One Step Closer

OSC/ Nineteen

One Step Closer/ Nineteen

                               Criss stepped into the apartment. The blinds were closed, and the lights were out. Each footstep she took, brought the visual into focus she did not, want to see- the main bathroom in the hallway on the left. Criss stopped at the beginning of the hallway…she exhaled, feeling her breath shorten. She looked to the feint light at the end of the hallway, emanating from the cracked bedroom door that was her room. She had to get there, to get some change of clothes. Criss rolled around, leaning against the wall beside the end table. Why do they always make death seem so nonchalant in the movies, thought Criss, as she searched her mind for some solution to not passing by that room.

                                Criss let out a last breath, and proceeded to venture down the hall, to her room. She gazed on the floor, seeing the bloody footprints on the carpet that faded off near the living room. Although her logic warned her to not look to her left, her eyes slowly cut that way. The bathroom door was closed, but Criss knew what was behind it. Would’ve been nice if the police had a cleaning service, she thought, while she peered at the door.

                               Criss finally inched to her bedroom door, opening it. Her room still looked perfect- the bed was made, the bathroom was clean. Criss went to her drawers, and grabbed a few pair of bras and panties…she then walked to the closet, and grabbed her slip on Vans, some sandals, a couple of skirts, and a few jean capris…she pulled a few nice tops off the rack, then walked back to her dresser again, grabbing her Hello Kitty pajamas, as well as a few t-shirts. She packed them unto her duffle bag, then stripped from the blood stained clothes she had to put back on, after she had spent the night at Alonzo’s.

                               Criss stepped into her shower, trying to wash yesterday’s memories away, in addition to yesterday’s grime…she scrubbed at her skin furiously, with the bath mesh, as flashes of Austyn kept running through her mind. Criss fell into the corner, sliding to the floor in tears. “I’m so sorry,” she cried out, leaning her head into her knees as the water pelted against her skin.

                              “Criss?”

                              She looked up. Criss stepped out of the shower, turning the water off. She wrapped her towel around her, as she stepped out, into her bedroom, seeing Cerrina standing there. Criss shivered a little, as water dripped off her wet hair. “I…I thought you left,”

                               “I figured it wouldn’t be wise to leave you alone,” said Cerrina. “I mean, with all that you are going through…if it were me, I know I wouldn’t want to be by myself,”

                                Criss gave a wry smile. “Thanks,”

                                She picked up her outfit, and walked back into the bathroom, closing the door. Cerrina sat on the bed, looking around the room. “My brother says you are in school, working with computer graphics,”

                                “Yeah…although these past few days have been fairly unproductive,” said Criss, from the bathroom. “I’m trying to pass this semester, so I can earn an internship to ILM,”

                                “That’s in San Fran, right?”

                                “Yeah. I have dreamed of working for them for years,” said Criss, with an enthusiasm that caught Cerrina’s ear. She smiled. “My dad wanted me to stay local, but I don’t wanna be under his wing my entire life, and especially more so now,”