Page 38 of Obsession

“It’s good you know that I’m nothing special,” I say quietly, my entire being numb. “Next time, don’t touch me.”

Emotional flashes of my past are overlapping with the present and the faces of my father and stepmother are darting through my thoughts, replacing Mr. Middleton’s. I can hear their voices.

You’re nothing more than trash.

“I’m going to go back on the floor now,” I say in a monotone voice.

I’ve retreated into myself. I can see Mr. Middleton. I can hear his voice as he says something, but it’s a droning sound.

Can’t hurt me if I can’t hear you or feel you.

I turn around and walk out.

I don’t know what I came here for.

I’ve forgotten.

It’s the familiar taunts in my head that are echoing louder and louder.

Filthy, useless bitch.

Why won’t you just fucking die?

Nobody wants you. You’re a waste of space.

I hear something behind me as I cross the hallway, but I don’t register the sound until a sudden hand on my shoulder stops me. I look up to see Parker’s confused face.

“Where are you going?”

I stare up, blankly. “What?”

He studies me, his brow furrowed. “Megan, what’s wrong?”

“I’m going home,” I say numbly.

His voice is distorted in my head, “But your shift just started.”

“But I’m going home.”

I shake off his hand, wanting to eliminate this cold feeling inside. Maybe once I get warm, the taunts in my head will die down. I thought I was past all of this. I haven’t felt like this in a long time.

I use the other exit and walk out. It’s now a chilly LA evening outside, especially in my silk blouse, but I don’t truly feel it, so I keep walking in the direction of my home.

You’re not special.

I know that I reply silently to myself.

I mindlessly walk past my normal bus stop, mainly because I don’t want to stop moving. This is probably not one of my best ideas. I’m not really sure what time it is, but it’s dark, and the road I’m on is an empty stretch. It’s the heavy footsteps behind me that slowly cause me to become self-aware, my mind fighting against the torrent of memories.

Then, the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

The footsteps are rapidly approaching me, but before I can turn around and react, something heavy comes crashing down on the back of my head, and after a flash of blinding white pain, there’s only darkness.

Utter darkness.

Chapter 13

Death And Despair

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