Jinxed Things Ringing

I didn't dare breathe. I couldn't.

But I almost pissed my pants, I'll tell you that. What made me really (almost) faint was when I heard the master bedroom door open.

My lungs were burning as I tried not to make any sounds at all. I could hear footsteps approach the closet and stop. I almost threw up from the silence. She knew I was in there. It was only matter of time before the suspense or the lady herself would butcher me up into tiny little pieces.

The closet door was opened and I pressed my back against the end of the closet. A hand groped through the closet until it rested on my arm and tugged. I was viciously yanked and fell onto the closet floor. I looked up to see the terrifying face of Adriana Celeste's mother.

"What are you doing here!" She shrieked at me clawing at my body. I managed to pull myself up but get hit in the face a few times, but clumsily fell onto the bedroom floor. The lady had no mercy and attacked me again. Grabbing her shoulder's, I hoisted myself up and pushed the crazy mother away from me, backing into the corner.

"Why are you here?!" Mrs. Celeste screamed edging closer to me in a maniac sense.

"Do you want the truth or one of those little white lies that doesn't hurt your feelings?" I asked shrinking against the corner of the room.

"Y-you're a reporter! YOU SPY! How dare you!" She screamed.

"B-because honestly that dress you keep b-back there isn't going to hide the f-fact you h-have it," I squeaked.

The door was just across the room as I glanced at it. Without thinking I bolted across the room for the door. I managed to throw the door open, but not before I was tackled and hit the floor face forward.



My eyes peeled open. It felt like my eyelashes were stuck together as I pried them open. My right eye was throbbing. A black eye for sure.

Wait. What happened?!

I panicked trying to look around. Everything was to hazy for me to make out. I think I was suffering from a concussion but I forced myself to stay awake. I was to scared to allow myself to sleep, though I wanted to rest the pain away.

Surging over me like a wave, new pains and aches were emitted from my limbs. A twisted ankle, a swollen wrist, a black eye, scraped arms. Nothing really was being comprehended except how I was going to get out. My head lolled back, but I snapped it back up. I whimpered from the pain my neck brought.

My throat was completely dry. How long was I here for? A day? A week? A year?! Brendon! Michelle! Where was I?

I manged to look around but my body wouldn't help as I felt heavy and weighed down. I realized that I was tied to the bed post. The box sitting a mere inches away from me. The box that contained Brendon's memorabilia. I sighed and used my foot to drag the box to my hip. I peered inside.

Now that I could see properly, I felt nauseous. It was almost sickening how much this girlloved liked Brendon. I felt scared just looking at it. Knowing she was still alive and all.

I hadn't even found the letter.

Was there even a letter?

No. There had to be a letter.

Mrs. Celeste wouldn't let it get anywhere without her permission. I shifted a bit, something jabbing in my pocket. My cell phone! It would be easy to retrieve it if my hands weren't tied.

She couldn't have used rope like any normal person?! She haaaaaaad to use q-tie cable ties. There was no getting this undone. Only getting it tighter and the only way to come out would be to use scissors.

I sighed.

Oh pain. Here I come.

I put my hands together so my palms were touching. I eased my wrists under the tie. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to separate my palms in effort to break or loosen the q-tie cable. I felt the skin rip on my hands and the flesh turn red with searing pain and pressure. The tie scraped deeply into the skin as it reached to my thumbs. I paused and let go of my lip which was trapped from my top teeth.

I drew a bit of blood from my lip, but no amount compared to my hands. I've never caused so much gore to appear on myself. If any other circumstance, I would have been sick. But my life depended on this escape.

I moved one hand down letting it slip out of the tie. I gasped as my fingers were cut and scraped, blood dripping from the tips. I groaned and leaned my head against the bed frame. I let the other hand easily out of the tie since it was occupied with more space.

Now to find the letter.

And then get the hell out of here.

I had to move quietly and quickly. Where would I put a letter of my psychotic daughter that she sent to a rock star before she feigned her death.

Let's think. She lo- no wait yeah. She loved Brendon. She thought they were married. Ring. A jewelry box perhaps?

I went to the dresser and went through all the small musical contraptions and sifted through all of them carefully. I even checked for trap doors. Nothing.

She...loved Brendon. Back to square one.



I checked everywhere. Even when I heard footsteps, I scampered to the bedpost and held my hands up to the frame pretending that I was still tied up. I closed my eyes and fell limp. I heard the sound of shoes on the ground when she entered the room. It roamed the room for a minute and then left. I waited until I heard her go downstairs.

I got up and continued my search. I looked in floorboard crevices, under the mattress, in pillow cases, EVERYTHING!

I sighed. Adriana loved Brendon.

She loved Brendon.

A lot.

Like...burning love. I don't know what came over me at that moment. My eyes locked with the fireplace in front of me. My heart started pounding. Ignoring my injured knee, I crawled over to the fireplace and opened the hinges. Reaching blindly inside the soot coated cave, my fingers ran over something.

My heart must have dropped out of my butt I was THAT excited. The letter was taped to the inside of the fireplace as I pulled it out. With shaky hands I pulled the envelope out. I swallowed the saliva that was gathering at my throat.

Quickly shoving my hands in my pocket, I pulled out my phone.

Photo op.



After climbing out the windows,gracefully I ran to the nearest street corner seeing the silhouette of my friends. The sound of my feet pounding against the cement floor caught Michelle's attention because she turned to look at me. With shocked expression she opened her mouth. Brendon followed her actions.

"GO! RUN!" I screamed and pulled them along as I continued running. I didn't stop. I had the adrenaline pumping through my blood that I had narrowly escaped.

We ran until the "extra package" I was pulling along felt heavy. Out of breath, I slumped to the ground.

"Holy fucking shit Genviève!" Brendon yelled as he stooped down and held my face in his hands. "You look like the fucking result of a fucking Saw movie!"

"A what?" I breathed. He shook his head. I looked up at his concerned face.

"I want this fucking story carved on my tombstone,"



"I'm hungry," Michelle whined.

"I'm thirsty," I said with a pout.

"I could hump a tree,"

Michelle and I looked at Brendon who threw us a lazy grin.

"Taxi!" I said trying to hail one yellow car to stop at us. I sighed in defeat. Michelle looked around and held up her hand. Not less than a minute four taxis screeched to a stop. Even one pushed out their customer.

I pouted.

"I'd stop for you," Brendon said in a baby voice. I laughed as we entered one of the taxis.

"Where to ladies...oh and gentleman," The taxi man asked.

"Do you by chance know any hotels by Arizona State Hospital?" I inquired. The man thought for a moment.

"Yeah. It's just around the corner from it on Van Buren. I wouldn't go down there though babes," The man said wearily. "That place is a wreck. A shabby street babes. I rather not send you three off on that place babes,"

I had appreciated the man's concern. But it was the only thing I could afford for that night. It was a decent fee.

"Oh," I said disappointed. "But we need to get there. We're only staying for the night."

"I'm not sending ya off there babes," The taxi man said stubbornly.

"I will take your word that its not as...convenient place that you would think we would expect. But you see, we're not tourists. We just need easy access to the hospital," Brendon replied. The man sighed and turned back around.

"Don't make me regret this kids," he said clearly upset. "I don't want to see three kids in the obituaries tomorrow."

It was a quick 20 minutes from the airport to the hotel. The taxi driver was correct about the whereabouts he sent us.

"OK. That's it. I'm taking you guys to a better place than this dump," The cabby said. We all clambered out before he could put the car in drive however. I bent down to the height of the driver's window as Brendon and Michelle dealt with our luggage.

"Babes I won't sleep at all tonight," The driver said sorrowfully.

"Keep your sex life to yourself!" I shrieked playfully. The cabby smirked.

"Smart ass. Stay safe," He said.

"Are you willing to be on the job for us tomorrow?" I asked him.

"Sure. Here's my card," he said handing it to me. "Call me up when you're ready to leave this shit hole,"

"Will do," I said saluting him and paying the fee. He drove off leaving the three of us on the street.

"Here we go I guess," Brendon said ruefully. We stood in front of the worn down motel.

"Oh God this is gross," Michelle whined.



"At least we can see the sunrise from here?" Brendon asked sheepishly. The light was still creeping in slowly into the room. Michelle groaned and fell backwards onto the bed. She shrieked and then bounced back up.

"Ewwww," She mumbled rubbing herself from whatever STDs some teenager decided to inject into the comforter.

"Ah yes, there's nothing like watching the sun rise...except watching the sun set in reverse," I said. Brendon chuckled.

"Hey look! A book," Michelle said as she approached the side table for the twin beds. "Telltale Heart?" She read the book title confused. "I love romance novels!"

"Yeah nothing says 'I love you' than a pounding heart beneath a floorboard," Brendon said in the most dead pan voice. I grimaced.

"That story creeps me out," I said with a shudder. Brendon looked at me confused.

"You've read it?"

"Sure,"

"Awesome," Brendon grinned.

"Okay. So I guess we'll nap and then head over to the hospital in a few hours," Michelle said looking at the time. It was way too early for visiting hours.

A few hours later, Michelle woke me up to tell me that it was time to go. I nodded and sat up to see Brendon staring at me.

"What?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

"Nothing," He said continuing to stare. I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again, readjusting my eyes to the light.

"What?" I whined.

"Nothing," He said and stood up walking to the door. "Just that you drool when you sleep."

I scowled and wiped at my cheek to find the corner of my mouth slightly moist. I sighed heavily and got out of the bed that was oddly comfortable.

"So we need a plan to get into the hospital. No doubt that they won't let in any visitors besides family. Especially into the psychiatric ward," Michelle said followed by a sigh.

"We'll avoid the nurses," I said.

"It'll take forever to find her," Michelle said.

"I'm sure it won't. Brendon should be able to identify her. Just act like you know where you're going," I said as we entered the hospital, nearing the main desk. "Look like you're crying," I whispered to Michelle. She immediately ducked her head and sniffed. Brendon put his arm around her shoulders and I hunched over.

The main desk didn't ask any questions or stop us as we approached the elevator. We clicked the up button and entered the small shaft.

"Psychiatric ward...psychiatric ward..." I said trailing my finger up the list. "Aha," I said pressing the correct button for the floor.

"I don't like hospitals," Brendon said.

"Not a lot of people do," I said.

"Let me hypnotize you!" Michelle said giddily. Brendon looked nervous. "No, no. You'll be fine!"

Brendon sighed and rolled his eyes. Michelle stood in front of him holding a serious expression.

"You're getting...sleeeepyyy...not to mention...uuuuuuugglyyyyy,"

Ding.

Michelle instantly fell into Brendon's arms and started sobbing very lightly. I bent my head down to try from showing my laughter. We walked across the long linoleum floor. We had no clue where we were head to, but probably the end of the hallway. The nurses passed us glances, but didn't bother to ask us questions partly because we blended in well and partly because they were already so busy.

"Where is she?" Brendon muttered from the side of his mouth.

"Hey Lisa, get that dose to AC," a nurse shouted. Brendon and I exchanged looks.

"It's worth a try," I shrugged. We discreetly followed the nurse who entered a room far end on the left. We waited until she left the room to sneak a peak. The door had the initials AC on them. I looked back at Brendon and he nodded at me.

I opened the door to see a blue painted room. A middle aged woman with brilliant blue eyes looked up from her bed.

"What took you so long Brendon?"