Evelyn’s angst immediately evaporated into shock and confusion. She looked up in alarm, lowering her wrist from where it had gone to rub her eyes again.

What the fuck?

She’d heard the door open, but she’d been certain no one had come in. And yet, someone was there.

The deep voice had come from a black shape sitting in the never-used visitor’s chair in the corner of the room. 

Her mind was having a difficult time comprehending what she was seeing. The body shape matched the masculine voice, and the long legs made it seem a bit tall for the chair. Its elbows were resting on the chair's arms, and what seemed to be unusually long fingers were steepled together in a patient manner. She couldn't see a face, or even a head, only two tiny specks of light that almost appeared to be floating. It was as if that part of its body was entirely cloaked in shadow rather than made of it like the rest, just out of reach of the faint light from under the door or coming through the window.

Even with the lights out, it seems so much darker there than it should be… Maybe that's what they meant when they said darkness creeps up when you're dying. I might be losing my vision now.

Yet the shape seemed far too clear in that darkness for that theory to make sense. Evelyn felt a cold chill run through her body as it shifted, seeming pleased to have gotten her attention. It raised a hand as if making a discussion point.

“That is what you want, is it not? To be healed. Whole.”

Common sense finally broke through the fog of shock. Evelyn closed her eyes and flopped back down onto the pillow, turning back towards the window.

Oh. It's a hallucination. Taunting me... of course that's what I want, even now. But what would the point be of even thinking about it? It’s impossible .

She frowned down at the switch in her hand, her thumb running over the button.

Should I take a dose? Or will that make it worse, if it's from the drugs?

“Ah. Understandably, you do not think I am real.”

“You aren't real,” she responded out loud, staring out the window harder now to avoid looking at the shadowy void. The reflection of the two shiny things floating in it made that impossible. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, but it was still there when she opened them again. “Please go away and let me die in peace.”

“How should I prove it to you?” It paused, as if thinking. It seemed like a hand had gone to where a chin would be. “You wanted it to snow, did you not?”

Evelyn closed her eyes tightly again.

Ugh… stop it. Why now? Why am I hallucinating now?

The click of dress shoes on the tile floor forced Evelyn to open her eyes. 

To think I see something is one thing, and for it to talk to me is something else, but for it to interact with the environment… isn’t that a little too detailed?

She watched as the thing walked over to the window, still somehow cloaked in shadow. It raised a hand, illuminated as a black silhouette against the glass. There was a clicking noise, like three quick finger snaps, although it only moved once. Evelyn stared as the hand drew back from the light into darkness.

What on earth am I even imagining? I’ve never seen anything like that. Those fingers are so long and pointed, and its skin looks pure black. 

Geez… Now , at the end of my life, I’m suddenly creative?

“And now it is snowing.” The voice sounded so confident that Evelyn couldn’t help but turn back to the window. Her eyes snapped fully open in shock.

It was snowing.

“Well?” The thing said expectantly as she didn't reply. “Do you acknowledge me now?”

Evelyn turned from the window to the shadow. There was a strange lump growing in her throat. “That... that doesn't prove anything! I noticed the snow starting and subconsciously created something that made it start. That’s all!”

The lump grew tighter. “I don't understand why , though. And I don’t know why I’m talking to the thing I imagined, either! If I was going to hallucinate something I could talk to, why couldn't I have done it earlier? Instead of being alone for so long—”

A tear had worked its way out, then another. A sharp cough tore its way out of her lungs, and she wheezed as her body tried to catch its breath. The pain was coming back. She lifted the drip button and slammed it with her thumb as she glared at the shadow. “Goodbye, now. Thanks for the snow, but I’m going to go die in peace, even if I’m asleep and won’t notice when it happens.”

She turned away pointedly to look back out of the window, forcing herself to stare through the dark reflection. The peaceful snowflakes drifting from the sky were contrary to her racing heart. It wasn’t slowing down; the numbing fluid wasn’t pushing through her veins. She picked up the button in annoyance. “Why isn't this damn thing…”

She realized the light from the hallway was blocked. Evelyn looked up. The shadowy thing stood next to her.

“My apologies, but you will need to be fully coherent for this conversation.”

She hadn't seen it move, or heard the clack of its shoes on the tile floor. And yet there it was, right next to her. She swallowed heavily as she noticed what was in its hand. It had pinched the IV tubing between two long, dark fingers, preventing the medication from flowing. As she watched, the dark hand flexed, and the tubing fell down in two halves upon the bed. Cool liquid began to dribble onto the sheets.

“What the...” Evelyn picked up the broken end, and felt around the bars on the side of the bed. There was nothing sharp it could have cut on.

Why... why would I imagine something like this?! I didn't want to die hurting, or afraid, and this is… I can’t even comprehend it!

Why is this hallucination so real?

“Look at me.”

She closed her eyes, taking a deep, raspy breath as she gripped the torn IV tube, then slowly looked up. 

The thing was still standing beside her bed, more clear and solid than ever. It was an impossibly tall, masculine form, wearing an entirely black formal suit and shirt. The two white specks were now clearly light gleaming off of where eyes would be, and they were peering down at her from the darkness. Oddly, it smelled faintly of woodsmoke, like a campfire. Evelyn could feel her heart banging in palpitations in her chest.

Why can’t I see its face? It’s so dark, but only there.

It was like it was standing in a black fog that let off just under its neck. Her brain hurt trying to comprehend it.

“I will ask again. Do you want to be healed?”

Although said in a calm, even tone, the words still felt mocking. Evelyn felt her lips trembling, and she dropped heavily back onto the bed, avoiding looking at the shadow by glaring up at the ceiling.

“What a stupid question!” She dropped her wrist over her eyes, trying to choke down a sob. “Of course I do. I don't want to hurt so much. I don't want to die! I just... I wanted to live a normal, healthy life, that's all I ever wanted! And I couldn’t, so why are you here at the end of it, mocking me for it?”

“Mocking? That is certainly not my intent.” The thing paused, then leaned forward slightly. Its voice sounded ever so slightly eager . “If that is indeed your true wish… I will ask clearly. Do you want me to heal you?”

“If you can do it, then why not just hurry up and do it already?” Evelyn grit her teeth against the throbbing beginning in her head in time with her heavily beating heart. She could feel the cough suppressant wearing off—she was going to start wheezing soon, especially if she kept talking, especially if she kept talking angrily . “Oh, because you can't , of course, because you aren't real , and my final minutes of this shitty life are going to be spent talking to myself and a particularly cruel hallucination. Fuck !”

It seemed to ignore her tirade entirely as it leaned over her. “Say yes. I need you to say that word, specifically, in response to this. Evelyn Barraster. Do you agree to let me heal you?”

“ Yes , then,” Evelyn said sarcastically, closing her eyes instead of rolling them. Her chest heaved as she let out another rasping memory of a sigh. “But I know you can't. So go away , already!”

There was the same soft clicking noise in triplicate. It seemed to have snapped its fingers again.

“It is done. The contract is sealed.”

Contract…?

Evelyn let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, then half opened them, feeling strange and dizzy. It was still above her.

I guess I'm dying now... but that... thing is still here…

What a strange thing for my brain to decide to end on. Still… it’s nicer than I thought… to not be entirely… alone…

The shadowy fog over it seemed to be lifting, somewhat, as her vision began to tunnel, and turn gray. It leaned over her further, as if watching the process of her death. She blinked at it as her eyelids became heavier and heavier.

Evelyn had one strange, final thought before she closed her eyes for the last time.

Are those... horns?