Split

Taking Over

Barry was hurrying through the corridor, dragging me behind him as I tried to keep up. He fumbled with the keys to unlock the doors and continued through, frantically telling me that it'll be okay. We were suddenly in a part of the building that I'd never seen before.
"Not far now," he smiled back at me when the keys suddenly flew from his hand. He watched them clatter to the floor and blinked at me, "I'm so sorry, honey, they aren't going to let me take you outta here..."

"What?"

He grimaced and shook his head, "They're trying to take the light... pass me the keys, quickly..."
I snatched them from the floor and handed them to Barry and he tried again, "why are you doing this?"

"Because he is our salvation," Patricia said calmly and Barry, once again, dropped the keys. He struggled to stay with me, his worried eyes pleading me to help him, but I couldn't do anything.

"Casey, I can't fight her much longer... you have to... get the keys and get outta here..."
I tried to hand them to him again and he took a step back, "no, you're gonna have to do it yourself... hurry, I'll keep them for as long as I can."
He stumbled backwards and leaned against the wall, "you don't have much time."

I tried a few different keys before turning to look at him again and he looked exhausted, "come on, sweetie, don't give up now, keep trying," he sunk to the floor and squeezed his eyes shut, "I control who gets the light! Me!"

"Not anymore, my dear," Patricia chuckled and Barry looked up at me, defeat clear in his eyes.

"Please..." he panted, "I don't want to go back..."
I picked another key and pulled desperately at the door. Still no good.
"Please..." he said quietly, and I slowly looked round.

I watched as he opened his eyes... watched as he stood up... I watched as Patricia grinned back at me.
"I thought we had come to an understanding," she tutted, "I thought you wouldn't be trying this anymore."

"I'm sorry," I crumbled to the floor, already sobbing with disappointment, "I just want to go home."

"We're not as bad as your abusive uncle, are we?" She raised an eyebrow, "I thought you wanted to be away from him."

I was a little upset that Dennis had told her about that, but I guess he had to explain why the beast couldn't have me... "I don't want to go back there... but I don't want to be locked in here... I feel like I'm going crazy!"

"Maybe you are, maybe that's why you keep disobeying me. Come on, I'll take you back."
I almost couldn't stand and she took my arm, helping me to my feet and leading me back, taking the keys from me as we walked.
"I apologise about Barry. He's rather pushy, is he not?"

"He was just trying to help," I said sadly, remembering the look on his face before Patricia took over.

We got back to the room and she sat me on the sofa, "listen, Hedwig has been itching to see you for a few days. I can send him by if you like, but you're not to talk about the beast to him. I think he just wants to see you. To be honest he's getting on my nerves asking after you. If you don't feel up to it then I understand."

"I'd love to see him."

"Good, I'll let him know," she left me in the room and locked the door.