Childish Tendencies

Black

Chapter 2- Black

Mia

Mia sat on the bed, bundled up in an array of blankets and soft toys. Her lashes shadowed onto her cheeks against the sunlight seeping through the space between two planks of wood that covered the window. She longed to see the outside world, the giggling girls holding hands and walking down the streets in groups, the ignorant boys guffawing, standing with valor, a bit too competitive for their own good, the little children chuckling mischievously as they ran away from their parents, the parents rolling their eyes at their children as they walked hand-in-hand, eyes glowing with love, uncertainty, and annoyance. But most of all, most of all, Mia wanted to look into the house across the street. The house with the pink bricks, brass windowpane and blue interior. The house that Mia caught herself staring endless times before they barred the window after the incident. The house with the girl with black eyes, black hair, black nails and black lips. The girl that Mia could break her eyes away from. The girl who took Mia's breath away every time she sat on the couch in front of the television, her hands wrapped around her legs, hugging them as if they would break if she didn't. The tall girl with protruding hipbones, hollow cheeks, slight wrists and stick legs. The girl that would wait endlessly for the guy with blue eyes, who Mia saw slap her face with his burly hands. The girl Mia thought was beautiful even when her mascara fell down her face with her tears. Mia longed to see the girl. She needed to see the girl. But she couldn't, not after they barred the windows because of what she had done.

The boy with blue eyes came home later than usual that night. The girl jumped up at the sound of the jingling of his keys outside the door. His blue eyes had a red tint when he walked in and he slurred as he screamed at her. He dropped to the side, as if he couldn't hold his own body up. She looked at him cautiously , biting her lower black lip. Finally, he sat. He sat on the couch where the girl would hug her legs and pulled out something from his pocket, injecting it into his arm. As if something on the chair had bitten him, he jumped up with energy. He smiled at the girl. A smile that still haunted Mia. She looked away from him, mumbling something unintelligible. That's when his hand collided with her face, blood splattering from her mouth. She doubled over as he kneed her stomach. He pushed her back. She fell, her head hitting the concrete floor. He spat on her, turned around and exited the room, banging the door behind him. The girl didn't get up.

Mia waited for a beat before she moved at lighting speed. She curled her fingers into a fist and shoved them through the window, glass shattering around her fist. Her knuckles bled as she grabbed the ladder the nurses used to get her pills from the cabinet in the ceiling and threw it across the window, forming a temporary bridge. Her need to protect the girl took over her as she sped down the ladder and onto the balcony in front of the brass window. She pried the window open with her nails, her hands shaking under pressure. The window slid open just big enough for Mia to fit through. She wriggled into the room, ran to the girl, fell to her knees, trying to awaken the girl.

The next thing Mia remembered was her voice breaking, screaming as she was lifted and taken back to the hospital, away from the girl.

A single tear fell down Mia's cheek as the girls dead body flashed before her eyes.

Alia

The sun burned my back as I walked down the crowded street. I crossed across the intersection, onto a small street. The house on my right was a bright pink, standing out against the hospital opposite it. Rust fell off the brass window as the creepers falling off the balcony railing rustled slightly with the wind. I entered the white hospital, taking a deep breath to calm my twitching right index finger.

The over-clean aroma of the hospital hit me as I pulled open the heavy door. The receptionist stood over the table, her t-shirt falling low.

"Hi," she said in a low voice, leaning forward and licking her lips. I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Uh, hi... I'm here for uh.. just a second let me find her name," I rummaged through my pockets, pulling out a white card, "Mia.."

"Mia Tres! Of course," she smiled, "If you could just sign here.." She brushed her fingers over mine as I signed my name. I smiled slowly. What a flirt.

"Here you go!" She pinned a visitors pass over my shirt, leaning over further. Her hands lingered over my chest before she sat back in her seat, biting her lower lip. At this, I couldn't help but resist toying with her.

I ran my fingers through my hair again, flicking it. "Is that all?" I asked in a raspy voice.
Taken aback, she shook her head. "Great." I winked at her before turning around and heading to the room written on the paper.

When I walked in, Mia sat cross-legged on the bed, staring at the boarded window, soft toys surround her.

"Mia?" I asked softly, not wanting to interrupt her. She spun around, her jet black hair curling over her shoulder. Her piercing green eyes looking at me intently.

"I'm here for your.. Art..?" I wasn't sure why I said that like it was a question, but her eyes flicked with recognition. She looked down at her hands and I saw the streak of a dry tear on her cheek.

When she looked up at me, her eyes were hard and she was screaming, her voice reflecting off the four walls of the room.