Chapter Three - Empty Space

Drip, drip, drip. The only sound he heard. The real sound has ceased hours ago, but in his mind it was all the sound that could ever exist. But it had stopped and he couldn't accept it. It meant one thing, one of his men was dead.

Drip, drip, drip.

He sat up, gasping. Three days ago he had lost his newest subordinate. A soldier more innocent than any other. A soldier seeing his first time in real combat. A soldier not stained by any blood, but his own.

Today was when he would be receiving his punishment. He expected to be discharged. He made the solemn walk to his superiors office, shivering with fearful anticipation. The empty space around him only served to enforce his solitude.

As he entered the office he noted the two officers who would be informing him of his punishment. He gasped as he recognise them. General Cobb and Colonel Reynolds sat at the desk. They regarded him gravely.

General Cobb was a man that everybody liked, but no-one really trusted. Colonel Reynolds was respected and trusted, but there were a lot of bitter feelings for him, due to his sternness.
"Sirs, if I may, I'd like to ask what men of your stature are doing at the announcement of my punishment. I'd also like to ask why I didn't have a hearing."
"It is not your place to ask." Reynolds snapped
"Colonel," Cobb spoke in placating manner "We're here due to the nature of your punishment."
"What of it, sir?"
"You'll be checking up on him." Reynolds barked
"Who, sir?"
"Forgive the colonel for being so vague. He means the psychic."

...

Later, as he headed towards the room of his charge, he mulled over the warnings about the so-called psychic. His girlfriend had demanded he phone her afterwards. He didn't mind, it reassured him that she cared.

He stopped outside the door for a moment. Patrick tapped on the door. The boy started to sob uncontrollably. "I don't want that boy in my class! His eyes are scary!"

Chapter Two - What is he like?

It was quite disconcerting, Patrick thought, for anyone to cry like that. It was even worse that it seemed to know that I'm scared.

Patrick stepped into the room and looked straight into the eyes of it. Its face was calm and composed, despite the tear streaks left on its face.
"Welcome," a chilling voice oozed from its lips "to my humble home."
A standard, and seemingly unperturbed, voice answered "You would be... Brooks, right? Peter Brooks?"
"Yes, I'm happy you memorised my name already, Patrick. We can be best of friends now."
"Stop being so sarcastic. Now, I'm sure you knew this already, but we are going to be seeing a lot more of each other from now on. I will be coming here a few times a day to relieve your loneliness." Brooks' eyes went flat at the word. "Or as my superiors put it, 'Checking up on you'. I hope I am a sufficient victim for your sarcasm."
"I can't wait for our talks to start..." He grinned, and for a moment Patrick thought that this boy was happy.
He then saw that the smile was still worlds away from his eyes.

...

After about an hour Patrick left the room sighing. What a strange lad, was the first thought that crossed his mind. He hoped that the boy hadn't realised he was only there because it was his punishment. He had only just met the boy and he was already emphasizing with him. But he thought that knowing why he was there would only hurt him. And he just couldn't bear seeing those eyes any sadder. I guess he's kinda cute in a way, he grinned to himself.

Time to fulfil his promise, he thought, at least it gave him an excuse to call. He picked up the phone and dialled his girlfriend's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's me. I'm still alive after dealing with that evil monster you were so scared of."
"What was it like?"
"He's not an it actually, he was ok, seemed quite bitter about being left alone for so long though."
"Well he is a psychic, they aren't really human."
"Human enough. Believe me, I had the same viewpoint as you before I talked to him. He's a nice guy. Funny."
"Send me a picture of him next time."
"Sure, why not? Don't fall too deep in love with him though. I don't like feeling jealous."
After a while they said their goodbyes and prepared for another aeon without contact. He headed to his room to contemplate the next few months of his new job.

Chapter One - Cell

It was their first day coming to a class. The children were shy at first, but eventually they opened up to each other. It was bright, sunny and seemingly perfect. A car parked outside and the children went quiet, their teacher inquired what was wrong, but not a sound was heard in reply. An eerie silence grew ever colder as the car door opened and the footsteps grew closer. Tap. Tap. Tap tap. The teacher flinched at each sound. She eventually gathered the courage to go to the door. It opened as she reached out for it.

The beautiful weather was in stark contrast to the small boy's features. Dark and cold, yet they had a curious spark which conveyed understanding beyond the realm of logical possibility. He looked through the teacher to the board.
“Uninteresting.” he uttered and sat down without further ado.
His eyes are terrifying, the teacher couldn't help but think. Immediately the boy raised his hand “Ms. Can I ask you a question?” He moved on without the answer “What does terrifying mean?”

His eyes open slowly, and they sound of his former teacher's crying slowly faded away. He rubbed his eyes and reached out into the gloom. He fumbled around for the light. As the room lit up, he sighed. He was still in the same desolate, leaden cell as always. He looked around the cell at what he had been provided with. A cold lonely breakfast was sitting upon his table. As he ate the cold bacon and eggs, he said to himself grumpily “They could at least wake me up.”

Unfortunately, the only thing that answered him was the room itself, and it was little more than mimicry. He finished the meal and made sure he didn't leave anything. Strange, he thought, I cannot even bear leaving food on its own now. He curled up on his bed and began reading his new book, he found the outside fascinating, but he never had until he'd lost contact with it. He felt forlorn as if he had lost his very best friend. He knew he would never see it again.

The light flickered, and each time it did, the darkness encroached upon him. He closed his book and laid it down on his bedside table. He grasped the remote and the power flicked on. He attempted to watch his recordings of Mock the Week. Upon this failure the boy turned off the television and lay down.


Tap. Tap. Tap tap. The sound from the metallic door broke the reclusive silence. It tore at his ears and the boy cried. “I don't want him in my class!” the child sobbed “His eyes are scary!”

The taps came once more. He tore at his eyes, the boogeyman had come for him. His mommy and daddy had always told him, but he had never listened. A feeling came to him. He stopped crying. The man had calmed his fear, he felt hesitation, but it wasn't his.
“You can come in now,” he called confidently “I won't bite.”

I'll try and get the next chapter up ASAP for those that care.