What lurks, often catches.

OVERTHINKING LEADS TO OVERCORRECTING.

The pitter-patter of rain droplets on the apartment window and the distant sound of cars passing by were the only sounds that Anne could hear. Were the only sounds she didn't want to focus on. Her eyes, squeezed shut, trying to coerce any bit of weariness from her body and mind. Finding herself unable to do so, she then opens them slowly, seeing nothing but pitch black darkness.

Laying on her side, Anne's blue eyes scanned her room, lingering on the nightstand, with the already popped open container of the 'B-GON' pill. A decision that she had made, premeditated, though one that wasn't really taking effect it seemed.

She had already taken five capsules of the recommended two.

Almost as if sensing her demise, the rain's intensity grew noticeably larger. Lightning strikes, followed by rumbling, chest vibrating thunder. The droplets of water letting out sharp, poking sounds against the window beside Anne.

She couldn't sleep like this. Couldn't focus on anything if nature itself seemed to be stopping her from falling into a much-needed slumber.

Anne herself lays on her back once more, blue eyes focused on the ceiling, trying to stress her own mind into sleep. Slowly tilting her head further upwards, seeing the frame of a picture of herself hung on the wall.

Seeing an old smile on her face, memories from a past time. During moments that actually gave Anne some rest.

Laying on her side yet again, fully restless now, Anne thinks. Stares at the container with an intensity that would normally unsettle another person, another human. She can't keep going like this. She doesn't want to.

A lightning strike brightens the room for a moment, making Anne's black sweater-clad figure almost gleam under the light.

But her gaze is completely focused on the pills. And as the thunder rumbles, Anne takes it as confirmation on her choice.

In an act of pure desperation and reckless need, Anne did it. Reaching with her hand out, grabbing the container and carelessly swallowing all of the pills, descending into her mouth.

She coughed, a harsh and loud sound of pure agony and distress, her chest numbing, then following with multiple stings of pain. Her blue eyes, felt like veins were traced over by a very thin pen tip. Whilst her mouth, felt like it had completely lost all sensation, but her teeth they were visible receding back into her gum.

But the worst sensation was her frontal cortex.

It alternated between her feeling too much, and too little. A neural shock almost, but she was kept alive. Somehow, seized up.

Anne thrashed on the bed violently, grabbing her own face, to try and keep her own head in place, almost as if she felt like it could come apart at any second. All the while, lightning strikes and thunder kept going on in the background, almost as if mocking her own demise.

She, though, hears a sound coming from outside of her room, from the apartment hallways. Her roommate. Anne tries to get up, but her feet catch on her red blanket, falling down.

---

You had just arrived back at the apartment, tired of an entire's day of your own responsibilities and deeds, now just eager to get inside, and to finally calm down. No one liked coming home late at night, right?

That was the least of your thoughts right now, as you step ahead, a quick flash of lighting fills up the living room, but no rumbling sound of thunder follows through. Normal, things like that can happen.

With that, you then head down the hallway, looking around, as the sounds of rain falling seemed to halt abruptly once your gaze focuses on Anne's door. She might really be asleep after taking those pills.

And what you hear soon enough, confirms that you are very much wrong.

"Help..."

Anne's voice, followed a mere soft groan, muffled from the other side. You don't waste any time, just bust in, looking around. The room's a mess, her pillow's on the floor, while her red blanket is thrown all the way to the underside of the bed. There's a black picture on the wall, and the empty container of pills, slowly rolling away from view.

Before you can gather your thoughts, another sound comes in from under the bed, hidden away just behind the red blanket. It's a disgusting gurgling sound, followed by a hiss, flesh tearing... as from under the blankets, a figure pops out, incomprehensibly fast, a mockery of a jack-in-a-box.

Anne. Or something whose appearance echoed her name.

It's mouth was a huge, gaping void, curled in a wide grin, ripped at the edges. No blood, just black cuts where skin should be. Whilst the teeth were receded into the upper gum. No sign of lower teeth...

Whatever it was, it kept it's black eyes completely focused on yours, while attempting at a surprise.