The History of Art

Chapter Twelve - Josh's POV

            Everyone was dismissed from school early and Luke came over because we were too afraid to really split up. The others kind of just…left. They were too shocked. Everyone was dying. None of them knew why it was our group that was dropping like flies. The cops would have to notice at some point. Someone would have to notice it was all young people, they were all mysterious “accidents” and they were all connected to a certain person, me.

            “How do we stop this?” Luke asked as we walked through the door. All the parents had been informed that we would be leaving school early due to a death on school grounds, so Mom and Dad knew I was already heading home.

            “It’s impossible to make it stop Luke,” I sighed.

            “Nothing is impossible.” But this was impossible. Almost anything else could be done, but I could not beat this if I tried.

            I sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands. “This is impossible Luke. You don’t think it is, but it really is. You don’t know what Art is capable of. He killed his parents.”

            “I had a feeling after you told me everything that happened.” I had left out the “Art killed his parents” deal.

            “Yes, but if he can kill the people who raised him and were supposed love him, he can kill anyone. It doesn’t help that he’s insane. I found his journal.”

            His eyes widened and he sat beside me on the couch. “What did it say?”

            “There were diary entries for three different people. Art, Sheldon, and Cameron. Apparently they’re all the same person. Art has multiple personalities.”

            “Seriously?” His eyes had gotten even wider, if that was possible.

            There was a knock on the door and I hurried over to check through the peephole. It was Lilly, standing there with her little backpack and lunch bag. I opened the door and she hurried inside to hug my legs. “I’m cold,” she whimpered.

            I picked her up and shut the door. Luke got up and grabbed her backpack and lunch bag for her and put them on a chair in the kitchen. I helped her get her coat off and hung it on one of the hooks in the living room.

            “Why were we all sent home early?” Lilly asked.

            I sat her down on the couch and took one of her hands. “You know how Clary, Steve, and Carrie went to heaven?” I questioned her. I knew she would understand.

            “Yes,” she answered sadly.

            “Well, Nancy fell down the stairs and she went to heaven to be with her friends.”

            Lilly pulled her hands away and sat on them. “Why is everyone going to heaven lately?”

            I didn’t know how to answer her. I couldn’t just tell her what was going on. If she was old enough, say fourteen or fifteen, I would have told her everything a long time ago. Instead, I just lied to her, “I don’t know baby.”

            Lilly got off the couch and ran into her bedroom, her ponytail bouncing behind her. I could hear her muffled cries through her thin door. She was going through so much at such a young age. It killed me to see her so sad. Luke came out of the kitchen with two cans of Pepsi and threw one at me.

            “Thanks,” I mumbled and opened the can. I was too numb to notice it was starting to bubble over. I only noticed when Luke dropped a pile of napkins in my lap. I mumbled another thanks and wiped myself up.

            My phone started ringing and I sighed before pulling it out and pressing it to my ear without even looking to see who it was. “Josh turn on the channel eight!” someone practically yelled from the other end. I forced myself to take a quick look at who it was and discovered it was my mom.

            “Turn on channel eight,” I repeated to my friend. Luke turned on the television and quickly changed the channel.

            “And today Karen Olsen was found dead in her home from what looks to be alcohol poisoning. Her two sons, David and Kendall, are currently still minors and are going to be placed in the custody of their grandparents. Ms. Olsen’s death just adds to the mystery in the small town of Pateo. Recently there have been many accidental deaths and police have noticed a pattern.

            If anyone knows anything they should contact the police department immediately so that any more death can be prevented.”

            I shut off the television and grabbed a pillow. I screamed. And screamed. And screamed. And screamed. I screamed until my throat hurt. Until my lungs burned. Until I couldn’t make another sound and started silently crying. My shoulders heaved and I could barely get enough oxygen in. Someone started patting my back and I didn’t pull away.

            “This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t left Art’s group. Maybe I should go back.”

            “No. He already has this all planned out. Has Art ever backed down from anything?” I shook my head. “I didn’t think so. Someone like him, a complete psychopath, would never back down from anything, no matter how difficult it was.”

            “I know what he wants,” I whispered.

            Luke cocked his head slightly to the side. “And what’s that?”

            “He wants me to kill myself.”

            He looked shocked, but then seemed to understand. “That’s why you slit your wrist isn’t it? To stop all of this?”

            “Yeah. It was the only way to stop him from hurting anyone else.”

            “But it didn’t work.”

            I glared at him. “Yeah, it actually did. That’s why I’m here talking to you and not six feet under where I belong!” He took a small step back and just looked around. I sighed and rubbed the sides of my head with my fingers. “I’m sorry it’s just that…I don’t know how to stop him.”

            He nodded and sat on the floor. “How are we going to stop this?”

            “The only way we can is if I die. That’s what Art ultimately wants.”

            “Then why not kill you?”

            I shrugged. “I guess it’s just him. The guy is a psychopath. It has to be his way of playing with me. Watching me die inside is better than watching me die physically.”

            “Then why drive you to suicide?”

            “If I die inside then I eventually die on the outside.”

            We sat there in silence for a few moments before Luke spoke up again. “Why not go to the cops?”

            “I’ve told you before. Art will say everything about what I’ve done in the past. I can’t let that come out.”

            He pulled out his phone. “Call the police. They will have to grant you immunity. You know everything that he’s done and they know he’ll come after you.”

            “And then what huh? He could get anyone to come after me once he’s in jail.”

            “Maybe they’ll put you in the witness protection program.”

            I sighed and kicked the air violently. “No they won’t. And what do I have for proof?”

            “Art’s journal!” he said after a moment. “If you can get Art’s journal you’re good as gold!”

            I nodded. “Okay, let’s try that.”