His Collection

TWENTY-EIGHT

Hugging my pillow, I take the time to examine each stitch, and design. The night I had gone upstairs into one of his rooms I had been mesmerized by the two of the creatures he had pinned on wall that Lance then took the time to embroider dozens of blue wings into a plush lavender pillow case. As I held it between my chest and arms, I smiled; it made me happy, and I wouldn't question why. Rolling onto my side, I tuck my knees to my belly.

It's so pretty.

Lance had left to town to go work on his part-time job on someone's farm. Twisting my lips, I bit down on the pillow. Him being away on made me tense and anxious. I didn't like being alone with Alice. She scared me, and made it clear that she wanted me to suffer.

Squeezing the life out the cross-stitched butterflies, I try to exhale my worries into it as my eyes dart for the door. The dresser was blocking anyone from being able to come in, and I thanked my muscles for allowing me to scoot that thing; it was the heaviest thing in my room and it offered protection from Alice whenever she tried to open my door.

I heard her swear, and rattle the knob while yelling at me to open the fucking door.

"No!" I yelled back, and stood up on my bed. Like hell I was going to freely have her be next to me while Lance was away. "You're bad!"

Laughing, she stopped. "Wow, look at you, you're such a little girl!"

Little girl?

"Am I like that, too?" She paused while seriously considering her own accusation. While deep in thought, Alice muttered how she wasn't crazy. Afterwards she started pushing on the door. The second her wide eye poked through the crack, I threw my journal.

Score!

The metal rings perfectly flew through the crack, and smacked her. Her head snapped up, and she fell back. Quickly I jumped down, and ran with all my might to push my weight onto the dresser to seal the door. She was strong, but I knew even she couldn't go against the dresser, and door. If it had taken me an hour to push the damn thing, it would take her thrity minutes. Lance would be here before then.

Please, hurry. She's going to hurt me.

Hurt me how, I wasn't sure. My mind had wandered into a child-like state that I couldn't think of much ways she could actually harm me other than with her words.

Stepping back slowly, I lean over and grab my pillow. Hugging it, I press my back to the window. The floor felt cold against my bare toes. Looking down, I noticed how long my hair had grown.

Hadn't it always been long?

As I looked over my own body, my skin tingled while girls fought back and forth inside me. One was small, fragile, and doll-like. Her hair was long, wild, but the chocolate waves complimented her rosy cheeks. She was a baby almost. I had grown to love her, and couldn't remember when she had first appeared, but she was never touching the ground.

"I'm scared," she'd say hovering above my heart while the taller girl stood firm on the ground, crossing her arms, and strictly shooting me insults. The rest were a mix of the two, and they bickered even more when the main two clashed.

Shut up.

No, you shut up!

Blanca, focus! The door!

I rotate my head back at her. Alice's arm had slithered through the door, and was pushing the rest of her body through. Turning around I breathe rapidly through my nose. Tucking the pillow under my arm, I dig my fingers on the window, and try to slide it up.

"Come on," my voice runs down my clothes as I grunt. Again I try then finally notice they have been bolted shut. "What?"

They always been that way, genius.

How do I get out?

Smacking my palm to the window, I scream inside my throat. Shutting my eyes, I bend my neck, and yell. "Lance!"

Alice is almost through, and the warrior in me suddenly sprang out.

You get your ass over there and keep pushing. Split her in two.

I can't. I will hurt her. I've never hurt anything.

Is that so?

What?

Go!

The final command sent me off on my heels towards the dresser. I pushed till it started to close on her. She screamed, and I blocked her out by focusing on my feet. Step after step, the dresser slid back to place. Her shoulder was caught between the door.

"Blanca, stop! Ow!"

"You get out this instant before I snap you in half." My voice brought a sword to her throat. It even scared me; it was firm, direct, and unafraid.

Alice stopped fighting it, and looked me dead in the eyes. "So there you are. You're not fully gone, sister, " she said. Laughing, she then unhooked herself, and I shut the door.

That voice, it was me?

It was Blanca. The Blanca.

Who's that?

You.

"Me...I am Blanca. I am Blanca," I shut my eyes, then slide down on to the floor. Rubbing my temples, I wet my lips. "God, this head of mine."

My head was almost recharging, but Alice's laugh didn't help. She kicked my door till Lance's truck pulled up. Before leaving she stated she wanted me dead, "...just in case you forgot, ha, ha."