The Lost and Forgotten Aren't Always Gone

I’ve been here for 4 days, in this church. All I did was eat, sleep and go to the bathroom. However I’ve avoided the mirrors afraid of what I was going to see, the ones that were hard to avoid I asked to be covered up. The strange red liquid that the man kept giving me tasted worse with each passing day. Last night I avoided it all together not wanting to taste the weird iron taste. I was recovering pretty well, the pain was less frequent, my bruises, and gashes were healing up nicely and my mood was better. I could walk farther but it still was highly uncomfortable because my body was more damaged then I thought.

“Eve?”

“I’m in the bathroom”

“I don’t mean to sound rude but I think you should have a shower…or two.”

“I…I know…but I’m…I’m afraid.” My voice shook as I thought about the shower. The thought of hot water made my skin ache but most of all I wanted to avoid looking at my body. I was trying to act like none of that happened to me but I knew that wouldn’t happen. Just looking at my arms reminded me and the pitting looks of the nuns was enough to make me weep.

“Eve, you’re a strong women and I know you can over come this.” I felt the sincerity in his words which made me want to face the fear. So slowly I walked to the shower from the toilet and slowly, to not hurt myself, started to peel off my clothing.

“You’re right father. I will face the demon in my mind.”

“That’s right, fight. I’ve laid a fresh gown on your bed.”

I turned the knob off the shower towards the warm side and tested it with my hand. I peered inside to see a bar of soap, shampoo, a loafa, conditioner, and a razor. I stripped off the rest of my clothes to get into the shower. Tentatively I got into the shower putting my leg into the water first just to make sure I was alright. It felt fine so into the water I went holding my breath. That’s when the pain hit. All my cuts stung I swear some even reopened. I let out a yelp from the pain all the while falling backwards to get away from the water. I heard pounding on the door as I curled into a ball on the shower floor.

“Eve! Eve are you alright?! I’m coming in” hearing this I started to cry out of annoyance of myself.

“No, don’t!”

“No, you need help” I heard more rustling causing me to cry more.

“No, I need to do this. Please” I whispered the last part not knowing if he heard it but the rustling stopped and a sigh came from outside the door.

“Fine, but if I hear or think anything is wrong I’m coming in no matter what.” I hear his footsteps leaving and a door shutting. I wiped my eyes and slowly stood; gritting my teeth I stepped back into the water. I felt the same pain but I bared it waiting for it to stop. Soon the pain ceased to pretty much nothing as I watched dark water hitting the shower floor. I stood in fascination at the dark water. ‘Isn’t water clear?’ I looked up to the shower head to see that I was correct about water being clear. I was puzzled for a few seconds till I looked at my arms to see water clear turning to black. ‘The reason for the water turning black was me?’ I felt a few tears running down my cheek ‘how long was I there for? How long have I been beaten?’ the water turning black gave me the feeling of loss. Anger quickly took over as I grabbed the bar of soap and loafa, scrubbing all over. The pain came back quickly but I didn’t care, all I wanted was the black to be gone off of me. Soon the water started to turn clear but not without a price. Skin inflamed, cuts reopened, memories flooding my mind from escaping, all came with the cleanness. I put my hair into the water more to see black water once more. Dropping the soap I grabbed for the shampoo, putting a generous amount into my hand I started to wash my hair. Closing my eyes I scrubbed with all my might ignoring the headache coming on. I repeated twice each time taking 6 minutes to scrub away at my scalp. The water was once again clear, and I once again had images fly into my head but this time flashes of a young girl’s childhood entered my mind.

A mother giving disapproving looks at the young girl and looks of loving towards a group of young boys. Which I assumed were her son and his friends. The little girl held a dolly in her hand her plump lips frowning, round cheeks pail, and her eyes showing sadness as she watched the mother look away and walk with arms wide open to the young boys.

“Lets get pizza, my treat” she said as she ushered them away leaving the young girl behind not even looking back. Tears ran down the girl’s cheeks as she watched.

“Mommy…” she said as she watched them disappear down the street. Slowly turning, she walked the other way hiding her face as tears fell.

I shook my head to find me staring at the shower floor once again. I reached for the conditioner this time and conditioned but only once. I went to shave but started to get scared so I quickly stopped. Turning of the water I grabbed a towel to rap around my hair as well as one for my body. Feeling a lot better then I did before I felt like I could handle one more thing and that was the mirror. Stepping forward I grabbed the top of the piece of material over the mirror. As I counted down from 10 slowly my grip grew tighter and tighter. Once I hit zero I pulled with all my might. I felt the material at my feet so I slowly opened my eyes.
Standing in front of me was some one else. Cheeks hollowed out and void of any colour, pale didn’t even begin to describe it. I could see veins running all over the woman’s face and on her neck. I watched as she dropped the towel to find this was the same all over her body. Blue, black, and purple was what seemed to be all over. The only colour was thanks to the bruises and the red from the healing cuts. I didn’t want to believe this person was me. Ribs easily seen and could be counted without problem, muscles was scarce it was pretty much skin and bone. I curled my fingers and watched in horror as the women in the mirror did the same thing each bone and vein seen. I collapsed and curled into a ball and started to weep.

A blanket was wrapped around me looking I see Father Carol. I didn’t hear him come in but I’m thankful for the blanket and his support. He hugged me for what felt like half an hour but in reality for maybe 5 minutes. Slowly he picked me up and carried me towards the door. Looking back I watched as the skeletal woman was also being carried away. I waved and started at the eyes, the silver/grey eyes that captured you with sadness and loss. I watched the eyes till the door shut.

Becketts Castle
No ones P.O.V.
William Beckett walked down the hall in his ghost like state. Ever since Eve went missing or well pretty much assumed dead he’s been like that. Walking in a zombie like state biting peoples heads of if they irritate him which is all the time now. He has gone down in strength thanks to his lack of blood intake but only recently has he started to drink a little more. Brendan and Michale stopped chasing after Robin since Eve disappeared since they were too worried about William and upset over how they treated Eve.

‘‘Come on man, you have to drink more” prompted Brendan as he pushed a goblet full of blood towards William.

“No I don’t want it” turning his face to the left he growled.

“Don’t be like that, all of us are worried about you…” once again Brendan pushed the goblet closer to him.

‘‘I said I don’t want it!” he roared hitting the goblet across the table making the servants shriek and cringe.

“Stop it! Stop being like this, the Dandies are going through a ruff time and what they, no, what WE need is a leader! Not some half ass strength vampire that’s wallowing in self pity!” Beckett grabbed Brendan by the throat and had him up against the wall in seconds. Brendan looked shocked at what happened and for the first time in decades, afraid of his friend. The red eyes of William Beckett were wild and crazed. However in a few seconds after the incident Beckett realised Brendan backed away in shock then ran to his room closing and locking the door.

“What have I done?” he asked himself as he sat on his casket with his head in his hands, “what have I done?”