FreakyLinks

Subject: The Vortex

synopsis:

While visiting a friend in Massachusetts, a side trip to an old abandoned mental hospital, becomes a fight for survival when Derek and Lan are abducted by an enemy with a grudge, and the "former residents".

This story is rated T- for Mild violence and language.

Timeline: This episode takes place sometime after subject: The Final Word.

**TEASER**

Waltham, Massachusetts. A rented jeep sits unoccupied outside a massive gothic redbrick structure. Despite its majestic features, it's obvious from the crumbling bricks and chipping paint, that

this building has been abandoned for many years. The white, weather beaten sign in front of the building reads: Massachusetts State Hospital and another "newer sign" posted next to it reads: NO

TRESPASSING.

It is nearing nightfall as a security patrol vehicle pulls up behind the rental jeep and parks. A security guard, in his late 30s, cautiously approaches the empty jeep. Seeing nothing of interest, he then proceeds to

walk up the stairs to inspect the building. One of the doors is open.

The security guard stands alone inside a massive lobby, littered with dust, garbage, and broken pieces of furniture and papers strewn all over the floor. The guard shines his light through the dim lit room, but

there is nothing.

"Hello? This is security".

Nobody responds. Walking further down the hall, he stumbles across a small video camera and a wallet. Opening the wallet, the guard observes the driver's license of one, Derek Barnes . The security guard

sighs.

"Okay people, come on out where I can see you". Still no response. "The ghost hunting tour's over people. It's time for you all to pack up and get outta here" .

Just then, the guard hears a noise -or was it a voice- somewhere in the far end of the hallway to his right. Tired of playing games, the guard paces swiftly and angrily down the grimy, rotting hallway. He walks

all the way to the end, then hears another noise. Looking to his left, he sees a flight of stairs. For a moment he hesitates. But then another noise. Although it was barely audible, he could have sworn it was a

voice. The guard descends swiftly, but cautiously down the flight of stairs, and to the basement. The guard held his flashlight up, and it cast a faint glow through the long, dim, hallway. Tiny windows helped light

the hallway, just a little, but the guard knew it would be dark soon.

"This is security" the guard spoke more forcefully. "Come out and show yourself Now!"

Suddenly, he heard a sound coming from one of the rooms down the hall. It sounded like someone rummaging through debris. Frustrated, the guard runs towards the source of the noise; a room that gave him

chills, even in broad daylight: the hospital morgue. When he finally reached the doorway, he stopped and quietly drew his side arm before entering the room. It had no door anymore, so he appeared in the door way,

weapon drawn. At first, the room appeared empty, save for piles boxes, two autopsy tables, and the large unit used for storing cadavers. But something was wrong. Propped up on one of the autopsy tables, was

a small video camera, set on recording mode. That's when he noticed a large figure, flopping violently on the floor, like a fish out of water. The guard gasped and jumped, as he quickly shined his flashlight down

in the figure's direction.

To his horror, the security guard saw that it was a young man - the SAME young man from the driver's license he found upstairs. The young man's face, Derek's face, was covered in scratches and bruises. A

large wad of surgical cotton and gauze was stuffed in his mouth, and further observation revealed that his wrists and ankles were bound with a dirty black electrical chord. Derek stopped struggling and was

shaking. He looked up at the security guard with pale blue eyes, large with fear, pleaded

silently for help. For a moment the guard stood frozen in shock, but Derek's frantic muffled grunts snapped him out of his stupor and he quickly sprang into action. Setting his gun and flashlight on the table,

the guard knelt beside him. He touched Derek's shoulder reassuringly.

"Hold still, everything's gonna be okay" spoke the guard in comforting tone. He gently pulled the makeshift gag from Derek's mouth. Derek coughed and retched from the dirty threads clinging to the inside of

his mouth and throat.

"Please, you gotta help us" Derek pleaded, "my friend Lan and I, we were attacked. You gotta get us outta here!"

Just then, a dark form appeared in the doorway. Seeing this, causes Derek to panic.

"Oh God no!"

The security guard turns around, just in time to see a dark human figure rushing towards him with a rusty fire extinguisher. Derek cries out as the figure, with blinding speed, rushes up to the guard and brings

the fire extinguisher down on his head. The guard collapses on the floor, and the black shadow figure stands menacingly over Derek. He began to shake nervously once more.

"Oh my God, this is it" he thought. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he looked up at his captor. "Lan" Derek thought, "I'm so sorry".

***Cut to opening credits***