I couldn’t remember where I was. Somewhere in nowhere, a shadow drifted forward in a broken, leaking boat. I could see but no sun stood in the grey sky nor lights around me, the poor dinghy rocked in the dark waters that seemed rejected by all that was right.My past and who I was was unknown to me. What I knew was I was hunting. My prey was my lifeline, and I had to catch him. My boat was pale gray just like the surroundings. The inky depths acted like a mirror to me reflecting all I knew. The only reason the water didn’t devour me was my boat. It was a gray thing matching the surroundings but had holes in it. Slowly but surely it was taking water and I would drown. But that was secondary. I had been fishing with a black line hook into something I couldn’t remember. It was dragging me and now I was so far gone, I would never make it back. Home was gone and the seas would claim me. These thoughts were secondary to the shuddering of the boat. My prey had moved.

It pulled me further toward the great expanse. The waves slammed against me and with a mighty lurch, my boat hull cracked, and the black water rushed over me. I was nearly washed overboard, nearly lost, but I must have my prey. It rose from the water to face me, a massive thing of a dark chimeric nature. My eyes locked with it and I understood. I had lost but even worse it didn’t even consider me worth killing.

****

I woke up in a goddamn straight jacket barely able to breathe. With a thud, I slammed my head into the bed trying to purge the memories of yesterday. I kicked ass, but it was too weird. The damage I dealt out was far more than I ever did before. I broke that guy’s nose with a single punch. Since when could I do that? Basic exercises don’t give you super strength, but if you are crazy enough that seems to work.

Beep … Beep …Beep

What was that? I tried to look around but the room was dark; too dark to even place were I was. The beeping happened again and after a minute I finally placed it. It was a heart monitor, I think. It was either the school nurse or a doctor checking up on me. Either way, I wanted out; I was not completely crazy.

Working the core muscles I developed through training I barely propped myself up without my hands or legs. The monsters were not here and despite how sketchy and creepy this place was, that was a great upside. Taking a breath I looked around the dark room, noticing the heart monitor and the other medical equipment.

Ok, so that was comforting, I thought. It was annoyingly harsh but steady, something to focus on. Still needed to stand up. However, my luck left at that moment. My left leg was bound to the bed, and I didn’t have any way to cut it.

I had to get out of there; something was not right. My eyes scanned around this place locking onto something I missed. Someone was sitting in the right corner motionless. Strangely, the minute I noticed him the more I could see him.

That scared me, looking at a figure like seeing a rotten corpse. It damn well could have been one with something white covering the face. It felt like my neighbor; but much weaker, though still quite dangerous. Instead of having everything feeling like a hammer to the head, it was more like the dull ringing from a drop from slipping. That old strange tick rocked my torso, dancing along my spine and making every action a slow, labored thing. Despite the feeling, I stared back at the figure at the other end of the hospital room.

For a moment I thought it was just a trick or like the face in my bedroom back home. That would be manageable, scary, and nightmarish but not a direct threat. Then it moved, a slight twitch as the smell of old jasmine filled the room. That was all I needed. I began looking around the room for something to either fight it or cut off my leg to get out. With each movement, its head twisted with a wet belch to face me. The strange feeling sprung up like a knife to the gut. Then I started to pull away at the straight jacket, the bands holding to my bed.

It was a strange, bandaged man with a deep purple suit that seemed damp. The face, however, was a clean white that was completely wrapped up hiding whether it was a human or something else. Its movements were stilted and slowed as it turned towards me.

Great, now I was stuck in a horror game. Either I found a way out or it killed me. Well, that was annoying.

My eyes turned to the figure as my hands burned, struggling to pull myself free. I began to do my best impression of a worm. Flopping, twisting, turning; pushing myself back to the wall farthest from the oncoming monster. This was not pointless panic, for once I was prepared. I had researched how to get out of a straightjacket. It was a distinct possibility I was just some crazy person in a padded room. It was always a possibility I noted when I first saw my neighbor. With a quick lift of my hands wrapped over my head reaching for the strap on the neck leaving space for me to peek out. I had to make sure one eye was on the monster approaching. I might be crazy but I wasn't stupid.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

It got closer, its loud echoing steps shaking my very soul. But with each footstep, each leap built something much stronger. My rage held me like burning metal and caused my blood to boil. I needed out. The jacket which was a vice on my body slackened, and with a swift tug, I pulled it off.

The bastard was too close, barely a foot away from my bed. My eyes flicked over to the basin at my side. I grabbed the first sharp thing I managed to find: a small disposable needle. Gripping this tool like a dagger holding it forward with cold breath. It would have to do.

It moved closer barely a foot from my bed with the echoing clatter of brutal footsteps, lavender filling the room. This would be risky, but I refused to die like this. When it was barely a foot from my body, I panicked, pulling at the restraint.

It was an instinctual reaction like ripping back from fire, and all my fear was mixed with rage. Then the adrenaline hit my body, and I tore the stupid band off. The band couldn’t hold me as I lunged toward the beast. I brought the needle around to stab the bastard.

With a crack, it slammed into the fool's head, and I capitalized. In a firm grip, I grabbed the tray and slammed it onto the needle. It was the perfect hammer for the nail. Then I slapped it away, the body falling over the bed. Without a word, I ripped the other binding. It was a strange strength, but it was enough for me. Slipping over to the other side I stood taking a breath.

I needed to find them. My mind roared with conflicting thoughts, all battling for control. I need to get out. I killed something.

Glancing back to the body, I found that it had disappeared. Was it an illusion? It was gone. Was it one of those moments?

Before my mind could even get a chance for fear, a white limb wrapped around my neck and another came around to hold my arms in a strange armbar.

Madness came closer as the head I broke hooked itself on my left shoulder. The white mask was stained with sickly green goo that kept pouring over my shoulder.Then it spoke sweetly to me.

The stranger spoke gleefully like a lover “Most would have given up when faced with me. But you were even weirder than that. I would call you a zealot but your mind revolts against this power, and even now, unprotected, you still stay sane. Relatively,”.

“Let me go,” I sputtered out, pulling at the figure. I struggled to find a way out of the armbar, doing everything I could to get out.

“No, no; make me kid. Won’t say your little stunt was not impressive but it barely makes you worth more than just black bagging. I can understand why they want you. It may be a little hypocritical but you’re a strange one,” it said chuckling at me.

I struggled against it, my fury growing under this assault. I hated it, pulling, twisting, and struggling to get out. Yet it was unfazed, holding me without any reaction. The grip remained firm, neither growing tighter nor weaker.

“Interesting, slightly higher than normal strength, not qualifying for superhuman, just about decent,” it committed, tossing me forward with a wave of its hand.

“Alright, you just need this. Now, come there is a police baton on the couch and you must swing it or you will die. Do you understand little one?” it said, mocking me. “Be quick about it or I shall eat you.”

My face slammed into the ground, stunning me for a moment. However, my rage pushed me forward to the couch. It was playing with me; I needed a way out and my heart pushed me.

With my eyes staring at the figure, my right hand reached for the supposed baton. My fingers probed the sofa, slipping over the leather to something hard and metallic. Gripping it, I stared back at the figure and the strange blood oozing down onto the ground. It shook, its limbs twisting into strange angles as it shuffled forward. Then its lower jaw fell off, a large ribbed tongue extending out. It was a snake tongue, but large clicking spikes were all over the sides as it spat and blood oozed off it. It was far too long: about the size of my arm.

Dashing forward, it tried to hit me with its weird tongue. I narrowly dodged left, slamming the baton into its head. With a bloody thwack, I pushed it back onto the couch. I was going to finish it with another, but then I was forced back by a flick of the tongue, my strength waning. I was coming down, and it was almost as bad as waking up after a dozen energy drinks. Everything was too heavy and I felt cold, too cold. Sweating, I stepped back my body was lead and my mind struggling to focus.

“Two to three minutes, not bad, not bad. Well, you are worth it and I must say the fact you still stand is good enough. You will go far juvenile”, it said, raising its legs first and stretching out its legs onto the ground while the rest lay on the floor bleeding. Then it simply lifted the rest of its body, the head tilting slightly.

“You talk too much. God, what hell do you need to go to deal with this kinda lecture?” I replied moving back, making a bit of space.

“Sadly,brat, you lack spatial awareness,” it said stepping towards me.

I leaped back slamming into the wall behind me. Blinking I knew I had made a mistake and the results were swift. A fist slammed into my head, knocking it against the wall and crashing my brain into my skull. I crumbled my mind taking a minute and my body went on break.

“Wait, oh that hurt,” I spurted, struggling to breathe.

“ Just barely tougher than the norm. Neat,” it said, grabbing something.

“Wh-”

Before I could make my witty remark, a cloth wrapped around my head. It smelled funny, and before I could struggle the creature pinned me to the ground. With a desperate gasp, I took in the chemical. Chloroform? No that would take too long. Why would a nightmare need Chloroform?

Thankfully, it knocked me out, so I didn't panic too much. At least that was one good thing about being kidnapped.