Lost Lies

When I opened my eyes, I found Detective Hunt and Hapsburg gone, and Danny, Casper and Alex staring at me.

“Enjoy your sleep?” Casper laughed.

He sat opposite me with Danny perched on the arm of the chair.

“What do you mean?” I yawned.

“You fell asleep,” Danny explained, moving a stray lock of hair out of my eyes.

“Did I?” I asked, working my brain to try and remember.

“Yes. We were going to take you home, but we didn’t want to disturb you; you looked so peaceful.” Alex added.

I looked around to find I was sat on Alex’s lap, head resting on his chest and his arms wrapped round me, but I was too tired to move from his lap. I felt weak and a bit tipsy; I was afraid if I stood up, I would just collapse to the floor.

“What time is it?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

“Twelve o’clock. I’m starving.” Casper eyed the room door.

“Same here.” I yawned again and stood up to stretch.

Alex stood up and took my hand in his. He tugged me towards the door, Casper and Danny following behind. I looked towards where Chris lay in critical state, wires and tubes surrounding him. As I walked away, I felt a pinch of regret and fear. I feared he would never wake up and I regretted that I wasn’t there to try and save his life, or if he wakes up, I won’t be there to comfort him.

“Where are we going?” I asked, shaking my hand free from Alex’s.

“Going to get something to eat, stupid.” Casper muttered sarcastically from behind me.

“Why don’t you pipe down? I know we are getting something to eat but I mean where, exactly.” I shot back.

“You might want to get changed first.” Danny snickered.

I looked down to find I was still dressed in my other pair of bed shorts and tank top I’d changed into after my late night shower. I also had on my coat and Converse, but it was hardly appropriate attire. I let out a sigh of shock.

“Come on; we’ll drive you home first and then take you out to dinner.” Alex said with a slight growl in his tone; a warning to Danny and Casper, no doubt.

“Excuse me, but we have more important things to do than take her out.” Casper protested.

“Excuse me, but we have more important things to do than take her out.” I mimicked Casper’s voice and turned abruptly, stopping him dead in his tracks. “Listen, Casper, it’s obvious you don’t like me, nor do I like you for that matter, but there’s no need to be rude about it!” I hissed, still in no mood for anyone, especially jerks like Casper. I shoved him as hard as I could with my available hand; he stumbled back slightly, and a toxic smile spread across his face.

“Oh, what’s this then?” He raised one eyebrow in questioning. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?” He let out a sickening purr, and I went cold inside. From the corner of my eye, I could see Alex and Danny trying to hold back a smile.

“Let’s get this straight: you clearly don’t know how to treat a girl who just found her boyfriend shoved in a wardrobe after he had been stabbed! You don’t know how to treat a girl with respect altogether, you -.”

“I do know how to treat a girl, thank you,” he murmured, taking a step closer and placing one finger on my lips, trapping them shut. He towered over me, looking down upon me with soulless eyes and a cold smile.

“I know how to treat a girl like you,” he taunted, tucking my hair behind my ears and crouching down to my height. “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be hanging around with big bad men like us.”

Before I knew it, his arms were around my waist and his lips were pressed against mine.

I could feel another pair of arms slide round my waist from behind and try and rip me away from Casper. His grip tightened around me, refusing to release me from his brutal kiss, and I tried gasping for air as the grip tightened from behind. I was in the middle of a horrible version of tug of war, and I decided to end it before things escalated further.

I bit down on Casper’s lip.

He let out a yelp and released me. My body was thrown back into the chest of my puller and we both tumbled to the ground. I could hear the hiss of anger in Casper’s voice as he swore at me, warning me to watch my step, but before he could approach me, Danny restrained him.

I could feel my heart pounding against my chest, threatening to jump out of my body and run a mile. I could also feel Alex’s heart racing in tempo with mine.

“You can let go now.” I whispered, taking in deep breaths.

Alex’s grip loosened and I climbed to my feet, offering my hand out to Alex. He refused it and got up without assistance. I turned to Casper and simply hissed “monster”, sending him into another craze.

I could feel Alex’s presence behind me, and he whispered in my ear with caution, “We best get out of here before we get dragged out by security.”

I looked around, spotting several security cameras and patients who had heard the commotion and decided to investigate.

“Take him out of here; I will take Winter home. Our plans have changed.” Alex snarled at Danny.

“You can’t change plans halfway through the game! Not when we’re this close to getting what we want - what we need!” Danny protested.

“Well, they have now, understand? If anything happens or goes wrong, I am holding you two responsible.” Alex warned.

“We need to talk.” Danny glared at me before looking back over my head at Alex, who was stood ever so closer. Casper gave me the exact same look as he was dragged away by Danny.

“Come on, Winter, let’s get you home.” Alex gripped my shoulders lightly and spun me to walk back down the corridor towards the main entrance, his constant presence lingering closer than I liked.

-:- -:- -:-

Outside, the cold breeze nipped at my bare skin, causing me to wrap my arms around my body, hugging myself to keep warm.

“Cold, Winter?” Alex asked from my side, and I nodded in reply. “Here, put this on.” He stripped of his jacket and placed it round my shoulders.

“Thanks.” I murmured, starting to feel the strong effect of the cold as it rushed past my clothes to my skin. “Aren’t you going to be cold?”

“Nope; cold doesn’t bother me.” He replied simply and kept on walking.

A rush of heat shot through my chest area, stopping me dead in my tracks. I doubled over in agony, falling to my hands and knees. I gasped for air, reaching out, trying to call out to Alex, but kept on walking. People walked by staring, just staring. I reached out to people, whispering for help, but they just walked by, looking at me like I was crazy. What was wrong with them? Why were they ignoring me?

Tears began to burn at my eyes and I could feel my throat close tightly shut, causing black and red dots to cloud my vision. The heat began to spread around my body, every hair on my body standing on end, and my heart began to pound at triple speed. Time ticked by, people walked on, and Alex still didn’t notice I was missing

“Hey, are you ok?” A female voice echoed through my ears.

I felt her hand rest on my shoulder and turned my head towards her. Before I could try to say a word, the woman screamed and ran off.

I could feel my heart slow down and my temperature drop back to normal. My lungs and airways began to clear and my vision came in focus. When I looked up, I found Alex stood with a questioning expression in his face, but his eyes told me different.

His green eyes were dotted with red. His stare seemed to look right into my soul.

“What’s wrong with you?” He questioned, bending down to help me up.

“Fine, just fine. Don’t you think it’s a bit too late to ask?” I snapped, shoving him away and dusting myself off.

“I -.”

“That was rhetorical!” I interrupted before he could answer.

“But -.”

“Don’t.” I shook my head and walked to the parking lot, where Alex’s car would be parked.

It wasn’t until I turned my head to look for the car that I noticed the colour of my eyes. I stood staring at my reflection in the car window. I edged closer to the vehicle.

My eyes were an eerie red rather than their usual ocean blue. I bent closer to examine my eyes, blinking a few times and then looking away to test if it was just my imagination. I moved closer to the car window, and Alex appeared behind me.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, coming to my side and leaning on the car. I turned my head towards him and gave him a dark glare.

“What’s wrong?” I repeated in a shout. “What’s wrong? Well, let me see. My eyes are red. Red, Alex, red, not blue. Back there, I felt like I was going to die and you, I repeat, you didn’t bother to help me!”

“Excuse me?” He stood up straight, taking a step closer so he towered over me, his expression of anger. I turned around and stood up straight, tilting my head to look him straight in his eyes.

“You heard me!”

“Yes, I did; I just didn’t understand the part where you implied it was my fault!” He shot back.

“I never implied it was your fault!” I hissed.

He laughed bitterly and whispered loud enough so only I could hear, “I am pretty sure you were; your facial expression said it all. Now, you’re going to be a good girl and get in the car.”

“Hell no, not with you. Plus, I have no idea where your car is.”

“You’re stood beside it.” He jerked his chin towards the car I used as a mirror. “Get in the car.” He instructed coolly.

“No!” I turned away, my back towards him, my arms folded.

“Get in the car.” He repeated, his calm tone threatening to shatter.

“No.”

“Get in the car and stop acting childish.” His tone sounding on the brink of breaking into fury, but I refused to give in.

“No.”

“Either you get in yourself, or I drag you in.”

“No!” I repeated again, louder.

“I give up.”

I felt one of his arms wrap round my waist, and he tugged me to the back of the car.

“Let me go!” I screamed, clawing at his arm.

He ignored me and opened the back door, refusing to let go of me. I began kicking him and clawing at him more, digging in my nails and breaking the flesh. He didn’t flinch, didn’t cry out in pain, he was just . . . silent.

“Let me go!” I screamed repeatedly, continually clawing at his arm, but still there was nothing.

After a while of struggling and his fight to get me in the car, I gave in and let myself be seated in the car and buckled into my seat like a child.