Revelations
Then
After the ambulance took my father's body away, and my mom and sister left my side, I saw movement in the shadows across the street.
Someone was there, watching me.
When they shifted into view,my eyes widened.
"Isaac?" I called out. "What are you doing here?"
He walked toward me, hands in his pockets. "Nina, what the hell happened?" He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. "Let me see your hands."
"What for?"
Isaac frowned. "Please."
I sighed and put my hands in his, palms up. He studied them. "There's no blood on your hands. Did you wash it off?"
I blinked and looked down, at the red smeared on my skin. It was there, I could see it, clear as I could see him standing in front of me.
"It's still there," I told him, my eyes filling with tears.
"No, Nina, it's not."
I pulled away from him, and turned around. "What's wrong with you? Can't you see it?"
Isaac stepped closer. "Can't you see what's right in front of you? There's nothing on your hands, Nina."
When he grabbed me, I was too startled to yell. The streets were empty and silent, except for the sounds of my struggling and angry breathing against Isaac.
"Stop, just stop. Please. Let me help you."
Someone was there, watching me.
When they shifted into view,my eyes widened.
"Isaac?" I called out. "What are you doing here?"
He walked toward me, hands in his pockets. "Nina, what the hell happened?" He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. "Let me see your hands."
"What for?"
Isaac frowned. "Please."
I sighed and put my hands in his, palms up. He studied them. "There's no blood on your hands. Did you wash it off?"
I blinked and looked down, at the red smeared on my skin. It was there, I could see it, clear as I could see him standing in front of me.
"It's still there," I told him, my eyes filling with tears.
"No, Nina, it's not."
I pulled away from him, and turned around. "What's wrong with you? Can't you see it?"
Isaac stepped closer. "Can't you see what's right in front of you? There's nothing on your hands, Nina."
When he grabbed me, I was too startled to yell. The streets were empty and silent, except for the sounds of my struggling and angry breathing against Isaac.
"Stop, just stop. Please. Let me help you."