The Darkness

Chapter 32

I woke up submerged in the dark cave I created for myself months ago.  I sat up my covers falling to my waist cocking my head to the side to be greeted by silence.  I was alone.  My headache no longer existed and reality of ending back where I started surrounded me.  My eyes adjusted to the darkness and the familiar shapes of my bedroom came in focus.

My dresser stationed on the wall next to the door of my bathroom, and several boxes still stacked chest high in the far corner next to the window. I swung my legs off to the side my toes curled at the coldness of the hardwood floor.  My feet and heart guiding me to where it all began pushing open the bathroom door.  The room was encased in black but I didn't need light to show me the destination I was drawn to.  My foot was the first to encountered the cold metal and I slowly bend down my fingertips brushing the top of the vent.

"Colin." Just saying his name out loud brought all my emotions to surface releasing them as silent tears flowed out. "Why, didn't you tell me the truth?" silence answered me. "Why did you lie to me?" I paused wishing to hear his voice float up to me from the vent. "Why did you make me care?" My heart twinged and I could no longer contain the emotions built up.  I laid on the cold floor with my hand covering the vent sobbing for the loss of something that was not meant to be.

I wasn't sure how long I laid on the cold tile floor but I had to get up.  I pulled myself up and flicked the lights on.  My eyes were red and puffy and my nose red and blotchy from all the crying.  I turned on the cold faucet scooping water into my hands and splashing my face.  I needed a shower and wash my tangled, frizzy hair.  

An hour later and dressed in clothes  that were still hanging up in my closet I emerged from my bedroom into the living room.  I quickly scan my living room, empty dining room, and kitchen.  Just like my bedroom everything seemed untouched like they were expecting me to return.  I walked into the kitchen and notice that minus some of the fresh fruit I bought weeks ago, my sparse items were still in the frig.

All the curtains and blinds remained down blocking the intrusion from the sun and although this part of the apartment was not as blacked out as my bedroom it was dark. Sighing thinking that when I first came here I welcomed the solitude and the darkness.  The darkness shut out the people from me and I felt safe.  Now the darkness seem suffocating and confining.  I needed to get out of here.  Being around Colin and his family had shown that being alone is not living. It's lonely.

One of the regrets I had about leaving this apartment was leaving behind some of my prized possessions.  I rushed back into my bedroom turning on the light and walking into the closet digging through a box.  I found a small backpack and went over to my dresser.  I opened the second drawer rummaging through the undergarments when my hands found their target.  I pulled the book out and place it on the bed. Opening it I was relieved to see the photos of my me and my parents smiling back at me.  I was truly happy back then.  I shove the small photo album into the backpack. I went back to the dresser pulling out random garments shoving them into the backpack.

I open the small jewelry box on top of the dresser revealing the sliver heart shaped locked that I got as gift on my seventh birthday.  I popped open the lock lightly touching the pictures of my parents on one side.  My mom made me promise to leave the other side empty to place a picture of my future family.  I snapped it closed and fastened it around my neck.  I went to my secret stash of money and unwrapped the tightly wound bills.  It was about seventy-five dollars and put that inside a small zipper compartment in the backpack. I wouldn't be able to get that far with seventy-five bucks. I went back into the bathroom grabbing a brush, comb, toothbrush and toothpaste throwing them inside a small toiletry bag.  Taking the small bag to the backpack, I stopped.  

What the hell am I thinking.  I have no ID and no car.  Where was I going?  Todd said I wasn't prisoner which I wasn't sure if I could trust him but where was going? Back to Colin? New York? My car was at Colin's being worked on.  And my ID and birth certificate was being mailed to Colin's house. Ugh!!! I'm screwed. I know that Todd has been very forthcoming with answering my questions, but do I trust him?

No.  Did I believe that I was his werewolf mate. Who knows and who do I believe? Him or Colin?  I know one thing and that is the strong attraction I feel for Colin does not exist for Todd. I needed to talk to someone else.  But who do I trust? Lulu, her name popped in my head immediately.  The waitress who said if i ever needed someone to talk to she would be there for me.  But do I trust her? Is she a werewolf?

My mind made up I put my toiletry bag back into the bathroom and return to the backpack and pulled out the clothes.  I needed something smaller.  I remembered my college stuff and ran over to the boxes stacked in the corner.  Pulling down a couple of boxes I found the one with College written on it.  I pulled at the box as it gave away I opened it and started searching for the drawstring bag with my college name stamped on it.  Of course it was buried at the bottom, I pulled it out with a triumphant smile and returned to my bed. I pushed my money and photo album into it and slung it over my back. I wanted to make sure not to be parted with my memories of my family.

I reenter the dark living room and made for the door to escape the stillness and loneliness of the apartment.  I didn't have a key to lock the door but since I really didn't have anything worth stealing but my tv I shrugged it off.  Bounding down the stairs I stopped short when I reached the sidewalk thankful for the absence of Ridley's police car.  The dark yellow sun screamed at me to hurry as i see the beginnings of dusk.  I wanted to hurry while daylight was still out. I had to the front entrance of the apartment complex on foot knowing that it would probably take me twenty minutes to reach the diner. I just hope I could there before it turns completely dark.

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A/N

I want to say thanks to Tegen1627 for recommending the song, The Lonely by Christina Perri, for Celeste.  Thanks for the inspiration! The video is attached.

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