Another Voice

The real Penny was no where near the hospital, though it was possible that she would have rather been at a chaos inspired, headache inducing, mad house than here in this unreal world of subtle nightmares. No, Penny was filling a water glass to maybe revive what might be her soon-to-be-sister-in-law or maybe a monster, maybe both. As Penny turned off the faucet, she had no inclination that her identity was elsewhere.

"Rainey's here," another unfamiliar voice said from the dining room area. Her hand began a slow tremble and she wondered if the day would get any stranger. This voice was totally unfamiliar and sounded slightly like a computer.

Without her real wits, Penny found her feet moving her back toward the voice. As she came closer to the doorway, she could still see Joan's body. It looked unmoved.

"Rainey's here," the voice said again. Penny squinted at the still body. The voice seemed to be coming from else where.

Then the door to the kitchen crashed open. The sound caused a much more startled reaction than the amorphous voice did. The water glass was the second loud noise as it collided with the floor as Penny's grip was lost to it. Water splashed her legs, but the glass remained intact. That's good, a rational voice told her inside her head.

And at that moment very large, very out of breath person came into view as Penny turned her attention that way.

"Where is she?" Rainey puffed. Penny pointed.

The large woman lumbered down to the ground the with lifeless body, "Joan, sweetey, it's Rainey. It's okay. You can come back. I am here."

Before Penny could comprehend this, the amorphous voice said, "Tell Rainey hello."

Even Rainey looked confused.