SUNNYVALE

(22) DON'T GO TO FAR 'CAUSE YOU CANNOT COME BACK

Christen takes a deep breath.

Today marks the second day she is in a mental hospital following the murder of Lynn Williams - although she wasn't a suspect, the sheriff thought it'd be best, because of mental health issues history in the family, to give her a break because she seemed disturbed talking about shadows and such. Only, it was the truth, but only few people could see it - and Christen should've known better than trying to get her story to the cops.

Either way, there she was, in a patient's blouse, waiting for her daily medication. Of course she had struggled with different mental health issues over the years: she got her first depression at age 6, when her abuela died ; then, it was her favourite dog's death that triggered an event of violent moments, during which 10-year-old Christen would attack her classmates if they'd say anything mean ; a very strong depression and anxiety crisis at 15 ; and now, although the last few years have been steady, she felt like her struggles were back. 

The truth was that, yes, she had heard voices before, but she never thought they might actually be real. 

Just as she gets lost in her thoughts, Christen hears her chamber's door open and, as she is ready to see one of the nurses that usually brings her medication to her, she is surprised to see Mapi Leòn walking through the door, a couple of red roses in her hands. 

"Hola, guapa" she states, rather smily even if she's walking in a mental institution.

"M-Mapi?" Christen stammers, rather nervous. As the blonde takes a few steps inside the room, she is snapped out of her trance and states: "Well, obviously: nobody else would've found such a catch phrase to begin a conversation with."

The Spanish woman smirks, before asking:

"I am glad to see you: how are you feeling?"

Christen hesitates, before instinctively saying:

"You probably know why I'm in here, right? You probably think I'm crazy bonkers or something, and I'd totally get that..."

But instead of walking away, calling her a lunatic, Mapi just cracks a smile and sits down on the side of Christen's bed, on a small chair that was settled for her visitors (aka, her family and friends so far). She then shamelessly grabs Christen's hand, softly smiling at her, before looking around the room.

After a few seconds, she states in a very reassuring tone:

"I'm not saying I understand nor believe in your ghost stories about shadows and creepy voices, preciosa, but let me tell you one thing: you're a very intelligent person, and I do not believe you'd do crazy talk unless you'd really believe something was going on."

Christen frowns.

"D-does that mean you believe me ?"

Mapi nods.

"I'm sure there is a very sane explanation to what you've been seeing, and I am going to prove it so that I then can get you outta here, ¿qué opinas?"  (English: what do you think about that?) the blonde asks, confident.

Just as those words just came out of Mapi's delicious mouth and reassured Christen to a very deep point inside her heart, the dark-haired feels the other girl grabbing her hand tighter. For a moment, a brief second, Christen would've loved to kiss Mapi. But she restrained herself, thinking that a mental health hospital wasn't the right place, while a conversation about shadows and creepy voices wasn't the right moment.

Instead, Christen sighs and relief and says:

"You've got no idea how good what you said just felt."

"I am glad, then" the blonde states, honest.

And just like that, Mapi stayed for hours, her and Christen having deep conversations, while the dark-haired would tell her everything about the voices she heard, the memories she cannot seem to retrieve, as well as this weird feeling that had been growing inside of her ever since the murders have started to occur (again, if we take Allie Long's murder into consideration). 

It felt great to Christen to finally have someone to confine in, that she trusted blindly... but at what cost?

***

"Abby, wait!" 

The blonde doesn't bother turning around, as Tierna walks in her way, out of breath. 

"What now?" Abby asks, annoyed.

"Look... I wanted to apologise about my sister's behaviour: she was clearly out of line, and-"

"It's fine, really."

"No, but-"

"Tierna, it's fine" Abby insists, setting her jaw. Her eyes seemed much darker now, as she continues: "I am used to being hated by everyone: I'm the mayor's daughter, for God's sake! So, no worries."

Obviously, Abby was beating herself up in the inside, but Tierna could somehow feel it. As she is trying to walk away again, Tierna grabs her arm, causing her to turn around and face her. When the blonde rolls her eyes, the brunette sighs.

As Abby was about to resist again, Tierna says:

"You really shouldn't settle for those invasive thoughts, Abs: you're way more than the mayor's daughter, and-"

"It might be true, but it's what everybody around here (aka, Westside) seem to think, to they might as well be right"

"You know this sentence did not make any sense, right?" Tierna asks, a grin on her face.

But it doesn't make Abby laugh.

She suddenly stops moving, as Tierna almost bumps into her. As she is staring at the blonde with surprise, the latter asks:

"Why do you even care, uh? I'm not one of you, I'm just the bitchy girl from across town. So, maybe you should save your worry for someone who actually deserves it and cares about it, okay?"

Tierna smirks, which annoys Abby even more.

"You may not realise it yet, but you deserve it, Abby: you're way more than people think, and as I've gotten to know you better, your bitchy side almost vanished, and I could see what's underneath. And, believe me, it's pretty cool."

Although, for a moment, Abby seemed moved, her bitch face quickly comes back, as she sighs.

"Whatever, Davidson: I really need a break from people, so would you be as kind as to get the hell away from-"

But she cannot finish her sentence.

A violent and loud noise shrilled, making the two girls jump in surprise. The voices start whispering loudly in their ears: your are the chosen ones... you are ours, you are the chosen ones.... And, suddenly, they seem to change, as a huge shadow appears right ahead of the two girls, who don't even bother running. As Tierna is shaking like a leaf, trying to find a way to escape the deadly shadow, Abby just freezes, looking up, no emotions on her face.

Tierna sees Abby's eyes become red, before she steps ahead of the girl as the shadow comes closer. She even pushes her from the way, and the dark veil that seemed alive just goes through Tierna, making her feel a way she had never felt before. She falls harshly on the ground, unable to breath, as a floating dark form just surrounds her, visibly rolling itself around the brunette's neck, strangling her.

Abby is snapped out of her trance, as bloody tears rolls down on her cheeks once again. 

Enough a voice far away orders, both strong and magnificent. Tierna's eyes go wide: it's Abby's.

Just as those unpronounced words came out of Abby's mind, the shadow releases its grip, before the shadow just suddenly jumps toward Abby; but this time, instead of going through her like it did to Tierna, it goes inside of her, as if Abby just had absorbed it and it didn't exist anymore - either way, she just saved Tierna's life.

Visibly shaken up, Abby falls on the ground, unconscious.

"Holy Hell" Tierna whispers, before getting to Abby's inert body. After making sure the blonde was still breathing, she states: "Abby is the daddy of the underworld..."