Dear Stanley [Watty's 2019. Completed]

A horrible Memory with you

Sunday, May 14th

Dear Stanley,

I went to the waterfall. After I got kicked out.

I knew it was the only place that would calm me down. Bring me back to earth. Help cool the anger sizzling through my veins.

As soon as I felt the cool spray of the water against my face, I collapsed. I collapsed on the moist ground, my knees feeling too weak to be able to support me any further.

I felt good in an exhausted. Good but tired.

The waterfall flowed faster, harder, and I was tempted to jump in the center. It wasn't that deep but the strong currents would overpower me easily.

Something about that thought seemed familiar. But I don't know why. As if I jumped in there before.

I pulled out the picture of us at the zoo that day from my back pocket. It was slightly wrinkled, but that didn't change our glowing faces and smiles.

And then I slowly began to remember Stanley.

I remember when the last time we were at the waterfall was.

It was around a year ago.

I wasn't seeing you around lately, so when I did see you, I forced you to take me to the waterfall. To relive old time's tradition.

"Why do I have to go with you? Take some of your friends." You snarled at me, knowing very well at that time that I did not have any.

But I ignored the insult then, despite the way my heart felt like it was bleeding. "Stanley, we haven't seen each other in like forever! You're always away from the house. I just want to spend some time with you!" I whined. I know I sounded childish, but I really wanted to be with you. So badly.

Eventually, you begrudgingly agreed to go. But I could tell that you were angry. Extremely angry. It was as if I was making you miss something very important.

When we got to the waterfall, I attempted at making things seem normal. I teased you but you didn't tease back. I laughed too hard and too loud at my own jokes but you weren't making a sound. You had a glower in your eye and a frown on your face.

But then your face lit up. And I thought you planned something exciting. I thought you weren't angry anymore. Your lips curled back into a mischievous, almost evil, smirk.

"How about we both jump in?" You asked. Taunted almost. Daring me to say no.

I widened my eyes and laughed nervously, looking at how powerful the currents were. But when I saw you were completely serious, the smile on my face slipped off.

"Stanley, that's not a good idea."

You were shocked. I was shocked. This was the first time I defied you instead of agreeing to whatever you had to say.

Your expression looked as if you were trying to prevent any anger slipping into it. You were trying to keep calm.

"Nicolas, come on kid. It'll be fun. I'll be there for you." He said.

But I wasn't going to do it. You had become thin and scrawny for some reason. Your eyes held a maniac craze in them, and you were disheveled and unruly. I saw all this then Stanley, I wonder why I didn't see it before.

You definitely couldn't save me against the water.

"Nope. Sorry Stan." I shook my head no.

Stanley, your thin grin slipped off. I felt your bony grip on my arm and before I knew it, you were dragging me to the waterfall, so close that I almost slipped on the rocks that bordered the mouth.

"Let go of me Stan!" I shrieked. I was startled by what you were doing. I always thought you'd be the one to save me, not end me.

You laughed tastelessly. "Jump in Nic. What's the worst that can happen?"

You sounded psychotic. Demented. Deranged.

I tried to resist you, but the ground was too slippery.

"I can die Stan." I yelled over the roar. My throat was closing up in panic.

I was going to say some more, but all of a sudden I felt as if I was falling.

I saw my life flash before my eyes. You pushed me.

You really pushed me.

I felt my legs get wet from the water and just as I was about to go tumbling into the seven feet pit, I was jolted back. My arm was almost pulled out of its socket but I was grateful that I wasn't going to die.

You pulled me back just before I fell too deep.

Breathless, I fell onto the ground, trying to process what happened.

You were standing on top of me, staring at me with malice in your eye. You really did look insane then.

Writing about this now, I think something was wrong with you Stanley. Something was wrong with you before you left, and something had been wrong with you long before. You were slowly changing, shedding your true self and turning into something else...

A monster.

These memories that I've been having of you recently are giving me glimpses of the person you were that I didn't see then. These memories are like a path to you Stanley.

And in order to figure you out, I guess I'll have to follow them.

Who knows? Hopefully, they'll lead to you.