Save Me Break Me || MYG

The Memories Fifty Three - Bedtime Stories

"I hope you're not too tired, but I want to know what happened at Shallow's Peak, and Keila..."

I decided to abandon the subject about us for now, letting Mia breathe from the distress I have been causing her from my unceasing verbal onslaught. I could go on forever in convincing her that we're perfect for each other. But there were more important things we needed to discuss. She made herself comfortable, her feet still sandwiched between my legs.

"Well, she's been after me all along. But in the beginning I can't understand her intentions. I thought she was innocently watching over Jungkook, or hoping she could get to him. But the moment we stepped inside Shallow's Peak, her eyes caught mine, as if expecting me."

I eyed her curiously, and she noticed.

"I know it's weird, and I'm still in the process of getting used to it. I don't know how they, the spirits, learn to communicate, most of them just jumps right at you at unexpected times, some use voices or cries, but no words. I guess it depends on their personalities? Or how they died? Really, it's confusing and hard to explain... Oh sorry, am I making any sense?"

I shook my head. I was lost.

She pressed on. "Okay, I'll try to explain later. It's confusing, I know. Anyway, going back to Keila. Well, her eyes spoke to me, asking for help and calling out a warning. Funny thing was I understood right away what she wanted, so I decided to stay and find out what happened to her, and what she meant to warn us about.

"When Crane captured us, all I could think about was getting away and finding your body because I thought you were dead, and I was so scared because it's all my fault, if only I had listened to you that we should go home, and you wouldn't be in danger-" she burst into tears, grabbing the ends of the blanket to wipe her eyes. She cleared her throat to continue.

"I found myself laid on a desk when I opened my eyes, Crane unbuckling his belt at my feet. I could barely move because of the dizziness, and I got so scared, but then I remembered you taught me to fend for myself. And when he was about to tie my hands with his belt, Keila appeared, 'Don't let him do this to you,' she said. Her words encouraged me, and the will to find you so badly gave me strength, and I did it! I kicked him in the groin, I hurt him pretty bad, and I escaped!"

She was bouncing with glee as she retold how she stood up for herself, and it made my heart swell with pride.

"Finding you was my priority, but Crane was right behind me, so I hid in the nearest room I could find, turns out it was Crane's office. Nats soon met him to report where he left you.

"They were arguing, Nats wanting to surrender to the police, but Crane won't stop until he finds me. I became his next target, another addition to his collection. He's obsessed, claiming girls are dolls that needed to be placed in their boxes. He's done this before, Keila wasn't his first victim. He's collecting them, just like dolls. If Jungkook stayed longer in Keila's house, he would've been dead as well. Crane can't find a way to frame him up, so he had no choice but to give up on the idea."

My blood boiled after hearing Crane's plans. "How do you know all of this?" I asked.

"He had a book filled with pictures of each victim, all dead and naked. Different girls from different cities he's been. They're all inside a wooden box, like Barbie dolls, extremities and neck tied with silk ribbons to keep them standing.

"After their talk they decided to split up. Before I could go, Keila again appeared, standing over Crane's drawers. I inspected and found all her things, from school books to her notes, he kept them. Maybe he did love her, because I also found a diary about Keila, and a box full of gifts he wanted to give to her.

"But then I asked her what happened that night she went missing. She came closer, and as her lips touched my eyes, everything about her when she was alive and until her death flashed before me, as if I was watching a movie about her life in fast forward. I'll skip to the part where she was killed.

"After Jungkook left, she entered her house, but before she could close the door, Crane attacked her, lashing out, saying that she betrayed him. He stabbed her in the shoulder before she could get away. When she fell unconscious, he took her back to the school. When she woke up, Crane was already on top of her, he didn't even bother to treat her wound. She wanted to fight, but she was in terrible shape, she was woozy because of the blood loss. She cried, but no one helped..."

At that point, I wanted Mia stop. Not for my sake, but for her, because these were sensitive things to talk about, especially after what the devil Theo did to her... What I almost did to her.

Should I be thankful because Mia survived at a price that she is tainted with this curse for the rest of her life?

I don't know.

"It's okay if you don't want to continue. I kno-" she interrupted me, hushing me with her index finger over my mouth.

"That spot where I found you, that's where Crane stabbed her multiple times. After he did it to her, she didn't want to move, but she was afraid to die, not willing to surrender to her attacker. So when he left her alone thinking she was too weak to escape, she rolled herself off the table amd crawled towards the door. She stumbled until she reached the staircase, thinking she could get out. But Crane caught her again, grabbing her by the hair. And there he said he will never let her go, that they will see each other in hell soon... And he mutilated her to death..."

The deafening silence took over the previously echoing bedtime stories. Her mind racing, her heart erratically begging for peace. We sat there, facing each other, not knowing what to say.

"Will you ever forgive me, Mia?" I think she knew what I was talking about.

She slowly pulled herself away and fixed the blanket to cover me properly before moving closer. The way she walked reminded me of that graceful elven queen with her surroundings glowing, her smile comforting and healing.

"I already have," her beautiful hands caressing my face before leaving a soft kiss on my forehead. "Maybe you can't forgive yourself."

"How do I fix it?" I leaned to her touch, wanting more. My lips on her palm, I fought the urge to bite her, to suck her fingers and taste the sweetness. Damn...

"In time. I'll help you, don't worry."