Something

“You,” I spat. “You…you knew this whole time, didn’t you?” He looked up at me from his desk, there wasn’t an ounce of surprised in his face. There was no expression at all.

“So, what gave it away, hm?” I stared at him in disbelief. Everything we’ve been through. After everything. And that’s the thing he asks me.

“That’s what you’re worried about? What gave it away? I can’t believe you! Shouldn’t we be worrying about bigger things right now!” He sighed. He pushed the papers that were in front of him and slowly started to stand up. A piece of hair was hanging over his forehead, but he didn’t bother to fix it back. He probably doesn’t care.

“Why are you surprised about this? Did your really not know about any of it. You work here, Krystal. You’ve been working here. It’s not like we were hiding it from you.” He says calmly.

“Well, it must of been not that obvious because I sure had a hard time figuring it out!” I exclaim. He looks at me with a face I know. It’s a face I’ve see so many times in my life, on my parents faces. Disappointment.

“Krystal,” He says pausing. “You are blind. Did you not see it the time in that factory? Or at the hospital?” The memories flash in my mind. “Hm, how about the time at the fountain? The government building?” I search my memories. “The plaza?” My thoughts freeze. “Your own home. This entire building. Do you not see it now?” My bottom lip starts to quiver.

I should have known. It wasn’t it, it was him.

“You planned it, didn’t you. Everything…” I whisper. He walked next to me, and leaned close to my right ear; I could feel his lip’s warmth on my ear.

“Yes. It was me. Disappointed?” He leans back, smirking.

“You’re a bastard, I hope you know that.” I say bitterly. He finally pushed the strand of hair back in place.

“Oh honey, I’ve been told much worse thing than that.” I want to punch him in the face. But instead, I suck in air. Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll choke on it and die. If only that was possible. I take a step towards the door; my only escape. He must of noticed because the moment I move my foot, he’s blocking the way out. “Are you really that desperate to leave me?”

“Who wouldn’t be.” A flash of amusement moves across his face.

“I have to say, Krystal. I’m glad it’s you and not anyone else.”

“Why thank you.” I say sarcastically.

“And I’m not saying that to compliment you.” He adds quickly. Bastard.

“Am I allowed to go, or is there more you want to insult me about? Because I have plenty of comebacks.” He narrows his eyes at me.

“Funny. You know, Krystal, I honestly thought we could work together. I really did. But you are much more difficult than I thought you would be. Quite sad actually. I had plans for you.” He moves away from the door. I take a step forward, he grabs my wrist. “Not so fast.”

“What now?” I ask annoyed. I’m done with this bullshit. He twists my arm and slams me into the wall. I gasp in shock. “What the hell are you-” He shoves his lips on mine and does something that could be called a kiss. I try to pull off him but he bits angrily onto my bottom lip. He lets go of me and I start to taste blood in my mouth. He whips his mouth.

“You suck at kissing.” I glare at him. It wasn’t me who decided to kiss you, bitch. “You may not think it, but we did have something. Whether you acknowledge it or not is up to you.” I go to leave out the door, completely ignoring him.

“Maybe if you weren’t such a lying asshole, I would believe you.” I say as I walk out. I’ll never acknowledge it, even though I know it’s the truth.

What Else?

“I love you,” I screamed. “I love you!” He stood there, his back to me. Not moving. Only staring at the window, that revealed the sun setting in the distance of the city. “What else do you want for me, huh?” He turned around. “What else…” Then, at that moment I knew. I knew why he had been hiding from me all these days, not showing his face to me when I walked in. Red blotches all over, purple — yellow bruises scatter on his flushed cheeks, swollen cheeks. He looked horrible.

“What do you want me to say?” He exclaimed. “That ‘I love you’ too? That I’m sorry? That- that I didn’t mean to hurt you? Alice, you already know all this. I’ve told you it a million times. So…damn it, why do you keep asking me it?” His eyes were glossy, I couldn’t tell if it was the effect of whatever had happened to him, or it was his emotions. I swallowed.

“Alen-”

“Do you even start,” he interrupted. “Just don’t. Please. I’m sorry, okay. I’m just-” He threw his hands up and started to pace around the room. “-I’m sick. I mean, look at me! I’m turning into a god-damn monster.”

I went to put my hand on his shoulder, “I can try help you-” He pulled himself away from me.

“No. No one can help me, that’s the problem. It’s impossible, Alice, don’t you get that? Why the hell do you think I’ve been trying to hide it this whole fucking time.” His eyes were red now, and his lips a mirthless smile. He sung his hand across the desk, knocking papers and books everywhere. “It’s over. I’m done.”

Iris

Iris laid on the side of the road, groaning. The pouring rain dripped down her face. Her lips were pressed tightly together, holding in a scream. Her left leg was numb with pain. A gunshot to the thigh, she couldn’t remember how much she had already bled because of it. Too much in pain to move, too awake to die. She had a problem, or two. And it was all because of him. He had shot her. He had broke her. She had been so stupid.

“I’ve been waiting,” was what he told her, after catching her creeping into his room, with a gun in her hand. She had done everything she could do to be quiet, but it failed. It was the first time it had. “What are you waiting for? You came here to kill me, right?” He continued. By this point, Iris had her jaw clenched. She knew she couldn’t do it. But she had to. She aimed her gun at his forehead. He was smirking, his blue eyes laughing. “Do it.” He commanded. Her hands were shaking. “Do it,” he repeated. He narrowed his eyes, “Come on already, do it. You’re wasting my time, dear.” She threw down the gun, he nodded. “Of course.” He grabbed something from under his bed sheets, it glistened in the light. A gun, much like hers. He knew. Then he shot her right in the leg. She fell over, grasping it. “You’re weak, so very weak.” He stepped towards her, she staggered back. “Iris, my dear, what’s wrong?”

She pulled herself up and ran. Her leg felt like it was burning in acid. She looked for the closest exit. The window. She flung herself through it, not even rethinking her decision. She landed on her hands and feet, a jolt went through her, but nothing she couldn’t survive. The gunshot on the other hand, was another story. She continued to run away, practically limping. From the window, Christian watched her, smiling.

Darkness

I drew my eyes open. Darkness. I pressed my hands against the walls, there was only a few inches between it and me. I kept my legs bent in order to fit inside it. My neck was aching from being crammed under the top. I must be in some kind of box or cage, was my first thought. I tried to remember my most recent of memories. Nothing. I tried again, gasping. It was like something was blocking my mind. Then…there was a spark of memory. I screamed.

My hands found their way to the gap where my right eye was. Over it was a cloth, probably a bandage. There was a crusty texture falling off it as I felt it. Blood. A flash of image of a match being lighted, and then an eyeball inside a jar filled with liquid. I drew my hand back, even in this darkness, I knew; I can only see with my left eye.

Moments later, a light came on and a set of footsteps could be heard. The small rectangular hole in the cage revealing nothing but brightness. I had been right, there was a solid black spot where my right eye’s vision once was. I breathed in, slowly. Painfully. There was more noise, shuffling. Then clicking sounds, unlocking of something. It came closer and closer, until I could hear it above me. The light became blinding, I squinted my good eye. The cage had been opened.

I pulled myself out of the small, enclosed space. There were other cages filled with people, all of them slowly getting out. I covered my mouth, almost gagging. Much like me, they were obviously experimented on, but I was nowhere near what had happened to them. Some had no arms, no legs; only stumps, horribly stitched up. Others were mutated, extra body parts, probably from those who had lost them. The rest, covered with bloody bandages, scarred up skins, gapless voids instead of eyes. And here I thought, I was bad.

I noticed a door towards the opposite side of the room, wide-open. I sprinted. I glanced behind for only a second. There, I saw a figure unlocking the last of the cages. A boy. Dark blonde hair, curly at their ends. It wasn’t until he turned around I could see his striking blue eyes. His mouth was a thin line. He motioned me to go with his hand; and I did.

I turned back around and ran.