Sixth Seal

by Thornbrugh, Josh

  Copyright (c) 2012-2014 JukePop, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or JukePop, Inc., except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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  Ana

  Ana felt a thin bead of sweat snake its way down the small of her back, coming to rest in the waistband of her pajama bottoms. She eased the door to her room open just enough to allow a quick glimpse of the corridor beyond. The familiar antiseptic smell of ward “C” assaulted her senses. Every third fluorescent light in the ceiling was lit, and she could hear the delicate clicks and beeps that indicated the hospital was settling down for the night. Emboldened by the relative quiet, Ana pushed the door open further and craned her neck around the frame to steal a glance down the other end of the corridor. Her first goal was to reach the big, green double doors that connected ward “C” to the hospital’s hub and the main entrance.

  She checked her waistband once more for the pilfered security badge that she placed there earlier. Ana hoped Sam wouldn’t get into too much trouble for losing his badge. Out of all the staff at Hillcrest, Sam was the nicest to her, which is why it was so easy to take it from him. Sorry Sam, but it’s now or never. She slipped out from behind the door, and glided across the hall with the delicate grace of a cat. Her body tensed when the door to her room shut with an audible click. She paused and glanced back and forth down the corridor. Nothing. No alarms. No shuffling of feet. Just the steady drone of the industrial air conditioners. She crouched and made her way down the corridor cautiously. The double green doors were only thirty or so feet away, but to Ana it looked like the length of a football field. There was a bigger concern than the doors however. There was a security station adjacent to the doors, and a large window that appeared to provide a clear view of her escape route. She would have to crawl underneath the window and stay low while she swiped the badge across the face of the security panel.

  Light flickered from the window, casting shadows across the wall in intermittent waves. Ana crouched beneath the nearest side of the windowsill, and chanced a quick peek inside. The light was coming from a small television set perched on the security desk. She was relieved to see that it faced away from the corridor, and a basketball game played out on the screen instead of a view from the security camera. She could see the thick neck of the big man sitting in front of the television. His hair was buzzed short just like all the other wannabe cops that worked security detail at the hospital. Even from the back, Ana could tell the man was more intent on the game than his job. She dropped down on all fours, and crawled clear of the window and over to the security panel in front of the doors. She sat down with her back to the wall, slowed her breathing, and wiped the sweat from her palms. She took the security badge from her waistband, and instinctively brushed the magnetic strip with the shirtsleeve of her pajamas. Once she swiped the badge and opened the door, she would have to move quickly to get across the lobby and to the outer doors before raising any alarms.

  Ana took one more deep breath, did her best to steady her heartbeat, and then quickly swiped the badge over the security panel. A short buzz, an orange light, then nothing. Damn! This can’t be happening. Surely Sam has the security clearance to get out of the ward. She took another breath, and steadied herself again. She turned the badge over, examining the magnetic strip on the back. How many times has this thing been used? She buffed it against her pant leg, and examined the strip once more. It didn’t look any better, but she was running out of time. Soon the orderlies would begin their rounds, and it would only be a matter of time before they realized she wasn’t in her room. She whispered a prayer, and gave the badge another quick swipe. Another short buzz, a green light, and the door’s heavy lock clicked loose. Hallelujah.

  Ana grabbed the edge of the door near the bottom, and pulled it open slowly. She gave herself just enough space to crawl through, allowing the door to ease closed behind her. She positioned herself in the corner between the door and the narrow bit of wall that opened into the lobby. It was darker here than the corridor. The reception and lobby areas were rarely staffed this late in the evening. This hospital wasn’t the sort of place that received visitors without the reassuring presence of daylight. The only light coming in was moonlight advancing from the glass entry doors that let out onto a circular drive. Just the reception desk, some low tables, and a couple of couches stood between Ana and freedom. Once she bolted across the room and through the front doors, she would certainly be spotted by the security cameras, but by then it would be too late. She would run for all she was worth. She would run from all that had haunted her these past fifteen years, and out into the world to get the answers she needed.

  She braced her back against the wall, and pushed herself upwards. Every moment was another step in the well-rehearsed plan played out in her mind. She traced her path through the reception area, tensing her muscles like thick coils waiting to be sprung. In an impossible fury of momentum, Ana hurled herself from the wall, and dashed out into the open. She darted between the reception desk and the sofas, and leapt over the low tables in one fluid motion, her body recoiling and releasing with cat-like precision. Not far now. Ana palmed the security badge, bringing the business end into position. She launched herself at the access panel, and swiped the badge without pausing. No buzz. No light. She slammed hard into the glass doors, bounced backwards, and fell to the floor. Damn! Not again. She stood and tried the badge once more. Still nothing. Dammit! Sam doesn’t have security clearance to leave the damn building. Ana could see the tiny red lights of the security cameras locking on her like prey. She had come too far to give up now. She wasn’t going to go back without a fight. The book wouldn’t let her. Sirens wailed into existence drowning out the sounds of the orderlies shouting and scrambling to see what had broken the still of the night.

  Ana pushed one of the couches perpendicular to the wall, and turned one of the low tables up on end. If they wanted her, they were going to have to take her on one at a time. Despite all reason, she was confident in her abilities and knew she could handle any challenge as long as the odds weren’t stacked too high against her. It was an innate confidence that had always been with her. It was this confidence that drove her even when all of the evidence told her that the doctors were right, and that she was crazy. She took a defensive position and steadied her breathing once again, bringing her heart rate down to a low roar. Here they came through the double doors of ward “B.” She smiled to herself. Only three of them. I have a chance.

  They approached her cautiously, although not as cautiously as Ana thought they should. The first to speak was a burly Nordic looking man with hands as big as hams. She remembered wondering where his neck was, and how he had ever managed to fit into that white coat. She didn’t recognize any of the men. In all of her years at the hospital, she had never been in any of the wards other than “C.” What kind of head cases must be in a ward with orderlies like this?

  “Okay, Ana,” said Nordic, “just stay calm. We aren’t going to hurt you.” He advanced slowly with his palms outstretched.

  “Don’t take another step,” said Ana. She could tell he didn’t quite know what to make of her. She smiled again just to throw him off. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other two men flanking her. They were smaller than Nordic, but not by much.

  “Ana, this doesn’t have to be difficult. We just need you to relax, and come back to your room. It’s not safe for you out here.” He inched close
r, keeping his palms up.

  Ana didn’t waste any time. She reached out in a blur of movement, and grabbed his right hand. She bent his fingers back violently, brining the large man to his knees. She thrust her hand outward, smashing Nordic’s nose back into his face with the heel of her palm. She could hear and feel the sickening crunch. Blood trailed from the big man’s nose. He slumped forward, and fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

  The other two men could see that the time for talking was over. They rushed her from opposite sides. The orderly to her right got there first. He lunged over the couch towards her. Ana crouched and used his momentum to slam him hard into the glass doors. He fell to the floor taking the table with him, but he managed to grab hold of Ana’s leg, preventing her from facing the next orderly head on. The other man was on her in an instant. He grabbed her shoulders, and held her close in a vice-like grip. She kneed the first orderly in the face causing him to loosen his hold on her leg slightly. She twisted her body and pushed forward, shoving the second orderly against the glass. His grip remained strong. His eyes were steely. She brought her right leg backwards in a quick move, and then drove her knee forward planting it deep into his groin. She felt his warm breath rush out against her neck and his grip loosen. She shook him off, and let him fall to the floor.

  Ana knew there wasn’t much time left. Reinforcements would be coming soon, and the police might even have been called. She rolled Nordic over, and reached in his pockets. Jackpot! The inside pocket held what she was after. A security badge. And this one was a different color than Sam’s. She pulled it out of its clear plastic sheath, and gave it a cursory swipe against her pajama top. This was it. This was her ticket to freedom. She knew once she was outside and on the lawn that nobody could stop her. The outer perimeter was fenced, sure, but it was only chain link and there was no razor wire. This was a minimum-security facility after all. No criminals here, just crazies. A short sprint would get her to the edge of the property. From there she could lose herself in the woods beyond. There was a creek she could follow until she was far enough away. She could even wash off her scent if necessary. But that wouldn’t be necessary. She didn’t think for a minute she was important enough to go to that much trouble. They’d probably do an ‘exhaustive’ search for appearances, and then call her mother to give her the news, if her mother even cared.

  “Ana Eloise!”

  Ana turned sharply, looking back towards ward “C.” There in the doorway, stood Sam with his mop and bucket in hand. He looked like a disappointed father.

  “Sam, I’m sorry, but I don’t have any choice. I have to get out of here. You know I have to find the book before the others.” She turned the security badge over in her hand, and looked down at the floor.

  “Not like this, Ana. Doc said you were starting to make progress. You had a real chance of gettin’ outta here legit.” He made no moves toward her; he just leaned against his mop handle shaking his head.

  “I don’t have that kind of time, Sam. I don’t know where it is, but I know I have to find it soon. The others are gathering. They want to open it. That would be bad, Sam. That would be bad for everyone.” Ana felt Nordic stirring at her feet. She stepped back just out of his reach.

  “Ana, I think you’re a great kid, but you gotta know how crazy that sounds.”

  “I know, Sam. That’s why I have to get out of here now. Nobody understands, and they never will. I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble.”

  Ana turned towards the door; one of the orderlies was on his knees with a hypodermic needle in his hand. She stumbled backwards, but Nordic caught her leg and held her in place. The orderly plunged the needle deep in her thigh. She felt the warmth travel up her leg and into her chest. She was on a merry-go-round spinning in the wrong direction. There was a rush of air and the smell of antiseptic right before the lights went out.

  Gabriel

  Ana awoke to an increasing pressure on her arm. She struggled to open her eyes, and when she did, she had to blink several times to focus.

  “Good morning, Ana. How are you feeling?” asked a nurse she had never seen before. The woman appeared to be in her fifties. She smiled at Ana as she removed the blood pressure cuff from her arm.

  “Delightful, and you?” Ana gave her a devilish smile. The woman didn’t seem to notice the sarcasm, or she chose to ignore it.

  “That’s wonderful dear. You gave us all quite a fright. My name is Betty, by the way. Your vitals are looking much better today.”

  Betty seemed to be genuinely concerned, either as a habit of profession or actual empathy, Ana couldn’t quite tell. Either way, she felt herself instantly comfortable with the woman. Perhaps that was the doctor’s intention, send in the diplomat before the troops.

  “How long have I been in this room, Betty?”

  “For about three days, dear.” She patted Ana’s forehead with a damp cloth and gave her a motherly look. “Would you like some water? I took out your IV this morning, so you might be getting thirsty.”

  “I don’t think I can hold a cup in my present condition, Betty,” said Ana, making an overly exaggerated tug on her restraints.

  “Of course not, dear. I’m afraid I can’t do anything about that, but I do have some straws.” Betty flashed another smile.

  Ana nodded and watched her cross the room to a rolling tray that held a pitcher of water and some other assorted containers. She poured a small cup of water and unwrapped a straw.

  “Here you go, dear. Just tilt your head up a bit and take a few sips.” Betty held the straw in position for her, allowing Ana plenty of time to drink. She could feel the ice-cold liquid wash down her throat. The water came as a monsoon to a parched valley. She sputtered and coughed. Betty was right there with a cloth, wiping the dribbled water from Ana’s chin.

  “Thank you, Betty.”

  “You’re welcome, dear.” Betty started to turn away.

  “Betty? Any idea when I might be able to get out of these restraints?”

  Betty turned back to Ana, flashing another one of those disarming smiles. “I can’t really say, dear, but the doctor should be in shortly to talk to you. I’m sure he’ll let you know.” Betty put the cup back on the cart, and started to leave the room.

  “Doctor Reinhardt?” asked Ana.

  Betty gave her a confused look. “Oh no, dear, you’ve been assigned to Doctor Gabriel, or rather, he’s been assigned to you.” Betty chuckled. “He’s new here, and I think you’re gonna like him. He’s not too bad to look at, if you know what I mean.” Betty gave Ana a quick wink and turned back to the door. She knocked and a few seconds later the lock turned and an orderly held the door open for her. After Betty passed through, the door clicked shut. Ana could hear the orderly locking it from the outside.

  Ana stared at the ceiling, tracing out the lines and intersections of the tiles. So many hazy images passed through her clouded mind. Maybe all the others were right. Maybe she was crazy. After all, what made her think her visions and dreams were all real? Maybe she really was delusional or schizophrenic. But why did it all seem so real, and why did she keep seeing the book? Even now she could picture it. She could feel it. Feel it’s call. It was like a hunger. Perhaps it was that feeling in the pit of her stomach that made her believe. It wasn’t just mental, it was physical. She didn’t know why or how exactly, but she was connected to it, and to be out of its presence was agony.

  She didn’t even know what the true purpose of the book was. She only knew that she was supposed to be its protector, and she had been for centuries. There were others, some good, some bad. They were all seeking the book. Ana didn’t know how she knew, but she knew they were seeking it even as she was strapped helplessly to a hospital bed. Her head was so cloudy. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

  The turning of the lock on her door brought her back into the moment. The door swung open, and a man in a long white coat came into the room followed by an orderly. She noticed it wasn’t one of the ones she had pu
mmeled the other day.

  “Hello, Ana, I’m Doctor Gabriel.” He placed a hand on her forehead and lifted her eyelid with his thumb. He looked into her eyes for a moment before moving his hand to her wrist. “Your pulse has settled down.” He smiled at her a warm, gentle smile that put her at ease even though she knew she shouldn’t be. There was just something about him that was familiar, but she knew she had never met him. His dark hair was graying just a touch at the temples, and his hazel eyes seemed to be filled with concern. She realized that he had been talking to her for a minute while she was staring into his eyes.

  “Ana, are you alright? I’m sorry we had to restrain you.” He pulled on her wrist gently. “It was for your safety as much as the staff.” Ana doubted that, but she just nodded.

  “Can you take them off now, doctor?”

  “That depends entirely upon you, Ana. Can we trust you not to have another outburst like the other night?” He pulled up a chair, and positioned it between her and the orderly before sitting.

  “I didn’t really want to hurt anyone, doctor. I just wanted to get out of here.” She pulled reflexively on the restraints.

  “I’m sure you didn’t want to hurt anyone, Ana, but sometimes our desires compel us to take desperate action.” He leaned forward with his hands on his knees. “I want to offer you a proposition, Ana. Will you hear me out?”