SPASE

SPASE: CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

As Maddie helps Logan to her feet, she notices Logan reeks of sour apples and burnt toast. Everyone can't help but notice the smell.

"Uh, hi?" Maddie says almost as if it is a question. " Are you alright?"

Logan, the short, skinny girl with dark skin the color of caramel, opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. She begins to back up as Reynolds begins licking her jeans. The girl's hair bounces as she flings her head back in laughter. Reynolds tail starts to wag back and forth in excitement.

Parker briskly walks up behind Maddie and stares with her hands on her hips.

"Who the hell are you?" Parker demands.

Reynolds stops licking and sits next to her, leaning against her legs in an attempt to provide comfort.

"Uh. I'm Logan," she whimpers, making it apparent to Maddie that she's in pain, emotionally and physically by crossing her arms in front of her own body in an attempt to cover up. Logan tugs at her sweater. Maddie's eyes dart and meet Reynolds'. Their thoughts mingle together and bounce off of each other like a tennis ball that was thrown down on a wooden floor. Maddie focuses like a laser that's set on their quarry.

Leading Logan out of the bathroom stall, Maddie asks, "How are you?"

Logan rubs her left arm with her right hand while she swags back and forth. Maddie can tell she is nervous. Logan keeps her eyes on the ground. Reynolds nudges Maddie's right hand with his nose. Maddie glances at Reynolds as if they are looking for instruction on what to do next. Reynolds nudges them again and whimpers.

Go on, darlin.'

"I'm..." Maddie hesitates. "I'm Maddie. I'm here to help." Maddie and Parker back up as Logan glides over to the sink to wash her hands. Reynolds follows in toe behind Logan. Logan doesn't make eye contact with anyone.

"Jesus, why the fuck are we here already? Get this show on the road! I want to see if you're actually legit or if you are actually what Nick says you are,'" Parker replies as she rolls her eyes and leans against the closed stall door.

Logan turns the hot water knob slightly on. After filing her cupped hands with water, she splashes it on her face and glances at herself in the mirror. Her eyes fix on her body. She turns to the side, slightly touching her stomach.

"I work so hard," Logan says, hiccuping between each word. "And what's it for?"

Maddie looks at Parker. Parker looks at Maddie confused and shrugs.

Logan starts sobbing and falls onto the tile. "I try so hard. I try so hard to have a perfect body. I thought they would like me after... want to be my friend. I thought Kyce would love me."

Parker whispers to Maddie as Logan keeps talking. "Do you have any idea who or what she's talking about?"

Maddie shakes her head.

"The burning is always there," Logan cries under her breath. "I always try to make it go away, but it never does. I'm just always so hungry."

Reynolds intently listens, being able to once relate to the hunger she's talking about. Logan explains how she passed... kidney failure. Her body couldn't live without food, without nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Hospitals and treatment... nothing helped. Nothing could help Logan's mind.

Logan stops talking and continues to sob. She turns from the sink and crouches into the fetal position, pressing the cool bathroom tile to her face. Feeling her uneasiness, Reynolds walks to her and curls up beside her body. Reynolds feels Logan's weak heartbeat as he rests against her. He lifts his head slightly to look at Maddie.

It's time, Reynolds relays to Maddie.

Maddie understands, but is uneasy themselves. They don't understand Logan. Maddie feels her and her feelings, but she searches for the right words. They know that Logan needs help and that Parker needs help too. They can feel the extra pressure building within their stomach because Parker is watching too. Maddie's heart beats quicker. Reynolds feels Maddie's doubt in his veins, prickling his paws as he tries to nudge them telepathically to tell Logan how they can relate to her.

Maddie knows how it feels to be ashamed of their body.

Darlin,' you don't have to look like her to be able to feel what she feels. Go on, sunflower. Talk to her...

Maddie tip-toes across the tiles, leaving little bits of dirt along the way, and sits on their knees next to Logan and Reynolds. Maddie rubs behind Reynolds's ear and relays that they're nervous and don't know what to say. Reynolds decides not to reply back. Instead, he only squints his eyes in comfort and gently stretches his back leg in ecstasy.

Parker begins tapping her foot with her arms still crossed. Maddie peers up at her. Parker stares at Maddie wide-eyed and nods in Logan's direction as if to tell Maddie, "Go on... show us what you can actually do already." Reynolds continues to snuggle in Logan's warmth.

Maddie freezes.

"I can't do this," they think.