Our building was probably the worst. It’s partially underground. So most of the building goes dark when the lights go out. It creaks like crazy. Which means its always sounds like there’s someone in it moving around.
For the most part that doesn’t really matter. During work hours people are always in the building. It feels busy. There are things to do and you’re constantly passing by people as you’re rushing about. Simply knowing there are other people going about their business makes a difference.
But standing in it now… I had never seen our library so dark before.
Every time I had been here the lights were on. The only time it was anything close to dark and deserted was closing time. Even then it wasn’t creepy like this.
If I had known that this was what it was going to be like—what is was going to feel like—to empty out the book drop while we were closed for the holidays, I don’t know that I would have agreed without hesitation like I did.
There was a strange abandoned building feeling to it. Alarm bells went off in my head. I knew I was supposed to be here, but I definitely felt like I shouldn’t be here. Which was dumb. I had a job to do.
I tried to push down the worry as far as I could so I could just get it done. Emptying out the book drop bins and sending the books through the sorter wasn’t a problem. The problem was actually being in the building to carry out the rest of my shift.
I pulled over a cart to empty out the bins and tried to ignore the vacant building as best I could. Easier said than done.
Our office windows take up half the wall that looks out onto the main floor. It was odd to see it dark and empty. It was odd to stand in the middle of the office and know there was no one else here.
There was nothing but a counter behind me, but I felt like someone was there. I glanced behind me. There was no one, unsurprisinly. I tried to shake it off. It was just me being paranoid.
I pulled out my phone and put on some music. I turned the volume all the way up, hoping it would make me feel better. It didn’t.
How is it that it just made me hyper aware of how empty the rest of this building was?
The music felt out of place. It made my skin crawl with discomfort and my heart beat faster, but I refused to turn it off. As out of place as it felt, it was better than the silence.
In the silence I was waiting for something to happen. With music I was still waiting forsoethjng to happen but at least I wasn’t alone with my own thoughts.
Even though I most likely wasn’t going to need them, I turned on the lights for the main floor. I hoped that would make it feel more normal and ease my jitters. It didn’t.
I focused on emptying out the bins and loading up the carts in the office. I tried my best not to think about anything else. If amI let my mind wander too much I wouln’t like where it ended up.
When I finished with the bins I moved to the front desk to check in the newspapers. The building creaked and groaned. It made those sounds all the time, but it was worse when you were the only one here. It really sounded like somwone was moving around.
Part of me was prepared to hear a cough from somewhere among the shelves. I really hoped I didn’t. I didn’t want to check the library to make sure it was clear and risk finding someone.
As I walked across the main floor to put the newspapers away it felt like I had eyes glued to the back of my head. If I tried, I could picture someone—or something—peering at me through the shelves. The thought sent a shiver up my spine.
I put them on the rack as quickly as I could and made my way back to the office. I had to emtpy out the carts. I had just passed the front desk when our air freshener spray went off. I turned around. There was no one there.
My heart raced but I tried to push my fear down as I took the cart up to the Children’s Room. Weren’t those airfreshener things motion sensored? I wasn’t close enough to set it off, was I?
What would I do if I wasn’t as alone in here as I was supposed to be?
Man, what the hell? Being in that building by myself made my skin crawl.
I returned the cart back to the office. After I emptied out the cart for the main floor, I was done. If I had time I would have done some shelving. I was so glad I wasn’t going to have time.
Walking through the main floor was infinitely worse than going up into the Children’s Room. I had the eerie feeling that I wasn’t alone. I eyed the air freshner canister as I passed by.
I worked as quick as I could to put everything away. I felt the air behind me crawl along my shoulders, like there was someone there to disturb it. I turned around, but of course there was no one there. I emptied the cart in a panic—that I tried to control—and rushed back to the office.
I turned the lights back off and put the cart in the office. The library was still. The building shifted. It sounded like there was someone, somewhere, in the library moving around.
Not eager to hang around any longer, I turned and walked out of the building.
“So, that’s her huh?” Isaiah asks. The woman creeps him out. Although he and Jeremy have sought cover behind some trees, he’s not entirely sure she can’t actually see them. He can’t believe Jeremy actually agreed to this.
“Yeah.” Jeremy exhales. He rubs his hands along his pants. “That’s her.”
Jeremy’s obvious nerves don’t make Isaiah feel better. “Man,” Isaiah scans his surroundings. “Why the hell did we have to come out here to the middle of the woods to do this? We’re just begging to get murdered!”
“These were her terms.” Jeremy doesn’t so much as glance at Isaiah. He can’t take his eyes off the woman. “Just stay here. She never even has to see you.” He steps out from behind the tree and makes his way towards the woman.
Isaiah almost calls out to try and stop him but his voice catches in his throat. He watches helplessly as his friend marches across the forest. The woman’s head tilts to the side as Jeremy approaches her. The movement sends a chill crawling down Isaiah’s spine. Jeremy stops a few feet from the woman.
She doesn’t acknowledge Jeremy’s presence. The two just stand there for a while. Isaiah can’t hear anything the two are saying. He thinks about moving closer.
The woman raises the satchel and holds it out to Jeremy. The bag sways in the air, almost like it’s too heavy for the woman. But her arm is steady. It doesn’t look like she is struggling with the weight.
Is something in the bag moving?
Isaiah leans forward to get a better look. The bark digs into his palms.
Jeremy glances towards Isaiah for a brief moment, then his gaze darts back to the woman. There was fear in his eyes. Jeremy takes a step back. Isaiah wonders if he’s he’s having second thoughts.
“C’mon Jer. Just walk away.”
The woman extends the bag closer to Jeremy, it lurches. He stumbles backwards and ends up on the forest floor. Isaiah jumps back from his position in the tree-line. Jeremy scrambles to his feet, never once taking his eyes off the woman.
The bag swings in the air between the two of them. The woman’s outstretched arm remains perfectly still. The wind whistles through the forest’s trees. Leaves tumble across the floor as a chill spreads through the air.
Jeremy slowly reaches out a hand and takes the bag from the woman. His arm drops to his side from the weight.
Just who the hell is this woman? What the hell is she?
Jeremy struggles to hold the bag in front of him with both hands. The woman’s head snaps towards Isaiah. He gasps and throws himself behind the tree. His breaths are heavy and quick. His heartbeat thrums in his ears. He squeezes his eyes shut.
He forces himself to breathe slower. Though he can still feel his heart beating in his chest, he forces his eyes open and peers around the tree. The woman is gone.
Isaiah pushes himself off the tree and scans the forest. There is absolutely no sign of the woman anywhere. Jeremy stands alone in the middle of the woods, holding the mysterious bag the woman gave him at arms length.
Isaiah makes his way over to Jeremy. He scans the forest as he does, trying to see of she ducked behind a tree or something. As far as he can tell, she is just gone. “What happened?”
Jeremy looks around, dazed. “I don’t know.”
“Well where did she go?”
“I don’t know.” Jeremy’s voice is shaky. His looks at the bag still in his hand and drops it on the forrest floor. There is a heavy thud as it hits the ground. The bag rocks side to side. Whatever is in it grumbles and growls. It calms down once the bag goes still.
Isaiah and Jeremy look down at the bag and then up at each other. Jeremy steps towards the bag. He gently pokes it with his toes. Whatever is in the bag growls. It jostles the bag back and forth. Isaiah and Jeremy both stumble backwards.
They look at each other. The thing in the bag gives one last huff. The bag goes still again. Jeremy glances up at Isaiah. He looks curious, if a little hesitant. He crouches down towards the bag.
“Woah!” Isaiah cries. Jeremy looks up at him. “Woah, what the hell are you doing?”
“I was gonna take a peek inside.”
“Are you crazy?” Isaiah hisses at him. His nerves begin to twist themselves into a knot in his stomach.
“It’s what we came here for isn’t it!”
Was it? Had life really gotten so complicated?
Jeremy reaches out toward the bag. He unclasps the latch keeping it closed. Sweat gathers on Isaiah’s palms. His eyes flick to Jeremy. Jeremy looks up at him. Isaiah’s mouth goes dry. He doesn’t trust his voice to work so shakes his head.
Jeremy looks back to the bag on the floor in front of them. He reaches out for it and carefully pushes the sides apart. Isaiah can’t help his curiosity. He leans forward to take a peak inside.
“What the hell?”
“Human beings are so fragile.” He gazes at the infants in the next room and reaches out a finger to touch the glass in front of us. He scratches at the glass. With a sigh he pulls his hand away and puts it in his pocket.
I swear there is a tiny speck of mold on the window where his finger was. I try to suppress the cough that pounds against my chest. It takes a while for it to stop, but once it does there’s a familiar ache that lingers in my muscles, but it’s distant.
The man smiles. “Like take you for example. Here you are, talking to me while your body clings to life somewhere in this building. What would it really take for your body to shut down without you there to support it? A bacterial infection?”
I can feel my skin grow warm. I’m vaguely aware of sweat beads popping up on my body.
“How long would it take one little germ to multiply and spread throughout your body? How long would it take for it to infect your cells and organisms to the point that they don’t work right?”
He takes a step towards me. I step back. He leans towards me. I take another step back but am stopped by a wall. The man’s face becomes weirdly distorted, like I’m looking at him through a peephole. It suddenly becomes difficult to breathe, like when you try to suck in a breath when you have to cough.
He peers at me, squinting his eyes and tilts head from side to side. “Most likely not very long, I imagine.”
A train whistle sounds in the distance. I can feel the panic beginning to set in. I feel rushed. Without a second thought, I step out from the wall behind me and run as fast as I can through the hospital’s halls. I’m not quite sure where I’m going or what I’ll do when I get there. I just feel like I don’t have a lot of time to do it.
What in the ever living hell?
I race through the house and up the stairs until I reach Alex’s room. I can feel my heart pounding against my chest. I throw open the door and walk in. Out of the corner of my eye I see her jump as she turns to look at me. I don’t say anything as I turn around and close the door.
I’m shaking. I close my eyes and press my head against the door. I try to take slow deep breaths to calm myself down. I only manage one before I open my eyes again and stare at the ceiling. I hate deep breathing.
“Umm… is everything okay?” Alex asks me.
“No.” I respond. My entire body feels shaky.
“Okay, did you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Okay.” I hear the rustling of papers. I look over to her, Alex has gone back to whatever she was doing before I came in here.
I avert my eyes from her and look around the room, but there’s nothing in here that’s interesting enough to hold my attention longer than a few seconds. I can feel myself starting to spiral again.
“Do you want to talk about it now?” Alex asks again.
She hasn’t lifted her head from the papers in her lap, still, I shake my head and push myself off the door. I pace around the room in an effort to dispel my anxious energy. I don’t think it’s working, all I feel is ridiculous.
“If your not careful, you’re going to wear a hole through my rug.” I can hear the smug smirk in her voice.
I look over and give her a tight lipped smile that she doesn’t see, she still hasn’t looked up from her papers; which is fine by me because I still don’t want to talk about it.
My pacing grows faster, I can feel the rug start to bunch up underneath me. Worried that I’ll trip and fall, I slow down and try to smooth out the rug as best I can. My concern over tripping has quieted down the anxiety that was screaming through my nerves. I feel calmer now.
“I think I… like… him…” My gaze is trained on the ground. Sweat tickles my palms. I rub them against my jeans, it doesn’t do much good. I shake them out at my sides. Maybe that will work better.
“Who? Justin?”
My heart starts beating faster. I press my lips together. I can only nod my head. I hear the rustling of papers. I glance over, Alex has not taken her eyes off the papers in front of her.
“I’m sorry, is this boring to you?” I can feel a spark of irritation in my chest.
Alex looks up. “No! No, it’s not that. It’s just…”
“Just?”
“I already knew…”
“What do you mean you already knew?”
“I mean… the glances, the way you light up whenever someone talks about him, whenever he walks into a room… it wasn’t hard to figure out.”
I scoff and begin pacing again.
“Well is it really so terrible? So I caught on? So what! It’s not like it was a secret!” The fight drains from Alex’s muscles. “Was it?”
I stop and turn to look at her. “You mean it’s obvious!”
Alex shrugs. “I mean… it was to me?”
“Agh!” I begin pacing again. My limbs are shaking and I feel as if I am going to crumble into a pile on the floor any minute.
Alex sighs. “Would you stop acting like this is the end of the world! It’s not like you’re embarrassed about it, are you?”
“No.” I stop pacing and look over at her. “No, no I’m not embarrassed.” I let out a breath. “I just—“ I stare at the corner of the room just behind where Alex is. “It’s just kind of… inconvenient, you know?”
“Inconvenient?” Alex looks back at me with a furrowed brow. She shakes her head, “How so?”
“Like— you know, just the whole feelings thing.” Alex stares at me blankly. “In general.”
“Okay…” I can hear the skepticism in her voice. “And why would you say that?”
I scoff. Why would say that, she asks. “Oh I don’t know. Maybe because it’s the most annoying thing in the entire world!”
Alex raises her eyebrows. “Annoying?”
“Yeah. Annoying.” I start to pace again. I have never felt so restless in my entire life. “I think about him all the time. I miss him, even when we’re in the same room. It’s just— ugh! It’s just so unbelievable! It hurts! It actually physically hurts! How is that even a thing?” A weak laugh escapes me. “I don’t even like being touched and yet I have never wanted to kiss someone so bad in my entire life! What kind of bullshit—
“Ugh!” I take a deep breath and let it out in a huff. “Feelings are the worst and I hate them.” I make my way to the door as quickly as I can. I yank it open and let it slam close behind me as I make my way back down the hallway.
The rain drops beat steadily against the car’s windshield as Dylan drives along the backroad winding through the forest. The night sky and lack of lighting makes it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of the car. The only spot in the road that is easily visible is the small portion illuminated by the car’s headlights.
Dylan hasn’t seen another car on the road in almost an hour. He’s gotten used to the solitude. His music blares through the car’s speakers as he follows the curve of road between the forest’s trees. He finishes rounding the bend and slams on the break as a hooded figure on the side of the road is illuminated by the car’s headlights.
Dylan can feel his heartbeat in his throat as he sits there staring at the man in the middle of the road. The raindrops start to fall harder. He really doesn’t want to have to talk to this guy. The man walks up to Dylan’s window and knocks on the glass.
For a brief moment Dylan thinks he could just drive away now that the man is out of his path. Thunder rolls overhead and the raindrops are larger as they land on the car. Dylan feels guilty for thinking about leaving the man in this storm.
He cracks his window open so he can hear the man over the rain and the music. Droplets hit the top of his head and make it difficult to keep his eyes open. He squints up at the man through the crack in the window. “Uhh… hey man, can I help you?”
Something about the man’s demeanor makes him uneasy, maybe it’s the fact that he can’t see the guy’s face beneath the hood he’s wearing or through the rain in his eyes. He’s starting to regret stopping to see what this guy wants. Dylan shifts in his seat and he tugs on his seatbelt as he waits for the guy to say something. His eyes dart to the road in front him before returning to the man.
He clears his throat and raises his voice to be heard over the music and heavy rainfall. “Hey listen man, if you’re all good here, I should probably get going.”
The man doesn’t say anything. Dylan clears his throat. His eyes dart to the center of the road again. His palms are growing slick against the steering wheel. He looks back to the man and feels cold hard dread drop through his throat and to his stomach.
Is it just his imagination or did something about the man… shift? The man’s face was covered by his hood but now Dylan can see two glowing red lights where the man’s eyes should be. The man doesn’t say anything as he continues to peer at Dylan.
Nervous, Dylan gulps and tightens his grip on the steering wheel. He slowly moves his hand to the switch for the window and rolls it up. He takes his foot off the brake and presses down on the accelerator, leaving the man behind him.
He glances into his rearview mirror, the man is still standing where Dylan left him. He can just barely make out is silhouette in the growing darkness around him. Dylan forces out a breath, trying to calm himself down as his eyes shift back to the road.
Dylan gasps and slams on the breaks. In the middle of the road is a woman, wearing a thin summer dress and soaked in rain. Dylan turns in his seat to see if he can spot the man behind him, but he can’t see anything through the darkness.
Dylan turns around and opens the car door and stands behind it to talk to the woman. His clothes are already drenched and they cling to his body. Sitting against the car’s leather seats in sopping wet clothes is not going to be pleasant. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
The music pours out into the night and Dylan looks behind him one more time now that his back is exposed. He still can’t see anything through the darkness that swallows the road. He turns back to the woman. “Hey! Are you okay? Do you need some help?”
She raises her head to look at him. It’s so subtle he almost misses it but she nods. Adrenaline shoots through him. He looks behind himself one last time. He can’t shake the feeling that there’s someone creeping up on him, but there’s still no one there.
He turns back to the woman. “Okay. Uhh… do you need a ride? Where are you coming from, or heading to? Is there someone I can call for you? Have you tried calling anyone?” The questions rush out before Dylan can make sense of them.
The woman only nods and doesn’t say anything. She looks at him with this blank, empty eyes. It makes Dylan uneasy. Slowly, the woman turns and walks towards the passenger side door. Dylan watches her as she goes, beginning to second guess offering to help her. What is with people tonight?
She opens the car door and gets in without a word. Dylan looks around for a moment and then gets in the car with her. The rain beats steadily against the car; Dylan reaches over and turns the music down, it suddenly feels oppressive.
The drive is silent between them as they make their way down the forest road. Dylan doesn’t know if he should say anything and the woman doesn’t seem eager for conversation. He just hopes they can make it to the nearest town before anything else happens.
“He said he could help.” The statement does not bring the relief and gratitude from his partner that he had hoped.
“At what cost?” His partner asks, her frustration seeping through every word.
He shakes his head, confused. “He didn’t want money.”
She looks at him, disbelief clearly painted on her face. “Nothing comes without a price.”
He shrugs, his own irritation rising at his partner’s judgment and lack of trust. “He said he didn’t want anything.”
“You’d have to be an absolute fool to believe that! No one offers their help for free—“
“Well he did!”
“Trust me, he didn’t.” She walks up to him and stops when they are shoulder to shoulder. She turns her head to look at him. “A day will come when he needs you to do something and this is what he will hold over your head to get you to do what he wants.” She says nothing else as she brushes past him and walks out of the room.
He hates when she leaves after she gets the last word. He hates his growing doubt and fears that she might be right even more.
Tension crawls up my spine and a emptiness hollows out my gut. I feel weak, like I haven’t eaten all day. The hairs on my arm stand on end and my skin gets littered with goosebumps. It prickles with energy. My chest starts to burn and ache as panic settles in.
I scan my surroundings but there’s no one else here. I’m alone, but I don’t feel like I am. I can feel someone’s eyes on me. Wherever they are, I can’t see them.
My mouth goes dry and I can feel the sweat gathering on my palms. I rub them against my thighs but that hardly does any good. I take a deep breath in, but it’s shaky. I force it out and try to will myself to calm down. I can feel a sharp pressure buildup behind my eyes as they begin to water.
I squeeze them shut and will myself not to cry. Fear seizes my heart, causing it to slam wildly against my chest at the realization that I have made myself blind to my surroundings. I open my eyes and frantically scan the room around me.
It’s empty, but I can feel someone standing behind me. I turn but there’s no one there. I’m alone. Why doesn’t it feel like it?
“Does it matter?” You ask, throwing as much snarky attitude into your voice as you can to cover up how nervous you really are. “You wanted it, I got it. Now are you gonna make good on our deal or what?”
The figure across from you tilts his head to one side, peering at you. It makes your skin crawl and you can’t help but squirm in your seat. He chuckles. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed with you.”
“I’d be lying if I said I gave a shit what you thought.” Your bravado is all false and you know it. What’s worse is you suspect he knows it too.
You hear what you can best describe as a cross between a laugh and a scoff come from him. Your muscles have never felt more tense as he rises from his chair and walks over to the table behind him.
His body covers his movements but you crane your neck to try and get a better look anyway. He turns back around and you stop. You act like you weren’t just trying to sneak a peek and pray that he doesn’t notice.
He eases himself back down into his chair, as he does he holds out a small, folded up, slip of paper to you. “The key, as promised.”
Your eyebrows furrow as you take it from him. “This is it?”
The hood in front of you moves in what you perceive to be a nod. “Recite the incantation,” the hood nods toward the paper in your hand, “and the access to the temple that you seek will be granted to you.”
“That’s it?” You look from the figure to the paper, not entirely sure that this isn’t some kind of trick.
The figure raises his gloved hands, palms facing up, out to the side in a gentle shrug. “That’s it.”
Though you can’t see his face, you can her the smile coating his words. The thought that he’s enjoying any part of this sets you be on edge. You can’t shake the feeling that you’ve been had.
He must see the uncertainty on your face because he laughs. Your eyes flick to him and you furrow your brows. “Don’t look so morose.” He tells you. “You delivered what I wanted and I delivered what you wanted. We’re square.”
You glance from the figure back to the paper. “Okay.” You stick the paper in your pocket and hesitantly get up from your chair. You start toward the door you entered through behind you. You cast one last curious glance over your shoulder but he does nothing to stop your departure. When you finally reach the door he calls out to you.
“Be careful once you reach the temple.” You stop once you hear his voice and turn around to face him as he lowers his hood. “You might wind up with more than you bargained for.” He has a scar running from the bottom of his right eye, up through the eye and over his head. There is no hair on the top of his head and you can see the deep scar the wound left behind. There are four more deep cuts on his left cheek that have healed over with time as well.
The sad smile he gives you makes your insides turn. You don’t like the implication of what he said but you have few other options. Before he has the chance to say anything else, and before you can talk yourself out of it, you turn and push open the door, walking away into the night.
Everything about these once familiar streets has changed. There are no lights anywhere, electricity only works in the inhabited areas and it seems that the city she once called home has been deserted for a few years.
Shop windows are broken and trash blows through the streets under Calliope’s feet. The city became a wasteland in the first few days of the outbreak. She can still remember the panic and fear that ran through the streets.
“Stay on your guard.” She tells the group of soldiers behind her. “The city may look deserted but anyone could have set up camp in one of these buildings. Keep your eyes sharp.”
“Yes general.” They chorus behind her.
Slowly, and with caution, she leads her team through the streets. She tries to keep her footsteps light and quiet as she leads her team down the road. Broken glass crunches beneath her boots.
The wind whistles through the broken windows of the shops. She strains her ears to hear any low moans of the undead that may be lurking nearby over the thudding of her own heart. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
She should have never sent her men out here in the first place.
She should have gone with them.
She should have known the risk was too great.
She should have been smarter.
Should haves aren’t going to help her now. They aren’t going to help her men either. So she keeps walking, she keeps alert. They just have to make it through the city.
Hopefully she’ll find her missing team. Hopefully they’ll still be alive when she does.
Audrey walks into the apartment, her arms laden with grocery bags. She places them on the counter as Emily comes out of her room.
“Hey!” Audrey greets when she sees her roommate. “I couldn’t remember which kind of gatorade you said you wanted so I just went for classic fruit punch. I hope that’s okay.”
“Yeah. Yeah, no that’s fine.”
Emily hasn’t seen her roommate since last night; Audrey was gone when she woke up this morning. She’s not sure if that’s for the best or not.
She eyes her roommate warily as she unpacks the bags. Normally she would have jumped in to help but she just can’t bring herself to. It doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Is everything okay?” Audrey laughs but it’s shaky and a little nervous.
“Did you know you talked in your sleep last night?”
“Yeah, I told you I was a sleep talker when we moved in together. You said it was fine.” She shrugs. “What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is what you said.” Emily pushes off the wall she was leaning on and walks over to stand across from Audrey on the opposite side of the counter.
Audrey stops unpacking the groceries and looks at her confused. “Ohhh kay, what did I say?”
“Does ‘The Patchwork Man’ mean anything to you?” Emily watches her roommate’s face closely.
Audrey’s brows furrow. “No… should it?”
“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the one that mentioned him in your sleep last night.”
“Okay,” Audrey laughs again and it’s shaky. “Well I can’t exactly control it and I don’t always know what I’ve said in the morning.” She starts unloading the groceries again, desperate for a distraction. “I’m sorry if it kept you up last night.”
“No it’s not that. Your sleep talking doesn’t really bother me.”
Audrey stops and turns to face Emily. “Then what is it?”
“It’s what you said.” Emily talks slowly.
“So what did I say?”
Emily doesn’t say anything. Her mouth is twisted into a grimace and her eyes scan the apartment, looking at anything but Audrey.
“What?” Audrey breaks the silence. She can’t take it. “What is it? You’re kinda freaking me out here.” She shifts her weight anxiously between her feet. She grips the counter top in front of her as she waits for Emily to say her peace.
“You said he was coming.” Emily’s arms circle around her abdomen, she holds herself tight. She can still hear the panic in Audrey’s voice, can still see the pain on her face as she thrashed in her bed before going still. Audrey fell silent afterwards but Emily wasn’t able to sleep for the rest of the night.
“What?” Audrey releases her grip on the counter and her eyebrows furrow. All the energy she had left her body.
“The Patchwork Man.” Emily talks slowly and gently. She’s afraid she’ll set Audrey off; afraid anything she says might unveil some kind of memory for Audrey and then they’ll both learn something they’d rather not. “You said that he was coming back for you.”
“Coming back?”
Emily nods.
Audrey huffs. “What’s that supposed mean?”
“I don’t know.” Emily shrugs. “Audrey, is something going on? Who’s the Patchwork Man?”
“I don’t know.” Audrey’s stare is wide and vacant. She’s wracking her brain for any memory of what she said last night, for any memory of the Parchwork Man, but she’s coming up empty. She doesn’t remember a single thing.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Emily’s panic starts to rise. She’s not sure what she was expecting, for Audrey to say he’s just some boogeyman and it’s nothing to worry about, for Audrey to tell her who the Parchwork Man is and why she was so afraid. Somehow having no answer is worse.
“I mean, I don’t know!” Audrey begins unpacking the last of the groceries from the bag on the counter.
“Don’t know— Audrey you were terrified!” She walks around the counter but stays out of the kitchen.
Audrey is zipping back and forth from the counter to the fridge and pantry. Emily wants to get her attention but she doesn’t want to be in her way either. Something’s not right. Audrey’s acting too scared to not know what Emily’s talking about.
“You kept saying things like, ‘No not again! Please not again!’” Emily stares at her roommate in disbelief. “Trust me, you knew!”
“Yeah well not anymore.”
Emily opens her mouth to say something but Audrey cuts her off.
“I don’t think I can be here right now.” Audrey grabs her purse off the counter. She walks towards the entrance of their apartment, Emily follows.
“Can’t— Audrey where are you going?”
“Out.” Audrey opens the door. “I can’t be here.” She steps out the door and closes in behind her. The sound echoes through their apartment.
“Audrey!” Emily races to the door and pulls it open. She scans the hall for Audrey, but she’s already gone.
