Madison's p.o.v »»
"Madison get your leg off me!" Lily complained, pushing my half awake body roughly to the other side of the bed. I groan loudly, snuggling more into the thin blanket.
"Stop pushing Madison around like a rag doll." Tyler ordered Lily. I smirk at his comment, peeking an eye up at Lily.
"Two against one." I said in a sing-song voice.
I was about to fall back asleep, when my body jerked harshly to the right harder than before.
"Lily!" I screamed, face planting into the motel carpet.
"Both of you need to stop acting like we're still in 7th grade." Tyler said, standing in the middle of us. I immediately stiffen at Tyler's unusual behavior, picking myself and the blanket off the floor.
Tyler walks over to a large duffle bag on the bed. "Put this on," he says, throwing clothes in my direction.
I attempt to catch it, but fail. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?" Lily says, flicking Tyler's forehead with her finger. I watch silently as Tyler swats her hand away from him.
"You both act like long-lost siblings." I voice my thoughts aloud, making the two of them stop their bickering immediately by the comment.
"Did I say something wrong?" I say, scratching the back of my neck nervously.
"Should we tell her?" Lily asks, looking at Tyler with an intense look. Tyler instantly shakes his head, not liking the sound of that. "It's not your business to say, Lily." Tyler says sternly.
"Wait..." I say slowly, fiddling with the hem of my robe, "Are you guys, like, a couple?" I ask. "Is that why Lily came, too?"
Both Lily & Tyler jump away from each other with wide eyes. "Of course not!" They both shout in unison.
I grab my clothes off the bed and make my way towards the run down bathroom. I say, closing the door slightly. I quickly shrug the robe off and put on clothes that are clearly Lily's.
Staring at myself in the mirror, I lean against the sink. I haven't gotten any sleep in days and it was noticeable. I had semi-dark circles around my eyes and my waist seemed to get smaller and smaller with each passing day. When I lifted my shirt up in front of the mirror, Lily decided to walk in, my stomach exposed to her.
"Oh my gosh, don't tell me you're still starving yourself?" Lily screeched loudly with Tyler hearing undoubtedly. I clench my jaw, staring at her with a look that could kill. She continues to look at me waiting for an answer, not realizing what she just announced to Tyler.
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Lily's face morphs into realization.
My chest feels heavy and even though I can't see Tyler's expression from inside the bathroom, I dread it. I feel the familiar anxiety attack making its way up, and quickly shove Lily out of the doorway, running out of the motel room.
I run despite the close footsteps and calls that follow behind me. I run so fast that my feet slip from underneath me, causing me to crash face first into the pavement. Once my face hits the ground, I break out into a sob, the realization of not even being physically or mentally strong, beginning to get to me.
Tyler's familiar arms pull me into a hug as we sit together on the abandoned road.
The words don't seem to form in my mouth. I feel like I'm paralyzed in his arms. The secret I had trusted my ex-best friend with 3 years ago, is beginning to haunt me. I remember the day so vividly. Standing in the middle of my bathroom on the scale, praying that I had lost that extra pound.
I remember not being satisfied with the bright blue digital number that stared back at me. I remember shuffling weakly over to the toilet bowl, and sticking my fingers down the back of my throat.
I was gagging and struggling to get the vomit up, but eventually it always worked.
To my horror, Lily came over unannounced one day and walked in to see me leaned over the toilet with my fingers lodged into my throat. It took her a while to realize what was going on, but when she did, she encouraged it rather than stopped it.
In fact, she even began doing it as well.
Tyler shaking my shoulders lightly, interjected my memory of Lily and me in my bathroom. Tyler was saying something, but it was as if my brain couldn't comprehend what he said.
"What?" I asked as my ears ringed, making me feel slightly light headed.
"I said, let's go before someone finds us, but this conversation isn't over." he says, offering me his hand to stand up.
I accept it, knowing I couldn't risk being in the middle of the road.
Tyler guides me with a hand on the small of my back, back to the motel room. Lily crashes into me with her arms around my frail body, "I would never do that to you, you know that." she says with a serious look, making me believe it's genuine.
"Yeah." I mumble, not wanting to argue like we used to.
"Why don't we go get some food? When I went to get some things at the store, I'm sure I saw a diner up the road." Lily suggested with a small smile. I glanced at Tyler who was by my side to see his reaction to the idea, but as expected, he immediately protested it.
"You heard the man." I said, "We're not going anywhere."
Lily sighs deeply with an annoyed expression, "C'mon guys, we have to leave this motel eventually." she persists, grabbing Tyler's car keys off the nightstand, "I'll drive!" she announces with a grin.
"No!" Tyler says quickly, snatching the car keys from her hand. "Fine, we'll go, but I'm driving."
Lily claps her hands in glee, "I'll go wait outside." she announces, skipping over to the door and closing it behind her.
Once Lily is out of earshot, I speak up, "Did you really have to bring her with you?"
"Sadly, yes."
~~~~
"Would you like fries with that?" The waitress asked Tyler, hitting her pen against her notepad anxiously. I had just watched Lily order her usual salad and now Tyler was ordering. "Um, sure does that cost extra?" Tyler asks, glancing at his slightly opened wallet.
I caught a glimpse of a small stack of 20's & 50's lodged into his wallet, and immediately sighed knowing we only had a matter of a few days before we went broke.
"And you ma'am?" The waitress asks, directing the question towards me. I snap out of my thoughts, clearing my throat and quickly glancing at the menu in front of me. "Just a strawberry milkshake." I said. She nods, writing the order down and rushing to the back of the empty diner.
"Are you sure that's all you want?" Lily asks with her eyebrows scrunched up in something between confusion and concern.
I stare out the window, watching the light drizzle hit the window. "Yeah, I'm sure." I say with no emotion.
"Are you cold?" Tyler asks, changing the topic and beginning to shrug his jacket off. I was about to say no, but I knew Tyler would give it to me either way. I slip on the oversized jacket, feeling the warmth and familiar cologne wrap around me.
"How long are we planning to stay here?" Lily asked, playing with a salt shaker on the table. I watch as she spills a small amount. "I think I have enough to last us two more days." Tyler says.
The waitress comes back, balancing a tray on one hand. "Alright, I got a salad, hamburger combo, and a strawberry milkshake." she recites the order, placing the items in front of us with no smile on her face.
Once she's gone, I slurp on my shake. "This town is creepy." I muttered, my mouth still biting down on my straw.
"Tell me about it." Lily agreed.
"It was last minute!" Tyler says, biting into his burger and getting defensive. I prop my head on my hand and continue slurping, until they all finish their food. "It's getting late." I commented, "Let's head home."
Lily and Tyler nod in agreement, grabbing their belongings and sliding out of the booth. "My back is starting to hurt from that uncomfortable motel bed." Tyler complained, holding the door open for me and Lily. I stay quiet as the two of them engage in conversation while we get into the car.
"And the springs dig into your back, right?" Lily said to Tyler in the passenger seat.
"Exactly, and I'm pretty sure the shower has mold." Tyler comments keeping their small talk alive. I'm about to say something, when I see a pair of headlights shine from behind us, but Lily, nor Tyler seem to notice.
At first, I think it's harmless, but then the car accelerates and almost hits the back of the truck. This seems to get Tyler's attention, because the conversation he has with Lily stops completely. "What is that?" Tyler asks, glancing behind him in the driver's seat.
"I think someone's following us." I say, trying not to let the fear in my voice evident. "What? Really!" Lily screeches, buckling her seatbelt quickly. "I'm going to try to lose him." Tyler announces, stepping on the gas pedal.
The car goes from 60mph to 80mph within a few seconds. I feel myself beginning to hyperventilate involuntarily. "Is it necessary to go this fast?" I ask, barely breathing. "Relax you can't die." Lily mentions, "I however, can." she shouts, squeezing her eyes shut in fear.
I'm about to say something, but I realize what Lily had just said.
How does she know I can't die? I've never told that to anybody.
Before I have the chance to say something, the sound of a tire busting invades my ears and the car flips over. Screams fill the air as the car rolls over on the road five times, before stopping. I reach up to my forehead to see blood gushing out and my leg seems to be severely injured. Shattered glass surrounds my body and every little move I make, it cuts me.
"Tyler," I whisper, "Tyler wake up!" I say, struggling to reach out and touch him from the far distance. I see Lily from the corner of my eye coughing, but still breathing.
"Tyler!" I scream, making my voice become hoarse. My worst fear has become a reality, when I look up ahead to see Tyler's body lying on the road, outside of the car.
Blood stains the leather seats and it seems that Tyler's body jerked forward with such force, breaking the windshield. That's when it hits me, Tyler wasn't wearing his seatbelt. Tyler wasn't breathing. Tyler wasn't alive anymore.
The sound of footsteps by the car make my heart beat abnormally, knowing the person who hit us is nearing the car. The crunching of glass and gravel beneath someone's feet is the last thing I hear, before the familiar faces haunt my brain forever.
"Did you really think you could hide from us?" his soft, innocent voice now replaced by a deep, husky one.
I blink a couple of times to make sure I'm not hallucinating, but sadly this is no dream I will ever wake up from.
I struggle to keep myself from passing out, but the sickness is beginning to form in the pit of my stomach.
There beside my almost dead body stood Luke, Tessa, and Dr. Sullen with cold expressions and guns in hand.
"Why are you doing this?" I force out the words, despite the fact my head is spinning and my eyes are rolling to the back of my head.
Luke opens the car door, gripping my forearm and basically throwing me out into the dark road. Dr. Sullen and Tessa immediately grab me from either side firmly.
"Tessa? I thought you were dead!" I screech lowly, not finding the strength to fight.
"What's going on here?" I attempt to scream, but it comes out in a pathetic whisper.
"Oh, Madison," Luke says, stroking my cheek with his disgusting finger, "You always were so naïve."
I spit in his face, resulting in him smacking me across the cheek.
"Why are you doing this." I ask again, trying to stand my ground.
"My mom was one of your mother's test subjects," Luke says almost spitting out every word he said, "And your mom lead her to kill herself to see if the research was successful." he explained angrily.
"And you!" he screamed loudly, almost as if he was in pain, "You got to live and she didn't! Where's the justice?" Luke shouted with tears threatening to spill from his eyes, pulling a gun out on me.
I sucked in a breath at his actions, but remained quiet. "For months, I searched for articles and newsletters for similar stories like hers, and then you came along." he said shakily, "The story matched perfectly and I knew something had to be done, so I got my aunt to become yours and Tyler's therapist to find out information." he said with a sinister look in his eye.
Tears began to cloud my vision. This whole time, I wasn't even aware that I was inviting my killers into my home. There were signs that I didn't notice. It was all there under my nose, and I didn't pay attention. Tyler was right, Luke was bad news. Tyler was the only one I could count on and now he's gone.
"That doesn't explain why Tessa is alive and here." I say, glaring at the girl from the institution. "Ah, yes," Luke says with a smile and a twinkle in his eye, "My beautiful wife, Tessandra."
Tessa winks at me with a smug look on her face, "I told you my husband, Lucindo, could pass as a high school student."
Lucindo kisses Tessandra roughly on the mouth in front of me. They resemble something as insane as The Joker & Harley Quinn. They're both psychotic.
"She's alive because of you," Lucindo says, tugging on my red locks roughly in attempt to cause me pain, "We gave her the blood the nurse took from you, so she's practically invincible now."
"Soon, we'll all be invincible and overpower your mothers research." Lucindo laughs maniacally.
"So, you're going to use me?"
"No, honey, I'm going to kill you."