Page 44 of Fragmented Illusions
Lucky me for having a defective brain.
I wish I was one of those fortunate people born perfect, with perfect bodiesandbrains. I don’t think they realize how truly lucky they are, either. How trulyrareit is—and they take advantage of it too.
The sound of creaking and shuffling pulls me from my thoughts, and I lean my body to the side to look past Creepy who is standing directly in front of me. Since we’re standing at the opposite side of the smaller room, I have a direct line of vision to the doorway Silent steps back through. His back is to us and he’s hunched over. Even though he’s wearing baggy clothes, you can see the strain and pull of his muscles.
His hands are wrapped around what he’s dragging into the room, and it takes my brain entirely too long to register what the hell it is he’s dragging.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Blood rushes through my ears and all I hear is the sound of my heart thumping evenly, yet painfully against my ribs.
“What…” my voice trails off, sounding faded and weak. The room rings with silence, and everything fades away—everything except what I hope I’m not fucking seeing.
This can’t be real.
“I’m going to be late for class,” I blurt out, and try to dart from the room, but it’s like my body anticipated being caught because I’m not surprised in the least to feel hands wrap around my torso, locking me against a hard, hot body. Creepy’s mask bumps against the right side of my face as he presses against me.
I turn my head towards him because this is the closest I have been to them in the light and my eyes peer into his. Blue eyes stare back at me, looking similar to my own, except more gray toned. I don’t know why it surprises me—seeing his eyes. Maybe because it makes this feel more real. More final.
Without knowing a single thing about them, I could make excuses, but now that I’m getting bits and pieces, it makes it harder for me to push this away. I’m being forced to accept this is my life now—and what’s even worse, is the fact I’m okay with it.
Maybe… Maybe I’m beyond saving.
Do I embrace this, or do I fight it?
I’m so confused.
You’re not confused.
You know exactly what you want, Fallon.
You’vealwaysknown.
You just decided to fight it.
“I was wondering where you went,” I whisper to the voice, my tone laced with malice. It has left me all alone and now wants to add its two cents. No thank you.
“What was that, pretty girl?” Creepy asks me, his voice breaking through like both of theirs always do, and I shake my head, not answering as I fix my gaze back on Silent. He’s now fully in the room, having dragged the body to the center, where the previous one I saw was on Halloween night.
I automatically take a step forward to get a better view of the dead body they are trying to scare me with and my breath hitches when I see the female’s shoulders rising and falling.
She’s breathing.
“She’s alive?” I exclaim, my voice rising to a peak level, causing my ears to ring.
“Yes,” Silent deadpans, not leaving any room for explanation. I stare, gaping and completely in shock as my body continues to propel me forward. I stop when my feet bump against something. When I glance down, I see it’s the female, now lying at my feet, curled in the fetal position.
There is dirt smeared across what I can see of her left cheek and her clothes are dirty as well, but in surprisingly good condition. Her hair is auburn and shorter, barely brushing the floor with the way she’s lying.
My hand finds its way to her hair, and I run my fingers through the tendrils. They feel soft and silky, clean. I inch forward to bring my nose closer to her face, desperate to know what her hair smells like; if it smells floral, like I would guess, or like something else entirely.
I wonder what it would smell like with her body rotting in the ground…
Yes.
