Irene, My dead best friend [Wattys 2015]

Chapter 6: Don't drop another bomb, Irene

“Stop that! You know exactly what I’m talking about. This is no time to be funny. That man and the woman, the images and the events that you showed me, all the blood, how did those people die?”

“You’re creeping me out, Jason,” she raised her right eyebrow at me.

“I’M CREEPING YOU OUT?! ME?! ARE YOU SERIOUSLY KIDDING RIGHT NOW? YOU’RE THE FREAK WHO CAN’T BE FELT, YOU’RE THE FREAK WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO PROJECT FLASH IMAGERY, YOU’RE THE ONE WHO MADE ME SEE THE DEATH OF THAT MAN AND WOMAN, AND NOW YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S PRETENDING LIKE YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING” I was screaming. I was screaming and out of breath and I wasn’t thinking. Never would I have ever had the courage to talk out loud, let alone scream at someone and now worst of all, she was crying. Again. “AND WHAT IS WITH ALL THE CRYING?! YOU’RE USING IT AS A WEAPON, YOU CRY AT EVERYTHING! ARE YOU PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF HAVING A CONVERSATION WITHOUT CRYING?!” it was too late now. I was screaming and there was no going back. She wasn’t stopping either. She was full on crying, large liquid crystals were falling down her face with absolutely no promise of stopping.

I was out of my element and I had brought this on myself. She was sitting on the ground now, crying and wailing, wiping at her tears only to be replaced by fresh ones.

“I’m so..sorry,” she stuttered between her tears, “I don’t mean to cry at everything, b..but you make me,” she was like a child then, sitting on the floor, her hair wild and floating in the wind, tears staining her face even though she kept on wiping them but most of all. She was right. I AM the reason she was crying for everything. I was feeling guilty now, darn it, she was right, “b..but you have to believe me,” in between sniffs, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, wh..who died?” she had wiped her tears now, some free flowing ones still escaping and was looking at me with those crystal, blue eyes.

Could she be believed? Did she really not know? Was she really spaced out when she was projecting those on me? My head was hurting now, no, not hurting; there was a severe pounding taking place across my temples, forcing me to rub my fingers over them in an unsuccessful attempt to alleviate the pain.

“You don’t remember anything?” I had to hear it again. Oh what had I gotten myself into? This girl, this very confusing, lost girl was doing things, was making me go through emotions that were beyond ridiculous. I am a 17 year old boy for crying out loud, practically a man! Yet. Yes, there was that word again. Yet. Yet I was feeling things, feeling emotions, I was so confused and anxious and afraid. Yes, I was afraid. I was afraid for those people who I had just seen dying, for myself because Irene was so darn confusing.

“No,” she wiped her tears with the back of her palms now, “nothing at all. But maybe, if you told me, perhaps I could help?” she was looking at me with a hopeful look in her eyes.

“No, get up from there, it’s going to be dark soon and we are nowhere near the main road. Where do you live anyway? I thought you were lost?” yes, change the topic and find out something, ANYTHING, at this point will be good.

“Oh I just said that for your mother’s benefit,” she said as she got up off the floor, her dress still very aptly hiding her feet, dusting her white dress off the entire while. It didn’t look like it was going to make any difference though; the dress was beyond dirty and ragged, she might as well have left it.

“For my mother’s benefit?”

“Yes, if I would have told her I was lost and you found me in the woods….” Her voice trailed off. She was right. Mom wouldn’t have been able to handle that. After all, she was so happy seeing Irene. Yes, I guess it was for my mother’s benefit.

“Okay…so where exactly are we going?” I was skeptical now. Everything she did, every word she said had me on edge, just waiting for her to drop another bomb on me. I could already see the sun set, the dark was approaching and just like a bad metaphor, I knew nothing good was going to come out of this darkness.

“I don’t know. I thought you said you would help me find my way,” her face was utter innocence. Irene’s blue eyes were filled with hope and wishful thinking. Her face was reflecting what her soul was probably thinking too, that I was going to help her. Help her find her way. How was I going to do that? She was standing there looking at me with those eyes, the wind blowing, making her dark hair which was ablaze now with the sun just over the horizon, fly a little to the left. I blinked and started to walk in the direction of the main road. I had no game plane, no idea what I was doing, I was just going on instinct, hoping that I would have some sort of divine miracle from the One above and I’d be able to take this girl where she’s supposed to be.

I was deep in my thoughts and before I knew it, Irene was walking right beside me. Her nasty habit of being able to creep up on me was growing on me, but not enough because I was startled and tried my best to hide it from her, a small frown covering my face.

“What is it? Did I make you mad,” she asked me genuinely concerned.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just…. I can’t tell when you’re walking; you make no sound so I get startled,” I looked at her side ways as we walked. I watched closely for her reaction. She seemed to process it, thinking it over and then nodded. It was just when she opened her mouth to say something when we heard it.

It was loud, distinct and clear. It was a stone cold, gut wrenchingly blood curling scream. It was the clear sound of a distressed woman screaming in what I thought was utter agony. I could feel her pain through her screams, making my blood run faster in my veins, my heart beat like a running train. If that wasn’t enough it was followed by a loud gunshot being fired and then the screams stopped.

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This chapter is dedicated to @DavidGibbs6. I came across his stories which i absolutely love and got a chance to learn so much about horror writing through them. Honestly it was a win-win situation for me.

Thank you, I really appreciate it :)

-HTM