Stay

I woke up in a bedroom. I tried to move but it seems like my hands and legs could not move. I panicked, breathing quickly. I noticed my hands were tied to the bed railing with handcuffs and my legs were also chained. I could not speak, my mouth was gagged with a white cloth.

The room was red and surprisingly it seemed very homey. Pictures of a little girl, who I assumed was Emma, were on a table next to me, smiling with her parents while holding a rabbit in her hands.

"I killed the rabbit by the way," I was startled, my eyes widened to see Derrick, smiling right next to me, standing beside the table.

"She loves the rabbit too much, I don't like it. " he said it very casually, looking at the picture. Then , his eyes shifted towards me, his smile vanished.

He raised his eyebrows in concern.

"You seem frightened, Desmond. Don't be. This was only temporary. I just want to make sure you are not seen by people. Her nosy aunt is downstairs,".

He grabbed a wooden chair and sat next to the bed.

"By the way, now that we are alone and you are now in a comfortable position, let me jog your memory," he produced a choker with the initial S on it. It looked like a Superman symbol.

"You remember this one? You had a weird fashion sense. I remember you look at this one at the mall, so I bought it for you. Alas you dropped it," .

As my eyes focused on the choker, my head felt a sudden , sharp pain and I winced. Flashes of memory came back to me.

....

"Hey, do you see that new movie Gunfighters? I was about to ask you to go to the cinema this week," Derrick said to me. He had a very long hair then, reaching to his shoulders. A couple of girls on a table next to us at the cafeteria smiled at him from the distance.

"Nah, but that seems like a cool idea. We can also hang out at your place after," I said.

He smiled , seemingly very delighted at the idea. "I am always happy when you're there," he said.

I looked up from my food, shocked. "Dude, why do you use those words suddenly, "I laughed. "It's like we are a couple or something,".

He bit his lip, his grin disappeared a bit. "I was..just joking," then he laughed.

.....

It was night and me and Derrick were walking in the streets. The streetlights lit up the road on the way back home. The movie finished late, not many people were on the streets anymore but Derrick said he wanted to show me something.

He led me to a park and told me to be quiet. It was a normal park you would see where people jog in the day. There were only two streetlights that lit the whole area and the trees were looking sinister at night. Then, we saw it. two otters, very cute, running around in front of us under the moonlight.

I was very fascinated seeing them and wanting to get closer, but Derrick stopped me ,"shh Desmond they will run away,"

We laughed looking at how they were pushing each other around and ran off to the lake.

"Wow I never saw one in real life before ,"I said.

"They were always here, but at the very night." Derrick paused, looking down at his shoes ,"Also I brought you here just to witness this phenomenon. I knew you would like it. " He took a step closer to me.

"Desmond, you make me very happy,"

"What?? Dude you drinking vodka again?" I laughed uncomfortably as he got too close.

"Do you like someone else, Desmond?" he asked, his tone of voice annoyed.

He frowned at me.

"What? No!! I mean, the way I look, no one even wants to come an inch closer to me, except-"

"Exactly, Desmond!! I know you are broken inside and I am, too! We are the same, so please , I understand you too. I went through so much ,"

"What do you mean?"

"They tell me I am a bad person. But no, I am just passionate with those I like. And I will do anything to keep them near me,"

"Dude, I think you get the wrong idea. I like you, only as a friend. But no, we aren't- you don't know what it's actually like to be me! You are like the heartthrob guy in school for God's sake! How are we the same?"

"I had to get plastic surgery to cover up my scars , years in that institution also makes me feel like my life was a living nightmare! "

"Institution? What are you talking about?? Where do you actually go to school before?"

"I will do anything to keep them near me" was all he said before I felt a sharp pain on my neck. I looked and saw a tiny dart on my neck. Then, my world blacked out.

....

" You know," I heard someone talking as my eyes struggled to focus in the bright light. I realized I what seemed to be a large shed with couple of gardening tools beside me. My hands were handcuffed and my legs were chained. This guy got serious issues with handcuffing and chaining people.

"I didn't gag your mouth because we are in a soundproof place. Scream here all you want, only devils can hear you," Derrick smirked. He was wearing a white t-shirt and an apron over it.

"Just finished the doll," he showed a wooden , deformed doll with scars on its face.

"You are sick!!" I yelled.

"No, Desmond. I am passionate," he said.

"Say that you will be here forever," he got closer to me , squatted to my eye level and smiled.

"No!! Someone will notice I'm gone!" I spat at him.

His breathing became faster, he glared at me and grabbed a saw on a table next to him.

He ran the saw across my left arm. I yelled at the pain. It was like my arm was being torn apart.

"Say that you will be here, you will be here , forever!!!" his voice got louder as he used the saw again and again. Each time the blade ran across my face , my arms and my legs I felt like my soul escaped my body. I gave a blood-curdling scream.

...

Years later.

"Why the sad face, Desmond?" his tone of voice concerned. "Y..y..you tortured me," was what I said. But I was gagged, so it came out "Y..y...mmee".

"The fear in your eyes, you remembered" the corner of his mouth turned up a little.

"You know, Desmond" he grabbed my arm and stroked it.

"I did it. I make you stay," .