hold me closer

15

While the bonfire had begun, Lydia, Stiles, and I went to the sheriff's station. The only officer there at the moment that we knew was Parrish. Olivia was elsewhere and Stiles's dad was in the hospital. We had Parrish look for the names on our new Deadpool list.

"Well, it's not another Deadpool," Parrish said, making me relieved. "More like an already dead pool."

"All of them?" I asked. "All dead?"

"Within the last ten years," he responded, scrolling down. "All suicides. And all at the same place."

"Eichen House," Stiles spoke, glancing at me.

Parrish closed his laptop, heading out. We headed to the empty front desk to discuss what to do next. Of course, Lydia wanted to go to Eichen House. I wanted to go, too. I didn't get into this just to stop with no answers. Plus, I had to support Lydia.

"Lydia, Eichen House isn't a library," Stiles said, the three of us by ourselves in the sheriff's station. "You need a warrant to get files from there."

"My grandmother left me a list of ten suicides, including her own," Lydia argued. "There's got to be a reason why. Is there anyone there who's willing to help us?"

"No," Stiles answered, then looked away, thinking. "But there might be someone willing to take a bribe."

We drove to Eichen House for answers. Stiles and Lydia certainly knew a lot more about the place than I did. In fact, it was my first time inside.

We found the guy named Brunski. We stood inside his office and gave our proposal.

"A thousand," he stated.

"A thousand dollars?" Stiles said exasperatedly. "To use one little key to open one little file room? Are you out of your mind?"

"When you get the keys, you make the price," he responded.

"Right. You actually think we have that kind of money?" Stiles questioned.

"I know you don't," Brunski replied. "If you did, Daddy Sheriff would have paid the bill by now. That's why I'm talking to them."

I sighed, checking my wallet. Lydia did the same. In total, we had given him seven hundred, which seemed to be enough. He took his time, putting in another tape, then he grabbed the keys, and told us to follow him.

We followed him down some stairs, through corridors, then we reached a door that had the label 'RECORDS.' We walked in after him and went towards the shelves.

"Yeah, we can help ourselves," Stiles told him.

"Let's get out quickly," I told them. "I don't trust Brunski."

"Yeah, neither do I," Stiles said quietly. "Uh, Lydia, you got the list?"

She gave it to him and he flattened it out. "Lydia, why did you write another name on here?"

"I didn't write anything," she said.

"This is your handwriting," Stiles told her.

"Why would I write another name?" she asked.

"Why would you write mine?" he asked, showing the list.

"It was the tapes, wasn't it?"

Behind Stiles was Brunski. He held a taser in his hand. I ran towards him just as Stiles fell to the ground. I fought for the taser, able to get it from his hands, and punched him. In a surprise move, he magically grabbed a bar, striking me across the face. I felt myself hit the ground and it went dark.

When I woke up, I was tied to a pole separate from Stiles and Lydia. I believed I had healed myself from the bruise I had gotten. Lydia was screaming and Stiles was waiting to cut in.

"Help us! Somebody, help!"

"Lydia, there's a lot of people screaming for help in a place like this," Stiles reminded her. "I don't think anyone's listening."

"Well, I'm open to better ideas because, if you didn't notice, all of those suicides were murders," Lydia remarked.

"That's why she left you the message," Stiles said.

"She predicted her own death. She knew I'd figure it out- "

"Once you were able to predict your own," said Brunski's voice. He came in through the door and walked towards Lydia. "But they weren't murders. I'm not some serial killer like Ted Bundy, going around cutting up college girls."

"No, you're just an Angel of Death," Stiles commented.

"I don't think you understand my level of commitment to my work here, Stiles," he said to him. "There are people here who don't simply need treatment. They need release. I helped them. I helped Lorraine."

"You killed her," I said, sneering at him.

"I helped her," he corrected and I rolled my eyes. He went over to Lydia. "And now, you can help me because there is something about it that's always bothered me."

He took out an old tape from his pocket and showed it to her. He grabbed the player, put it in, and played it.

"What are you - Brunski, What are you doing?" said the female voice from the tape.

"Don't worry, Lorraine," said Brunski. "It's going to be all right. You're just going to have a little trouble breathing."

"Lydia, look at me," I told her. "Don't listen. Don't listen to it. Just focus on my voice, Lydia. Block it out. Okay?"

"Hey, turn it off!" Stiles yelled at him.

Brunski walked towards him and punched him in the face. Stiles fell and he didn't move. After a moment, he sat up. Brunski grabbed Lydia's face and I struggled as I tried to get the binds off of me.

"Then listen. Just listen," said Brunski. "I need your help with this, Lydia."

"Please, don't... "

"Here it is," he said. "This is the part I never understood. Listen."

"Please... don't hurt her," said Lorraine.

"Don't hurt who?" Brunski had asked.

"Ariel," she replied and gasped. Then, the breathing stopped.