My Rainy Day

I'm shaking.

He's in my house.

I'm terrified.

He's not supposed to be here.

Where should I hide? Not under the bed, he'll find me there. My closet is too cluttered, damn it I should have cleaned it out. I can't open the window, it will creak. I'm running out of time.

Stop. You're panicking.

Easy for you to say. He's coming closer, I can feel it. I know it. I hear it.

Nothing left to do, I need to get out. I feel claustrophobic already. But will the door make any noise? No time to think. I can't remember anyway. I push it open, it silently swoops open.

See? You'll make it out.

Shut up voice. No wait, that's my common sense. Got to listen to that.

I strain to hear the intruder, he's in the kitchen. I hear pots and pans clanging around. What could he want?

You.

I feel another violent tremble break through my thoughts. Last time someone took me away. I don't want to leave. They yell at me for clawing at the walls, but it's because I feel uncomfortable in small spaces.

They ask why I go to my room.

It's because I need to be in a small room to think.

See what I have to go through? So what, it's my room. I can ruin it.

Shut up.

I creep down the stairway.

Careful, it might make noise...

I know, I know.

The noises stop, so I freeze. Does he know I'm coming? I think he does. But no, wait, I'm not going to him...I'm trying to get away. Brilliant time to be delirious. I have a knife in my hand.

How did I get that? Not sure, but it's wet. I think I dropped it in the rain puddle.

It was raining in the hallway...

But it's dark out, so I can't see straight. This rain is a pretty color.

Focus.

Right. I'm in the living room. The door is in the sitting room, I'm almost there.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

That clock is loud. It's getting louder.

Each step I take is hard. It's getting harder.

Tick, breathe, step, tock.

Tick, stop, listen, tock.

I think I'll get out. I'm going to make it! I feel my lip tremble in anticipation.

The sitting room is long and narrow, only two old chairs are there, but they're the only chairs in my house. So, this is the sitting room.

The lights are bright, they're very bright. I can see now.

Focus.

Okay, okay. I look down, I'm still wearing my white gown. It's not very elaborate, and it's a little annoying with the design, I guess having your arms tied back is the new style.

But I had an itch, so I wiggled one arm free. I'm so proud.

FOCUS.

FINE! I'm walking through the hallway, with a grin plastered on my face. My face fell. Where's the intruder? How could he escape me? I've been looking for him.

“Wendy!”

I spun around, there's my lover. He wears a white coat, but his arms aren't tied back. There's a different name on his jacket pocket, I guess he stole it from someone. Silly man.

“Richard, so great to see you! Did you know there's an intruder? That's what another voice said, from that box, they should fix that thing. Kind of annoying, do you think so too? You know, I was just playing a game with some people a few minutes back...what's wrong honey? Are those your friends?”

“Wendy, can you put the weapon down?” He asked soothingly.

I looked down at the blade in shock. “Oh my goodness! It's all bloody!”

“Yes, Wendy...do you know how that happened?”

I thought hard, I don't want to disappoint him. Well I went to visit some old friends. They act weird, but  they're fun to be around. We started to play a game, and we danced around. I told them I was too old for games, but they insisted.

They started to push me around, so I got mad and pushed back. Then it started to rain...the rain was warm, actually. Warm rain...must be summer.

Sometimes I wonder...is my life just one big game? Just one huge dangerous game?

“Wendy?”

I blinked. “I don't know, but I'm all wet. Can I have a towel?” The friends shifted, they were wearing blue.

Sillies, don't they know white is in style?

“We can get you cleaned up in your room.”

I frowned. No, no, no, no. That makes no sense, I took all this time just to get out here, I don't exactly intend to go back in. It'd be absolutely pointless.

He's trying to deceive you.

No way, he would never do that. Not my Richard.

“Wendy,”

“Richard I can't! There's an intruder around here,” I scanned the small hallway. There's no other way to leave besides north and south, but you have to watch out for the shadows. Sometimes people sneak up on me. I don't like that. “-he still might be around, in fact.”

“Wendy, I do believe I already told you this, Richard is not my name. My name is Doctor Harry T. Smith.”

I told you.

“Wh-what?!”

“Richard passed away a long time ago...” I started to breathe erratically, the men in blue tensed.

“Wendy?” He asked cautiously.

No, Richard can't be dead! What is he saying? That doesn't make any sense, I was so sure he was Richard! So if Richard isn't who I thought he was...

Deceiving you...

My eyes narrowed. “You're the intruder.”

I took a step forward, he took a step back.

“How DARE you! To lie to me all this time, to never make any sense?! So all the times you visited me, what was that?! Huh?! Am I your play thing?”

I advanced forward, his 'friends' grabbed something on their belts. “Something to break? Something to mess with? I'm a human, damn it!”

My hands were shaking from rage. His eyes were wide, and his stance ready.

“What did you want, anyway? Huh, Mr. Robber?”

What did he want? All those clanking noises...I guess he was stealing my pots and pans. Maybe he got hungry. Or maybe he was taking my file cabinets. I barely use them anyway.

My face slipped back to it's original impassive state.  Maybe the intruder isn't all that bad. I love new friends. Hugs are nice, by the way. I love to embrace my friends...

“Wendy...?”

I looked at the man curiously. “I'm sorry, who are you?”

“Come, Wendy, I'll take you home.”

Focus.

My eyes flashed. “Okay.” I answered both voices. I skipped over to his side, the men stayed cautious, but kept their distance. Good, I don't like them very much. He took out a syringe.

“Are you alright now?”

“Yes, I think I'm fine.” I wrapped my one arm around him...

Ouch! Something stabbed me...

“Sorry I was so mean before, Mr. Robber. Guess I misunderstood you.”

His face went pale, and he toppled to the floor. I think it rained again.

“Richard?!”

I fell to my knees, and dropped the thing in my hand, the men in blue rushed over.

“RICHARD! No! Get up, get up!”

Look what you've done. You killed him.

No I didn't! I would never-

You killed him.

LIES.

That's not what I see.

SHUT UP!

One of the men grabbed my tied back arm, the other was shouting orders into a little device.

What a pity...

“SHUT UP!” I screamed, and pushed the man who grabbed me away. He gurgled, and fell to the floor. What a funny noise, he sounds like a frog!

I giggled, the other man was racing over.

“Oh! You want to play too, huh?” I jumped up, he hesitated, and pulled out a gun. “I love danger.” I said mockingly, then laughed and sprinted down the hallway.

You know, maybe I'll go take a walk, I'm feeling a tad claustrophobic anyways. Yes, a nice breath of fresh air would do just fi-

BANG.

I stumbled then fell against the wall. I screamed in agony.

The other voice died away...

Where am I? What did I do? I want out!

I clawed at the wall with my free arm, the other throbbed in pain. My side was leaking blood.

The officer keeled beside me, I looked up desperately. The syringe was sticking out of my arm, the medicine in my body. An overdose, I can tell.

My lip quivered. “I'm...sor-sorry.” I whispered, before collapsing into the rain puddle.