Love & Carnage✗Noah Foster [2]

Chapter Twenty-Nine// Dreaming of You.

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"He was really beautiful."

--Brooke Maddox

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I pulled at the fabric of my jogging pants I had changed into backstage. "Little lady, I think you just about tired yourself out for the night." The medic told me, shaking her head. "Hey! I remember you! You're the lady who stitched my leg the first time, and now--Now... you're doing it again!" I giggled. "What's wrong with her?" My mother asked the paramedic with fear. "Oh, its quite alright. It's just an analgesic drug for the pain. It's going to make her loopy for a while, but she'll fall asleep soon." The lady said, looking down at her clipboard. "So, I can take her home?" My mother touched my forehead. "You can, but I would advise against it. You've got a very clumsy girl here." The medic chuckled. I smiled brightly up at my mother. "I'm clumsy, mom?" I asked. "Does the loopy-ness wear off?" My mother looked at the medic. The women looked up from her clipboard. "Come with me." She waved my mother forward. My mother looked down at me, and then shook her head in dismay, walking towards the medic. They walked a little away from me, leaving me to sit by myself at the end of the ambulance. A little away from me, there was another ambulance. Kieran sat at that one. Emma was in front of him, her arms wrapped around him, and his around her. The smile was plastered onto my face. It was the drugs. "Hey." I turned my smiling face to see Noah and Audrey. I stood up. "Hey! There's my babies!" I squealed, wrapping my arms around their necks. "Oh--okay." Audrey stumbled back from the force of my hug. I pulled away from them and watched them. "Audrey, you look so pretty tonight!" I played with her short, black hair. She frowned and pulled away. "Thanks... wha--what's wrong with you?" Audrey whispered. "What do you mean?!" I giggled. "Oh! And, Noah!" I moved onto Noah, and touched his pink bow tie. "Did she win?" My smile fell from my face. "Wha--who? Zoë?" Noah frowned. I nodded. "Yeah--yeah, she did." Noah smiled suddenly. "Well, congrats to her." I shrugged. "Well, yo--are you alright?" Audrey stepped closer to me. I grinned. "I am perfectly fine. But..." I frowned now, gesturing for them to come closer. They did. "The medic over there told the other medic that I'm high as a kite!" I burst out laughing. And they both rolled their eyes. "But, I am perfectly fine." I grabbed Noah's face and pulled him close, kissing each of his cheeks with a "MWAH" sound. When I pulled away, he stared at me with wide eyes. "Not like I haven't kissed you before!" I laughed. "Uhm, Ari... can you--can you tell us what you saw in the funhouse?" Audrey interjected. "Oh." I whispered, my grin falling from my face. "Arielle... what happened in there?" Noah asked. "I--I... don't remember." I touched my head and rubbed it. I really couldn't. The drugs were... too much at that point. "What do you remember, then?"

"I... I do remember going in and seeing a lot of clowns." I shivered. "I've always hated clowns..." I whispered under my breath. "But... you're okay?" Audrey frowned. I nodded. "I'm perfectly fine." I said, perfectly chipper. "Hey, Noah!" Noah and Audrey turned, just as Zoë came running up to us. She had her big pink dress in her arms, as she did. "Hey, Zoë." Audrey muttered. Zoë shot her a smile, before turning to Noah. "Are--we...?"

"Oh, yeah! Yeah, let's go." Noah turned back to me, and my heart sunk. "I hope you feel better, Arielle." Noah smiled at me. I shook my head and laughed. "I'll be fine." I looked at Zoë. "You have fun with my sloppy seconds!" I waved at her excitedly. Noah's mouth dropped, and Zoë looked to the ground. Audrey hid her smile and she grabbed my arm. "O--Okay, I think that's enough for tonight. Come on, Arielle." Audrey then led me away from Noah and Zoë, forcing me to the ambulance.

My mom still spoke with the medic.

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"Arielle! Come on!" I heard my sister yell. I rubbed my head, and walked out of my front door, closing it behind me. My head pounded. I definitely did not want to go to school. "Coming!" I rushed towards my sister's car, and got into the passenger seat. I looked to her in the driver's seat. Her long brown hair was out in waves, and her makeup was perfectly perfect. "Ready?" She smiled at me. I nodded. Then she began to drive. I turned my head to the window to watch the scenery as it passed. "So, how was the carnival?" She asked. "Uneventful." I answered. "I really wish I was there." She said. That's when I stopped all movement. Outside. It was dark... so why was I--? I turned my head to look at my sister again. A horrible realization hitting me. "You're not here." I whispered. "What are you on about now?" Katherine rolled her eyes. "You're in the hospital, Katherine." I muttered. My breathing sped up and I looked all around myself. "I--I... I need to get out of here!" I cried. "Arielle, you need to calm down!" Katherine laughed. "Katherine, stop the car!" I screeched. "Tell me why, Arielle." Her tone changed. It was soft, yet it still scared me. "Why, what?!" I yelled, holding onto my seat as she drove faster and faster. "Why won't you come see me?" Katherine whimpered, slamming the on the gas. "I--what?!" I screamed. "Why won't you see your own sister in the hospital?" Katherine muttered. "Katherine! Please slow down!" I cried. "No."

"Ok--okay, okay! I'm scared." I cried more. "Because I don't want to see you like that! Because it's my fault!" I screamed. "That's not good enough, Arielle." I looked at her in fear. This wasn't my sister.

"I-- This is a dream. This is all a dream." I closed my eyes and tried to think of myself as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz. There's no place like home.

I opened my eyes again and saw that I was still in the damn car. I looked back to Katherine... but she was no longer there. Someone else was. He was... The killer. He adorned his usual disguise. Black cape and all. He drove fast. And I held onto my seat, the tears sliding down my cheeks already. "L--HELP!" I screamed to nobody in particular. I heard the distorted voice in my head. "This is all your fault."

That's when I woke up. "Arielle, did you hear me?" I turned my head to look at my mother, who was driving. I jumped up in my seat, grasping at my chest. "Wh--where--when?" I looked around. "Arielle, calm down." The car seemingly pulled to a stop. I unbuckled my seat belt and jumped out of the car quickly. "Arielle!" My mother screamed. I looked around myself frantically. I was in the school parking lot... Some passer-byers looked at me weirdly. I wiped my tears quickly. "Arielle, what are you doing?!" My mother was suddenly beside me, holding my bag. "Ari, tell me what's wrong?" My mother worried. I finally looked her in the eye. "I'm--I'm so scared." I told her. It was the truth. I was frightened. I was scared of the killer. I was scared of everything. "Okay, come on. Back in the car. I'm taking you home." My mother gently tugged at my arm. "No... Mom, I'm fine... but... do you think we could revisit the idea about Dr. Martin?" I ran my fingers through my hair. "How--?"

"I heard." I whispered, taking my bag from her. "Baby, I don't want you thinking--"

"Mom, I really... I really think I need that kind of help. She really helped me the first time." I told her in a low voice. "I'll do what I can, Ari." My mother hugged me tightly. "I love you." My mother whispered. "I love you, too." I muttered back. I heard the warning bell ring loudly in my ears. "Okay." My mother pulled away. "Have a good day at school." She told me. I nodded, shouldering my school bag. She walked towards the driver's seat again, getting in.

I turned towards the school and sighed. Here we go.

I AM SO FUCKING SORRY! I HONESTLY COULD NOT WRITE OR THINK AND I'M SORRY THIS IS SHORT, BUT I'M BACK TO WRITING. DON'T WORRY!