Chasing Daylight

Skai, December 31, 2014

“Sometimes death is better than life. Easier. Preferable even.  Especially when your nightmares have finally become your only reality.” ––Skailar Ventierros

  The pain was unbearable before. I’m not even talking about what Cassidy was doing to me. The pain afterwards. The pain of the injuries trying to heal. I was numb after a while of what Cassidy did to me. But to have the pain brought back is so much worse.

  Of course Felix made the smallest mistake of allowing me to come with him and Draven to the store, but he made sure Brett and Tyler tagged along for extra safety. I went down the third aisle for a split second. That’s it when next thing I knew I was in the arms of the one person I knew for sure had died a long time ago.

  Dylan’s face was right by mine. Exactly the same, minus the creepy black eyes and advanced beauty which I believed to be impossible, knowing Dylan’s human features. I wanted to scream, but he had his hand over my mouth, muffling any sound that came out of my mouth. But that he was here will never be what got me the second I saw him:

  “Shh,” he mouths, but not a sound comes out his mouth. I know what I’m seeing. I want it to disappear. I don’t want to believe it. But how can I deny what is right here in front of me?

  “Trust me,” he mouths again, also with no sound. He doesn’t give me time to react before he has blurred us both down the aisles, out the back emergency exit door. He doesn’t stop until he is in the next building tide to the Walmart.

  He stares into my eyes and I stare right back, unable to find words. “I want you to trust me.” he whispers. I don’t know how to take in his words. Trust him? My daughter’s dead father?

  He is not even human and that is the scariest part. Not that he is alive. That he is ‘alive’ in the worst possible way. His eyes. Felix has told me about this. He is a killer. He’s feeding on innocent humans.

  Against my will, I slowly nod my head, never taking my eyes off of him. He slowly, very carefully takes his hand away.

  My breathing is a complete tremble, my racked body is shivering, mostly from the cold. He sighs. “I honestly thought you were going to run or scream.” He says, mostly to himself, I presume. I don’t say anything yet.

  “I need to help you. I don’t need any questions from you or any resistance. You’re coming with me, period. It’s for your own good, and it’s better for you, alright?”

  I wish this never happened. Maybe this is just a sign that my relationship with Felix is a mistake. Maybe we were never meant to be together.

  Maybe I am better off with another human, but will I be happy? I might just live a little longer, but will I be happy with those years that I live?

  I know that, no matter how much time I will have with Felix, I will be happy. With anyone else…I don’t know so much.

  What if Dylan being here is fate for another chance with him? I don’t want that though.

  After everything…

  “Check on her, then.” I don’t know whose voice that is but it’s quiet, and that’s when I realize that I’m in my bed.

  In my living room. My back is burning, and I remember when Cassidy had cut me there so many times, and my hands are thickly bandaged. I remember that, too.

  “Her eyes are open.” I hear someone whisper and then a chorus of shuffling footsteps and in come the three main people in my life. Jared walks in first, and my eyes meet his happily, a tear trickling down my cheek.