Black Rose

7.

I woke up the next morning feeling one hundred percent sure that I wasn't going to get out of bed. Last night was a complete failure. I was supposed to save my mom, and convince Alice that we would help her while we get to keep our powers. And I accomplished neither. I felt so sure of myself when I left, especially after traveling all over the world and collecting these other substances all by myself. It was empowering. How quickly that all gets shut down.

    I couldn't keep hiding any longer. Today was the day I was going to have to turn myself into the police. Get a story straight. Clear everyone's names, and hope that this could all be put behind us. Given my track record recently, I'm not feeling so confident. I've never been one to like a lot of attention because I tend to choke. I guess that is a clear representation of what my life has been like these past few weeks. I try, I fail, I try, I fail. And yet for some reason, everyone still believes in me.

    Last night kept playing in my head like a broken record. Alice's glowing eyes, my mom's lifeless face, Badge's fist ramming into Keahi's face. Keahi. I owed him a huge apology. None of that would have ever happened if I had just forced him to go back. I brought him all the way to Oklahoma, just to get a black eye from my ex. If Badge was really wanting my forgiveness like he claims he does, he has a funny way of showing it. Punching my friend dead in the face is definitely not the way to go. I was so angry with him. Keahi did not deserve that. He was just being a good friend. Badge is just being a big bully.

    They thought it would be best if I drove to the station alone. I was half tempted to break free onto the open road and run away for real this time. But they were counting on me. And I owed them that. They've helped me out in so many ways, the least I could do is make sure I set everything straight. Then I could run.

    The moment I walked into the police station, everyone knew who I was. Part of living in a small town is that everyone knows everyone. I was bum rushed by a swarm of people, questions being thrown at every angle. I could feel whatever little bit of confidence I had left quickly slip away. It was easy to imagine what might happen in your head. Play out different scenarios, and imagine the end result that you want. But that's how false hope starts. Once you get there, you have no control over what will be said or done. And worse, you really don't even have control over yourself. Your mind and body is locked in a state of fear. Paralysis. You can't think. And you can't speak.

    The crowd was broken up by a man in a fitted black suit. He had light amber colored hair, with deep set brown eyes. He towered over me, but was still shorter than Badge's height. His skin was tanner, much like my own, but looked paled through either a lack of sleep or nutrition. He introduced himself to me, but I couldn't make out his name over all the noise. He forced everyone to make a path to let us through, and led me down a dimly lit corridor. He stopped outside of a door, which I guessed from TV shows and movies was the interrogation room.

    He opened the door for me, and reluctantly I walked inside. In the center of the room was a gray foldable table, with a chair on either side. There was a small, gray desk lamp on the edge of the table, along with a cup of pens and pencils. The walls were paneled wood, and the white tiles were chipped and cracked. I envisioned them questioning criminals here. Handcuffs, avoiding eye contact, hard hitting questions. I looked back and forth between the two chairs. I was the criminal in this scenario.

     He motioned for me to take a seat. "Can I offer you a glass of water?" I shook my head as I took my seat. I don't feel like my stomach could take much of anything right now. Closing the door behind him, I felt my heart accelerate. He offered me a nice smile–though I didn't trust it–before he sat down across from me. "Tatum. I'm going to skip all the pleasantries. Where have you been?"

     I remained silent for a moment. "Shouldn't a parent be present? I am a minor after all."

     He narrowed his eyes the slightest. "I have no problem bringing your father down so he may sit in with us." A smug smile. "If that is what you would like." He took my silence as a no. "I didn't think so. So, tell me. Where have you been?"