The Land in the Sky

7

A/N: I don't own the rights to the picture above!

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Far past midnight, Eric and I shuffled out the door of the diner, locking up the doors on our way out. Booming music, still blasted through the town, as groups of girls and boys in creepy masks and eloquent costumes glided through the streets. Their laughter barely noticeable with the blaring music and chatter.

Gazed swept over us as we made our way through the party, neither one of us wearing a Halloween attire. I pulled my dark blue hoodie closer to me, trying to keep their curious gazes and the cool chill from penetrating me.

"Tonight out of all nights, I had to leave the house," I muttered to myself.

Eric eyed me before gazing forward to our destination, "I'm glad you did."

My heart swelled with happiness, but I refused to let it consume me. Neither one of us talking again, as the dark grey roof of my home came into view. I searched in my pocket for my keys, as we stepped along the path to the front door.

All the lights were kept on when I scurried to the diner, not having time to turn them off or even think about the importance of wasting electricity. Eric's bright blue eyes scoured each room, noticing the missing family photos and my scattered books in the living room.

"Nice place," he appraised, his gaze finally meeting mine.

Retreating into the kitchen, I pulled out the black leather book from my backpack, feeling the strange fear every time I laid eyes on it. Grazing my fingertips along the front, mimicking the carved title in hopes it would make sense to me.

"I didn't know you used to be brunette," Eric's voice brought me back to reality, his figure no longer by the front door, but in the living room. His hands grasping the one picture I had hid underneath the coffee table.

Ripping the frame out of his grip, I held it tight to my chest, my eyes wide and terrified, "Please don't tell anyone."

Blonde bushy eyebrows furrowed in response, "Okay? . . ."

I reached out and lightly grabbed his hand in mine, "Sit down. I'll be right back."

Thankfully he listened, and plopped on my couch. Retreating into the kitchen, I popped open a cupboard, placing the photo inside, but not I allowed myself to glance over it.

There we were; My mother and I in a sweet embrace. The photo was taken before she was institutionalized. The one photo I couldn't get rid of. Now the only one I had left of her.

I quickly grabbed the mysterious journal, heading where Eric was still sitting as I asked. Scooting onto the other end of the grey couch, I sighed, "Sorry about that."

He shrugged his broad shoulders, the white T-shirt tugging against his biceps, "It's okay. You're a private person. I should've known better than to dig around for clues."

We both chuckled, breaking the slight tension that was filling the air, "You know me. I like to keep it simple."

"So what happened tonight that made you go out on Halloween?" He asked.

The one question I was dreading to answer. How to explain to him? How do I tell him something without leaving out what happened to me five years ago?

What if he doesn't believe me? What if he tells someone else? All the what-ifs that filled my thoughts, brought me back to that night with my mother, when everything changed and I fled Washington.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, before I opened them back up in the direction of my friend. The only friend I allowed myself to grow close to. It's been five years of secrets and loneliness. Five years of lying to myself of that night.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"What I'm about to tell you," I finally spoke, my voice full of desperation, almost demanding his attention solely on what I'm saying, "never leaves this home. You are not allowed to leave until you hear the whole story. Even after you hear what I say, I want you to respect my privacy and not wanting anyone to know. Can you trust me?"

I watched his eyes search my face for any form of laughter, like I was joking. But I wasn't. As soon as he noticed the seriousness of my features, did he gulp once and nod, "Yes, Rae. I trust you. Can you trust me?"

That question hit me hard. Could I trust him? I thought back to our friendship, before I also agreed, "Of course I do. You've been my only friend since I moved here."

A ghost of a smile formed along his lips, causing my heart to sputter, "So what did you need to tell me?"

Suddenly, an idea came to me. Instead of telling him, I would show him. Hand in hand, I picked Eric off my couch, his frame trailing behind me as I led him to my bedroom.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" He asked in a teasing tone.

Rolling my eyes, I cast a glance in his direction before winking, "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

A look I had never seen before swept across his feature before I turned away in panic. Ignoring my question he followed me to the back of my closet. There I unlatched the hidden compartment, as all the files and papers spewed out.

"Woah!" He gasped in awe, "I can't believe you have one of these!"

I chuckled lightly, enjoying the small jokes in the midst of all the problems I was facing, "That's not what I'm trying to show you. This is what you need to see."

Gesturing towards the newspaper articles held on a pin board with thumb tacks. Each title causing dread to fill me, as I read them with Eric.

"Seattle Springs Missing Person still Unsolved."

"Daughter of Seattle Springs Patient Disappeared; Possible Murderer?"

"Is She a Victim or the Criminal?"

"What is all this?" Eric asked, as he continued to skim the articles.

Taking a deep breath, I looked him dead in the eye and explained what happened to my mother all those years ago.