Haunt || Matty Healy

Seventeen.

      

I take a seat on the desk, touching at the marks on my legs. Finger sized and five on each. I don't think Seven or Kelsey can see them, or they probably would have asked by now. We've been sat in silence for about five minutes now. I asked them to give me a minute to get my thoughts together. I debate on what to tell them, only because I'm fearful they'd forget within the minute. Quite frankly I'm getting sick of all this false memory bullshit the boys are giving me.

I realize that Seven remembers a lot more than Kelsey can, which makes me wonder how susceptible everyone is to these altercations. Matty once told me that my mind is weak, that I never put up a fight and that's why he's able to manipulate me so much. I wonder if Seven is fighting something bigger than me and Matty.

Seven is sitting lounged on a chair, just by the door, making sure no one walks in. Kelsey already planned on telling them it was a club meeting if anyone asked, but I doubt it would come to that. I start to feel cold in the room. I glance at the windows only to find that they're all shut tight. The AC isn't on either. In fact, the air in the room is so still it makes me nervous. Anxiety in me spikes up considerably. I don't know if it's something more or if it's because of my impending confession.

The thing is though, I've told Kelsey and Seven so many times and they've both brushed it off. I know it isn't their fault, but I can't bear to go through this exact scenario again. I think about my aunt too, before I come to a decision. She knows a lot more than anyone. She had seen my dad die, didn't she? Wasn't that what George told me? Would I have to kill myself before these two can break this haze? Would Matty let me?

"Díos,"I mumble, "I feel fucking crazy," I tell them. "I'm literally contemplating suicide here."

"Nila," Seven frowns, hands balling into fists.

"Is..." Kelsey clears her throat, surprised at how quiet her voice had came out. "Is Matty Healy trying to kill you?"

I tilt my head, my stomach churning, because sometimes I wish he'd just let me go. "No," I say. "But I should be dead." I place my hand to my neck, tugging at my collar. "I was supposed to die thirteen years ago. But George killed my dad instead. Apparently, that messed some things up and I'm...free reign to kill?" It comes out as a question but I'm fairly certain Adam and Matty has had an argument about this. "But Matty won't let me die."

Seven frowns. "I've seen you die, Nila..." I furrow my eyebrows, this is new information for me. The way I remember it is the other way around. I've seen Seven die. And then his reanimated body a la Matty Healy tried to kill me. But that also makes me wonder if my earlier thought process had been correct. Did seeing me die trigger something in Seven? He closes his eyes and leans his head back against the wall. "After the car accident with Nix...When we got that note. I've had an experience completely different from you guys."

I remember everyone experiencing a car crash. Nix had veered off the road. Seven had been bleeding. There was glass everywhere. Yet when we all stepped out, the car and all of us that were in were in completely mint condition. Kelsey and Nix assumed it was some elaborate prank from Seven. But that couldn't have possibly made any sense.

"There was another car," Seven tells us quietly. He's looking upwards. The crack in his voice is enough to tell me he's on the brink of tears. I feel sick. "I don't remember what we were talking about – the party the night before? Another car was driving in the opposite direction, coming full force at us. I couldn't see who was in the driver's seat. It was a black car. but it was matte, not shiny. It felt like a fever dream. He drove into our car. The windshield shattered – sliced off Nix's neck clean. The car kept on driving – fuck," he breaks off, wiping at his eyes. "I tried to get out – I don't know how I managed to tumble out, but when I did, I saw the other car, still driving in ours. The tires rode over Kelsey's face," He shivers visibly. I feel like vomiting. "You called out my name," he whispers. "I couldn't get to you. The car had spun around when it got behind ours and then it just went at it again, this time causing the damn Prius to flip over. You were upside down and by the time I could crawl to you, your head was all...wrong." He breaks off. "It felt like hours."