The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

Chapter Two-Hallucinations

RILEY

SHE HAD NO IDEA that I knew about the adoption. When Mom saw me come down the stairs, she pressed two palms against my cheeks and pulled me in a hug. I'd managed to dress decent, but the mirror indulged my eyes with a lovely reflection—dark circles, tangled hair, ghost complexion. As I looked at Mom, I pictured in frightening detail a suited man standing over her, clicking a gun against her temple. 

I winced during the whole car ride as I could feel my skull ringing. It was infinitely stronger now that I sat in the SUV. When you're in real pain, it's hard to display nonchalance at all times and keep your body relaxed. Mom inevitably noticed. 

"Bunny, are you all right?" 

I forced my nails off the padding and curled them under my coat sleeves instead. Then, I smoothed my face. The action was as fake as the snotty voices of the Plastics in Mean Girls, but God it felt like pushing off a tsunami. 

"Perfectly fine," I muttered while wanting to jump out of the vehicle.

Half of me felt horrible for not appreciating the time spent with her when I'd wished so hard this moment would come before. Ever since she met Suzan, I'd been more of a background focus. I was happy for Mom and didn't try to interfere but it sucked... because we didn't talk often and I barely caught news of her.

Deep down, Dad had been right. I needed my mother, even just for a few hours, so I slapped on a happy face. During the ride to the mall, we spoke and she mainly filled the silence on her own. Most topics—including having had a boyfriend—were now off-limits. I'd much rather hear her chatter on about her adventures around the world.

She dragged me inside a bookstore, saying I could pick whatever my heart desired from the shelves. This was the ultimate privilege a parent could offer knowing that—if given the green light—I could clean those shelves and put my family in debt. But I'd bask in literary bliss for years in exchange.

Now, I strolled sluggishly through the tall racks, unable to focus on reading blurbs and deciding if the book was interesting or not. When I blinked, Adam and Ethan's face appeared imprinted on my lids and my chest hollowed. I trained a brave expression to reassure Mom.

"How about this one?" She showed me a book with a wolf howling at the moon. I tossed it over to reveal the summary, but I already knew what to expect.

"And this?"

I received one about an alien invasion and wicked experiments, and couldn't help but roll my eyes. They all seemed so... out of touch with reality. I used to like that because I read to escape it, but with everything going on, I'd rather not flip three hundred pages of fictional suffering when there was plenty of that in my current ordeal.

"No more werewolf boyfriends." I winced. "Or alien probing."

"Then what do you have in mind?" Mom replied, repositing both books. "I also thought maybe we could do something special for your birthday... My baby's turning eighteen, after all. Would you like a spa and restaurant day?" She smiled cheerfully, a trace of concern still peeking through.

I didn't want to celebrate because given the recent events, my heart couldn't handle more, but Mom had always been the party type. Not that I didn't enjoy celebrating, but she loved to put on a show and invest into theatrical stuff. I was more into subtlety.

I shrugged, staring at the array of shelves on either side of us. Not many people came here right after the holidays, and most visitors of the mall gleaned around the food court. 

At that moment, Mom's cellphone rang and I had to turn away to hide my pained scowl.

"Why don't you just wait outside while I decide?" I suggested through gritted teeth. "You can take the call by the benches."

She patted my shoulder. "Okay, you'll find me in front of the store. Try not to take an hour."

As a kid, I'd lose myself in bookshops and I'd linger all day if my parents let me. Clerks found that either super annoying or super cute. I wandered around the aisles, plucking volumes off and poking inside. Was it weird that even holding a physical book felt good? I read online, too, but it didn't compare to the real deal. Snapping a book shut, I veered a corner.

Adam stood by the shelf, wearing his soccer jersey, eerily silent and judging me with dim eyes. Crimson dribbled from a hole in his temple, staining his white shirt. His mouth hung open in a tortured wince, but he didn't move or speak. My hands numbed, and I dropped the book. It fell with a heavy thud as I yelped, frantically skidding backward.

I gasped and shook my head. "You're not real..."

My back bumped into a person and I whirled so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash. I jumped. My gaze trailed up from the floor to the face staring directly at me. He peered with intense hazel eyes and a youthful frown. The blood drained from my fingertips and I felt my knees weaken until I wobbled.

I screamed, falling to the hardwood floor. He called me out and leaned over, hands outstretched. He talked. I recoiled and jerked his hands off, screaming louder. They were surrounding me, unwilling to let me go. Why did I get to live when they didn't? Thousands of nerves jolted awake and my heartbeat spiked. I wanted to crawl away from him but that would bring me closer to Adam...

Boots thumped on the floor and stormed near, then Mom's shrill voice traveled to my ears. I was clutching my head between my knees when she gripped my wrists and parted them.

"Riley? Riley!? Look at me, honey, look. I'm here."

"She was panicking and I went to see if she was okay..." a masculine voice said as I opened my eyes.

I looked at Mom, inhaling, and blinked up at the man nervously standing there. Ethan's face was gone. It was someone else. I caught sight of his employee badge and ice drenched my veins. Mom kept holding me there, but I frisked over the bookshop and at the few clients I'd terrorized. They must think I was a lunatic ready to be shipped to an asylum...

"What happened?" Mom prompted to bring my attention back.

In the corner where Adam had been, there was nothing but a crate of books on sale. I slumped in exhaustion, cheeks blazing with extraordinary shame. Not only did she see me break down, but everybody present witnessed it. How was I going to explain this on the way back and to my Dad? As I began questioning my own sanity, my voice quavered. 

"Please just take me home..." 

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How do you like your coffee in the morning? I like mine with a splash of depression before I head off to college (jk, I hate coffee XD) Poor Riley, she's really feeling the bite, and perhaps maybe even a bit of survivor's guilt? Don't quote me on that, my goal is not to make it identical, it's just that from what I know, there are some common points here. So we've seen how Riley is affected... Who wants to see our next POV and what it's up to? 😏