Flickering Shadows

Sneaking Out (Chapter 6)

SNEAKING OUT

"Into the closet you go now!"

           "No! Please!"

           "Bye, bye now! You'll be in there until you learn to be a good little girl!"

           High pitched, evil cackles; the closet door slamming shut. Darkness-nothing to see or hear. Nothing more will ever become of me. I will waste away slowly for the rest of eternity.

           I wake up to earsplitting screaming, bolting straight up in bed.  It takes me a few seconds to realize that the deafening noise is coming from none other than me.  Quickly, I quiet down; I don't want anyone running in here demanding an explanation for my screeching.   I notice that I am soaked in sweat, from my hair to my socks. My lip curled back in disgust. I was still gasping for air.

           This was part of the reason that I didn't sleep. I was plagued by horrible nightmares-reliving things that happened in my past. I hoped that no one else was aware of how bad they were; I would be humiliated if anyone else knew that I woke up screaming every night I slept.  If anything, I would hope they thought it was someone else.

           I looked at my window, and the smallest bit of light was shining through.  It had to be around four in the morning. Then I saw it-the folded napkin that had been pushed under my door.  I snuck out of bed to grab it, and then I returned.   I unfolded it and read the bulky, dark words scrawled there:

Hey Lucy,

It was really nice meeting you. We should

hang out sometime.

-Dylan

           I swore that I just died and went to heaven.  He wants to hang out sometime-with me! Could life get any better right now?

At a decent hour, I got out of bed and staggered toward the cafeteria. A combination of my dream and the note from Dylan had made me lightheaded and dizzy.  I considered sitting with Dylan at breakfast, but those considerations didn't last long when I saw that he was already leaving with Amanda. It was starting to seem like she was permanently attached to him. As she had the day before, Amanda shot me a death look and continued walking.

           I sighed to myself and decided to eat breakfast anyway-a blueberry waffle and a few strawberries.  Normally, I wouldn't bother eating breakfast; I hated food in the morning.  It made my stomach turn.  But, since I was already here, I couldn't just turn around and go back; how stupid would that look?  Plus, on the off chance that I would see Dylan today, I did not want to faint from lack of energy. I was already lightheaded. I had done it before, and let's just say that all the younger children now had a grudge against me for it. What children wouldn't if some seventeen year old chick fainted onto their chess game?

           While I was throwing my syrup-stained plate away, a rough, yet gentle, voice came from behind me. "Hey," it whispered.

           "Oh!" I gasped, whirling around to face none other than Dylan staring at me with an amused expression on his face. He seemed to be nervous, like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to do.

           "I'm sorry that I scared you." He apologized, though he still had a smile playing at his lips.

           My cheeks slowly turned pink. I waved it off. "It's cool." I used his words, and I was surprised that it made me sound instantly cooler.  My heart was still hammering noisily in my chest; was it from my moment of terror or was it his presence?

           Dylan peeked around the hall, and unexpectedly took my hand. "It was really great meeting you." He held my gaze for a moment, and then strode off quickly. Again, I wasn't quick enough to say my goodbye.

           My hand still tingled where his hand had been, and I savored the feeling.  I wished the warmth would spread to the rest of me.  Looking at my hand with a content expression, I noticed that there was another note crumpled inside my palm.  I smoothed it out and read it.

Meet me here tonight, midnight.

-Dylan

Mentally, I screamed; I also let out a little squeak by accident, getting a strange look from one of the cafeteria workers.  I was astonished; I was just asked out on my first date by the most coveted boy in the hospital.  For once, I was going to get jealous looks in the halls from other girls, instead of glares of hatred or fear.

At exactly 11:58 I snuck out of my room.  Sneaking out wasn't at all difficult, the night nurses were back in the staff room sharing a bottle of some sort of hard liquor. After walking what seemed like forever, I reached Dylan.  "Hi." I managed to say.  I tried my hardest not to stutter, and not to freak out with excitement.

           "Hey," He nodded, and gestured to my wardrobe, "Nice pants."

           I was wearing my nearly new Guitar Hero pajama pants.  I had only worn them for the small chance that I would get caught. It looks pretty suspicious when you were caught outside your bedroom after dark wearing jeans, after all.  "Thanks...or was that sarcasm?"

           Dylan laughed softly, "Nah, I'm serious. I've played so much Guitar Hero; I guess I'm just a nerd like that." He looked down in embarrassment.

           "You don't seem like the nerd type to me."

           "Oh I am!" he exclaimed. "Countless nights I've been up playing, trying to conquer a single song."

           "Don't you get bored, hearing it over and over?"

           "Of course." Dylan said matter-of-factly. "It gets annoying after the first five times, that's when I zone out and don't really listen, just play."

           I wasn't sure what to say, so I grunted like I was interested. Silence proceeded for a few seconds, and it was just us, standing in the darkness.  "So...why are we here?"

I asked.

           "I had a feeling you would ask that." Dylan said. He set his eyes on mine, and I waited for his explanation.  "I think you seem like a really cool girl, Lucy. And...I want to get to know you better. I think we could be good friends." 

           I died a little inside. "Friends" wasn't the word that I wanted to hear. I wanted to be more than friends, so much more.  Friends had the possibility to transition into something more though, right?  I thought so, and that kept a small glimmer of hope alive.  "Thanks," I said. "You seem pretty cool, too."

           Dylan smiled, and suddenly grabbed my hand. I gasped slightly, and I hoped he didn't hear it, but the muffled laugh coming from him suggested otherwise.  "Come on," he pulled me along at a brisk pace. "I want to show you something!"

           We headed down the halls, and up the stairs into a place I didn't recognize.  "Where are we?"  I asked warily.

          "Shh!" Dylan whispered. "We are in the adult ward; security is a bit tighter up here."

           I went back to being silent, and drifted along quickly down the corridors.  At the end of the hall, there was a staircase, one that seemed to go on forever. We tiptoed up until we finally reached the top.  I looked around to see the Rocky Mountains in the distance, snow-capped and beautiful in the moonlight; headlights from passing cars whizzed by. "It's pretty." I stated.

           "Yeah, it is.  I thought this could be our hang out spot, of sorts." He said while he looked out at the view.

           "That would be nice." I agreed.

           Dylan turned to look at me again. "I think we'll be great friends, Lucy."

           I tried to hide the disappointment and slight heartbreak I felt at the words with a smile as I said, "Me too, Dylan."