Authors: Kathy-Lynn Cross
Thoughts of remorse hit home about the poor dead driver getting the blame. I knew… I had killed them all. How on earth was I going to live knowing I should have died right along with them? After draining myself, both physically and emotionally, I sat back. Wiping the corner of the hospital gown across my mouth, I motioned to Rae-Lynn that I was done.
A candy striper came into the room with a smile and carrying the requested supplies. Rae-Lynn returned the smile and said, “Thanks,” while reaching for the stack, indicating she would take it from there. The overly cheerful female waved and disappeared without comment.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I know you went out of your way to get us food. I will try to eat it after my nerves have settled down.” The voice coming out of me sounded raw from undealt emotions and gritty from using my throat backwards. Blakely and Mom looked at each other at the same time as if they were sharing a secret. They both nodded as Rae-Lynn held out a warm, wet rag to me.
I wiped the tears away when I noticed they were still staring at me. “Www… hat?” I couldn’t help sounding paranoid. Both of them stood there, in silence. Blakely broke her stare first by bending over to pick up her pen from the floor.
“We need to discuss some issues. I wanted to address them closer to the end of the week, but I’m not sure there will be a right time, so…” Her voice trailed and Blakely sat on the bed next to me and placed her hand on my knee. “Tod’s mom has informed me about his funeral. It’s more like a wake since they can’t bury him. Law enforcement assigned to the case are treating it as a vehicular manslaughter and wouldn’t release his remains because of evidence problems. I guess things were pretty tied up until yesterday. His family is from different corners of the country and even some live abroad, so they are waiting for everyone to get here. The service will be in a few weeks.
“Funerals for the other passengers, Melanie Crisspike, and Brad Stu, are being held at the end of the week. I told both families you would probably be in the hospital for at least another week, and I gave them our condolences.”
More water escaped from under both lids.
Really, how many tears can one person cry?
I missed Tod terribly and wished he were here to tell me one of his stupid jokes or sing one of his silly songs. I felt bad for the others because I knew of them and yet I didn’t know them well enough to feel more than regret.
Mom took a breath. Misunderstanding the reaction I was having to her talk, she continued, “I can try to arrange it if you want to go to Melanie’s. It’s in five days. It will require me shifting around my work schedule, but I can manage it if the doctors are okay with it as well.”
I rocked
no
in a silent reply, and turned toward the window and cried internally. Why couldn’t I have died right along with them? Why did I get spared and not any of them? Then memory recall brought up a clip from that night as it flashed a picture of the demon. Why did it let me live when I had asked for their lives to be spared? I damned myself for what I did to them. This was retribution, for me to relive the night over and over again. The only thing good about recalling new nightmares was that I hadn’t had a normal nightmare since I’d been in the hospital. Credit probably went to the painkillers for driving the creatures away. The pills had worked as good as drinking the horrors away. At least under a doctor’s care, I was doing it legally. This incident reopened old issues I wasn’t ready to face. I made a loud sniffling sound, and Blakely handed me another tissue.
Jolting us from our somber mood was a hammer knuckle knock on the door frame. We all jumped, including my roommate. Willow had been concentrating on her unflavored gelatin cup while I was sick and crying.
“Is there an Alexcia Stasis staying here?” The guy was trying to look through smashed, blond bangs, caused by his cap being pushed too low across his brow. I couldn’t make out his eyes. His voice sounded hurried. I guessed he was in his late teens. Standing about six feet with a slight tan, I surmised he probably actually worked outside with the plants. His medium build filled out the ivy green polo shirt nicely. I was slightly embarrassed about someone asking to see me at a time like this. I could star in a Clear Eyes commercial and, I reeked of regurgitated food.
Rae-Lynn raised her hand in a
put it here
gesture. Maybe an overactive imagination could explain the sudden plunge in temperature, but I couldn’t dismiss why I was covered in chicken skin when he entered. The chill caused me to pull up the white cotton blanket. It also hid the mess. Blakely and Mom never indicated the change, so I figured shivers were a side effect of getting sick.
The delivery guy carried a long, iridescent pearl box with a small, plastic window on the top corner of the lid. With his free hand, he tugged at the brim of his ivy and white cap in greeting. Handing the box to Rae-Lynn, he shot me a wink. Underneath the box, he held an order confirmation form and receipt. “Ma’am, I’m from Spring Is Beauty, Floral Decorating and Arrangements Service. I have a delivery for Alexcia Stasis.” He glanced back down at me and I felt the crimson rise.
“Do you have a pen? I can sign for her.” Rae-Lynn gently took the box from him and placed the pretty rectangle down across both legs. Instantly, all the little hairs stood at attention from its touch. It was like a block of ice, which sparked internal curiosity. As I observed his attire, an even mixture of bewilderment added to the interest when I noticed he wasn’t wearing gloves. How on earth was he handling this without protection?
I watched my skin change to different swatches of pink as the box sat there. Someone needed to move it before frostbite made it stick like dry ice. Nonchalantly, I lifted the good leg and watched the box as it partially slid onto the blanket. With lungs quivering, I slowly released a white cloud into the air.
I could see my breath.
Blakely made a clicking sound with her tongue bringing me back to the floral commercial unfolding in front of me. Gazing up and down, I did my own personal scan and downloaded his image to memory. She reached up and pulled her own hood off to let the locks of straight, light brown and ash blond cascade down to her back. Her hair was gorgeous. In the sunlight, it gave off a brassy gold shine that said, “…and I’m worth it.”
Wow, I couldn’t believe it, crushing over the flower guy. A lazy grin made her face appear like a twelve-year-old instead of the grumpy sixteen-year-old we all knew and loved. I found myself snickering at Blakely’s twitterpatedness over the buck that came out of the forest, or, in this case, the hallway, bearing flowers.
Maybe I should give her one flower from the box in remembrance of this rare occasion. She never took the hood off or liked herself enough to care about her appearance around others. Blakely never showed all of her face or body if she could avoid it, and here she was bursting out of her cocoon. Her beauty could not even be compared to a butterfly’s. She was gorgeous. It was a damn shame she didn’t see her reflection the same way others did. I knew part of her problem was because of her father, but we didn’t discuss her issues often.
Blakely fluttered her lashes. “Where in the world are we going to put that? She has her own flower shop going on here. You know, maybe we can sell tickets to come and see Lex-Cee’s
soon to be withering garden
. Tickets going fast and so are the flowers. Better hurry.” Hunching forward, she put her hands in the pockets of her hoodie and started surveying where they should go. Tossing her hair in a
notice me kind of way
, I rolled my eyes.
Quite a few floral arrangements and a few stuffed animals adorned the windowsill and nightstand. I had to say, I didn’t think I knew enough people who cared. Apparently, I did. The high school faculty even sent a bouquet of lilies. Most of the teachers didn’t even like me.
A few days prior to this latest delivery, Mom, Dee, and Blake had taped up the surplus of get well and sympathy cards. The wall behind me looked like a section out of a Hallmark store. The sympathy cards were from people who knew Tod and I were closer than friends. I bit part of my lower lip and corrected myself.
We had been a couple
but didn’t advertise the exclusive part of our relationship.
Along with the gifts came the visitors, most of whom were acquaintances from school or the party circuit. Of course, my closest friends and Mom kept me company every day. Except Father, who left the night I’d awakened from the coma.
Max would call Rae-Lynn every night to get an update. She would make excuses for him, work was too busy or there was a threat the market might crash. As long as I was out of danger, he would see me after the hospital stay.
Thanks for caring.
One of the big teddy bears was supposedly from him, but I knew Mom had picked it out and signed his name to the card.
Way to cover.
Clink, Clink, Clink.
The sound snapped me back to our current situation. Blakely was moving some of the vases around to make room for another floral arrangement. The box looked like a seesaw, leaning partly on the leg brace. I couldn’t stop eyeing the box even though I knew what people said about the cat being curious. I was in a hospital, so if it started killing me, I’d be in the best place to be curious, at least.
The chain attached to the pen was hitting against the clipboard as Rae-Lynn signed for the package, and the guy was shifting from foot to foot as he waited for her to be done. He probably wanted a tip too. I would want something for having to carry a parcel with the ability to freeze your fingers off.
Rae-Lynn, quick, give him money so he can buy a decent pair of gloves.
A puff of air escaped from his lips as his eyes fixed on mine. I felt my lungs lock up from the pressure of his gaze. His face held a flicker of pain while mine was going to melt off my skull. I didn’t understand the strange connection going on between us, but I knew from our obvious discomfort it was not good. He broke away from our challenge of wills and cleared his throat while Rae-Lynn handed him the clipboard. She bent down for her black laptop case where she kept her wallet.
“So how are you doing? I heard about you and your friends on the news.” He spoke to the floor and not directly to me.
The laugh I made sounded empty. “Ah, yeah, it’s hard, but I’m taking it day by day.” This uneasy emotion we shared made the feeling of worry deepen.
I might have to persuade Blakely out of pursuing this one. He could end up being a deadbeat and then what? Blakely finds out she bought a chance to visit Hurtsville, that’s what.
Then he turned so I could see the name patch on his shirt. My heart seized up and screamed. The alarm mentally trigged so loud my eyes started to burn. The same eerie coldness from the night we met encircled my rib cage. The name
Michael
was embroidered in the same green as his work shirt. Memories from the party slammed the brakes on, forcing small talk. Chilled sweat was making the hair on my entire body stand on end. I couldn’t believe I was face to face with Mr. Creeper again. I wanted to sob from the way fear grabbed me whenever he was around. Why was I so afraid of him? Why?
“I only have a ten. This is your lucky day.” Rae-Lynn’s hand held out the bill when she noticed how he was staring at me. She cleared her throat while waving the money in front of his face. “Excuse me, Michael, is it? Thank you for your time, but my daughter is not feeling well and I have to change her linens.” The fanning of her fingers slowed once she observed how zoned out he was. With her free hand, she moved her chair back, sidestepping around to position her body directly in front of him. “Thanks again. I’m sure she will love them.”
Michael snatched the bill from her fingers and shook his head. Staring at the floor, he took steps to leave the room. Blakely’s sigh sounded deflated, but she had no idea what he was like. I drank with the guy. I should know. When we had some time alone, I would fill her in. He stopped suddenly at the door, appearing as if he had heard the silent thoughts and spun around.
Blakely squeaked out a quick whisper, “Oh my goodness. He is tempting.”
I, on the other hand, wanted to pull the blankets over my head to make the bad man go away.
“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around. You take better care of yourself…” The last part to me was under his breath, but I heard him loud and clear from the doorway, “…it will make my job much easier if you do.” He tipped the brim of his hat and turned to Willow. She was sipping from a small milk carton when he spoke to her next, “Willamina Glasston, I’ll see your act very soon. You take care for now, hun.” He turned back to us and bowed. “You ladies have a great day.” Waving the ten, he said, “Thanks for the tip.”
I peeked out from under the covers and made myself really look at his face. Eyes burned with horror-filled tears from what I saw. Something black with a purple hue wrapped itself around his body, then slithered up and over his shoulders. I had to be losing my mind. Was that thing alive? Did he know it was there? What the hell was going on? I was a deer caught up in the darkness of it. Adrenaline kicked in the fight or flight feeling, but where would I flee? It was time to show some teeth and bite. Fighting was the answer.
Steeling myself for a confrontation, I spoke right back to him, “Well, thanks, Michael, for the flowers. I’m sure I will see you around, as well.” I sat up straight and nodded, indicating I had remembered him from the party. My heart was trying out for a triathlon. I couldn’t control the calisthenics it was performing, flipping between each rib. It was making me short of breath and dizzy. The two black holes staring at me were pulling on a layer of consciousness. Those eyes made me start to falter against what little fight I had mustered to stand up to him.