Spookychild’s writings

They were at the top of the hill when Brenttyn suddenly queried. “Don’t you have a boyfriend.”

“Of course not.” Kia blurted out. This was the first thing she had said so emphatically.

“Why do you say “of course not”?” Brenttyn darted his eyes toward her, a little surprised.

“No one has ever asked me out once in my entire life.” Kia said it bitterly.

“Why don’t you ask them out instead?” Brenttyn asked curiously.

“They need to like me, and no one likes me.” She began to wave her hand to dismiss the subject, but she could not because Brenttyn had her left arm and Dixon’s leash was in the other hand.

“Didn’t you ever like someone?” He was still asking too many questions and peering at her intently.

“Yeah, maybe, I guess,” she replied. She was getting frustrated with the subject.

“Did you try to talk to them?” He added, attempting to promote a response.

“No. Of course not.”  She replied.

“There is that phrase again. Why didn’t you talk to them?” He glanced at her but she was staring at the path.

“Because I cannot. I can’t just go up to someone and start talking. Not unless I know them and they talk to me first. I’m scared I will interrupt or bother them. I mean girls too. But in the case of a boyfriend, I should have been born one hundred years ago and had a suitor. I do not belong here in this modern age.” It was more than she had said on the whole walk and more than she had ever said to a guy except during her duties at work.

 Brenttyn was still watching her. “But that’s no good.” He said finally looking away and shaking his head.

She glanced at him then. “Why?” She felt he was smiling again and she was right.

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He flashed a grin at me. “That’s a beautiful name. It fits you perfectly.” I stared back at him. I wasn’t sure, but I was pretty sure he was flirting with me. He let my hand go after giving it a slight squeeze.

“Thanks.” I said. I had no idea what was customary to say to something like that.

“Have you been going to this church long?” He asked.  He pointed into the inner sanctuary.

I nodded. “Ten years now.” I said. Though we hadn’t been coming every week, we hadn’t missed more than two weeks at a time.

“Awesome. Then you could help me; I am interested in joining but would love to talk to someone about the religion and bible study.” He said, looking genuinely excited.

“I think the Deacons would be better to talk to about the SDA theology and all that stuff. I only really believe Saturday is the sabbath. I am not really knowledgeable about the rest of it.”

I saw a flash of anger pass over his face that time. But his voice was pleasant. “Oh, of course, I already have one of their phone numbers. I meant I would like to know how you like the church and how you like being an SDA and why you think it’s important to go to this church, not another one.” He spoke.

I shrugged. I was raised this way; I wanted to say. But again, I didn’t want him to be mad at me. “Okay.” I answered. What harm could a phone call do?

“Can I have your number?” He said, taking out a phone in a scratched-up case out of his pocket. I gave him my number. He saved it and texted me a smiley face asking me to check to make sure I received it. I had. “Thank you so much, Miranda.” He grinned at me. “I’ll be texting you later.”

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“Carrie,” Ben said. I jumped sky high and almost fell looking around. He was there about fifteen feet away, just looking at me in the middle of the sidewalk. He was not moving. I turned and almost fell on Hazel. I would have lost but instead crashed into my door with a thud. He spoke again. I was crying, so I didn’t hear the words. It was something like, “just talk to me.”

Eventually, I got my hand around the door and opened it. But I tripped on the doorstep and hit my left knee badly on the floor. Hazel was in the doorway, looking back at Ben, who was walking closer, saying my name. And “please.” I tugged her in, shut the door, and locked it. I could not move. My knee was throbbing. I lay against the door and sobbed. I covered my ears; I do not know if Ben stood there and listened to me crying. He could have stopped me from shutting the door if he had run for me; I do not understand why he didn’t. He was too stunned that he felt I needed to want to talk to him. I will never know.

After a while, I lay on the floor and closed my eyes. I woke up later, drooling on the floor. I was in so much pain at this point I didn’t think I could get off the floor. But Hazel stuck her nose in my face, and I wrapped my arms around her. She seemed to sense what I needed and lifted me just enough to break through the stiffness and allow me to move slowly.

It took forever, but gradually, I got off the floor. I didn’t bother trying to stand. I crawled to my bed and looked at the clock. It was afternoon now, 3:30 pm.

Eventually, I got to the bathroom and took another bath. My knee was badly bruised and bleeding. I scrubbed it carefully. And then leaned back in the bath. I thought about hurting myself again. But I was too tired to find a blade. I closed my eyes. But I didn’t fall to sleep. I was afraid of taking Hazel out again. But a sudden image of Ben standing there watching me and not running towards me filled my mind. He would not force me to talk to him. He was only at the door because I turned off my phone and he was worried about me. He just wanted to know I was alive more than anything else and would allow me alone time if that was what I wanted.

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“Why are you crying?” The voice inquired. “What’s wrong, Katherine?” It was the same voice that helped her after the last home game. He spoke her name. She felt a soft, warm touch on her left shoulder. How did he know her name? She must have fallen asleep. It was possible. “Tell me what’s wrong.” The voice spoke kindly.

She buried her face into her arm and took a deep breath. She whispered aloud and to herself, as the voice was just a waking dream. “I can’t go home.” She felt another tear slip into her long-sleeved shirt. She choked, and the hand touched her again, lightly against her shoulder.

“Don’t worry.” The soft voice said. She felt a surge of fierce peace. It rushed in and chased out the other horrible feelings. She felt unexpected hope; it would be okay. The voice continued softly. “You will be okay. I will ensure you are safe.” Then he was gone.

She heard car doors slamming in the distance, and a duck squawked close by, loudly. She sat up abruptly and looked around quickly. She could see no one. She jumped to her feet and hugged herself tightly. “Please come back.” She said in a half-whisper. “Don’t leave me here alone.” Her voice sounded strange. Her eyes were open wide. She was wide awake, not dreaming. She grabbed her glasses and put them on. Then she turned and spun around in a full circle. No one was behind her.

“I know you’re here somewhere.” She said through her teeth. She walked rapidly, full circle around the tree. No one was behind the trunk. The last car from the park drove past. She was all alone now. No one was there beside her or cared about her. Whoever had touched and spoken to her was gone.

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He pulled her back up to a sitting position; he hit her. He hit her several times. She felt the pain. The pain shocked her, halfway out of her numbness. Something in her awoke. Something in her wanted to fight.

He backed off to curse and came at her again. This time she was ready for him. She aimed a kick at the only place that could do enough damage to make him stop. It hit him in his groin hard, and he recoiled back, falling over the coffee table, and hitting the floor with his back.

Sophia half crawled, half stumbled out of the living room into the kitchen. In the kitchen, her legs buckled, and she landed on her hands and knees. The drink and the sandwich churned in her stomach. They came up her esophagus and poured out of her mouth, running down her chin and landing on the floor and her hands. It was liquid warm, and chunky.

Sophia sat back on her heels, rubbing her hands on the linoleum, trying not to breathe in the smell. Then she heard him again. He was screaming, screaming at her, telling her that he would kill her.

She was on her feet, moving once more. Sophia was at the back door and out of it before he got to the kitchen. She fell off the back stoop. It was starting to get dark. The sun was behind the hills but had not set. She began to crawl again. She headed towards the woods. She had to get to cover and fast.

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