Inescapable Game of Tag

Come Back

Blake

Everything burned. My insides were on fire, there was a painful recurring punch at my chest, and my cheeks felt hot. The layers of scenes and people, the audio of voices playing back, over and over again.

The epitome of hell.

By the time everything was purging itself back into me, Sophie was gone. With the constant gusts of winds, more layers were going on top of one another.

If I forget, remind me!

My knees were shaking so horrendously, and I cracked open my mouth, a tense breath escaping from it. With a gulp, I moved forward just one, wobbly step. Already, I felt like toppling over and vomiting with everything I had.

"Blake?" It was that girl again. The one who held my ill fate in her hands. "Ah, she already left. Come on, it's time to go." I took another step forward. "Blake?"

You better as hell come back.

I'd like to. Trust me, I'd really like to.

Four makes it... Less lonely for you...

She... She left, though...

That girl's footsteps were following up behind me. No longer wearing those heels of hers, it was just the padding of her socked feet. Her voice gave it away, "Blake, what's wrong?"

I LET HER RUN OFF AGAIN!

Again, again, again! I keep letting this happen! I keep forgetting and letting her get away! And today, oh, God, today was the perfect day to attempt something! There were so many knives at my disposal. So, that's what that tingling sensation was all about when those two cut the cake. My opportunity was right there.

Take the knife, go over to where Sophie was, and there, that request Mom asked of me is complete. It'd hurt, I know, stabbing myself once before was painful enough. But, still, I had to, I just had to...

Wait, no...

I kept moving forward, robotically, my eyes seeing nothing.

Another way... I still had... Time... Right? No. I don't have the ability to keep tabs all up on her when I'm always in that fucking building. Hell, there could have, at the very least, been an attempt to try getting out of here. But, no, I had to fucking forget again.

"Blake," Her voice is breaking through louder, "What's wrong?"

I could never seem to tell when I was talking out loud.

My stupid past self from mere hours ago held something. That's what it was. That warm sensation in my chest when she was around, even if there seemed to be something a little off, something that set me off. Still, it felt so warm. That was why. She wasn't just some girl who I knew from school when I was young, some girl who visited me when I was in that place.

It felt warm then, and now there was a blazing fire.

My lips and hand felt so hot. So violated. Despite that though, they felt so fresh, so new, so loved.

I wasn't even sure if I could trust this. Imagination, it might have been. That did not really happen, no way, Sophie would never return anything like that. Especially after ten years.

But, she did it. I still felt that burning, tingling sensation. Yep. She most definitely did it.

"Blake," Juliet again, her hands grabbing my shoulders. My vision was still wavering, but her voice and touch were enough to know that this wasn't the person I was thinking of. Layers fading, it took awhile for me to see that faint image of Juliet. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

They were always the same people. She should know.

"I..." My vocal cords were in heat, as well, they were aching so very badly. I moved forward again, and Juliet yelped, trying to push me back to keep me in place. She was trembling in a jumble, given that I basically pushed her down the sidewalk and into the gutter, but she kept her stand. "She... left..."

Frowning but still holding onto me, she looked back quickly, "Yeah. She did. She had to go home and sleep, you know? It's getting late." The city lights were still bright. "And now you have to go back and get some rest, too. We'll give you the pictures to render and edit later, but you have to rest now, okay? Now," She tried pushing me back, but I stayed locked. "Come on..."

"She left." I repeated. Her grip became more tight, everything else in her stopping. "I... I still need her, all of that... I still need-"

"Blake," She said my name just as tense as her hold, "You don't need her. We'll get to see her later this week anyway. Come on, you were doing fine, why...?"

My bottom lip and hand trembled.

"... I... I forgot again..." My head hung, and I spotted Juliet's narrowing eyes. "A-Again, I..." It was getting cold. That heated up warmth was losing its flames, and I was absolutely terrified. "You said it was best, but..." The draft falling all over me.

"It is best. Blake, please, let's just go back."

"I need Sophie."

"No-"

Fear and anxiety were building up more inside me, second by second. I couldn't take it, I didn't want any more of those crippling feelings. And so, walking forward, no matter Juliet's scrambles and cries for me to stop, I kept moving.

She was getting in the way.

I grabbed her hand, and she flinched when I did so. I threw it off of me before walking briskly through the heavy winds and drenched air. My shoes breaking up the little stones littered over the parking lot, I tried to focus all my senses on my vision in front of me, and it was a frustrating thing to try accomplishing. Everything was still faint, and I saw no clear figure of her in sight-

The arm rammed around my throat quickly, and the wind was knocked back into my system, only to be sucked right back out. I was being pushed back so quick that I was sure I was gonna fall back at any second. I really hated how that girl kept getting the security on my ass.

Being dragged back to the car with my arms restrained behind my back, the jabs and shoves were running my patience. Especially once I saw Sean in there, sitting by the monitors.

Your camera will have recordings being sent to the monitors out in the van. We just need to make sure you're doing what you're doing. Plus, someone has to watch the security cameras to ensure you don't take a step out.

I tried staying outside on the sidewalk, despite all those tedious shoves. "Hey, Sean, you amusing little rat." I rasped out, eyes going wide and lips curving. He turned over in his seat just a bit, eyes narrowing at me in disdain. "Did you see Sophie? She was our classmate, too, you know. You know, the one who..." A tighter shove. I almost fell right in the van, but I kept trying to keep my footing. More shoving. "The one you and that stupid Susie were looking for."

He looked the other way.

"Man, you were all so stupid! You know, I think I remember, Sophie found out about what you guys were saying, and she said she hated you guys too. All talk and no bite, you really should-!"

A tighter shove, and I was pushed right onto a seat before I could try finding my stand. Hands grabbing right onto my shoulders and keeping me down, I didn't look at the man, but instead glared over at Juliet's entrance.

She spoke delicately, "Sean..."

He groaned lightly, turning away from us, "It's alright. I'm done with my own individual therapy about that whole thing, anyway. I'm doing my time."

I laughed again, and it came out in a crack due to all the pressure this big guy was putting onto me, "She'd be pissed even more! You gotta live with that, you can't just-!"

Juliet gave me one glance before directing back to the security guard, "He's only going to get worse. We should inject him right now, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Sean said, blankly, "We should."

I already knew my fate for the night.