Written in Life

(Chapter 6)

I don't think I can stand this place much longer, and I've only been here a week. I'll have to say, Cody is the laziest person alive. All he does all day is sits on the couch and sleeps. I guess that's because he never had Artists of his own. Some nights I'll lay down and here nothing but screaming from Cody, indicating his story was continuing. But what I don't get is why don't I freeze like all other Drawings when their story is carrying on? Strangely, my story hasn't carried on itself ever since I got here. I've spent most of my time cleaning, practicing my new found powers and hanging from furniture to keep myself occupied. I've tried several times to pick the lock on the door with my engagement ring, getting interrupted every time. I walked around the inkwell, counting my steps to hold my boredom at bay and whistling an army tune. I was just about to pass Cody on the couch undetected when...

"Bernie!" he called.

"How many times do I have to tell you, don't call my that," I said, my temper ticking away like a time bomb, ready to blow at any second.

"I'm hungry!" Cody whined like a three year old." Go make me somethin', will ya sugar?"

"Don't call me sugar either!" I yelled.

"Hey," he said, arms up as though I was a cop placing an arrest," I'm just preparing you for the soon to be." he said, twirling my ring between his fingers. I looked down at my hand and the ring was missing. I glared at him, walking up and snatching the ring from his grasp, putting it on my finger.

"Make your own food," I said.

"I would but that would be against the rules. A woman belongs in the kitchen, a man belongs on the battlefield," he said. I chuckled and turned to face him.

"So your telling me that you want to put the army trained woman into a kitchen?" He nodded and I leaned against the couch, getting closer to his face." Where all the knives are?" His eyes got wide and I laughed, walking towards the kitchen. He sped in front of me and blocked the doorway.

"Never mind I'll make my own food," he said, smiling nervously.

"Are you sure? It would be no problem," I said in a sweet voice with a pout on my face.

"No, it's okay," he said. I flashed him a smile and walked down the hallway towards the door. I knelt down and took off my ring, placing it in the lock. I took out my knife and put it under the ring. I took a deep breath and turned the ring, wiggling the knife into place. I began to get frustrated and hit the knife hard, making it go into the door further and I heard a click. Hope shot through me and I wondered if I was just hearing things. I stood up and wiped my sweaty hands on my pants, looking at the handle. I slowly grasped it and turned. I expected it to stop but it kept in going. I quickly turned it the rest of the way and the door popped open. I jumped up and down, celebrating my sweet victory. I peered through the crack and saw nothing. There was no one there! I opened the door further and walked a few steps forward peering around the corner. Still no one. I ran across the room and got to the door. I flung it open and the sunlight burst in my face. Real-live, warm sunlight. My heart raced and I ran down the street, toward Renae's house. I took the porch steps two at a time and stood in front of the door, heaving heavy breaths. I rang the doorbell and the cheerful chime came slower than usual. The smile finally fell from my face and I peered through the window. No one was coming to the door and I rang again. I took the walkie-talkie from my belt and shifted through the channels until I came to a familiar voice." Renae?" I called. I let go of the button and the line fizzed until a known voice came on.

"Please don't hurt us! We never did anything for this! Have mercy!" she sobbed.

"Renae! What's wrong?!" I yelled, panicked.

"Please just leave us!" she yelled. I looked at the door and grabbed the knob, twisting it to find it was locked. I pulled on the knob and forcefully kicked the door as hard as I could, hearing the wood splintering. Renae was still yelling from the other side of the line and I decided this was taking too long. I ran back to the street and prepared myself for a huge blow. I ran towards the door and bashed my side against it, making the wood splinter and fall into the house. I heard a crack and I let out a faint screech holding my side. I dragged myself up the steps and reached Renae's room, tugging on the door. It stopped halfway and I pounded on the door.

"RENAE!" I yelled panicked. She screamed in bloody murder and I kicked the door knob until I came loose and tore it from the wood of the door. I burst in and Renae was cowering in the corner, but no one else was to be seen. I looked around, confused and then I looked into the deep ocean blue eyes I've known my whole life. They looked at me with fear and horror and I felt a sickening jolt in my stomach as the cruel realization hit me. She wasn't in danger. She was afraid of me. I backed away in horror and bumped into her dresser and fell, wincing as my side hit the ground.

"HELP!!!!" Renae screamed at the top of her lungs. I crawled out of the room hurriedly and stumbled down the stairs, falling on the last few steps. I ran out the door and tripped over my own feet more than once an went to crash to the ground again, when I felt something catch me. I looked up to see Cody looking down at me. I felt a surge of annoyance and grief surge through me, but I didn't care. I crashed against him and he gasped in surprise. He slowly wrapped me in a strong embrace and I sobbed even louder as my rib dug into my stomach and the black tears seemed to melt away on his skin, as though he were absorbing them. I felt a strange feeling in my side and felt my rib snap back into place. I looked down at myself in surprise and then back up to Cody, staring into his blue eyes. I think I should have a reason to be afraid of myself... but I couldn't find a way.