Between Stripes

F O U R T Y O N E

Looking into the mirror I saw a shadow of a person who I didn't recognise. She had dark, curly hair which was a mess. Her eyes were chaotic. Ancient makeup was smeared in every direction; half there, the rest was long gone. Forget having bags under your eyes, hers were suitcases. Strands of hair hung free in front of her eyes which were a little sunken. They were glassy too, unfocused. The eyes of someone far away in another land. At some point her eyes could've been described as sapphires. Bright, dazzling and alive. But the ones in the mirror were dark. Far from what they used to be.

Looking down, I saw a mess. In the sink there was broken glass and puddles of colour. My arms and hands were shaking. No bruises. No cuts. Not a single mark on me - other than the slithers of white. I wanted nothing more than to not see them. To cover them up.

Instinctively I tried to tug at my sleeves which ended mid-forearm at best. A useless movement, but it was an instinct. To hide from the snaking monsters that patterned my arms.

"I hate you." The words came out as a whisper, but they were mine. And they were true. They were messed up but they were the furthest from a lie possible.

"Why darling? I'm lovely." A foreign voice replied. I felt the words leave my lips but that wasn't my voice. It sounded like my voice though. "I am you. The real you. The one you try oh so hard to hide. You know I'm here though."

"No. You're not me. You're the bad guy. The one who-"

"The one who put the thought of killing Mommy and Daddy into your mind." It sneered."It didn't take much really, you were so keen to do it. I simply had to whisper in your ear."

"Shut up. I hated them, you couldn't understand it."

"I did though, how would I exist otherwise?"

"I-"

"It's so good to be back Georgia, I really missed you. What's it been? Three years? Four?"

"I-urm...I think it's been a little over four..." I mumbled. Time was an abstract race and I was in last place, not bothering to keep up at all. My best guess what that I was 19. When did that happen?

"Ickle Georgia is growing up I see."The voice snickered, if it was possible. It seemed so real, it seemed like whoever was in the mirror had taken a turn for the worse. Her face tilted downwards as she smiled- no smirked at me as she taunted. Her eyes had darkened while sparks were the only light in them. Was I imagining this? I couldn't be.

"Who knows kid? You're ca-ca-crazy!" She began to laugh.

"Leave me alone! I've been fine withou-" I began but several knocks at the door interrupted me. My eyes flitted to it and then back to the mirror. She was gone. Only a simple reflection remained.

"Baby, you alright?" Jerome purred from behind the door. His voice sent a warming shudder through my body. A smile blossomed on my face as I unlocked the dark door and flung it open. It didn't reveal the cheeto-haired boy I'd once loved so strongly. No. It revealed someone new. Someone who had stitches connecting the skin on his face to his head. Someone with bright red lips which were always shining with spit. Someone with dark eyes that didn't seem the same as before. Someone new indeed.

"Yeah I'm fine, just had a... just had a little whoozy moment, ya know?" I answered, stepping into the hall. As he flung an arm round my neck, the warming shudder travelled through me again.

"You was in there two hours baby."

That information hit me like a socker-punch to the stomach. It left me gasping for air. Hunched over in the hall. With Jerome kneeling down next to me, trying to lock eyes with me.

"Baby?"

It was a strange sensation. Everything hurt. What caused it? I didn't have a clue.

Something was peering over my shoulder, whispering the worst things and taunting me for my weakness. Her laughter was the worst thing I'd ever heard.

"Help me J, I'm going crazy. And it hurts...so bad." I whispered, my eyes leaving the floor and meeting his. Some part of me inside expected him to grin and welcome me. The other wanted him to just hold me tight and whisper sweet nothings.

My knees had been trembling and finally they gave away. I folded downwards, resulting in kneeling next to him. It was too hard to meet his gaze so as my eyes flooded, and as my vision got blurrier, I stared at the floor.

Just as the tears began to flow a large, rough hand cupped my cheek. His thumb swiped each one away.

"You're hurting?" He asked gently as my eyes met his. I slowly nodded as I attempted to swallow the hard lump which had grown in my throat.

There were so many things going on inside me. The fear of Jerome being a complete stranger was part of it. After all I didn't know him again. He could have changed after being brought back. He could be on the crazy spectrum, on a level far worse than me, an unforgiving and ruthless level.

Then there was the pain with whoever she was. Her appearing had torn a hole into me, taking me back to a horrific time. To a time which I'd thought only drugs could truly block out - but clearly not.

"Baby it's okay, I'm here." He whispered as he snakes his arms round me, holding me tight against him. My arms found their way around his neck, my palms resting on his shoulders. I buried my face into the crook of his neck. "It's gonna get better. Whoever's hurting you will go away. It'll be okay Georgy, I'll help you."

The words eased the pain which was like a gaping wound in the middle of my chest. They worked healing magic and so did his arms around me.

It was going to be okay.

A.N.
Ho ho ho, I'm a few days late but here it is. Another chapter, nothing too long or too exciting but it's leading up to something... I shan't tell you guys no more cause ITS A BIG OL' SECRET HEHEH! Anyway, hope ya'll had a happy holidays and have a great new year!!
Next time my reindeer!