I was so desperate for the pain to end I assented, but I didn't think I could say it.

"It's ok Rue, I can hear you, especially now, since I'm next to you." Kaden soothed.

"Give me a minute and I'll shut the pain receptors off so you can at least stop screaming." Kaden grumbled. I wanted to apologize, I wasn't even aware I was making noise. I just wanted the pain to end.

"Rue, stop fighting me." Kaden grunted.

'What am I doing?' I wanted to shout. Was it my body or my mind? I had no control and I was losing my mind! I could feel my grip on sanity fading

'Let me just...' A voice spoke in my ear without words. The panic and fear caused by the sudden assault abruptly died. I couldn't think very clearly, and the pain was still unbearable. 'Hold on, hold on' the voice said impatiently, and then, just as quickly as it all started, it ended.

"Is she alright?" I heard Brie ask.

"Yeah, but she's in a sort of coma state right now." Kaden was breathing hard and his voice was strained.

"A COMA!" Brie shrieked.

"Shush Brie, I have to concentrate or I don't know what will happen to Rue." I felt Kaden's fingers on my temples, and I was pretty sure I was laying on the floor.

'Rue, come back to me now' The voice echoed, soft and soothing, like if a cloud had a voice. I floated towards the voice to see what this cloud looked like.

"You shall NOT trespass in my Kingdom again!" Boomed a familiar voice, and suddenly I was certain I was in one of my nightmares.

The ground slanted steeply. No matter how hard I tried to run up to get to the exit at the top, I just kept sliding back down. It was like a fun-house, designed to trap you and play with your mind. This room's floor all curved towards a corner, and it was nice and slippery to keep you from reaching the exit. A door opened abruptly on my right as I once again slid downwards towards the corner of the room. If I could just aim my slide...maybe I could get out. I tried to climb up again, this time I didn't even reach the door. Angrily, I removed my shoes and socks, trying to get more purchase. Why couldn't I stand up damn it? A couple walked through the room, oblivious to my plight. I gripped the floor with my fingers and toes, trying to climb like a child does up a slide. I started sliding again, and could feel the heat on my skin. I aimed for the door...and missed. I angrily yanked off my pants too. Time to use my knees. I could hear people laughing and talking in the next room, so I knew it was possible to get there.

I made it most of the way towards the door and missed again, my knees getting floor burn on the way down. I started to get dizzy and the floor tilted crazily. WHY couldn't I stand up?! I started climbing the floor again. My hands were sweaty, making me lose my grip. I threw myself towards the door vainly and caught just the frame. My arm was shaking with exhaustion and I didn't know how long I could hold on. Something grabbed me from the other room and I let go with a scream.

I fell towards the corner of the room again, but I was suddenly standing in the dark. I knew it was a room, though I couldn't see where it ended or where it began. I was still in the fun-house. Desperately I tried to open my eyelids wider to see in the dark, and realized they were stuck. I started to panic, desperately trying to pry my eyes open, but they resisted. I could only catch glimpses of the dark room before my lids slammed shut again. And then the dread hit me. It crept out of the corner of the room, the feeling of being watched. I knew SOMETHING was in here with me. And it was coming for me. Frantically, I tried to find a doorway or a light switch, but I knew what was going to happen if I found it. I'd been here before. As soon as my fingers found the light switch on the wall, the thing would grab me again. My hand brushed the switch, and as soon as it did, something gripped my arm, hard. I jerked back, but it was following, I desperately ran across the room, hoping I wouldn't hit anything, but not caring because anything had to be better than whatever that THING was going to do to me. It always got me. I was tackled to the floor. Kicking and screaming, I tried to get free, and nearly rolled off the staircase.

"Wait, I remember this dream." I whispered to myself. The staircase began to change on me. The railings and walls fell away to nothingness, that reached on forever. It started to spiral, and a twin spiral appeared beside it, but too far for me to jump to without falling. Above me, the staircase disappeared into the dark, and I knew if I fell, I would fall forever. The stairs narrowed and steepened. I knew I'd been here before.

"Finally! I've been trying to reach you!" The voice behind me scared me. I jerked and stepped backwards, my foot reaching out to find only air. I tried furiously to reclaim my balance, but it was too late. I was falling. I saw Kaden's face above me, and then the stairs melted into a cliff and I knew what was coming next.

The air was pushing past me with such determination that it was like I was laying on a surface instead of plummeting towards the earth. I turned, trying to face the ground at least. I couldn't stand the thought of not knowing when it would all be over. The ground came rushing up to greet me and...

SLAM. I felt every part of my body break. My lungs released the last of the air they held on impact, my body was so broken I knew I had died on impact. I could still feel the pain of the bits of broken bones jaggedly impaling the very organs they were meant to protect. After a few seconds, it all just began to fade, and I knew it was over. I was standing beside my body, looking down at it pitilessly. I had died this death many times before and it no longer phased me. The scenery began to change again, until I was standing in the middle of a crowded street market, staring down at the dead body in front of me. I turned, knowing I was next, and began to run. Someone shouted from behind me, but I wasn't going to let them catch me that easily this time. I rounded a corner and jerked as the knife plunged deep into my chest. I fell, struggling to breathe. The knife had punctured a lung, and the pain was excruciating. I could feeling my body start to grow cold as the blood flowed, filling my lung and running out onto the ground.

"Rue-stop! Rue!" Kaden rounded the corner. "Oh shit, not again..." And the scenery changed again. This time, I was outside and it was night. There were no stars or moon. I kept trying to turn on my flashlight, but the light was so weak. I was sure the batteries must be dying. I had to get out of here. I turned around and ran to my idling car, jumping inside. I hit the gas and started moving down the road, but the damn headlights went out too. I stopped the car. How was I supposed to make it out of here if I couldn't even see?

"Rue, stop running. It's not real." Kaden said softly beside me.