A Lost Memory: Alitheia

Episode 8: Death of a friend

The next morning, a sight of terror lay in wait for them. One by one, they take the stairs to the downstairs lobby, in search of Newman Heights' bellboy. They round the corner in silence, Macy drops to her knees and Jiro hides trembling behind Akira.

The residents, heartbroken, by the scene drawn out before them. The young boy of twenty-two, orange locks that would bounce off his forehead stained red in blood. His head hung on his chest, arms spread eagle, crucified almost against the wall behind him. Odd, both legs had been nailed together on one side. The slanted cross position, Jr. Peter Pilloweather's body contorted and made the resident's nauseous at the pain. Sadness, of the pain a fellow friend had succumbed to.

...

"Boo!" a girl sneaked up from behind his desk and yelled. Her arms waved about in the air, "Woooo" she mimicked a ghost sound.

When she got no reaction out of him, her knowledge of his 'weak spots' she poked and tickled his back.

"Seriously, Macy, quit it!" cackling, the young man whined. Turning around to face her. He tugged at his green blazer, fixing creases in it.

"I told you, you should let me iron it out for you," an exasperated sigh as she helped pat him down.

"Ye and I told you to stop acting like my wife, cheeky brat" he retorted and stuck out his tongue. Facing back, he continued his typing on the desktop.

"Keep doing that Peter and I'll bite it, I swear" Macy growls, and he gasps, feigning fear.

"Don't you have school or anything?" quizzical eyeing at the screen.

"Not really, probably a school holiday or something" she answers and, props herself up and sits on the brown desk.

"Or something, you don't know? I hope your dad yells at you for that" he scoffs.

Leaning against the box computer and resting on it with her arms. Macy's reach's for his curls puffed against his forehead and twirls it in between her fingers. An orange gold fluff, entertaining her but distracting him. The creaking of the front door, startles them both and her father makes his way inside.

He trots past, red-eyes and swollen cheeks, not noticing either of them. She makes a move to go after him, but Peter's grip on her arm tightens.

Her father's state, a common occurrence, as after working hours he dined at a local Welsh pub near his flat.

"Don't," he mouths, and she nods, slightly teary eyed.

"Also, haven't I warned you not call me 'Peter'" pinching her cheeks.

"But that's your name," she pouts and attempts to bite down on his finger.

"Ye, but only when my Pa passes, till then I'm..." the memory fades.

...

"Junior!" Fitz screams. Her face red, gasping in between heaving breaths.

"NO!" hiccuping, and trembling against Eliza who's pulling her away from touching his bloodstained nailed feet.

"Guys, help!" Eliza's pleas to the stunned residents, gripping at her waist as she forcibly tries to make her way to his body.

"GET HIM DOWN!" an ear-piercing screech.

"Pillow- San," Jiro whimpers while Colchester holds him up in his arms. Akira rushes to help Eliza with Fitz as it seems she's reaching closer to Junior.

On cue, Akira grips her shoulders; a figure of Mr. Fitzgerald appears and intervenes.

"Macy, it's okay" he tells her and picks her up, escorting her up to her room.