Page 56 of Fixation of the Mind

The darkness curled up inside me, waiting to be used. It needed me to survive this.

As soon as his grip loosened just a bit more, I yanked my foot from his grasp and gave a big donkey kick. Miss Vaughn yelped, and I heard a scuffle behind me before the second hand let go of me. I didn't waste any time. Taking advantage of the two other boys' shock, I swung up my leg and kicked Lennon in the head. His grip broke as he fell to the side, so I grabbed the bat and swung it at the other guy. Thankfully, he immediately released my arm.

Inky laughter filled my head. Yes, yes. Get them. Beat them. Show them who should be afraid now.

I stalked up to Lennon, channeling the rage and pain that had accumulated over the years, then smashed that bat down on his head. A sickening crack sounded and blood sprayed, but I didn't stop. I was on a warpath.

The other boys were weak without their leaders, so they ran off as soon as they saw me. I bet I looked crazy. Tear stained cheeks, blood matted hair and dirt all over the place, swinging a bat like I was an MLB pro.

Miss Vaughn’s voice broke through my glee.

“You dirty, horrible girl. You are nothing. I saved you, and this is how you repay me? I should’ve left you in the woods for the animals to eat.”

Lowering my bat, I slowly walked up to her. My limbs were jerky and my breathing ragged, but I made my way over, glancing down at the shin she was holding.

“Your parents cursed me with you. You're a curse, Layrin, a wicked, demon child that should’ve died long ago.” These weren’t words I hadn't heard before, words that would’ve crushed me as a child, but now I knew all of that wasn't true… at least not for me.

“You're right,” I said as I raised the bat. “You should’ve left me in the woods.” Using every ounce of strength I had left, I swung, hitting her head so hard I thought it would rip off and roll to the ground.

Her body smacked into the ground, and after she took her last breath, I closed my eyes and exhaled. A familiar pulling feeling happened, and I looked down to see Miss Vaughn and Lennon’s bodies were gone. The bat was no longer in my hands, and the woods I had been surrounded by melted away.

I was now standing in a dark alleyway.

A light breeze went by, bringing the sour scent of rotting food to my nose. A rat scurried across the pavement, and cars honked in the distance. This was a new location, so did that mean… Did I pass the first test? Or were they giving me a new one? I should’ve asked more questions when I was with Maria. Damn it! I had no idea what I was doing.

I shook my head and took a personal inventory, knowing there was no use getting upset about the past. Looking down, I realized I had the same clothes on, just a little dirtier than before. My back felt raw, which only reminded me of what I had gone through.

Looking up and down the alleyway, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. What kind of test was this? If it was anything like the last one, then the test would just thrust itself on me, right?

Taking a couple steps forward, I glanced at some of the doors. All of them were numbered except for one with a triangle on it. My hand lifted to my chest, tracing my pendant. That had to mean something.

Turning the knob, I opened the door and went through with caution. My steps resonated against the smooth cement floor of a large warehouse. Boxes lined the walls and center, making a maze of wood and steel shelving. I had pressed forward, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go, when I heard beeping sounds, like those machines at the hospital.

It took me a bit to find the right way through the maze, following those sounds until they got louder, and a bright light came into view. Turning the corner, there was a large space in the center of the room with three tall, clear boxes, hoses and wires hooked up to the bottom of each one.

Getting closer, I noticed that each box had a person crouched down at the bottom. What in the fresh hell is this? It looked like something an evil scientist would use to conduct human or clone experiments.

In eerie unison, three heads looked up at me, and I cried out, running to the first box, staring down at my beautiful dead friend. Lifting a shaky hand to the glass, I whispered, “Vivian?”

Her eyes had deep bruised bags beneath them, her hair was a knotted mess, and the outfit she had on was the one from her funeral. Her lips were chapped, and her nails were broken and bloody. What the hell happened to her?

Her lips cracked open. “Lay… Help…me.”

My hands immediately banged on the glass, thinking I might be strong enough to just smash it open, but this was no normal glass. “Let me look around.” I frantically circled her, trying to find a weak point in the contraption holding her, but a banging came from my other side.

“No, Lay! Help me!”

Another Vivian was there, but this time she looked the way I’d last seen her at the diner—jeans, t-shirt, and apron. Her pleading face begged for me to help her.

“I need you, Lay! I'm the real one!” The third clear box held yet another Vivian, but she was wearing her clubbing outfit. What the fuck?!

Without conscious thought, my legs moved, putting me in the center of the three boxes. I looked at each of them, listening to their pleas. They were all saying the same thing, claiming to be the real one. What the fuck was going on?

My eyes bounced between them, trying to figure out what I could do. How could I save my friend? Friends? How was I supposed to know which Vivian was the right one? Just as I thought my desperation was getting to me, the boxes made a ringing sound, then a light began to blink.

Club Vivian yelped, pulling up her leg, and I ran over to see what was going on. Below her feet was a pump that was bringing in water, lots and lots of water. Running around to each box, I realized every version of my friend was suffering the same fate. My brows furrowed. If it was filled with water, then…

My eyes widened in horror when I figured out that if I didn't save them, they would eventually drown right in front of me. My body shook with equal parts frustration and fear. I didn’t know if I could handle watching my friend die in front of me, let alone three of her.

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