Pitch Black Heaven

The day passed in an orderly manner. Either Dale or Kyle would stay near the cabin and sometimes kept me company while the other went out to do their duties in the forest surroundings, they showed me a small lake by the house then dinner was a nice roast cooked by Dale. The little TV actually worked so we watched a few movies in a comfortable silence till we all grew tired.

It was all very nice and hospitable, but truthfully I just wanted to be left alone.
I couldn’t sleep, my conscience kept me awake like the beating in my chest was now an ear piercing screeching. Like nails running down a blackboard.

I found myself clawing at my legs, gripping them with my ridged fingers. Sitting in a ball I bit my finger nails - my nasty habit resurfacing – and fought the painful urges to thrash around like a maniac.

A tornado of vicious mind ripping memories tore through me. Carmen’s vacant eyes and blood soaked hair was like a hair pulling sensation in the back of my head, Zach’s sorrowful face at my demise made me regret every ounce of hatred I’d felt for him.

Paranoia consumed me whole and every sound echoing through the forest trees startled me more and more to the point where I crept outside and walked past the cluster of trees to the lake.

I curled up right on the edge of the little pier and dipped my toes into the icy water. Unlike the many times I’d been out in the heart of nature I felt so connection to my surroundings. Somehow I knew the lake was beautiful, but I couldn’t feel it. I picked up the nearest rock and threw it into the waters. The rippling sent shivers up my toes, up my legs and into my heart.

It reminded me of how Zach made me feel when we were together, a pulling spark between us that didn’t go away.

I searched my body for any sign it was still there.

It was gone.

With a deep sigh I went back to the cabin and lay awake all night craving the adrenaline rush of Rapture.

***

“Are you going to call him Hun?” Dale shoveled some pancakes onto my plate the next morning. I was hesitant to reply, fearing I would spit out the truth if the subject dragged on too long.

“I’m sorry but who would I want to call?” I wondered, idly drizzling maple syrup on my pancakes.

Dale rolled his eyes. “Don’t give me that, you know who I’m talking about.” Kyle took his seat opposite me and watched Dale and I scowl lightly at each other.

“I still don’t know who you’re talking about…”

“Hmm, what about the Zach boy who was very jealous of me last week…” He speculated eyeing me smugly.

I groaned in defeat. “No I’m defiantly not calling him, he doesn’t want to speak to me and I don’t want to speak to him either…” I muttered keeping my chin up. Kyle scoffed loudly.

My eyes darted to him.

He looked up to meet my glower. “Well you obviously like him and he likes you. From what Dale told me you two fight like an old married couple.”

Dale stifled a giggle as I felt my cheeks burn up. “If the girl doesn’t want to call her Prince Charming then leave her be Kyle.” He reasoned. If I wasn’t just seeing things I was pretty sure Dale winked slyly at Kyle. My eyes narrowed and I went on eating, my eyes not leaving them.

Kyle looked back to his pancakes with a confused.

“Hey Kyle why don’t you take Rhi into town, get some decent food. We’ve been eating pancakes out of a bottle for a week now.” Dale complained as he cleared the table.

Kyle shrugged and nodded, taking down his coffee in one go. Dale quickly shoved Kyle and me out the door throwing us each jackets.

“Don’t forget to get chips.” He reminded us before he slammed the door in a rush. Both me and Kyle frowned and towed me to the car. As I got in I wondered why Dale was in such a hurry to be rid of us.

“Is Dale always that up tight and rushed?” I asked Kyle once we were cruising down the highway.

He shook his head slowly. “Nah, today he’s being really weird… like he’s up to something.” He mumbled as the figure of some small stores appeared in the distance. I scrapped my brain for possible evil plans Dale could be concocting.

Kyle parked by a general store and we both got out.

I couldn’t keep my mind on the shopping as we browsed the store chatting casually. I wasn’t really paying much attention to what the conversation was about, but it was nice to be having a normal chat with someone. Coming back down to earth was a weird yet comforting feeling. It had been so long since I’d snapped back into reality, the real world.

Kyle and I ambled around the store for a good forty minutes pulling little treats off the shelves. We both agreed we would get one treat each, one treat turned into two, then tree until each of our baskets had more chocolate bars than groceries.

At the checkout I finally allowed myself to check my phone incase I’d gotten a message. Thanks to good old Tiarne she’d let me borrow her old phone. I patted my jacket pockets searching for it, I couldn’t find it.

It had defiantly been in my pocket, I’d used it the morning I woke up at Dale and Kyle’s place and never taken it out since.

“What’s wrong?” Kyle asked, taking the bags from the cashier.

I frowned. “I can’t find my phone…”

“Oh, I saw-” He began.

“Dale!” We said in unison. Sprinting, we jumped into the car, throwing the shopping into the backseat.

“Go, go, go!” I shouted, slamming my hands on the dashboard to keep my face meeting the windscreen.

“Sorry.”

“Just go!” I should have known Dale was up to something, and I was pretty sure I knew exactly what he was planning to do with my phone.

‘If the girl doesn’t want to call her prince charming’ – Then Dale will call him for her. That asshole!

I was growing impatient. I was only hoping Zach wouldn’t have enough time to get to the cabin before I could get out of there, I couldn’t face him.

“Stop here!” I ordered Kyle as I forced the door open. I stumbled out - almost falling over my feet - and ran down the thin dirt path to the log cabin. When it came into view all I could picture was Zach lounged against the wall beside my bedroom door.

I hadn’t straightened my hair in almost a week. My spiky top layer was probably like a crazy birds nest by now. Why the hell did I care what I looked like all of a sudden?!

I took a few seconds to try to tame my wild array of hair, there really was no point, but oh well. Turning the handle I decided to make a civilized entrance.

“Rhi?!” My jaw dropped so low I thought it would hit the floor.

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009