Split

What Have You Done?

When I returned home almost an hour late, Susan was looking concerned, "where have you been? I was getting worried."

I shrugged and went to my room, leaving her to stare after me.
I sat on my bed, putting my headphones back in, and got out a sketch pad. I began to draw Barry's house, every detail that I could remember about the rooms, as I felt it already slipping away. What had Dennis ment when he said they were planning something that might not end well? I scribbled harder against the paper. If they were going to leave, then soon everything would be forgotten... and I'd be back to being alone...
I sat up and sighed, closing my eyes as I tried to remember more about the living room.
I continued to draw well into the night until I couldn't remember anymore... so much was missing... I sat back and looked at the pieces of paper and frowned. Maybe I could pay a quick visit just to remind myself... I mean, they might have already left? Then it wouldn't matter... and even if they hadn't gone yet, they had told me to leave but hadn't said that I couldn't drop in and say hello... I know they didn't want me to be near them but... they didn't specifically say that I wasn't allowed back to the house... right?

I stood up, still fully dressed, and went to the window, aware that Susan would probably still be awake and disapprove of my late night outing. It wasn't a long drop, but I landed heavily onto the grass below, having to stop myself from making any noise. Then I began to walk.

I had turned to go home twice during the journey, convinced that I'd be disappointed with the visit and not ready to face the fact that they might have gone... but curiosity had gotten the better of me and made me push forward.
As I got closer to the house I could see the lights on, and I smiled. They were still here.
I got to the door rapped a shaky hand against the wood.
For a while there was no response while I stood on the porch, trying not to get my hopes up, and then the door clicked open. I smiled as I stepped closer and started to say hello, when I realised that it wasn't Barry peering out at me... or Dennis... or even Jade...
Patricia looked warily back at me and I clamped my mouth shut in shock.
"Casey? What are you doing out so late?" She asked.

I struggled to find the words, "I... I came to see how you all were... I... why are you here?"

"That's something that will have to be explained another day, I'm afraid, now if you'll excuse me," she went to shut the door but I pushed it inwards as hard as I could. She could have easily stopped me, but she hadn't expected it so she stumbled backwards.
I stepped into the house and shut the door behind me,

"Tell me what's going on."

"Casey, I can't do that. You need to leave, I... I'm in a hurry."

"Hurry? For what?" I demanded and she sighed in frustration.

"I don't have time to talk to you, I only have the light for," she looked up at the clock that hung in the hallway, "three more minutes, now I need you to go!"

"What's happening in three minutes? Are you helping the beast again?"

"No, that ship has sailed, now please just leave."

"I'm not going."

She turned and marched into the kitchen, "I don't have time for this! And I don't have time to explain, now if you're here then you're going to try and stop me, and you'll be in danger, you need to go."

I followed her into the kitchen and saw her pick up a knife, "W-what are you going to do?"

"Do you never listen? I don't have time to explain, now it will be easier if you just leave."

I shook my head and she grunted in disapproval, hoisting up her sleeves and positioning the knife over her wrist, "what are you doing?" I gasped and she looked me in the eye.

"This is the only way... now I'm going to ask you to do something for me, Casey," I was frozen in fear so she carried on, "I need you to trust me. I need you to do as I say. Leave."

"I won't do it," I mumbled, wishing Dennis was here to stop her... or any of them for that matter. She brought the knife down against her outstretched arm and I lunged at her, holding the hand with the knife away from her skin, "you can't do this! I won't let you!"

"Don't be stupid, Casey! Get off of me!" She held my forearm and pushed me roughly back, making me fall to the floor with a cry of defeat. I was about to get up when she quickly drove the blade into the smooth flesh of her wrist. Sickness coursed through my body and I couldn't move, all I could do was stare wide eyed at her as she did the same to her other wrist. She smiled with gritted teeth and dropped the knife as the blood began to pour down her drooping hands. She looked up at me before dropping to her knees, only then did I find the courage to stand up.

"Oh god, what have you done?" I cried as I fell to her side, "what have you done?!"

She lifted a hand and touched my face with bloodied fingers, "We did what we had to do. Now you need to listen to me. You have to go-"

"No! No, I won't leave you!" I sobbed, "there's so much blood!"

"I know, I know, but you need to do as I say. The ambulance is already on its way, you need to leave before you're involved in this."

"What?" My chin trembled, "what ambulance?"

"Trust me," her sad blue eyes looked deep into mine and I could tell that I needed to go. I just couldn't bring myself to stand.

"I can't, I can't go," I squeezed my eyes shut and cried, "I don't want you to die."

"Casey, if the plan was to die then there would be no ambulance, now you need to go. He's almost here."

"I don't understand-"

"Just leave, you're only complicating... things..." she began to lose focus on me and her head fell to the side for a second, "do this for... us... please..."

I could hear distant sirens and I looked to the door. If I ran now I could get out of sight... but my friends...
I turned to face her again and she fell on her side. I tried to steady her but her face screwed up. I recognised the look as someone else taking the light, and I watched impatiently to see who it was. When his dark eyes snapped open once more, he growled in pain, "what have you done?" He looked around angrily, seeing the pool of blood that was forming under him, "what have you done to me?!"
I got up and walked backwards out of the room. He looked as though someone else was going to come forward but he opened his eyes again and scowled. Were they... forcing him into the light?
"Stop it!" He slurred, "Stop it! Stop it!"

It suddenly clicked... you couldn't injure the beast... but if the body was already injured then he couldn't just heal himself... but how were they going to stop him? If the ambulance was coming then what would happen? Whatever the plan, I had to get out of here. I ran to the door and stopped. If someone sees me running from the house, isn't that going to look suspicious?
The ambulance was already getting nearer and so I picked up the phone. I called the emergency line again and told them to send an ambulance, they then informed me that one was already on its way. I picked up some towels and wrapped them around his wrists, ignoring the occasional groan, to look like I'd found him like this and tried to help. I left the door open and waited outside in the street, willing them to hurry up. The beast had gone quiet and was looking pale... I tried not to think about the amount of blood he'd have lost by now.
Hurry up
Hurry up
Hurry up!