Echo
Echo
I finished the last of my ice cream cake, feeling wholly satisfied and happy. Dakota's revelation was in the far back of my mind, hardly bothering me at all.
How I wished it could have stayed like that.
It wasn't until all my friends left, and it was just Maddison and I left at home for the night. I stood in the doorway of my bedroom, staring at my bed with mounting apprehension. The day's events came flooding into my mind and I was suddenly scared of falling asleep. What would I see tonight? Or would it just be the ear-shattering sound, the forever painful echo?
That was how Maddison found me, a few minutes later, staring into my room, shivering slightly.
"You okay?" She came up beside me, lightly laying a hand on my quivering arm. I jumped slightly, but recovered myself. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
"I have some sedatives the doctor recommended. If you need them..." she let the question hang.
I pursed my lips. "No, thank you. I-I just-" what was I going to tell her? That I was afraid to enter a murderer's mind, again? But I did want to tell her. I wanted to confide in my sister so bad, my heart ached. But I couldn't trust her completely. I couldn't trust anyone at the moment, except Dakota, and even that was by default.
I turned to her, a smile on my face that did not reach my eyes. "I'm just going to go to sleep. Goodnight, Mad."
She nodded, a concerned expression lighting her face. "Alright. Have a good sleep." And she left.
I stepped into my room, closing my door softly behind me, and changed into my pjs. Pain throbbed in my hand, and the room spun. I remembered I had left my pain killers in the bathroom across the hall. With a soft groan, I lifted my weary legs and headed there.
I passed Maddison's room on the way to the bathroom. Her door was closed and her light was off. She was probably sleeping, or close to it. I tried to make my trip quieter.
Closing the door behind me and turning on the light, I moved swiftly across the bathroom to reach the pills in the medicine cabinet, before I fell over from the pain. It seemed as if I had a permanent grimace fixed upon my face now. I yanked open the cabinet and dug through the bottles, knocking a few things into the sink below. I winced at the thundering crash.
Finally, I found the right bottle, and struggled to open it with my one wholesome hand. Quickly, I dumped two pills into my hand and grabbed a glass from the counter, filling it with water.
Suddenly, my eyes widened and my back straightened. It was happening again. I felt a chill shoot through my body, making every nerve tingle and every hair stand straight up. I recognized the signs now.
I was entering his mind.
My breathing was loud. It echoed harshly in my ears. I could see the bathroom around me start to fade away, and dark scenery took its place.
I was jogging in some sort of forest, carrying a flashlight. The light it emitted jumped steadily as I ran. I was puffing with exertion. The light illuminated half a sign, but I didn’t dwell on it. I caught only a few letters: Wes.
I continued on the same path until I abruptly stopped, glancing both ways. My heart raced with fear. I couldn’t be found. I had to get rid of it. This was the best spot. And so, I pulled the bloody knife out of my pocket, examining it under the light. Then with a powerful arm, hurled it into the bushes.
With a sudden rush, I was back into my own head, my own body. I fell limp against the counter, trying desperately to keep myself up. I breathed in heavy breaths, the fear coursing through me again. This last vision was not the worst one I’d had, but it underlined the fact that Dakota had been totally correct.
I didn’t know what to do. So I dropped to the floor and cried.
How I wished it could have stayed like that.
It wasn't until all my friends left, and it was just Maddison and I left at home for the night. I stood in the doorway of my bedroom, staring at my bed with mounting apprehension. The day's events came flooding into my mind and I was suddenly scared of falling asleep. What would I see tonight? Or would it just be the ear-shattering sound, the forever painful echo?
That was how Maddison found me, a few minutes later, staring into my room, shivering slightly.
"You okay?" She came up beside me, lightly laying a hand on my quivering arm. I jumped slightly, but recovered myself. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine."
"I have some sedatives the doctor recommended. If you need them..." she let the question hang.
I pursed my lips. "No, thank you. I-I just-" what was I going to tell her? That I was afraid to enter a murderer's mind, again? But I did want to tell her. I wanted to confide in my sister so bad, my heart ached. But I couldn't trust her completely. I couldn't trust anyone at the moment, except Dakota, and even that was by default.
I turned to her, a smile on my face that did not reach my eyes. "I'm just going to go to sleep. Goodnight, Mad."
She nodded, a concerned expression lighting her face. "Alright. Have a good sleep." And she left.
I stepped into my room, closing my door softly behind me, and changed into my pjs. Pain throbbed in my hand, and the room spun. I remembered I had left my pain killers in the bathroom across the hall. With a soft groan, I lifted my weary legs and headed there.
I passed Maddison's room on the way to the bathroom. Her door was closed and her light was off. She was probably sleeping, or close to it. I tried to make my trip quieter.
Closing the door behind me and turning on the light, I moved swiftly across the bathroom to reach the pills in the medicine cabinet, before I fell over from the pain. It seemed as if I had a permanent grimace fixed upon my face now. I yanked open the cabinet and dug through the bottles, knocking a few things into the sink below. I winced at the thundering crash.
Finally, I found the right bottle, and struggled to open it with my one wholesome hand. Quickly, I dumped two pills into my hand and grabbed a glass from the counter, filling it with water.
Suddenly, my eyes widened and my back straightened. It was happening again. I felt a chill shoot through my body, making every nerve tingle and every hair stand straight up. I recognized the signs now.
I was entering his mind.
My breathing was loud. It echoed harshly in my ears. I could see the bathroom around me start to fade away, and dark scenery took its place.
I was jogging in some sort of forest, carrying a flashlight. The light it emitted jumped steadily as I ran. I was puffing with exertion. The light illuminated half a sign, but I didn’t dwell on it. I caught only a few letters: Wes.
I continued on the same path until I abruptly stopped, glancing both ways. My heart raced with fear. I couldn’t be found. I had to get rid of it. This was the best spot. And so, I pulled the bloody knife out of my pocket, examining it under the light. Then with a powerful arm, hurled it into the bushes.
With a sudden rush, I was back into my own head, my own body. I fell limp against the counter, trying desperately to keep myself up. I breathed in heavy breaths, the fear coursing through me again. This last vision was not the worst one I’d had, but it underlined the fact that Dakota had been totally correct.
I didn’t know what to do. So I dropped to the floor and cried.