Fighting Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Three

****Derek****

    All her stuff is gone. The only thing that's left is a couple of CD and clothes.

  I begin to search through everything, finding some scene of where she might have gone.

   The drawers remain empty, as I begin pulling every one out; stomping them to pieces.  Wood chunks scrap my exposed leg; letting the red liquid trickle down onto my sock.  

    The closet only hold hangers while the bathroom drips of stuff she left: Towels

Toothpaste

The basic stuff you could buy in any drug store.

   Searching under the bed, a giant scrapbook looking thing, pokes through the hide out it was in. The orange is faded while pictures fall out the side. One with Paige and some man that has chocolate brown hair and the lightest blue eyes.

  Paige Mechelle Rogers <3

Can easily be read on the front, page after page of ranting to her dad about how her mom had gotten remarried or how she had gymnastics and she won first place at nationals.

   May 27, the latest entry reads:

Dad,

I don't know what to do... The issues I have don't get better and to top it off, I have a stress syndrome."

I flip the the torn paper reading more. Things are crossed out along with capitol letters and ranges to cussing. What the hell.

"I tried to be strong like you said, but how can you be strong when your life is ran my a phsyco monster? Dad I'm scared.... I told Grandma B I was living with her, but Nathan and Derek and I HATE THIS!!! YOU CAUSE ALL THIS ON ME!!"

More paragraphs are crossed out, except one more sentence. "I'm going to the park."

  Even if this is from two weeks ago, she can still easily go to the park.

----

     The wheels squeal under the loose gravel, sending them flying in the air. Elderly couples are off in the distance  having some kind of Bar-B-Que, while children fish in the over sized pond.

   I get out of the red car, looking for the brunette, hoping to teach her a lesson. Don't mess with me. Don't fucking play me. Unless you want your head on the sidewalk.

   Water gently streams on the shore. Kids pass me with ease. "What's up?" I hear, leaning on the rail to have a few of the whole park and water beneath us.

  That voice. Husky, mixed in with the dryness of tears. "It's you." I laugh, running a hand though my tussled hair. "Where is she?" My body turns to his, while my hands grab his collar.

"Look, man, I don't know-"

"That's not a good enough answer."  My fist connects with his jaw. Nathan topples over onto the ground, red blood sputtering from his mouth.

****Paige****

      My body shakes in pain. I clutch my jaw as a massive headache rushes in me. "Paige?" People rush over to me. My Aunt Dolly put her hand on my head; another sickening feeling comes from my side. "Paige! What's wrong?"

I stand up wobbling my way to the kitchen, the satan red dress is clutched in my hand as I scream out Nathan's name. "Paige!" Grandma B holds my sides.

"Don't t-touch me." I sputter out, white foam drips into the sink. My hand flies to my mouth, liquid follows on it. I'm bleeding...

  Another rush, and I'm barfing in the sink. "What's wrong with her!?" I hear a scream from far away.

"You know where, Paige, is!" A rough voice yells in the back of my mind.

"The p-pills." My vision is blurred.

"Paige, baby, what pills?" Dolly's gentle voice is by me.

  One blow and I'm on the ground, white foam covering my dress while the blood blends in.

    He didn't keep me here.

"Nathan." I choke before my eyes shut. Letting people scream, "call the ambulance!"