A shiver runs down my spine caused by the unmistakable feeling of someone breathing close to my ear. I dart up, only missing Mitch -who was hovering over me- by a few strands of hair. He takes a quick step back as if scared but he still wears the same smile he always does, the smile only a psycho would wear.
"Ever heard of personal space?" I snap, peeling the covers off my body and trying not to wake Dane.
"You just slept with someone you met only a few days ago and you're talking to me about personal space!" He laughs loudly, causing Dane to wake up with a jolt and a yelp.
"You okay?" I whisper.
"No." He whimpers, I tun to see him with tears brimming in his eyes, staring down at his legs.
"Morning, Dane. I was here to ask you: what's your preferred method of execution?" He laughs manically. Dane doesn't reply, instead he bites his lips to stop it from trembling.
"You're not very talkative this morning, Dane." Mitch says, pulling a mock sad face. He turns and marches towards the door like a trained soldier "Today's the day, Lisa!" He adds before continuing out the door. I was hoping that he'd forgotten or maybe this was all a horrible nightmare, I'm not that lucky. However, I keep it together and Dane shoots me a concerned look which I return to him.
"You okay?" We both say at the same time.
"I can't move my legs." He sighs, looking at the ceiling.
I frantically rush over to him "What do you mean?" I shout, concerned.
"I'm not sure, I can't move them without a hell of a lot of pain." He lets himself go and let's out a choked cry.
I kneel next to him and cover my mouth as the one thing I didn't want to be true becomes a fact: he's not getting better within a week.
"No." I state in between shaky breathes.
"I don't want to die." He stutters.
"You'll get better." I lie as I frantically examine him until I realise that my entire body is shaking. Dane reaches a hand out to hold mine but I slap it away and place my hand underneath his knee. I slowly raise my hand so that the knee is forced to flex but when my hand is only a few millimetres from the floor he lets out a scream. "STOP!" He half yells half begs.
I run my fingers through my hair, hyperventilating. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I cry repeatedly until it becomes an inaudible squeak.
"Let's go to Disney world, make these last days my best, hmm?" Dane tries to laugh but sobs towards the end.
With that, all hope is gone and I realise that soon enough I'm going to be alone in this. Sure, I have my friends but they hate me.
"I'm gonna miss you..." I whisper.
"I'm gonna miss you too, Lis." He says, smiling through tears.
"Today's going to be shit." I weep.
"You'll make it through." He says but there's uncertainty in his voice. I don't think I'll be able to live with myself knowing that I've ended someone's life. I now know why Dane always has that sad look in his eye and for a moment I feel as if him dying would be the best thing for him. But, I, being selfish, don't want him to leave me alone. Not just him, but Sienna and Phoebe too.
"I should go get them." I say simply, he knows who I mean.
I return with them, the last minutes forgotten since my mind was elsewhere. I don't even remember walking there. I open the door and they both timidly enter making Dane beam happily.
"Hey, my two amigos." He says, smiling.
I sit in the corner opposite Dane to allow the three to talk without my interference.
"What's going on?" Sienna whispers.
"Ah... That." Dane stammers, suddenly serious. He literally has to tell them that they'll all be dead in a week. "I'm not getting better." He chokes "And that means that I'm of no use to Mitch so he's... Ridding of me and you guys too." He seems relatively calm until he said that Phoebe and Sienna would die too. He values their life over his and I realise that we're not so different. Phoebe froze, mouth gaped open and terror in her eyes as she protectively wrapped her hands around her girlfriend. Sienna seemed to collapse into the embrace and they both crumpled to the floor.
"No!" Sienna cried.
"I'm so sorry." Dane sobbed.
I couldn't bear it so I looked at the ceiling, blinking back tears. I felt like crying in front of them would be disrespectful, I haven't known them that long and I'm not losing my life soon, I don't know how they feel, my pain isn't nearly as close as theirs.
YOU ARE READING
The Prey
ActionI can remember when i was little that i was jealous of other kids because they had a normal life. I wanted it so badly that i forced my family away so i could be fostered into an average home. But now my past is hunting me down.
