Flawed Creatures

What's Going On -9-

CHAPTER NINE

October 1973

Chattering on about the current song playing on the car radio being her new favorite, Barb immediately shut her mouth the moment the driver informed her to in as polite a voice as she could muster. As though she suspected her voice was required, she had been speaking almost non-stop since they left school and already feeling on edge Robyn finally couldn't take it any longer. She explained as much prompting Barb to murmur that she understood.

"She's fine, you know," she softly added.

Grip on the steering wheel choke tight Robyn shook her head, scanning the street as she pulled onto the neighborhood street where her best friend's house was located. "No, I very much do not know that, Barb." Her stomach cramped, she dealt with a throbbing headache and her skin felt warm despite the cool air.

Ellie hadn't been in school today and though she had been absent before Robyn had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling she hadn't been able to shake throughout the day. She had been pondering skipping out early until Barb encouraged her to wait until they attended their final class then she would join her. Ellie is all right she had said. She was probably just feeling under the weather, therefore deciding to stay home and take it easy.

Although Robyn hoped and prayed Barb was correct that bad feeling refused to alleviate. In fact, it steadily increased the closer they got to the house and by the time she parked in the driveway she yearned to bolt from her car. However, she forced herself to walk--albeit briskly--up to the front door, Barb just a few steps behind. She tried knocking and ringing the doorbell first, but after a minute passed she picked up a nearby planter and grabbed the key underneath.

"How did you know that was there?"

"Ellie told me a long time ago." Key inserted, she walked inside calling out to her friend. No answer, she asked Barb to check downstairs while she tried the second level. Not awaiting a response, she sprinted toward the stairs, wishing her legs were long enough to comfortably navigate them two at a time.

It making sense to check her bedroom first, Robyn pushed through the door finding the room empty yet her bed was unmade. Palm stroking along the fitted sheet she found it cool to the touch, which meant Ellie probably hadn't just left it. The door to her private bathroom shut and light spilling from underneath it Robyn experienced a small measure of relief. She knocked but when her friend didn't answer she announced herself. When Ellie still failed to answer she wondered if she could have just accidentally left the light on.

Only one way to find out.

A deep breath taken, Robyn opened the door, concern tripling when she spotted Ellie seated in the bathtub filled with soapy water. Her skin glowed a bright red and there were random lines most likely caused by scratching. Some were just welted while others above the water's surface seeped dots of blood. The moment she whispered her name, Ellie stopped moving a steel wool scouring pad along her arm and looked up, eyes red and swollen.

"I'm not clean," she whispered in a voice hoarse from crying. "Third tub of water, Robbie. I can't get clean."

Immediately become choked up despite not knowing exactly why, Robyn hurriedly knelt next to the tub. Hands clutching the edge, she asked Ellie what happened. She merely shook her head and resumed scrubbing already raw skin with the pad meant for use on pots and pans. "Ell, sweetie, no..." Reaching out, a hand gently pulled the pad from her fingers and tossed it onto the lid of the nearby toilet. That same hand cupped Ellie's cheek, Robyn waiting until their eyes met. "Please tell me what happened."