Wrists Intact

I woke up with a wicked headache and feeling sick to my stomach. I didn’t open my eyes right away and instead pulled the blanket over my head, wishing that the world would just go away and leave me alone. And then I remembered.

He was free, he could get me, he was going to get me. He wouldn’t rest until I was dead. He’d promised me that, and he always kept his promises. Devin couldn’t protect me, no one could.

Terrified that he was in the room with me I threw back my blankets and looked around. He wasn’t there but Ryan was.

“What did he do?” Ryan asked. I didn’t answer. The memories all came flooding back, it seemed as though they would suffocate me.

“Did he kill Mel?” Ryan asked, his voice dropping down to a whisper. I couldn’t hold back the tears as I nodded. Mel, my best friend, my sister, dead, all because of him. And he was after me now.

“What happened?” Ryan asked softly. How could he expect me to just be able to tell him just like that? I hadn’t told anyone since he was locked away; I swore that I’d never speak about it again. If I talked about it, I could still see her, the light leaving her eyes; hear his laughter, see his smile. If I talked about it, it gave him power.

“Pete didn’t tell us anything.” Ryan whispered. That surprised me; I figured that Pete would’ve told them everything.

“Devin hasn’t said anything either. He locked himself in his room and hasn’t come out yet.” Ryan said. I wondered what Devin thought about all of this. Devin hadn’t really known Mel as well as I had, but he’d known what happened. Devin was at my house when he showed up. Devin had been the one to call the police; he and Jimmy had to protect me until the cops showed up. We’d been told that we would never have to worry about him again. Apparently the lawyer was wrong.

“Please tell me.” Ryan begged. I looked up at him. There was a pleading look on his face, and for a second, my heart melted. For a brief, very brief, second, I wondered if we’d been something more, but then the thought vanished, replaced by memories of Mel, and him.

The look in Ryan’s eyes didn’t go away, and even though that strange warm feeling didn’t appear, I found myself telling him everything. He didn’t say a word as I told him how Mel was my best friend, and how horrified I was when she and Roger started dating. Then one day I went over to Mel’s house and I found her on the floor, dying. The police came but no one knew who’d done it, except for me. I was at my house one day, and Jimmy and Devin were over. That was when Roger showed up, to finish the job. Jimmy and Devin tried to fight him off but he almost got them before the police showed up. The lawyer promised us that he’d be in jail forever, but he lied. The newspaper article had said that Roger had escaped, and was rumored to be in the states. He was after me, I knew it.

Ryan didn’t say anything once I finished and I couldn’t blame him. I mean, what are you supposed to say when someone tells you that they have someone who is trying to murder them?!

“Well at least you can remember things now.” Ryan said finally. I didn’t know whether or not I should laugh or hit him. I settled for doing neither.

“Not everything, I still can’t remember you or anyone besides that whole little thing.” I said. For a split second Ryan looked angry.

“You’re calling that a little thing? Are you crazy?” He asked. Then he seemed to realize what he said and shook his head, blushing slightly.

“I’m sorry.” He said. I shrugged and looked at the wall.

“It’s fine.” I said. There was a long awkward silence until finally Ryan spoke again.

“We won’t let him get you.” He said. I stared at him.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” I said. Ryan smiled.

“You underestimate us.” He said. Then I remembered the whole vampire things. Not that it really changed my opinion.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” I repeated. Ryan didn’t say anything and we fell into another awkward silence.

“He won’t get you.” Ryan said finally. I didn’t answer, I didn’t feel like arguing.