Bleed Me Dry

The Great Escape

"But I won't let you make the great escape, I'm never gonna watch you checking out of this place. I'm not gonna lose you, 'Cause the passion and pain are gonna keep you alive someday." The Great Escape, PINK.

Millie

Work has been extra slow ever since Vincent and Andie's little incident. The town has been really shaken up by the whole situation. It's almost as if no one knows what to say to each other. Gia moved in with Andie and I until she can wrap her mind around being with a man. The three of us living together hasn't been the dream I was hoping for. We all have so much to say but we're all holding it all in. We still have a good time together, occasionally bantering at each other for fun but it's not what it would have been.

It's hard not being able to work like I used to. I can't do much of anything with the cane and the pain is only getting worse. Andie brings me with her to work as moral support as much as anything. Lately she hasn't been letting me in. She has blocked her feelings off from both Gia and I. I keep finding weird blood stain and lots of toilet paper around. She is also constantly using bandaids. I'm really worried about Andie, she is my best friend, she holds me up to keep me from drowning in my pain. I just wish I could do the same for her.

All three of us get off work at the same time today, which is good considering we only have one car. Andie is the only one of us that can drive now too. With Gia almost 8 months pregnant and my condition getting worse Andie has to take care of us all the time. It scares me that she has to devote her time to us when she needs to heal from her broken marriage. I hear her mumble in her sleep at night about Vincent, but everytime I ask her if everything is okay she shrugs me off and says she "fine".

When we get home Andie goes in the bathroom really quickly. Gia pulls me aside and whispers, "Do you think Andie is okay? She has been spending a lot of time in the bathroom lately and yesterday I found a bloody razor on the floor."

"Andie wouldn't cut herself Gia. She has been abused for years why would she hurt herself more? Besides I would have noticed if she was cutting herself she's been living with me for months she always spends a lot of time in the bathroom," I say unable to believe Andie is harming herself in any way.

"She's probably been doing it the whole time she's been living with you so it doesn't seem odd to you. She's been abused by Vincent since she was 23, it's all she knows Mil. She doesn't know how to live without being hurt. Vincent coming to town probably didn't help things."

It all starts to come together now. The blood, the bandages, the toilet paper she probably uses to stop the bleeding. How could I have been so stupid, you had one job Millie.

"Oh my god."

"Yeah I know Millie we have to help her! She's probably doing it right now!"

We walk over to the bathroom door and knock, "Andie open up we need to talk." says Gia.

"I'm busy," Andie responds through the bathroom door.

Gia doesn't take no for an answer, "Andie we know what you're doing."

Andie refuses to open the door so I go get a screwdriver from the kitchen. Gia screws the door knob off and opens the door. I almost wish we didn't open it, seeing Andie with blood running down her body from all sorts of places. Andie is curled up in a ball in the corner of the bathroom. She acts as if we haven't walk in on her, continuing to rip herself apart.

"Andie you don't have to do this we can help you," Gia says crouching down in front of Andie. Andie refuses to look up at Gia. Gia tries to take the razor from Andie's hands but Andie fights back.

"Just one more Gia, just one more. I promise I won't do it again," Andie says crying now.

"Andie you have to stop."

"No please no!" Andie practically screams.

My heart breaks in two at the sound of her cries. The last thing I want is for Andie to be in pain, I want all the happiness in the world for her because when she's happy I'm happy. I still remember when she walked into Wrigley's all cheery and nice. She was the one who wanted to us all to be friends and Gia and I ignored her. If it wasn't for Andie the three of us wouldn't be more than colleagues.

Gia finally manages to get the razor away from Andie. She cleans the blood off of her and puts her to bed. I drag myself across the room with my cane and get in beside her while Gia gets in the other side. The two of us hold her until she falls asleep. I think about happy Andie again. I'm going to get her back to that place, she's not going to escape from the world that easy.