What We Take Away

Chapter 30 | Cassie

March 6th, 2006

I've seen these woods before.

The cabin stands several feet behind me as I face the dense trees. But something is wrong -- the air is too quiet, devoid of any sounds of laughter or fun.

"Gene?"

I step towards the cabin, expecting to see my friends.

"Gene! Where are you?"

I smell smoke. I run behind the cabin, expecting to see Gene and the others sitting by the wooden chairs. But only one person is there, hunched over a fire.

"Hello?"

The person turns -- it's Aram.

"A-Aram? What are you doing here?"

"Who is Gene?" he asks, his expression dark.

"Gene is an old friend of mine," I tell him, slightly confused. "How did you find this place?"

Aram stokes the fire with a stick and stares into the flames.

"What are you talking about? This is our home, Cassie."

Something tingles down my spine, making me uneasy.

"Our home?" I echo.

"Yes, our home," Aram says, looking at me like I'm crazy. "And I don't know who Gene is and why you're calling for him. But there's no one else in these woods. It's just you and me."

I involuntarily take a step backwards. This isn't supposed to be happening.

"Is that how you treat your fiancée?" he chuckles.

Fiancée?!

I glance down to my left hand but see no ring there. Slowly, I start to back away. Aram rises to his feet.

"Where do you think you're going?" he laughs, his voice bouncing through the forest. "You belong here, with me."

Turning, I tear through the woods as fast as I can while Aram's laugh echoes around me...

A high-pitched chiming rouses me from my dream.

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep. My cell phone vibrates at the foot of my bed next to a pile of textbooks and notes. I reach for it slowly before cradling it to my ear, listening to my voicemail.

[Cassieseeee! It's me, Arielle! I need to attend a theater production for my drama class. Do you want to come with me this coming weekend? The student drama club is putting on a show... I don't know what it is yet... anyway, call me back! Byeeeee!!]

Ignore. Next.

[Cassie, it's Simon from chem lab, uh, your calculations in part three of our report is off by 0.12–]

Delete.

[Hey Cassie! It's Chase. Haven't seen you around lately, but I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to record some parts for an upcoming record I'm working on. Hit me up, sister!]

Ignore. Next.

[Zhen-zhen, it's Ma... You haven't called since January. Is everything okay? Are you getting enough to eat? Are you sleeping? I know you must be very busy with school, but please call soon.]

I didn't realize how much I miss home until I hear Ma's melodic voice. Tears well up in my eyes as I snap my phone shut and squeeze it tight. I curl into myself, heavy with loneliness and exhaustion.