Split

Argument

"What do you mean you don't want this anymore?" I heard Patricia snap as I woke up, and I realised that I'd fallen asleep in my room. I sat up to try to hear what was going on. That's when I heard Dennis' voice.

"I mean that I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want any part of the killing of those girls."

"Oh, so now you're suddenly the good guy?" She scoffed, "as if you could ever attempt to redeem yourself for what you've done."

"I'm not a bad person."

Patricia laughed in disbelief, "you must be joking, why do you think you were pushed to the back while the others got the light? Why do you think everyone hates you?" He said nothing and she chuckled "you and me are together in this for a reason-"

"I'm not like you," he said firmly and she laughed again.

"Oh, my dear, we are nothing alike. If I believed for a second that I was anything like you, I think I would stay in the dark where I belonged."

"So why are you letting me out here if I'm so terrible? Why are you giving me light time?"

"Who else would help me? No one else is desperate enough to go along with this."

There was a pause, "you're just using me?"

"Don't play the fool, you knew that all along, you just didn't want to see it. You were lonely enough to manipulate and you let me guide you. You wanted to do it so that you weren't left behind anymore, so don't act like a hurt puppy. I have no sympathy for you."

"Patronise me all you like, I'm still not helping you," Dennis said in a frail voice.

"This is about Casey isn't it? She's been telling you to stop?"

"It's not her decision, it's mine."

I crept out and into the hallway, hearing their voices coming from the kitchen. I peered round the door and saw Patricia facing away from me, leaning on the counter, she was shaking her head, "I knew she was trouble, I knew you were just keeping her here for your own sick games. I know what you're like."

"I'm not like that anymore," he argued, "I've changed."

"You're not capable of that, Dennis, Kevin's mother messed you up-"

"Don't talk about that-"

"You will never change because she's broken you-"

"That's enough! Stop it! I have changed and I'm not going to do this anymore!"

"You're stuck in this body whether you like it or not!" She almost shouted and stood up straight, "now you either listen to me and do as I say, or so help me you'll never have the light again."

"I can't, Patricia... I can't cope, please don't make me do it."

"You can cope. You will cope. Or maybe you want me to get rid of Casey so she isn't whispering in your ear anymore?"

"Don't you touch her!" He snapped, the fight returning to his voice.

"I could say the same thing to you."

"I'm not the same as I was before, I told you."

"You expect me to believe that? You expect me to listen to you of all people? I don't think-" she stopped mid sentence and her head turned a little. I backed away from the door and slunk back to my room, knowing full well that she knew I'd been listening. I felt her following me and practically jumped onto my bed.
"It's rude to snoop, you know," she was suddenly in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, I just heard you talking and-"

"You thought you'd listen in?"

"No, i didn't mean to-"

"I trust you heard what Dennis has been saying?"
I nodded.
"Well let's hope, for both of your sakes, he changes his mind; I don't think either of you would be too happy if you never saw the light of day again."
She gave me a threatening glance before shutting the door and locking me in, leaving me back to square one-trembling and scared for my life... only now I had Dennis to worry about too.