 24 of Visions of Darkness

Tears blinked from her eyes. “I’m trying to.”

I slipped along the edge of consciousness. Everything felt both too heavy and too light.

My breaths were shallow, the walls of the small room where I’d been taken closing in. The space barely large enough to contain the two twin beds.

Again, I’d been told that everything would be just fine.

How I knew it wouldn’t be, I wasn’t sure, but I did.

Maybe that’s why I couldn’t fully slip into sleep, why a scream lay idle on my lips, silenced by the weight sitting on my chest.

My legs and arms felt unnaturally weak. A counterfeit, false peace that pinned me to the hard mattress.

But my insides were twisted. My gut tangled and stretched tight.

Losing it earlier was likely the most detrimental thing I could have done, but I hadn’t been able to stop the onslaught of despair.

Knowing if I didn’t, I would wind up here.

I guessed a deep-seated fear had been borne of this place the first time I’d been committed.

Taking in a steeling breath, I released it with a whisper of his name. “Pax, I need you. I need you so much.”

Never more than right then.

I jerked up when a light tapping came from the door, and it was opened before I had a chance to reply.

“Aria?” A woman wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a docile smile on her face peeked inside, her brown hair twisted in a high bun.

“Yes?”

Pushing the rest of the way inside, she angled her head as she approached. “I’m Dr. Perry.”

She had on blue tailored slacks and a floral blouse, her heels short and as smart as her brown eyes.

Fighting the exhaustion, I forced myself to sitting and leaned against the cold brick wall.

A chair screeched as it was dragged across the floor, and she settled onto it. She situated a tablet on her lap, crossing her legs as she tapped into what she was looking for.

Nerves rattled when I realized she was studying my records. She scrolled for what felt like forever, although probably mere minutes had passed.

Finally, she returned her gaze to me. “I want you to know you can tell me anything, Aria. This is a safe place, and I’m here to help you.”

I could feel it radiate from her pores.

Sincerity.

Goodness.

The desire to make a difference.

I nodded, knowing petulance would get me nowhere. She would dig until she was satisfied I was telling the truth, and I knew I’d have to give her exactly what she wanted to hear.

Manipulating the system that way sucked, especially when I believed in it. Believed in the devotion of people like Dr. Perry.

They just couldn’t help me—not when I’d been created to help them.

“Okay,” I mumbled, my tongue still not fully cooperating.

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