Disclaimer: don't own, never have owned, never will own... *sigh* sad

"Dr. Jennings, he's very unstable, I don't know how much longer he can hold out here. Maybe if we moved him...?"

"No. We can't... not again. The forbidden zone is the only place he can stay and make any real progress. If we move him, there's no telling what damage to his mind that will do. We just have to... wait it out."

"And what about his visitors?"

"We can only give them sight through the glass. He's far too unpredictable at this time for contact with others."

Voices. Outside. I can hear them, talking. Calmly. Softer, now. They are moving.. so far away. I see them in my mind's eye, leaving me alone again. Always alone.

"Where the fuck is he?" Mike ran desperately down a dark hallway, red lights blinking dimly above him and plexiglass, one way windows lining the walls. Dr. Jennings walked briskly after him, a hopeless look on her face as she tried to calm him down. She stopped him at a window that said, 'SUBJECT 3251389527: Bennington, Chester'.

"Mr. Shinoda, this is a code three zone. You need to lower your voice. And Mr. Delson, please back away from the glass. There is something we haven't disclosed to you yet that you should be aware of..."

But then... they come back. I can see through your glass, Dr. Jennings. I can see them, peering sadly through the glass... I can hear them, hushed whispers all about me and my 'condition'.

"What else haven't you told us?!" Dave clawed at the glass with on hand, staring into the pitch black room, eyes straining to see anything.

"Mr. Farrell, if you don't lower YOUR voice you will be removed. And don't touch the glass... he's sensitive to that. Anyways, we have put the subject under various tests and-"

"Don't call him that. He's CHESTER. He's our friend. And how could he be sensitive to that?" Joe leaned against the wall, then slid down slowly, his face in his hands. Dr. Jennings looked down at him, a slightly impatient look on her face.

"Mr. Hahn, listen to me. The subject -Mr. Bennington- has been put under various tests, and we have found that he -among maybe four others since the turn of the century- has the ability to actually interact with the dead. And now... because this 'condition' was left untreated, he is no longer in the same frame of mind he was in a year ago. His senses are beyond anything I've ever seen, and his reactions to normal pain are beyond, well, human."

"What?" Rob stared at her incredulously.

"Yes, Mr. Bourdon. All that I say is true. Probing his inner mind, we have found that his mental capabilities far surpass any normal humans, and he is no longer safe around others... that is why he is alone in there. And also, as you may have guessed, he is so ultra sensitive to everything, including light, he is kept in the dark. I'm... so sorry you can't see him physically." She added in mock empathy, checking off something on Chester's clipboard hanging below his window.

"And, um, why weren't we informed of this?"

"We needed to be certain, Mr. Shinoda. Now, I think you've had enough questions for today. I am very busy, and visiting hours are almost over. If you'll follow me to the exit, a security guard can escort you to the lobby." Dr. Jennings began to walk away, and everyone but Mike starting to walk away.

I can see you, Mike. Please, don't leave me here...

Mike stood staring into the darkness of the room. Maybe it was multiple rooms, he couldn't tell. He just wanted to see some sign that his friend was alive in there somewhere.

Suddenly, he got his wish...

A pale, skeletal man slowly rose from the bottom of the glass, rising to full height and stared right into Mike's eyes. Mike could tell it was Chester; the brown eyes and shocker tatoos gave him away. But this was a Chester he had never seen before; it was emaciated and in anguish. Mike felt a single tear roll down his cheek as Chester stared at one hand and lifted it, pressing it firmly against the glass, palm down. He looked at his hand for a moment more, then looked back at Mike desperately, breathing hard even if Mike couldn't hear him. He lifted his own hand and placed it against the glass on top of Chesters, then heard Joe calling him from down the hall.

Wait, Mike... Just wait. Joe can wait. I'm living beyond the glass, Mike. Can YOU save me?

Mike swallowed hard, about ready to leave, when he saw Chester blow hard on the glass, fogging it up. Mike looked at him curiously as his friend began to write something in the steam.

E K I M , E M P L E H was traced with a trembling, white finger.

Horrified, Mike looked into Chester's somber eyes, out which tears fell slowly. Mike turned and ran back down the hallway, the metal grating beneath his feet clanking loudly as he caught up with Joe, his stomach in his throat.

Dr. Jennings appeared next to him, smiling as though he were fine, though his face was white as chalk and his breath was staggered.

"Something wrong, Mr. Shinoda?"

Mike... you left. I'm alone again. Alone, yet surrounded. Wait... here they come, running into my cell. They cloud my vision and choke my throat, Dr. Jennings. You've paged your acolytes into my cell because Mike is too afraid. Alas, nightmares will drown my sleep again. You've poisoned me with your drones in their bright white suits, come to carry me away again...

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I don't write much sci fi... I dunno if I like it. I like the concept, but how I started it isn't exactly perfect. the good stuff about him sensing the dead will come later, if i can get my act together. R&R as always...

And just for reference, though you guys probably already know this, the junk in italics is happening as Chester hears/sees/senses it from his room.