Chasing a Broken Butterfly

Chapter 30: Metamorphosis

There are voices all around me. Why can't I see anyone?

My eyes feel glued shut, my body seemingly paralyzed.

My eyes open for a second before shutting back down on me.

Is that Kylie? Where is Nathan?

I try to move but there's a wave of pain that comes over me. I can't remember what happened. The last thing I remember is this wooden plank...

Wooden plank...?

It all comes rushing back to me. Kylie threatening me, Nathan unconscious somewhere, the man in the tool shed. I don't understand any of it.

The angry whispers are still in motion. My eyes flutter open and realize that I'm still in the tool shed, but the light is on. I recognize Kylie at the door frame, too engulfed in the conversation she's having with a man I've never seen. With striking blue eyes, contrasting chocolate colored hair, and a sharp jawline, he's more than handsome. However, the fact that he was the one who struck me with a wooden plank makes me see the contorted glamor that he really is. Kylie, though, seems like another story. The amount of repugnance I saw in her eyes when she was looking at me as she tried to hold me down only strips her of any purity she might have held. She's not even a fallen angel anymore. She's got the heart of a monster. I immediately shut my eyes and pretend that I'm still inattentive when I see them turn towards me.

"We agreed that we would only terrorize her, Kylie. We never agreed that we were going to harm her." the man says.

"You don't understand. She made a fool of me. Do you know how shameful it is to admit that your boyfriend broke up with you for a lame nobody? Then she just goes and fucking stabs me!"

"Who gives a shit!" the guy spits at her, his face is twisted between a mix of anger and pain.

"If you're gonna be such a coward about this, then leave," Kylie seethes.

I hear some movement and a groan before a questioning voice interrupts the ongoing feud. It sounds like Nathan. The bickering between Kylie and the man stops.

"Kylie? What the hell?" It definitely is Nathan. My eyes open wide, my desire to see him and make sure he's okay is overwhelming.

There's a rush of wind as Kylie moves past me to reach him. I am laying on the work table facing the door, opposite where he is. I look back at the man who stayed at the doorframe. He's looking straight at me. Afraid to move my eyes, I hold his gaze until he looks away. His jaws clench and I see his fist contracting with tension. He said that they never agreed to harm me. What does he mean?

"What the hell are you doing Kylie? Why the hell is she tied to a freaking table?" Nathan's voice is booming through the room.

At least now I know that I'm tied down. I hear Kylie talking to him, but I don't catch what she says. From the tone of her voice I think she's trying to calm him down. She almost sounds sweet on him.

She really is insane...

There's a crash shortly after. I lift my head and turn it to try to catch a glimpse of what just happened, but I can only strain my head so much.

"You're insane! You've gone off the deep end, Kylie! Let me go!" he barks. I hear more crashing. More like clanging. I see the thick coarse rope binding my feet and arms to the table and try to strain against them in hopes that they'll loosen. Instead, sharp pain shoots through my whole body and I whimper. The ropes seem to cut deeper into my skin with any little movement.

"Elle? Elle, are you okay?" I can hear the worry in Nathan's voice.

Kylie appears at my right hand side, "Why do you care about her so much, Nathan? What is it that she has that I don't have?" Her voice is deadly and her eyes look like they're ready to strike. "Is it her studious personality? It can't be, because we both know that that bores you. Is it her face? She's not a model, Nathan. Those eyes?" A razor blade appears above my face and my pulse quickens as my heart beat rises.