Helena and the Rings

Chapter 10: Passing Out

I ran. I didn't know where I was running to. The very moment I was away from the shack, I saw Bishop out in the distance. She was carrying a large cardboard but dropped it the moment she saw me run towards her. "Bishop, run!" I said.

I grabbed onto her and tried to yank her away but she stopped me and held me still. "Helena, what? What is it?"

I turned around. There was no-one there. No one at all. I was shaking horribly and felt myself falling into Bishop as if I was about to faint or something. Unable to stand, I slid to the ground and began to cry. "Why is this happening," I cried.

She sat down and held me. "Hey, hey," Bishop faced me. Her worried face was so reassuring. I felt so safe the moment I looked at her. "This place plays tricks on me too, you know? There's a lot of energy around here. But I promise, nothing or no-one will hurt you. You're safe here, okay?"

"But, I saw-"

She shushed me. "It's gone. It's nothing."

I looked into her eyes, unable to tell if she really convinced herself that this place was safe. I didn't understand how or why she lived here so long without getting help. Still scared, I stood up. "I don't know if I can stay here alone."

"You're not alone," Bishop patted me on the back. "Next time I go out, I'll take you with me."

I nodded.

Bishop walked over the the cardboard box. It was taped closed. 

"What's that?" I looked at it as she lifted it and we headed back to the shack.

"Got us some food and some clothes that I gave away some clothes for charity," she said. Bishop was looking around a lot as she talked. Left and right, as if she didn't quite believe that we were safe. Once we got to the cabin, she put the box by the front door. I thought we were going to go inside but she stopped right there. She didn't say anything. She just looked at the door. 

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

She stared at the door. Hard. Not looking away.

"Bishop?" 

She held my hand, squeezing it hard. "I feel strange. I feel...empty. I don't know what I'm feeling. I can't feel. I-"

Without warning or anything, Bishop passed out. Fell right to the ground. "Bishop!" I called her name over and over, gently moving her and trying my best to wake up. "Oh no, what's happening?" I asked.

Upset and scared, I screamed into my hands. I didn't know what to do. I scooted away from Bishop and fell to the ground, holding my knees and asking someone, anyone to help me right now. I called out to someone I knew I wouldn't get an answer from.

"Dad."

No answer.

"Mom." I closed my eyes.

No answer.

***

Bishop woke finally woke up around sunset. I spent all day cleaning and bringing things from the little shack to the cabin. She rested on the mattress that I placed on the floor. She looked around, realizing she was laying in the bed that wasn't in the shack. Bishop sat up really fast, looking around here and there. "What the-"

"Slow down," I said. "I don't want you to pass out again."

"I passed out?" She asked. It was a panic kind of reaction. She was shaking her head left and right. "No. No. I haven't done that in so long. Since-Since..." 

"Huh"?

She laid back down. "Wow."

"What?" I asked her. "You can tell me."

She looked at me. It wasn't a nice look either. I was actually surprised by the way she looked at me. "What's wrong?" I asked her.

"I-I used to-" As soon as she started talking, she stopped.

I placed my hand on her leg. "It's fine. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." 

"This is going to sound crazy," she said. "but can we drink a little?"

My eyes widened. "Like...water?"

"A beer or something," she said. "I got more alcohol."

"Why?" I asked. "Why do you want alco-"

"I don't want to think, Helena," she snapped.

I froze then slowly nodded. "Alright. A drink it is." I sighed.

"You have to drink with me, okay?" She asked.

I shrugged. My mom did warn me. She said alcohol keeps the demons away. I didn't have anything better to do. Also...drinking didn't sound too bad. Like Bishop, I also didn't want to think...

***

A few beer cans sat around Bishop and I. I found myself lost in a drunken state I was not familiar with. It was a bit...too fun. Bishop and I laughed the entire time and it was amazing. She talked to me so much. Told me so much about her mom. About how her mother loved to play hide and seek with her and take her to abandon places. Her mother was an artist and loved to paint. Our conversations got deeper the more drunk we got. 

"She was so fun. Taught me everything I know. Taught me how to survive." Bishop twirled her finger on my leg. 

It tickled a little.

"What was your mother like?"

Sadness snuck in. I took a deep breath before telling her about my not so great childhood.