sympathy

Chapter Six

        I had to escape. I watched your every move. I learned your routine, and noticed every little thing you did. It were as if I had become the stalker.

        You offered to take me on a walk. You wanted to show me the area. You wanted to show me your world. We walked towards the outbuildings, past a car. I hesitated as I looked to see if you'd left the keys inside. No luck.

        When I caught up with you, there was a strange expression I hadn't seen before: excitement. I didn't know why you looked that way, but it scared me. You stopped in front of a tall round building. You put a key in the door, and then looked back at me.

"I don't want to take you in here, but I have to eventually."

        I was convinced this was it. This was where I would die. The door opened with a loud creak. It was completely dark, and it looked empty. I could only make out a few shadowed objects, but nothing else. I didn't want to go in anymore. I froze, and my breath became faster. I could see it. You killing me in there, in the dark. You had the smile, and the excitement. 

        "I don't know.." I began, but you shoved me in quickly leaving me no time to react at all. Yep. This was it.

"You're going to like this."

        I started to scream. Your grip tightened around my arms. I struggled, but you were so strong it was no use. You dragged me into the darkness.

"Don't move, George! Be still. You might ruin it."

        I bit your arm, and somehow loosened your grip. You grabbed my shoulder and pushed me to the ground. You were acting psychotic. I backed away until I hit the wall. I was trapped. It wasn't until then you pulled a tiny rope and light filled the room.

        It was beautiful, I will be honest with you. You deserve that. There were no bodies or dead people or creepy photos. It was just us, and the stunning paintings that covered the walls. You had never mentioned you were into art. Why? You were amazing, from what I could see.

        Your eyes had a sadness to them. You looked like you were in pain for the first time. It was a new thing I hadn't seen you feel before. Sorrow. That was when I realized I was covered in paint that splattered against the main painting in the room. 

        I couldn't see the bottom half of it, but the top was clear. It was a painting of you and I. We were sitting in the desert, and I was resting my head against your shoulder. We were admiring the sunset. It would sound creepy to anyone else, but it was perfect. I had thought of a moment exactly like that before all of this. When we were just a couple of idiots who recorded videos together sometimes.

"I didn't mean to scare you, I was worried about the painting. It took me.. a long time." 

"I thought- I thought you were going- going to-"

"I know. I would never, trust me. That's not why I brought you here."

"Why did you? Why won't you let me go if you don't want to kill me?"

"George, I just want you to see it."

"See what?"

"The beauty. The true beauty the Earth has. Not the lies and bullshit the media fakes."

"Great, I see it, will you let me go now?"

        Tears were rolling down my face. I knew I still loved you somehow. I hated myself for it. I wanted you dead, but I loved you. You were still that boy I had a crush on a month ago, and who I was going to surprise at the airport. You would do anything for me.

"Fine. Go ahead. I won't stop you. I'll save you when you get lost and nearly die again. I'm telling you, there is nothing out there."

        I could tell you were actually upset. I knew you were telling the truth. You seemed upset. I wanted to help, however I could, but I wanted to escape more than anything.

"Please. Take me home."

"I'll do this. You stay for three months more. That's it. Let me show you the beauty of the land, and if by the end you still want to leave, I'll take you home."

"You want me to see the land and then you'll let me go?"

"I want you to learn to love it."

"Love what?"

"This. This place. How quiet it is, how the sand flows with the landscape, how each animal has it's own way of survival. I want you to learn to love this place like I do. I want you to love me."

        It sounded insane. How could I love you? Though I already did slightly. I didn't let it get to me. I pushed down every feeling I had, and burned it with the anger I had towards you. You wanted me to stay for three whole months, and look at land. 

        I ran back to the house. I needed to be alone. I collapsed onto the bed, lost in thought of how long three months would be. 

        Then I was in the hospital. There were machines plugged into me, quietly letting out slow beeps. They got slower and slower. I couldn't open my eyes all the way. People visited me. Nick, Darryl, my parents. My mom sat beside me and brushed my hand. She smelt like wine, just like she had when I was little. There was a nurse nearby, saying it was important to keep talking to me. Another nurse was putting some liquid into a wire that connected to my wrist.

        I reached out at Nick, clawing at the air near his arm. But he didn't see me move. I tried to scream, tried begging them not to leave me. But I couldn't move any part of my body. The noise remained in my mind.

        When I opened my eyes, they vanished. The only person left, was you. 

Total Word Count: 1030