Help Me

Chapter 8

Nathan shielded his eyes against the bright lights overhead. Where was he, anyways? He glanced around, taking note of the counter that ran along one wall, covered in glass jars full of supplies, the different machines he didn’t know the names or uses of, and the one thing he did recognize: a hospital bed. On the bed was a girl. At first, Nathan thought she was dead. Her skin was pale as the sheets beneath her and her chest wasn’t moving. Then he saw the slight movement of her eyelids, like her eyes were scanning something in her dream. He stepped forward and gently touched her cheek. It was ice cold. 

Her eyes flew open and she jerked upward, hands scrabbling madly at his clothes. She hooked her fingers into his T-shirt and stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. Nathan’s heart threatened to burst right through his chest as he reached for her hands and tried to pull her away from him. She tightened her grip and let her head fall on his shoulder. A strange noise escaped her lips and she started to shake. Nathan stopped fighting her and awkwardly patted her back. She was crying, he realized. The girl was sobbing into his shirt and he didn’t even know who she was.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, doing his best to sound soothing, “You’re going to be fine.”

She shook her head, “I can’t. I can’t.”

“What can’t you do?” Nathan asked.

The girl’s sobs ceased as she sat back and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, “I can’t.”

The shock of recognition hit him like SUV. The pale blonde hair, the slight frame. He didn’t know how he could have missed it, except that he hadn’t really looked at her. But it was impossible, wasn’t it? How could a dead girl be sitting right in front of him, crying her eyes out? 

“He likes her,” the girl said, her voice taking on a child-like quality, “But I can’t. She’s hurt. She hurts too much. Why me?”

“Slow down,” he said, resting his hands on her shoulders and staring into her wide green eyes. It felt strange, knowing he’d seen this girl’s body only a few days ago and now he was comforting her, “Who is ‘she’?”

Tears spilled onto her cheeks and she shook her head, “I can’t. I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” he corrected, “All I need is a name.”

“He likes her,” the girl repeated, “He wants her.”

“Who? Who wants her?” Nathan demanded.

“Silly, silly, silly,” the girl began to sing, tears still pouring down her face, “Silly, silly, Suzie.”

“What-” Nathan stopped. The girl continued to repeat her song over and over again, falling deeper into a child-like trance with each verse. Suzie Blake. The girl had to be talking about Suzie Blake. There was no other Suzie in the area that he knew of, and he knew everyone. Except, he hadn’t known this girl. So where had she come from?

“What’s your name?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

“He took it from me,” she said, “He’ll take it from her, too.”

“Where is she? Where’s Suzie?”

She giggled, “At home, silly. He wants me to get her. But, I have a secret,” she lowered her voice and gestured for him to lean closer. She giggled again and whispered, “I’m going to die. The boy is going to kill me.”

“What boy? Look, I need names to help you.”

“I don’t need help, silly,” another giggle, “Silly, silly, Nathan. Silly, silly, Suzie. Silly, silly, silly.”