Opposing Forces

The Hospital

A short while later, Tim parked his car on a vacant dirt road and got out. Walking around the car, he cast his gaze on the old grassy path that led to the abandoned hospital. Tim could remember a time when that grassy path was a winding dirt road. Even then, it was barely used. Only the truly insane ever went to that hospital

Even as Tim took the first few steps, he wasn’t really sure what he was doing. All he had to go on now were the words of some being trapped inside his head. Maybe there wasn’t anything inside his head. Maybe he really was just following the directions of some figment of his own imagination.

Even if this voice was really the masked figure, why should Tim trust him? In all the years that he’d haunted Tim’s steps, had he ever done anything good? Tim couldn’t be sure. He personally couldn’t remember anything the masked figure had done, and from the old footage, he appeared to be protecting Jay. But could this persona really be trusted if he was so closely linked to that thing that had started this whole problem in the first place? Tim might never know.

All his thinking made the slow trudge to the hospital seem slightly shorter than he would have expected. However, the sight of the graffiti covered pillars was enough to tie Tim’s stomach in knots. He tried his best to keep his coughing to a minimum as he crossed the charred threshold.

Nothing happened. Tim wasn’t exactly sure what he had expected, but he certainly expected something. Anything. But no, he stood in the entrance to the hospital, waiting impatiently.

“I’m here,” he muttered to the lonely walls. “I’m in the hospital. This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

Nothing. Tim took a few irritated steps into the hallway.

“I’m here!” he yelled to no one. “I’m here! I’ve done what you want!”

The silence was infuriating. In an angry fit, Tim stomped out of the hospital and on to the dirt outside. The grass flattened beneath his feet as he tried to escape the horrible place.

“Tim!” someone called out. Tim stopped and turned. No one was there.

“What?” Tim called to the empty forest.

“Tim, it’s just me,” the voice said. It was that voice again.

“I’m here,” Tim scoffed. “I’ve done whatever you want. I guess you just decided to let me throw a tantrum before you bothered to show up.”

The voice laughed. “Oh Tim, I promise I don’t enjoy seeing you in pain. I truly don’t. I’ve spent most of my life making sure you weren’t in pain.”

“Are you insane?” Tim exploded. “Not in pain? Have you seen how I have to live? You were protecting me all this time?”

“Of course I was,” the voice replied calmly as ever. “Without me, you would have been a much easier meal for the Operator.”

“The what?” Tim asked.

“The Operator,” the voice responded. “That’s what’s been chasing you this whole time.”

The voice continued before Tim could respond. “Listen, Tim. I don’t have much time. You don’t have much time. The Operator will be here at any moment. I need you to trust me.”

“Trust you?” Tim scoffed, feeling his stomach start to churn once more. “You just expect me to trust some entity that’s been overshadowing my body my whole life?”

“Please, Tim,” the voice pleaded. “I’m not the enemy and you know it. All I’ve ever done has been for the singular purpose of destroying the Operator. You and I need to work together to defeat him. I can’t do it without you and you certainly can’t do it without me.”