Can't You Save Me?

•4•

Patrick was definitely going to remember that name for sure.

He could tell a lot about Pete, his face and body told him everything he needed to know; the dark pools under his eyes show that he doesn’t get much sleep or none at all. His fingers were naked of any rings or pale outlines of where a ring would’ve been, so he’s not married. His wrinkly clothes and askew buttons on his shirt said that he was either, one: disorderly and always in a rush or, two: he puts his job before his own personal needs.

What a lonely story it tells.

After leaving Pete standing in the parking lot, Patrick could feel the heat of his gaze on his back. He felt Pete watching him. And he’s honestly quite surprised that Pete didn’t realize what Patrick did; the bloody mess that Vaughn told him to make. He’s been controlling Patrick’s thoughts and mind for too long and it had to stop, but he can’t just say that or else he’ll make him do another dastardly deed or worse, make Patrick hurt himself.

While Patrick walked through a neighborhood near his, he could hear Vaughn whispering. It didn’t sound much like words at first but he gradually made his voice more pronounced.
Patrick continued to walk but failed at ignoring him.

“Looks like we have a new friend to play with.”

“You mean Pete?" Patrick says aloud. Luckily no one was around to hear him. "No, we can’t play with him. What happened at the school was too close, he knows my face now. If he finds out who I am then we’ll both be in big trouble.”

“He could know you like the back of his hand and it still wouldn’t make a difference. He’d have to catch us first.”

“I don’t-” Patrick refrained from finishing his sentence out of fear of what Vaugh may say or do. He has to be strong, stand up for himself, he doesn’t want to be Vaughn’s puppet anymore. He’s silent a moment before bravely finishing his sentence. “I don’t want to run anymore. I’m sick of hurting people, I just want to live my life the way I did before you ever existed.”

Vaughn doesn’t respond.

Oh fuck he must be pissed. Shit! Patrick should’ve kept his mouth shut, why’d he say that? Vaughn is going to go berserk and make him even more miserable, maybe make him try to kill himself. He has ways to make Patrick behave, crawling under his skin like a scarab.

Patrick walks faster and rushes the rest of the way home, that way if Vaughn decides to strike no one will witness it. The last thing he wants right now is to lose his shit in front of little kids.

He makes it home without incident, going upstairs to put his guitar away and then flopping onto his bed. What’s he doing? What’s he planning? Patrick kind of wishes Vaughn would just do something already and get it over with.

Then Patrick begins to think. He needs to get rid of him somehow, get him out of his head, but there’s no way he’d be able to do it alone. It won’t be easy but it’s worth a fucking shot and Patrick knows that before things would get better, it’s going to get much worse first.
The boy falls asleep in his clothes.