EXTRACT FOR
Fever Dreams
(Kelly Addams)

"You must be feeling very confused!"

Anna recognised the voice that whispered down from speakers mounted in the corridor ceiling.

"Mr Joel?" she cried out and looked around hopefully.

"Follow the corridor," he continued, "At the end you will find the answer to all of your questions."

"Josh?" Anna gasped.

"He is safe." Joel whispered, "Along with the rest of your family... all safe, for the moment!"

For the moment, the words chilled her heart and steadied her shaking legs as Anna began to run, it may have been a dream she was trapped inside, but regardless she wouldn't stop until she was holding her baby in her arms.

"There is no need to rush," Joel's voice drifted into her mind, "I already told you, they are all safe... and their safety is controlled exclusively by you. You do as we wish and they will suffer no harm, however, disobey us and the consequences could well be dire for those closest to you."

"Us?" Anna shouted as she slowed her sprint to a steady jog, "Who are you?"

Joel laughed, a thin sound devoid of any mirth, "That is something you will soon discover, I would not wish to ruin the surprise for you."

That answers nothing Anna thought as she picked up the pace again as a door came into view in the distance, who are they? Some kind of cult? It might explain why all the staff looked so spaced out, maybe they're all drugged up?

The door drew closer and Anna saw more light glowing within. Cautiously she slowed again, suddenly aware that she was naked and about to burst into a room filled with heaven knew how many people. Peep first before jumping in she warned herself as she stopped a few feet away and began to creep forward.

"So cautious." Joel's voice made her jump, but she didn't let him push her.

Probably another empty room she told herself as she edged forward and peered around the edge of the wide door. But the room wasn't empty, and Anna choked back a scream as she recognised the figures suspended inside a row of tall fluid filled canisters with bevelled glass fronts. There floated her entire family with wires and tubes protruding from their naked bodies... And as tears streamed down her cheeks Anna stepped forward to press her hand against the glass of the closest tube, almost as though trying to touch the tiny and inert body of her son as he hung suspended inside.

"They are all well." Joel spoke, "And if you comply, when they awake they will remember nothing of this. But Anna, understand me well, disobey and their demise will be long and painful. One might say that their lives are in your hands... now we will see how much you love them."

Anna closed her eyes, blocking out the image of her baby son.

"What do I have to do?"