Voice from the Coma

When the group descended to the first floor, they formed a tight circle around Chloe. The living room fixtures radiated a warm yellow light, yet they inexplicably cast a cold, eerie glow over the survivors. An invisible, heavy pressure hung thick in the air, stifling the breath in everyone's chests. Gideon walked over and pulled up a wooden chair directly opposite her. He sat down, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Chloe, you said the patient spoke. What exactly did he say?" Gideon kept his voice low and steady.

At the mere mention of the word patient, all color drained from Chloe's face. She twisted her blonde hair around her trembling fingers, ruthlessly pulling at the roots as if trying to rip them from her scalp. She gasped for air, her breath hitching in her throat as her eyes darted around the room.

"I was trying to feed him. But he spat every single spoonful out. I thought it was his posture, so I got up to raise his bed. Suddenly, my clothes were grabbed from behind. I thought the fabric caught on the frame. When I turned around, the patient had his eyes wide open, and he was gripping me!" Chloe blurted out the words in a panicked rush.

Duncan straightened his posture and stepped into the center of the circle. He crossed his thick arms and glared down at the trembling woman.

"Are you hallucinating? It is weird enough for a vegetable to talk. Why didn't you mention the grabbing and the eye-opening earlier if you were not seeing things?" Duncan demanded.

Gideon shot Duncan a severe frown. He silenced the large man with a single look, making Duncan shrink his neck back and shut his mouth. Gideon then refocused on the terrified woman.

"What words did he speak?" Gideon asked.

Chloe stared ahead. Her eyes grew vacant, losing all focus on the reality of the living room.

"I dropped the bowl in pure instinct to run. But his grip was impossibly strong. He gripped my clothes so tight. He told me to get out. Get out, get out, get out!" Chloe shrieked the final words into the silent room.

Just as her voice cracked, a massive flash of lightning illuminated her profile. For a split second, an eerily twisted smile stretched across Chloe's pale face.

Boom!

A massive thunderclap exploded outside the house. Haley shrieked and crashed to the wooden floor in fright. The heavy chair clattered down beside her. Under the loud cover of the thunder, the group missed Chloe's deteriorating mental state and that bizarre facial expression. They rushed to help Haley back to her feet, their attention scattered by the sudden noise.

Gideon ignored the commotion and approached the rattling window. Raindrops battered the glass, threatening to shatter the panes. He opened the window slightly. The cold, rushing wind of the storm bit at his skin, making the heavy curtains flap wildly like flags in a hurricane. He raised a hand to his mouth and began biting his nails.

"The rainy season is indeed here," Gideon murmured into the wind.

He stared into the darkness, wondering internally if this storm acted as a prophecy for the disasters to come. During their earlier conversations, he had realized everyone possessed an identical invitation letter. Yet, only he harbored the deep secret of the light green note. It contained a hidden postscript, making it a stark anomaly among the group. He had chosen to keep it strictly hidden to maintain an advantage and avoid unnecessary trouble.

Gideon slammed the window shut and securely locked the latch against the tempest. He turned back to the whispering crowd in the living room.

"Someone else will handle the patient tomorrow. Maybe he just rejects Chloe. Tomorrow morning, blend the food even finer to make it easier for him to swallow. Have you decided on your room assignments?" Gideon projected his voice over the murmurs.

The terrifying events of the night paralyzed the group. No one dared to sleep alone in this nightmare house. Maya wrapped her arms around herself, trembling from head to toe. She reached out and grabbed Haley's sleeve.

"Haley, please share a room with me. I am so scared," Maya begged.

Haley hesitated. She bit her lip and nervously glanced at Tessa, her original companion from the boat. They had stuck together since arriving on the island.

Tessa noticed the conflict and stepped forward. She offered a gentle smile and patted Haley's shoulder to reassure her.

"It is fine, you stay with Maya. I will share a room with Chloe instead," Tessa offered.

Chloe stood up. She turned her back to Tessa and stared blankly at the dark hallway.

"I do not want to share a bed with a stranger," Chloe stated in a cold, detached voice.

Tessa flinched as if struck. Her eyes immediately reddened with hurt and embarrassment. The rest of the group exchanged bewildered, concerned glances. Chloe's erratic, hostile behavior made no sense after such a traumatic scare. The thought of sleeping alone next to that horrifying room should have terrified her.

The fierce storm raged relentlessly outside, battering the roof and plunging the room into a heavy, simultaneous silence. In the dark night and the unfamiliar house, it seemed as if something was always watching everything.