I never thought everyone would end up like this. Lizzy in a mental hospital unable to speak, Derick murdered by a mystery man in the forest, and Andrew traumatized from watching his brother be killed to save Lizzy's life. It all unfolds to nothing.
With my best friend not in her right mind and her crush dead, I wasn't sure what to think. Something had gone down between Derick and Andrew a few weeks before Derick's death, but his parents never found out about it.
Andrew usually stayed home and he barely ever came to school. But when I did see him he never really seemed all that depressed. In fact he would almost always be whistling this gospel song that I remember Derick, Andrew, and Lizzy sang in a chorus concert just before Andrew disappeared. Swing low I think they said.
When I get home from school I throw my book bag on the floor next to the kitchen counter and slump down on the couch with a bag of goldfish. When I hear my "dear" sister shout from upstairs.
"Rylee!!! Did you steal my hairbrush?! Again?"
"Come on Payton, you really think I was so desperate for a hairbrush that I would use YOURS?" A long silence.
"Never mind." She replies. I grin at my accomplishment to shut her up. With my parents both at work, I decide to go ahead and make my trip to the Hayes Mental Facility. I ask Payton to give me a ride. In the passenger seat I think back to all of the childhood memories Lizzy and I had since the third grade. Freshman year in High school now and our memories are just that. Memories and no more. What I mean is, we can't exactly make any more.
When I get to the facility I walk down even more stairs to an underground room. Now that Lizzy's condition had only gotten worse, she's now an, "Extreme Care Patient."
Lizzy was no longer allowed to be spoken to until her wounds started to heal. Then at least she'd have one less thing to worry about. And she had to have a conversation sooner or later.
I stare into the all-white room and watch as Lizzy struggles with the simple task of breathing correctly. Her long hair tangled and covering her distraught face. Not only has she been having nightmares over the past few months, but she also harms herself in ways she doesn't mean to.
I watch once again as she cries out Derick's name over and over. Whispering "I'm sorry" as if she is right next to someone's ear. She's in so much pain, and I can't help her. After a few minutes, I can't take it anymore. I thank the doctors politely and text Payton to tell her I'm done.
While I was in the mood, I decided to tell Payton to loop around to drop me off at the Proctor house before she heads over to her boyfriend, Matt's house. I stand at the door ready to knock, but I find I almost can't. My head tells me to turn around and hope Lizzy gets better, but my gut tells me different.
Of course, it says to knock the door, find out what really happened, and get to the bottom of everything. My gut wins.
I knock the door lightly with high hopes that no one is home. But my prayers were ignored. Andrew answers the door and for a split second I hear him finishing up his tune. Does he ever get tired of that song?
"Rylee! Long time no see." He exclaims to me as if he HADN'T just seen his brother get killed almost a week ago.
"Yeah, umm... I just got caught up with homework and visiting Lizzy." Her name seems to throw his high spirits to a complete stop.
With low concern, he asks, "How's she doing by the way?"
"Honestly?"
"Yea" A little more concern.
"Worse than before. In fact, I came to ask some stuff that might of set her off you know? Her and.. You know who... er- were getting along just fine before the 'incident'."
