Blank Slate

Chapter 12: Buried Secrets

Chapter 12: Buried secrets

Katelyn Bishop

The stars became bullet points through her cold and dark fire escape. Katelyn overlooked the bustling city beneath her with a hard dagger wedged in her heart. To stop the nightmares, she counted cars rolling past her. The cars lurched forward in a mesmerizing pattern of headlights and taillights. Time eluded her as her heavy ocean eyes looked upward in search of a tide that wouldn't pull her under. Bags of concrete seemed to be tied to her eyes, as she looked upward hoping for an ounce of sleep for the day ahead.

It wasn't that she couldn't fall asleep. She could, but she knew what she'd see if she did.

That night played over and over in her head. It filled every bone of her with lead.

Her fixated eyes pulsed for a moment as her phone rang in her pocket, she picked it up but delayed pressing the accept call button.

Hoarsely she grumbled, "Who is it?"

An anxious voice echoed over the phone, "Hey, Kate, I did what you asked...but...do you think we can... um...talk?"

Katelyn bit her lip nervously, "Flint?"

"Yeah...I'm so sorry about calling you so late. I honestly didn't think you'd pick up," he said wearily.

Curiosity picked at her, "Why are you calling then?"

Flint hesitated for a moment but slowly coiled out a soft answer, "I couldn't sleep."

Katelyn's eyebrow quirked, "You know this isn't Sleepless in Seattle, right?"

Flint chuckled but there was something very labored about his call, "You know what, I shouldn't of called. I'm sorry, Kate."

Katelyn felt him close to hanging up, but she just couldn't seem to let him off the line.

She interrupted him by saying, "I can't sleep either. All my dreams end in nightmares."

Katelyn could hear Flint putting the phone closer to his ear.

"Tell me about it," he pleaded.

Katelyn winced, "I...just can't. You'll just think I'm a monster."

Flint surprisingly replied with an agreeing tone of resignation, "You're right."

Just as Katelyn was going to say something else, she heard the dial tone on the other side.

He hung up on her.

Katelyn's heart broke into a million pieces...and she felt every shard in her skin at the moment. It pierced her unexpectedly, warping what was a full heart, into small enough pieces that a broom is needed to sweep away the remains. She knew exactly why it hurt, but admitting this would be to sweep up all the shards of herself and admit she was broken.

And...it was all because she was right.

He would think she was a monster if she told him what happened that night.

She didn't know why she thought he'd understand.

There was just something about him.

It was that first kiss when she didn't know better. It was looking at him when they both found out about each other.

She felt that every moment with him was like a sunset on fire. Every shadow that lurked in her head were thoughts of him. Every memory of him was etched in her head with permanence. Every little detail pulled her back into his sea foam eyes. She was just powerless to break free of him. She wanted to say it was the money or his amazing body...but what really had her was those eyes.