I've Built These Walls

Ch.1 / Walking Nightmare

Alex's P.O.V.

" Day drunk into the night, wanna keep you here, cause you dry my tears. Yeah, summer lovin' and fights, how it is for us, and it's all because ..."

Singing to my favourite song cover by Five Hundredth Year while driving in my new truck - life is awesome.

" Now if we're talking body, you got a perfect one. So put it on me, swear it won't take you long, if you love me right we fuck for life on and on and on"

The forest is calming. I used to hate it, especially at night. Now I drive down this road almost every day after school. It's a place where I can escape, where I can sing. My parents and brother aren't huge fans of my taste in music, they also don't like my singing either. That's why I go here. But today felt different ... today felt ... abnormal. Maybe it's just because it's raining, but it feels like something more.

" Love, give me love. Anything you want I'll give it up. Lips, lips I kiss, bite me while I taste your fingertips"

Just then, I heard a horrific scream - I literally jumped in my seat. I slammed on the brakes, turned off my music, and ran outside, trying to find the source of that scream. I heard the scream again, so of course, I ran towards it. Into the woods, searching. Finally, I found her. A girl, on the ground, muddy and her body was smeared with dirt with her hands covering her face. She stopped screaming, but I think she started crying. I looked at her closely, I've never seen a beautiful mystery like her in this town before. I instantly took off my hoodie to cover and warm her up from the freezing rain. I picked her up bridal style, and I was right, she was crying. She has her eyes closed - I don't even know if she wanted to open them. Other than all the mud and dirt, to me she looked even more stunning up close. Who is this girl? I carried her back to my truck - kind of sounds creepy, I know, but I didn't want to just leave her there!

Driving home, with a fascinating girl sleeping beside me ... I wonder how my parents would react. I'm sure Torre, my little brother, might find her sexy. He's quite the "bad-boy". I have to admit, I am too, but I somehow feel different. What's wrong with me? I looked over at her, and I saw on her wrists and legs that she had some cuts and scars. On the back of her hand, it looked like she had drawn a skeleton's hand. Hmm, she seems very intriguing. I hope she would want to talk soon, I would love to get to know her more.

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I pulled into the driveway, turning off the engine. I checked to see if this mystery girl was awake. Nope, still asleep. I sigh in frustration, getting out of the truck and opening the front door.

"MOM, I NEED YOU TO COME OUTSIDE WITH ME FOR A SECOND, AND DON'T LET TORRE COME" I yell, smirking when Torre gave me "the look".

"Why, what's wrong?" My mother says as she walks down the stairs.

"Just come outside with me, okay?".

We head outside, and I open the shotgun's side of the truck. My mother gasps and glares at me, "WHAT THE HECK ALEX? DID YOU DRUG HER? WHY IS SHE OUT COLD??" God, I'm getting a headache just thinking about how much of a fuckboy she thinks I am.

"Mom ... I was driving, and I heard a scream, so I ran out and tried to find the scream, and I found her naked and muddy. I didn't know what to do, so I took her to you. If you don't want her here, I'll gladly bring her to Stevie".

She gently touches the girl's wrist, seeing if she has a pulse. She sighs and walks back to the door.

"Alright, she can stay the night, but we're gonna ask her questions tomorrow morning, so be prepared". I see Torre leaning against the doorway, staring at my mom and I. I glared at him before picking the girl up bridal style again, closing my truck door and walking past Torre, giving him the cold shoulder.

"Yes, mom".

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I take her to the guest bedroom, of course, Torre following behind me.

"Bro, who's the chick?", he says.

"No fucking clue, but I intend to find out", I murmur.

I lay her down on the guest bed, making sure my hoodie is covering her. Just to be safe, I put a blanket on her lower body then shaking her shoulders gently to wake her up. She stirs a little, eyebrows crunching up and it looked like she was in pain. She groans a little, slowly opening her eyes. When she does, her eyes suddenly become huge, looking at me in shock.

"Uhm ... hey there ... my name is Alex and this is my broth-"

"Why the hell am I here?"

She sits up, and she looked like she regretted that because her hands immediately went up to her head and she looked like she was in pain.

"Go get Advil Torre!" I say quickly, bringing the girl close and holding her in my arms, making sure she knows she's safe. He runs out of the room as I rock her back and forth, trying to comfort her.

"It's okay, you're safe. You were in a forest, screaming, and I found you. I didn't know what to do other than put my hoodie on you - don't worry, I didn't do anything besides that - and carried you to my truck. You're at my house, my mother is a doctor."

She slowly lays down again, and I notice the pain was fading away.

"Well then, thank you, Alex Shay".

She smiles a little, and I was shocked she knew my name.

"So.. how do you know me?"

"Right, I knew I was a shadow. My name is Skylar Kyle, I'm in your Math and Art class."

I thought for a moment, vaguely remembering. Shadow? Hmm, don't know about that.

"I thought you had blue eyes?" She touches her eyes, plastic or glass circles coming out of them. She looks at me, and I realize she was wearing contacts.

"Ah, there they are" I smile, "Why do you wear brown contacts then?"

She breathes in a little shallow, but before she could say anything, Torre and my mom burst into the room.

"Hello darling, I'm Diana Shay, and I'm a doctor. What's your name hun?" She checks her pulse, and touches her forehead, seeing if she's hot. I slowly back away from them, taking the Advil from Torre, putting it on the side table, and leaving the room with him.

"So, who is she?" he whispers, staring at me.

"Skylar Kyle", I manage to say, going into my room and locking it.