A Way to Pass Time

7

Ch. 7

There isn't much that makes me faint. I mean, obviously, being in an enclosed space freaks me out, but my fear is justified. And after all I've been through in my twenty-three years of life, there isn't a lot that freaks me out.

In my defense, I think anyone would freak out when they see a hulking shadow leaning over them. So it was a natural reaction to punch the shadow in the face. My fist connected with a jaw and I heard the shadow grunt and curse.

"Hannah!" It growled.

I opened my eyes all the way to see Kale rubbing his chin and glaring at me. I glared right back at him and reached up to thump him on the forehead. He cursed again and finally found that brain of his inside his head that told him to get away from me.

Sitting up from the sofa I was on, I saw that I was in Sheila's office. How he knew where the bookstore was, I don't know. I just stopped questioning his stalking abilities.

I remembered what had happened before and I lunged for my notebook and pen. I scribbled furiously like I was possessed by a demon. *IT WAS THE JANITOR!!!!!!!!*Shoving the thing in Kale's face made him take another step away from me.

He just gave me a strange look. "The janitor locked you in the closet?" His doubtful words stung and I was left puzzled by the feeling. I shouldn't care what Kale thinks about me. No one usually thought of me so I didn't really care for them. Easy and simple.

I rolled my eyes. I mean, it only makes sense; the janitor was the only one in the hall and my super power/detective skills told me that I had smelled the cleaning chemicals in the hand that tried to silence me. But I nodded my head instead of clarifying my discovery.

"It was your shit-faced mother," A slurred voice said. Sheila came in, smelling of alcohol. She leaned against the doorway after swaying on her feet. Her hair was a mess, as if she had been pulling at it in frustration, her eyes were puffy and red. I was disappointed at the sight, thinking that she was getting better. "Why can't those bastards leave you alone?" She raged. I had the feeling that she was mad for me.

Sheila was never angry at my expense. She was always wallowing in her own sorrows to even notice mine. Was she drunk because of me? Because the family that had thrown me out was coming back to haunt us? Ever since she came back, she acted different. Held herself higher and seemed more alert.

Kale frowned and turned towards her. "What are you talking about?"

No... no, no, no. She wouldn't. Sheila said that she wouldn't tell anyone. She PROMISED that she wouldn't. Of course, she had been sober when she said that years ago and she had no one to ever tell the secret to. Panic raced through me.

Sheila gave a hysterical giggle that had me frozen to the couch where I sat. "They're all the same," she spat, angry again. "They're THOSE types of people. Always wanting more. More of everything..."

Her words were slurring and I couldn't take it anymore. A beer bottle smashed into the wall a few feet away from Sheila. I wouldn't have hurt her; I missed intentionally. Just to scare her, to make her shut the hell up.

The bitch didn't even flinch.

"Hannah!" Kale said, and tried to hold me down.

I couldn't hold still. I couldn't hold still while Sheila ripped away all the walls I had built to keep the memories of pain away. I lunged at her but never made it. Kale knocked me down, the breath leaving me. Not because of the impact but because of Sheila's words that made me want to scream.

"Treating others like shit when they don't get what they want. Torturin' them... messin' with 'em... abusing them."

Her eyes were locked onto my own and I could feel my eyes start to water. Searing hot pain exploded inside my head, memories coming so fast, it left me whiplashed.