Claws

Chapter Two- Left In the Dark

     Two

    When I woke up the next morning, it was almost noon. Huh. Guess the word “Morning” didn’t exactly cover it at all. I groaned, remembering that in seven hours I would be at prom, and in less than five, Sydney would be over here helping me get ready. 

    I groaned, kicked my black covers with red guitars off my legs, and stumbled out of bed. 

    When I got down to the kitchen, Colby was gone. I was guessing he was working, (He unloaded material at a nuclear testing power plant. Sounds safe, right?) and so I aimlessly grazed for food and something to do. I was bored, tired, and it was rainy outside, so I picked up my phone and decided to call Jack. After last nights little “Episode” I was a little worried about him. 

     After four rings, he picked up-- but his voice sounded off. 

     “Hello?” 

     “Jack? It’s Kay.” 

     “Oh, um... h-hey, do you need something?” 

     “Not really... I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

     “Why wouldn’t I be?” he chuckled nervously. 

      I was silent for a long minute. “Jack, you’ve been acting different lately... are you sure you’re okay?” 

     “I’m fine.” his voice was all of the sudden sharp, tense. 

     “O-okay.” I stuttered. He never answered me defensively. 

     “Look, I’m sorry, that was kind of rude.” he said after I didn’t speak. 

     “It’s fine... but, Jack, I’m your best friend... I mean, you know you can tell me anything.” 

      It was silent for five heartbeats. Dead silent. “Not anything.” he whispered harshly. “Not things that should really be left in the dark.” 

     “What?” I asked, taken by surprised. 

     “Ah, shit!” he exclaimed. “I’m sorry, forget what I just said, please!”

     “Jack, what are you--” 

     “I have to go.” he cut me off. 

     “Will I see you tonight?” 

     “Maybe.” the line went dead. I sat and stared at my phone, mouth hanging open. Jack had never acted this weird. All he had been doing was zoning out, none of this creepy “Left in the dark” stuff. 

    Was something wrong with Jack? Obviously. But what? 

    I felt like this was all moving pretty fast... I mean, one day Jack was just completely normal, then he starts zoning out, the next day he’s snappy, he’s up tight, he’s angry, he’s scared... 

    I couldn’t zone him out like he did the world, so he was a constant bug on my mind... for the whole day. I felt like I needed to call him again, ask him what was really going on and why it was happening so suddenly... that was just the thing, it wasn’t a gradual thing, things weren’t getting weirder and weirder... it was just all of the sudden, bang! 

     A million thoughts ran through my head all afternoon as I sat on my warn couch, picking at my fingernails, staring at the small, boxy TV screen in my tiny living room. Since Sydney didn’t knock anymore, she busted in my front door at four-thirty. I hadn’t realized I had been doing nothing all afternoon and my nail on the index finger of my right hand had all but disappeared.