My back hits the window. Behind him the flames climb higher. They dance and dip and Johnny stands in front of them, letting the fire move through him. I find his green eyes and beseech to him. If only he can help me. If only.
Then there’s movement. There’s movement in the flames. Dark shadows rise, dozens of them, filling the space behind Gethen. People of all ages, sizes and races stand behind Johnny. A little girl with a bald head and a tube coming from her nose. An elderly man, so thin his hospital gown hangs like a deflated tent. They step forward and I know what they’re here for. This time Gethen will see them. He’ll really see them.
“Not if they have anything to do with it.” I nod behind him.
Gethen turns and a moan escapes his lips. The ghosts surround him, Johnny leading them, Sammi with him, and they grab onto Gethen, pulling him to the floor and smothering him. He tries to slash at them with the knife but it does nothing.
“No!” he screams. “No…”
I turn away as the ghosts continue to claw at him, forcing him down and smothering him. It’s nauseating and a stench of mildew and burned flesh meets my nostrils.
A coughing fit takes me over, but I can’t give up now. I smash the glass of the window with my elbow and lean out. “Help. Someone, help!”
Down below a group of patients lift their faces and point at me. I see Mo first. He rushes towards the building but Roger and George pull him back.
“Someone help me,” I mutter before falling to the ground.
My eyes flicker open and shut.
“You’re not afraid of the darkness anymore,” Johnny says. His hands are filthy with the flesh of Dr. Gethen. “You toughened up and you fought.”
He’s right. I’m not afraid of the darkness. I’m not afraid of anything. I finally realise what my daylight monsters were, they were my own fears of being ill, of losing control. I never wanted to end, you see. I really didn’t. But we all end one day.
The darkness comes and I greet it.
Epilogue
There’s a bright light. It shines in one eye and then the other. Floating figures come into view. I get the vague sense of a gentle breeze and fluttering curtains.
“Is this the afterlife?” I hear myself say. It’s weird. I don’t remember forming the words. It’s like my mind and body is slightly disconnected.
There’s a noise, like a chuckle. My mouth is dry and my throat aches. Surely if I were a ghost, or a soul or whatever, I wouldn’t be thirsty.
“Not quite,” says a voice. A reassuring voice.
“Mo?”
“The one and only.”
I force my eyes open but the light hurts my eyes. Mo touches my hand.
“Easy. The doctors said your vision might be sensitive for a while. The fire burned a lot of your face.”
I blink and gently ease open my eyes, letting Mo’s face come into view.
He lets out a deep breath. “Oh, it’s so good to see you smile. We were worried for a while.”
“They let you out of the White Room,” I say.
“They let me out about five days ago.”
“It’s been that long? What about Lacey?”
He pauses and takes my hand in both of his. “She’s gone.”
Tears fill my eyes and it stings so hard but it’s nothing compared to the pain in my heart.
“She saved me,” I say. My voice is choked and raw from tears and injuries. “She saved me from him.”
“I know,” he says. “We all know about Dr. Gethen, now. They found the prints on the knife and evidence he’s been injecting Palliative Care patients with lethal doses of morphine. He died in the fire, Mary, so he’ll never hurt you again.”
I wipe away a tear with my free hand, trying to compose myself. I already knew he was dead. There was no way he’d survive what the ghosts did to him. I shudder just thinking about it.
Mo brushes a few strands of hair from my face. “I’ll leave you with your parents. I had to come and see you, make sure you’re all right.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Thank you for everything. You’ve been… incredible.”
Mo stands to leave and lets go of my hand. He pauses for a second and glances at the door as though checking if anyone was likely to come in. When satisfied we were alone he swoops down and kisses me with soft lips. It’s tender and sends tingles down my arms and legs. But it doesn’t last long enough. He pulls back and I already miss him.
“I should—”
I pull his sleeve and mash our lips together again, tasting his warmth and sweetness. I’m alive. I feel alive. He makes me alive.
Mo bumps into the bed three times on the way out, with a goofy grin spread all over his face. When I’m alone, I close my eyes and think about Lacey. It’s like she’s really here. I can smell the lavender of her shampoo.
“Psst.”
I open my eyes and almost leap out of my skin.
“No need to go on about it, Mares, my ears are ringing.” Lacey shimmers at the end of my bed. She winks at me. “It’s gonna be a fun summer, posh girl. Me and you, living it up.”
~ A Note from the Author ~
A huge thank you for supporting independent authors by buying this book. As an author who has self-published her book, I rely on readers to spread the word. Why not take a moment to do just that and leave a review?
About the Author:
Sarah grew up in the middle of nowhere in the countryside of Derbyshire and as a result has an over-active imagination. She has been an avid reader for most of her life, taking inspiration from the stories she read as a child, and the novels she devoured as an adult.
Sarah mainly writes speculative fiction for a Young Adult audience and has had pieces of short fiction published in the Medulla Literary Review, Apex Magazine, PANK magazine and the British Fantasy Society publication Dark Horizons. Her short story ‘Vampires Wear Chanel’ is featured in the Wyvern Publication Fangtales available from Amazon.
Sarah is currently working on an upcoming YA fantasy series. Keep in touch for more information!
www.sarahdaltonbooks.com
www.theblemished.com
@sarahdalton
My Daylight Monsters Page 10
