The Moon, chapter 15: Haze

Time, to Susie, didn't matter. She was sure it had been a long time, since it seems her eyes couldn't produce any more tears to shed. Her clothes and body were tainted with both her and Alphys' blood, and she knew that if she didn't get help soon it could possibly be the end of her. Susie stood up and felt a rush of blood go to her head, making her feel disoriented. Her head felt fuzzy, and all she could smell or taste was the coppery flavor of blood. She didn't want to leave her here, but what else would she do? Trying to carry her would probably kill what energy she had left. She promised in her head that she would be back for her. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not this week, but she promised that she would be back, and she hoped somehow, somewhere, Alphys knew the promise was genuine.

The snow crunched under Susie's feet softly as she walked in the direction she thought would bring her to the path into town. It instead brought her to the edge of the lake, where she could see the moon high in the sky. Somehow, she knew it was listening. She knew that bastard was up there. Where she couldn't reach it. If she had an ax big enough she would kill it. She was sick of everything. She wanted a normal life, and for a while, it almost seemed like that was what she was going to get. But no, of course not. Everything had to go wrong. Why wouldn't it? This was her life after all. Why would she be allowed to be happy?

Susie fell to her knees, looking towards the pale blue sphere that was hovering parallel to the lake's shore. She felt one last tear fall from her eyes. She could only think of one thing to say, if it was listening.
“Why?”
The lake's water was surprisingly still, making it a near perfect reflection, as if the entire lake was one enormous mirror. She heard a noise coming from below the surface. A sort of high pitched whining tone, it's pitch shifting up and down slightly but always staying at a relatively high register. The sound got louder and louder, until she saw something under the surface of the water displace the surface. Then, it emerged from the center of the lake, levitating into the air as if it was being pulled up by string. A towering, red, humanoid body, it's finer details obscured by both the darkness and the marring of it's flesh and bone. It was at least twice Susie's height, she could tell as much even from the distance between them.

Then, came more. More and more bodies, making the same noise and having the same irregular body structure, levitated up from the depths of the lake. Dozens upon dozens of them rose up until she couldn't even hear herself think from the noise. She felt her body shaking against it's will, as if her very bones were trying to escape her body. She fell to the floor in a manic, shaking seizure, feeling her mind and body slip away from her soul's grasp. Her eyes blinked rapidly as a familiar but unwelcome entity forced thoughts and images into her head. Thoughts of blood, rust, and descent into darkness. Images of that vile smelling, dark hole she found underneath her house. Then, an unfamiliar thought. A foreign and alien image. A set of crimson metal doors emerging from the earth to the south.
Then, blaring warning sirens reaching across miles and miles.

This bombardment of imagery ended swiftly when her consciousness cut to black. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming anymore, but all she felt was the feeling of falling into a deep, unloving and uncaring darkness.

Then, light. Light, and the buzzing of an electric light. The buzzing, and the sound of a heart rate monitor. The sound, and the feeling of unfamiliar fluid being pumped into her veins. Susie knew exactly where she was. She opened and rubbed her eyes, trying to reduce the fuzzy, unfocused haze that was drawn over her eyes. Once the veil was lifted and her eyes focused, she looked around the room, finding not a single other soul in the room with her. Looking down at her own body, she found that her clothes were missing, replaced with a pale bluish-green patient's gown. Below that, she saw various stitches all over her legs and body. Then, the pain hit her like a truck. Everything hurt. Everything. From the minor pain on her arms to the unbearable pain across her back. She laid down and rolled over.

Susie saw the door open, and a bear monster dressed in a doctor's outfit walk in. He looked at Susie with a blank, unfeeling expression. Typical.

“Hello, miss. Do you remember your name?”
“Susie, yeah.”
“Mhmm, and do you know what day it is?”
“...Sunday?”
“Sunday when?”
“I dunno.” Susie replied rubbing her eyes.
“Sunday, October the fifth, Susie. Now, how are you feeling?”
“Everything hurts.”
“Uh huh. Do you know why?”
“Yeah, I have cuts and bruises and gashes all over me, why else?”
“That's... not what I meant. I mean, how did you get those injuries?”
“I-”

Susie held her breath. She couldn't tell him anything. She had to think of something, and quick.

“I... was at Hazel's place. I was on the balcony, and I felt really light headed all of the sudden. Next thing I know, I'm on the ground, hurt really bad. I must've passed out after that.”
The look the doctor gave her let her know that he didn't believe a word.
“Really. Then why is it that your body was found next to the lake?”
“...I don't know.”
“Very interesting. Anyway, we're going to keep you here for a couple days, see how your condition progresses, then we're gonna send you to Amigdella for more advanced treatment.”
“What the hell is Amigdella?”
“You know, the city about a dozen miles west? Have you really never been there?”
“Not that I can recall, no.”
“Well, they're much more suited to deal with a situation like this than a small town clinic like ours.”
“Hell, is it really that bad?”
“We hope not. But it never hurts to be sure.”
“Right. Thanks.”
“No problem. Just rest easy.”
The doctor was about to walk out the door, before Susie said one last thing.
“Hey, there was another patient here. Alphys. How is she?”
“...Odd that you ask. She actually went missing last night. We haven't found her yet.”
“...Alright.”
“Why? She a friend of yours?”
“Yeah. I heard she was here but I wasn't allowed in.”
“I'm sure we'll find her. Don't worry.”

And with that, she was left alone once again, with nothing but the buzzing of the lights above to accompany her.