The BLACKOUT

Aint gonna stay like that for long

Holly slid off of me and dropped onto the couch, keeping her gaze firmly locked on the dead man remains. Clearly trying to forge the best possible plan of action.

This man was easily as heavy as her and I combined, and would unquestionably pose as a challenge for us.

We had to move the body, it couldn't just lay there until morning, we had to deal with it now. And right now. The table was slowly but indefinitely taking on the blood.

We quickly devised a makeshift plan.

We knew it would take hours to dig a hole big enough for his enlarged body to fit in.
And with much consideration, we settled on dumping his body in the lake.
Leaving his ink-littered ass for the fishes.

Getting him out was by far the hardest part of the whole ordeal.

The lack of cooperation and our earlier fatigue made the job much harder.

We eventually managed to slump his body onto an old, faded blue, and severely holed tarp and began to drag his old crazed carcass back to the lake that lay less than 50 feet before the old log cabin.
We continued to drag him until we reached the water's edge, in which point, we flipped the tarp so his left side was facing the lake and then swiftly lifted the right side up to put shoulders simultaneously.

His lifeless body rolled into the lake and slowly sank to the bottom, as the water around him slowly began to coalesce with his blood.

I glanced down at the now seemingly red lake and then back up at Holly, she was attempting to hold back her tears but eventually lost hope and collapsed into me, while simultaneously using me as a ladder to reel herself back to a half-standing position.

After a while of standing out in the cold, I convinced her to go back in and get some rest, her typically piercing green-grey eyes seemed dull in comparison to their usual state.

We trudged back up to the cabin, just barely grasping onto consciousness.

As usual, I slipped onto my position on the cold leather couch while Holly undressed in the bedroom.

Less than 20 minutes later, Holly peered her head around the corner, dressed in an oversized Disneyland sweatshirt.

"Do you mind coming in here?"
Her tone almost entirely built up-on fear.
I didn't hesitate with my answer.
"Sure"

She retreated back into the darkness as I followed behind her, curious about what she wanted from me.

I stepped through the door frame and squinted my eyes, trying my best to make out anything that might get in my way.
Eventually, my eyes came to, and I could finally see.

Holly was lying in the bed, tucked in, with the duvet pulled high up to her chin.

"Please?, Ollie, I'm scared"

Her voice trembling as she mumbled out those 4 words, something about her wouldn't let me say no, well, It wouldn't let me say anything really.
I was completely and utterly speechless. My end result ended up with me nodding slightly and slipping to the opposite side of the bed and under the covers.

I reassured her that everything thing was going to be alright, despite having no faith in my own words.

After Holly finally began to fall into sleep she rolled over from her back to her side, wrapping her arm around my waist. In response, I awkwardly shifted my right arm so it lay under her neck as I continued to trace her side with my hand until it eventually settled on her waist.

—

I awoke to the burning sensation of sunlight piercing my eyes, and the missing feeling of Holly's touch. I groggily rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I achingly stepped out of the bedroom, only to find Holly gleefully adding wood to the already blazing fire, an almost fear-inducing grin etched across her face.

I instantly was freed of the feeling of crawling back into bed never getting up. Seeing her happy only made me happier.

She glanced at me through her neat brown hair that lay draped like a curtain over her face. She closed the fireplace door and happily took 3 steps forward before propping herself up on the tips of her feet and quickly kissing me, then gliding back over to her position at the roaring fireplace.

I felt as though the whole world lit up, despite the whole world being stuck in persistent darkness. I felt like I finally made someone happy, someone I care about. I felt like I finally had a purpose to serve. Like as if I had made her so happy, as if my compliance and protection the previous night made her feel safe.

I slowly stepped towards a nearby chair and fell limply backwards onto its lumpy, uncomfortable cushions and stared contently into Holly's eyes, my mind still lost deep in thoughts all now closely revolving Holly.

"Hello?....Babe?... Ollie?.....OLIVER!"

Her jerking tone, startled me back into reality. I had completely spaced-out in my own thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, I uhhh, zoned out a bit"
I rushed as my brain made its best attempt at being normal.

"I noticed"
She mumbled sarcastically
She then leaned over from her chair and kissed me before unexpectedly rising to her feet and walking away.

Just by looking at her I knew I loved her,it was for sure, but I also knew I couldn't go on in this broken world where every other day something or someone tried jeopardizing my life and Hollys.

As I stared down at my hands that lay ominously on my lap and as quietly as my voice box could physically handle, I mumbled:
"it ain't gonna stay like that for long"