Split

The Day Before

I spent hours worrying about what Dennis had said and dreaded the moment the door would open again.
Patricia had been in briefly to drop off some food, noting my startled expression when she unlocked the door, and asking if I was okay. I'd nodded and given my best smile in an attempt to convince her that I was fine. It worked and she left pretty much straight away.
Luckily it was Patricia who returned later that evening to let me out for a while, but she asked again if there was something wrong. I insisted that I was okay, but she wasn't listening this time.
"Has something happened with Dennis? He has been quiet today."

"No, everything's fine with me and Dennis. I'm just tired."

She frowned, "if I find out you're lying-"

"I'm fine, honestly."

"Okay. I need to tell you that we won't be here to see you tomorrow night so I will be giving you your lunch a little later than usual. I hope that's okay."
I didn't reply and she smiled, "is that why you're quiet? Did Dennis tell you that we are planning to bring the beast here tomorrow?"
I nodded quickly, sensing my opportunity to blame something else for my bad mood.
"I see. I take it he's explained why this is necessary?" I nodded again, "that is why I didn't want you seeing him today. I don't think it's good for him to speak to you so close to the event... he doesn't need any reasons to back out of this so close to the night."

"That's fine, I don't mind."

She smiled in approval and wandered over to the kitchen. I waited for her to return with a plate of food and she passed it to me, "take that back to your room. I'll come back tomorrow at three o'clock. Off you go."

I walked back to my room, Patricia following just behind me, and ate my food in silence.

I was woken abruptly by the door opening loudly and Dennis entered, shutting the door behind him. He was still dressed in Patricia's clothes and fumbled to put on his glasses which he must have grabbed before coming in.
"Are you okay?" I asked, watching him as he walked briskly towards me.

"I don't know if I can go through with this" he stopped in front of me and rubbed his eyes with a finger and thumb underneath his glasses, "the closer we get, the more I'm thinking that this isn't such a great idea... Patricia won't talk to me about it and I'm... I'm worried."

"So you came to me? You know how I feel about it."

"I just need something to take my mind off of it, I just wanna talk... I... I had to run here, the others don't know I'm here."

"Can't you just stop helping?"

"Even if I do, it's my body too... if Patricia goes forward with it then it'll effect me whether I help or not... I'm just... I'm..." his face twisted a little as though he was in pain, then cleared. But it wasn't Dennis anymore.

"I'm so sorry, dear." Patricia removed the glasses and folded them in her hand, "what did he say to you?"

"Not much, he wasn't here long," I tried to avoid the question so I didn't get him into trouble.

"Tell me what he said. Now."

I saw the anger in her usually calm eyes and I knew she was serious, "he... he was just saying that he was worried. That's all..."

"And what did you say?"

"I hardly got a chance, all I said was that I wasn't the best person to go to for advice, that's it."

She straightened her Cardigan and dusted her skirt, "okay. You will not be seeing Dennis again until after I have met the beast. If he comes into the light again and starts saying anything like this, you will say nothing. Do you understand?"

I nodded slowly and she smiled warmly before leaving the room.
I felt sorry for Dennis, remembering how scared he looked and thought about how horrible it must be to not have a say over what happens to your body... on some level I could understand that...