Evelyn's Pendant

30.

I feel like I've lost control of my mind and body; it's leading me somewhere, I just don't know where or why.

I just know it needs me to leave.

I find myself taking a taxi to the nearest bus station and waiting for the next bus to California.

Wait. Why am I going back home?

My previous thought then just goes blank as my bus arrives and I board it. No bag, little money. Nothing on my human and nothing on my mind besides the need to leave Seattle.

I find a seat near the back and sit down next to the window. I stare out at the passing cars in the dead of night and rest my warm head against the cool window. I slowly start to close my eyes.

*

The noise is muffled as a raging party is blurring around me. I pound at the wooden door multiple times with my fist. No answer from inside the bathroom.

"Evelyn!" I yell. "Are you okay in there?"

I find that the door is unlocked and I walk in. Evelyn lays on the cold linoleum floor, surrounded by her own blood and blue vomit, passed out.

"Evelyn!" I cry out. I rush to her, turn her on her back and pick her up into my arms. Her face is colorless and her lips are purple. I look to my left and see that she must have hit her head against the bathtub, since it has a huge crack in it and is splattered with blood. I look back to investigate her head with a staggered breath, and notice that her hair has changed to a blonde color. I look at her face, and realize that it's not Evelyn, at least not anymore.

It's me. Laying there on the floor, lifeless.

"Lillian!" I hear someone yell from the now-closed door.

I hold myself in my arms and weep.

"Go away!" I scream through my tears.

*

"Wake up!"

I gasp and frantically look at my surroundings. I'm back on the bus, not on the familiar bathroom floor.

The older-looking man, who seems to be the bus driver, looks down on me. "End of the line, miss."

I take a deep breath and nod. I can't find any words that I'm able to speak. I don't ask where I am or what time it is. I just get off the bus and take in the surroundings. The sun slowly starts to rise at the horizon and I'm surrounded by tall buildings and busy streets, although it seems too early for anyone to be going anywhere. What the hell have I done?

I realize something; I still have my phone on me. I search for it on my body and find it in my hoodie's front pocket and pull it out with shaky hands. I turn it on and see a couple of texts from Asher and no one else; Mia and Hannah must still be sleeping. I leave Asher's texts unread.

As a last resort, and being the only person I want to talk to right now, I dial Theo's number. After a few rings, he answers in his typical, "Lil?" with a raspy, just-woke-up voice.

"Hey, Theo," I say as I start to choke on tears.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I don't know where I am... I might be somewhere close to home. In a city," I explain and gasp. "Can you come pick me up if I send you my location?"

"Of course, Lillian. Stay somewhere safe - I'll be there as fast as I can."

"Thank you..." I reply.

I hang up the phone and with shaky fingers, send my location to Theo via text. I go to the nearest bench and sit down on the edge of it. I try to think back to my nightmare I had on the bus - it was definitely when I was dosed by Hazel at the Dissidents' first kegger party. But it was also Evelyn. Did she have an overdose too?