Loser II || WlW

Twenty

     I back into the corner while I wait for my eyes to adjust to the darkness that has overtaken the barn. My breathing comes in fast and shaky. Once the outlines of objects start to reform, I make my way toward the door, sliding my hand against the wall to steady myself. My vision comes in waves. The ground is no longer solid under my feet and I stumble over boxes of ice skates and Christmas decorations.

"Is someone out there?" I call, hoping it was just the wind that slammed the door shut behind me.

But as I give the door a push, it doesn't budge. I throw my shoulder into it and even try kicking it open, but still, nothing.

I take a long shaky inhale and squint through the darkness for another way out. "Jeremy, if you're trying to pull another prank on me then... You win, okay? You win. I'm scared. Very funny."

Something shuffles on the landing above me.

My eyes snap to the ladder, but no one is coming down.

"I'm warning you. Whoever's in here. You should... You should leave." The threats aren't coming naturally. They're broken up by shaky breathes nearing sobs.

A loud thump echoes from the top of the ladder.

I swallow. "Zach? Is that..." I shake my head. It can't be. I wait another moment, staring up at the ladder, glancing back at the door, trying to find another way out but there's nothing except a stream of light filtering from the second floor. If there's light, there must be a way out. But then I have to go through whatever is shuffling around up there.

Which could be Zachary or it could be a raccoon. I shake my head and start toward the ladder. This is ridiculous. Whatever's up there is as harmless as the shadow that jumped out and attacked me in the garage. It's all in my head. The wind must have slammed the door closed and now it's stuck against something.

I take a deep breath, hoping to pull some courage into my body as I wrap my hand around the first rung on the ladder and start climbing to the second floor.

My heart is pounding against my ribcage as I pull myself to the second floor and stand, scanning the landing for any signs of an intruder.

Nothing.

Just a bunch of cardboard boxes and some sheets thrown over large Christmas decorations.

A sigh escapes my lips and I want to slap myself for letting my head get to me again when it was a weird combination of the wind and an animal.

But I can't pull my eyes from a specific decoration. There's a sheet pulled over it but even without looking underneath the sheet, the object is too tall and shaped too much like a human.

"It's just the dark playing tricks on me," I tell myself and start toward the opposite side of the landing where the light is shining in from a window. A glance down reveals a long drop but there's a rusted ladder attached to the outside wall. I'm holding the edge of the window, peering down to see if the ladder will hold when a board creaks behind me.

I spin on my heel.

The decoration... The figure is behind me, seemingly watching me.

I reach out with trembling fingers, and grab the sheet, pausing a moment before I rip it away but it's just a large plastic Christmas Elf without a hat. That explains the odd human-like shape of the decoration but... How did it get behind me again? No, there must be two.

I swallow and glance at the ladder when the sound of creaking floorboards cracks to my side. My eyes snap to the figure who's charging me, wielding a knife above his head.

My heart stops, any reaction that I had prepared is frozen as I open my mouth to scream but instead say, "Zach?"

He doesn't stop, just continues sprinting at me, a maniac smile playing at his lips as he lunges at me.

We hit the ground with a thud and I'm back in the river on that cold night. The dark water rushing over my face as he wraps his hands around my shoulders and holds me under.

"Zachary, stop!" I shout and push him back. He stumbles back on the landing of the barn for a moment but jumps on me before I can get to my feet.

He's bleeding from the spot on his head where I slammed the rock into his skull. No. He can't be. That was months ago.

"Zach, I don't want to hurt you. Please," I beg.

But instead, he pats the ground and comes back clenching the knife he dropped.

I swallow, block his swing with my forearm, withhold the pained yelp that pushes on my throat as blood drips down my arm.

"I'm warning you, Zach. Get the fuck off me."

I push on his face with my free hand, grip his wrist with the other.

Despite my warning, he pushes the blade closer to my chest, ready to drive it into my chest when I kick him in the gut.

He lets out a strangled gasp.

I take advantage of the moment and kick him one more time, sending him hurtling over the edge of the landing.

A crack rips through the barn as he crashes to the ground.

I cringe, sit up, and hold my head in my hands as tears stream down my face. "Fuck," I cry. "I warned you, Zach."

Bile rises in my throat as I push to my feet and look over the edge of the landing.

I clamp a hand over my mouth, gag. I'm going to puke.

Everything comes in slow motion. I don't know what's going on; can't trust my mind.

I grip my hair between my knuckles and collapse to the floor again.

"I was looking for Brittany. I came into the barn to check if she was here." I pause, suppressing another gag. I've gone through this exercise a million times with Dr. Miller. "The door slammed closed behind me. So, I went to check the window." I glance at the door which has swung open in the wind.

No. No, I threw my entire body into that door and it wouldn't budge.

There's no way.

"I went to check the second floor. That sheeted decoration followed me." I lick my lips, shake my head. I sound crazy. "And Zachary jumped out from the shadows and attacked me."

I glance down at the body on the ground one more time.

But it's not Zachary.

***

Okay, guys. 

Who did Jordan push? Any guesses? 

Also, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be posting the second upload for Loser II on Thursday because I would like to celebrate our little Friendsgiving (with the people I'm already living with) and be fully present. 

***