The fire crackled beside me as I flipped through Dr. Prescott’s journal, now spattered with blood on the edge of the pages.

All that I read was exactly as he told it to me. The only new information was a series of eldritch runes and symbols, none of which I knew the meaning of nor wished to use. In any case, I pocketed the book. If nothing else, it would prove to the others that what I told them was true.

I exited his office, not wishing to stay there for any longer than was necessary.

As I progressed through the hall, I began to hear queer sounds. Footsteps, distant shouts, and wails of anguish. As the sounds became clearer, I went from walking to jogging. From jogging to running. From running to sprinting.

Initially, I had thought the sounds to be produced near me. Caused by guards rushing towards the gunshot… Yet, the noises only became louder as I got further away from Dr. Prescott’s office. It sounded as if they were coming from the patient’s lounge…

I finally reached the end of the hall and began to slowly open the door. I saw dozens of workers rush to and fro in panic. They barked at one another and carried documents back and forth. Every so often one would pass by with blood-stained on their pristine white garments.

Looking further in, I saw the carnage that the workers rushed to quell. Patients had somehow been roused from their shambling, thoughtless, ways and were now ferocious and violently attacking friend and foe alike as if they were animals.

It was a riot in the lounge, and on the opposite side was the exit… If I wanted to escape, I somehow had to move through them.

At the very least, I did not have to worry about the others. I took longer than expected, and with the hectic scene before me, I thought it a safe assumption to presume they had already gotten themselves off the premises. Unfortunately, their distraction was my obstacle.

I did have a plan, although it was a risky one.

If I was completely honest with myself; I was a weak man. If I were to emerge into the crowd and try to push my way through, there would surely be no way I would make it back out. My only two options were to either sneak by or quell their violence, and with how full the lounge was with patients and workers alike I doubted I would be able to move by unnoticed.

That left one option, and it was one that required I not make a single mistake.

I took a deep breath, then swung the door completely open. Praying that the patients had some sort of reason past their animalistic bloodlust, I raised the pistol high into the air and let off a round.

Instantly, the room became quiet. The eyes of patients and workers alike turned to look at me.

Keep your calm. Be in control. If they see hesitation, you’re dead. I thought to myself.

Locking eyes with the biggest and most blood-covered patient, I lowered the gun to him. My feet began to step forward as I kept my finger on the trigger.

There was not much intelligence left in the blood-soaked lunatic’s eyes, but he still lurched back as I grew closer. Like an animal, all he understood was my confidence and the shock of the sound I had made. I had to keep looking him in the eyes and everything would be fine. Don’t let any of them realize I am so severely outnumbered.

The crowd dispersed as I kept a steady pace forward. Once I entered the mob, I knew there was no turning back. There were maniacs to my left and right.

Once I passed him, I quickly switched my attention from the one patient to another. It turned out to be a bad idea, as in the time that I switched targets the crowd grew closer. My gap was significantly smaller, but still enough for me to get to the door.

Panic shot down my limbs as I struggled to keep myself confident with the doubts growing in my mind. A meter was all that kept me from freedom, and one violent patient was all that kept me from being ripped apart.

I passed the center of the crowd, and that time I made sure to keep my aim on the same target. That did require to begin walking backward, and leaving my back so vulnerable, though. The crowd noticed, and began to creep closer. The likelihood of escaping was becoming less and less as they kept coming closer at a rate I could not match. I needed to turn heel and run if I were to make it through the gap.

My breathing became deeper as I prepared myself. They noticed my growing anxiety and began to close in.

A dirt and blood-covered hand emerged from the crowd, reaching for me. More arms began to grope the air, inches away from finding purchase on my shirt and pulling me into their pit of violence and gore.

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With them making their move, I decided to make mine. I lowered my weapon, turned, and went into a full sprint. Voices immediately were raised, and my opening had rapidly started to fill with the blood-frenzied patients.

I kept running as hands glanced at my shoulder and leg. The only thing that kept them from grasping me was the other patients in the crowd pulling and tugging at one another. Their mania kept them from making significant progress in closing the gap.

My heart bounced and my breath sputtered as I tried to increase my pace. I was almost to the exit.

Yet, as I grew closer, a patient finally completed the circle around me. He stood between me and the door, arms extended. A wicked smile grew on his crimson soaked visage. Subdued laughter eeked through his yellow teeth.

Did I stop? Did I try to shoot him?

No. I had no time to aim nor to halt. My momentum was my only saving grace. I may have weighed nearly nothing, but this crazed man was drugged and unstable. I had to hope my speed was enough to bring him off his feet.

I brought my head low and my shoulder forward. His arms braced against me as I got closer, but I continued to run forward.

His foot shuffled back on the hardwood in order to stabilize himself, but once he lost traction he lost completely against my bullrush. His laughter soon became a gasp of surprise.

His foot continued to slide back with my force against him. In a mere moment, I had brought the mad patient's balance completely off. He was on the ground before he could fully grasp me, and I was still running.

He could not grip my shirt, leading him and only him to lay vulnerable on the ground, soon to be piled on by other lunatics and torn apart.

My balance was severely off, but I was able to correct myself and return to a full stride before anyone dare think about following me. Finally, I was running against the gravel walkway and within proximity of the gate.

My vision was blurry from the adrenaline, and my head was light from all the blood rushing to my legs. Nonetheless, I could navigate to the street.

Looking behind me, I saw that the chaos in the hospital stayed there, meaning I had enough time to organize myself and catch my breath.

Taking my hands to my knees, I sighed and looked about my surroundings. It was raining lightly, and the streets were nearly empty. It was early in the morning, as the sun had just barely risen, and the air was still icy cold. I saw no sign of the others, but I had thought they would not be simply waiting at the entrance.

Especially not considering the sound I heard.

After my breathing slowed, I noticed horses galloping and whistles being blown… My gunshots had alerted the authorities.

If Price was right, it meant that they would be no friends of ours. The others were nearby, and I gravely needed to find them before the police arrived.

Bells and whistles emanated from the left, so I decided to run right.

I knew these streets like the back of my hand. There were multiple alleys they could be hiding in down the road, and if nothing else, I was running in the direction of my apartment.

All my strategizing about the alleys did not matter as my luck held. As I passed the very first alley near the asylum, voices shouted out “Chatwood!”

I skid to a stop and turned. All four of the others were huddled together behind random piles of debris.

While still standing in the street, I looked over them. The most shocking of all of them was Hughes, who had been wrapped in medicated linen from head to toe like a deranged mummy. His nose was missing, and all parts of his face that showed through the fabric was puffy and scarred.

Price was standing in the center, a bloody bandage wrapped around his forearm. The blood-soaked through in the shape of a crescent on both the underside and top, making me suspect he had been bitten by a patient some time in his rally. He might get a nasty infection, but otherwise he seemed fine.

Emilia hummed the music box song to herself as Bradley peered at the surroundings in a state of disassociation.

They began to exit the alley as I turned back towards the sounds of whistles in the distance. They knew as well as I that their hiding place was insufficient. We needed to keep going and find somewhere more secure.

Once we gathered, we moved as quickly down the road as possible. It was difficult to herd those of us who were only recently awakened from their drug-induced psychosis, but we had enough momentum to outpace the police. I feared we would not have the ability to outrun them after they finished assessing the hospital, though.

I led the pack, and by instinct I took us down the path to my apartment. The door to my lodging was in view, and the keys were in my pocket, yet my better judgement knew it would be an unwise decision to hide there. We had no clue how much the police knew and how involved they were in the crazed plot of the hospital, but if they knew anything, they would search our homes first.

Time was running out though, and the only thing beyond my apartment was the docks… That, and another building…

I broke apart from the others, whispering “Follow me. I know where we can hide.”

Ducking behind the alley of two buildings, I moved to a door. The back entrance of the butchery was old, wooden, and in complete disrepair. From my knowledge with Payne the butcher, I knew he refused to pay the expense of fixing the broken lock.

I squeezed tightly and turned the knob. Slowly, the rusty bolt creaked open. There were several boxes in the way, but not enough for me and all the others who had quickly arrived. All together we pushed, and whatever was stacked against the door came tumbling down.

We quickly ran into the building and shut the hatch behind us.

Leaning against the various toppled crates, I let out a sigh. We were safe, for the time being.

We would have a moment to rest, I thought. That was, until I opened my eyes once more.

Payne stood in the middle of the room, wide-eyed and clutching an old broom. He muttered “What the hell is this?”

Price reached towards the blade hidden in his boot, but I clutched onto his arm. Due to my racing heart and complete shock, words came out slowly. Nonetheless, I gave the best excuse I could. “We… Um… We can explain…”