Chapter 6: Hallucinations

Blood poured from her fingertips whilst the nails hung from her skin. Alina's eyes were bloodshot red because of all the restless nights and determined effort. Her hands scratched against the wet, ancient mortar binding all the equally worn bricks together. The material was crumbling gradually, the wall steadily becoming weaker and weaker.

'Thud!'

A brick fell out of the wall and dropped onto the floor. The sound resonated across all the walls within the dim room.

"What was that?!" exclaimed an individual from outside the room.

"Hunger and exhaustion were bound to hit her round about now. She probably just fainted," reassured a second voice, one that belonged to the individual who had talked to Alina previously.

Alina observed the brick and a smile of fresh determination grew across her face once again. Instantly, she began to resume scratching at the wall, creating another tear on her fingertips and letting fresh blood slowly leak out. Despite this, not a trace of pain appeared on her face. Rather, a subdued expression of joy and happiness formed on it, because it was proof. Proof that she was still alive, that her body still had strength to carry on.

An indeterminable amount of time passed, with many bricks now prone to fall. As though she'd anticipated this, Alina lowered her pace and started to push each brick individually. Slowly yet steadily, with controlled movements, she took numerous loose bricks out of the wall. Even though the gap was only enough space for her arm to fit through, freedom was in her grasp.

Alina, eager to see the outside, peered from outside the hole she had just created. Her eyes widened in shock. Staring right back were a pair of dark pupils.

"Ahhh!" The scream came unbidden, her tired mind acting out in terror and panic on reflex. Unfortunately, it served to alert all the personnel outside her room.

"Something's wrong, we need to go inside and check it out!" one exclaimed. However, he was once again placated by the one with him.

"Calm down, brother. This happens all the time. The hallucinations begin to kick in around this time," he assured his unnerved companion.

Alina steadied her rapid breaths and re-established a her mind from its disarray. Reassured that nobody was going to come barging into her cell, she gathered her wits. Once again, she decided to peer into the hole. This time, the pupils were nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe, it was a hallucination?" Alina mused quietly, trying to rationalize what she'd just experienced.