Goodbye, Just Ellie

p r o l o g u e

I hazily stumbled across the room, the drink in my hand sloshing over the sides of the red solo cup. Some guy grabbed my ass and winked when I turned around wide-eyed. His face registered in my mind as Matt and I cocked my head. He read my eyes and pointed to the ceiling. She's upstairs, he seemed to say. I nodded and continued on my search. I giggled at the couples slobbering all over each other at every corner. I stopped in the kitchen, grabbed a bag of chips, and poured more mysterious–yet tasty–pink liquid into my half-empty cup. The girl standing next to me started to cry and I stifled a laugh. Embarrassed and not wanting to be a comforting shoulder, I exited quickly. Once I found my way to the stairs, I slid my shoes off by the heels against the edge of the bottom step.

"Calista," I sang, holding out the a for ten seconds on a low C. Tripping and giggling, I slowly made my way up to the second floor. My nose twitched at the stench of cheap candles, fornication, and another smoky unfamiliar smell.I put my ear against the first door and backed up quickly afterwards, deciding that was most definitely not her. "Callie?" I held the chip bag with my teeth, reached into the front of my shirt, and  pulled out my phone. I fumbled for a second and then pressed on her name to call. As soon as I heard my ringtone playing from the third room down I hung up and treaded down the hall. "Bitch, I have been calling your..." I pushed open the door and against the edge of the bed was Callie; a red band tied above the crook of her arm, the silver glint of a needle protruding from the vein an inch below. Candles littered the floor, their flames engulfed her legs, and crawled up her body. I didn't recognize the piercing sound ricocheting off the walls as me until I fell backwards and another scream was caught in my throat by vomit. I coughed until I cleared my lungs and throat enough to shout, "Call 9-1-1..." I gagged as I glanced between my  mess and Callie's charred body. "Now!"