Hidden In Plain Sight

The Problems Continue

" the problems that you help your friends with are now your problems as well" 

I woke up and walked over to Natalie's room to see if she was there, but for the third day in a row she is still missing. I sent a text to Helena and Ryan but they haven seen her either. I checked with the teachers and Mrs. Zoey, she hasn't heard a word from her at all. I started to worry for her, I checked all of the places that she would have gone to get some space for herself. But she wasn't there at all.

"NATAlIE! NAT!" I yelled as I ran down the back hallway. No word ,I checked the corners where it was the darkest. Nobody was there. I looked at my phone and it was text from Natalie, I rushed back to the dorm.to see her bag on the couch. I look down the hall to see that the back door is open.I poke my head and see that nobody is there. I sit on the bench and think back about the last time I talked to Natalie. "oh.Shit." I lean over the edge of our five story balcony to see Natalie laying on the stone path below getting put on a stretcher . I run down the stairs to the hospital wing.

I sit down on a bench near the door and start texting Helena. I don't want to bother Ryan cause I haven't seen him in a while, and have enough problems already. " James, what is it ?" Helena asked. " Natalie... She jumped." I said clenching my fists. She sat down and said nothing. For the next 30 minutes I watched students pass by and when they saw me looking at them they would start to run.

"James, oh thank goodness you're here." Mrs.Zoey said "Natalie, Is she okay?" I say standing up. " they will not let me in I'm not a qualified doctor." she shook her head. I throw open the door and look for Natalie's room.

" hi, I'm looking for Natalie, what room is she in?" I asked a doctor

" she's in room 1417" she said. I rush right by her to find Natalie's room.

I see Helena following me, " James, hold up." I stop "what." I said not turning to look at her, " Natalie, we have to be quiet when we are in the room." she said, I continue to walk until I see her room. The door is shut, I grab the handle and Close my eyes. I feel someone touching my hand. "James, It's okay, you can come in when you are ready." Helena said " I know. I'm just scared that she's going to be dead." I let go of the handle and stepped back.

Helena opened the door, and stepped in.

After a few minutes I finally stepped in, I saw Natalie's eyes closed. I check the clipboard, " she's in coma?!" I say I turned out of the room and rushed back to our dorm room. I opened the door and walked to Natalie's room. Before I took one step into her room I looked around looking at her posters and if there was anything that would have triggered her to jump.

In her dark room the only thing that was keeping the room lit was her laptop. I slowly walk over and sit down on the chair in front of the laptop

I didn't look at anything, I just sat there and stared at the glowing light of the computer, I get up after a few minutes and continued to wander around her room.I drag my hand across the bed as I walk beside it. "God, the one minute I let my guard down she tries to kill herself.

I lay on the bed and stare at the roof. My mind is spinning, that's when it hit me. Her journal I pull open the drawer and I see her journal. I wonder where she would hide a note? Her favorite number is 27. I flip to page 27 and it read

For James and James only,

If for any reason that I die or end up in coma please gain revenge on the people on this list below.

Janet wood

Ben collingwood

Emerson davidson

Johnny king

And the list goes on, I stood up and walked out of the room down the hallway listing to the squeaks of the floorboards and through the sliding door and walked to the edge of the balcony. I stared out at the forest,

" Natalie I promise to you that I will get revenge on everyone you wish."

I go to my room and pull out the box from under my bed. I feel someone touch my shoulder I turn and nobody was there, that's when I remembered that my father gave me the gift before they left me there. I open the box and I pick up what was in the box. " Finally I get to use you." I run my finger down the sharp end of the knife. " Natalie, I love you, stay with us" I close the box and push it back under the bed.

Before I go and visit Natalie I walk into her room and grab the stuffed animal bear that has her name sewn into the dress. I shove it into my bag and head to the hospital wing.

"Helena you in there?" I poke my head in the room to see the chair empty.

I sit in the chair. It isn't the best cahir to have but it's better than no chair. The room is quiet all I can hear is the sound of Natalies heartbeat on the monitor thing.

I sat there for A few more minutes listening to the monitor tapping my finger to the beat. But then the pace started to speed up, it got faster and faster. I rushed over to a crowd of doctors,

" Help! Natalie needs he-" beforeI could finish my sentence they ran by me to her room. I ran over to the room. I couldn't see Natalie, they closed the door.

I walked out of the wing and treaded up the stairs to our dorm room. As I walk down the hall I count the numbers. 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258 I go to put my key in the door, but the door opened a little. Did I forget to close the door. I locked the door, I remember doing it, I pulled the knife out of my sleeve and opened the door. Slowly I walk down the hall to the living room. I see Ryan standing in the hall staring at the sliding door.

"Ryan what are you doing, How did you get in here?!" I said, I felt the knife cut my skin, the cut started to sting, then it started to bleed, It started dripping off my hand and onto the floor. " James you okay?your bleeding," he said not even turning around. "I'm fine, nothing to worry about. Why are you here?" I stared at the back of his neck, he started to stiffen up, he knew I was staring at him. "I took the key from Natalie's room, but I need to tell you something."

I sit down on the couch and Ryan stands on the other side of the room.

" I know your going to be mad, but I have to tell you before I can't handle the guilt anymore." he takes a deep breath, " I took Natalie back to her dorm and then she shows me something about hurting herself then she deleted it off the computer, she brought me to the balcony and she asked about Blun, I didn't respond, she kept asking and asking until I pushed her off the edge, in a panic I ran out to dorm and back to the dark hallways and tried to forget about it." he stared at me. " i'm sorry" he said

I stood up and pulled out the knife from my sleeve, "I'm not mad. . . I'm pissed and now I'm going to kill you." I walked over to him with the knife by my side so he couldn't see it. I stood 3 inches in front of him, I leaned over and whispered " see you on the flip side." I stabbed him in his gut, I stepped back And Ryan dropped to his knees and held the cut with his hand. He coughed and coughed until he coughed up blood onto the carpet, I walked to the bathroom to clean the knife I heard him breathing heavily until it stopped.

I looked at the list and Ryan's name was there so I crossed it out with the blood left on the knife, " one down, twenty to go" I shoved the list in my pocket and slid the knife back in my sleeve. I walked out of the bathroom. I looked at Ryan just laying on the carpet, I pulled out my phone and texted one of my friends. Within minutes I heard a knock on the door. I grab the handle and open the door " hey what's up?" She said "Tarashori thank god you are here, I did something bad." I said " good, how can I help?" she smiled.