NINE

  RALPH revisits with Stella after some minutes, I glare at him while he smirks at me.

"Miss me?" He grins.

I stare icily at him wishing I can kick him when the sun doesn't shine.

I abhor him. For what he's doing to me, to Stella and Jeremy. I know Jeremy is in deep pain. His mother, unknown to him is here in great grief.

Jeremy may be a sarcastic and parochial being, too sharp that can pierce your soul if too benign, but he's also a wounded little hurting boy. Ken, one of his best friends who has been an open book to me told me a lot about him before we became an item.

Jeremy fails to regard the disappearance of his mom, plus a fact that he dislikes Ralph, for some childhood reason.

His parental grandmother, Emily happens to be the only comforting zone for him. Although, she's sick, suffering from diabetes that has claimed her both eye, he's always relieved around her.

"Your eyes are so daring."

Ralph chuckles hysterically, his back, backing me. There are lots of undefined tattoo laying on the smooth flesh of his neck even though the white tank top is covering half of his body, I still find it easy to trace the lines and curves. The space on his neck harbors thick black font letters which read 'alas'

Alas?

Why alas?

A monotone ringtone blares through the cubbyhole. Ralph didn't waste time before picking up, correspondingly going down.

I look over to Stella, she's tied up back. Her eyes fixing on her bare foot which had few reddish cuts and peeling skin. It must be hurting her like hell, but right now she won't be feeling the soreness.

"The hospital..." She begins, whispering.

Her lips are chapped also, the normal pinkish color that is supposed to give life to her lips has vanished. The lips are dry and pale but she speaks on, "I never had an option, they do it every..."

There comes a long pause. Her eyes hold the vision of torture she's passing through.

"...day, they work so hard to get rid of everything." She laughs, very brief.

"He didn't care if he was actually hurting me, it was like an experiment," a tear deflates her eyes.

"I hate him, for doing this to me and my baby... Jeremy." she stops talking and her sniffling fills up the room.

I itch to persuade her to go further and give a clarification of what's happening. Is it a suicide? Abduction?

It's likely for my body to distinguish the immobility of the habitat. My eyes fail to see fitly, my body starts to weigh down. My head incline lumbering and I immediately wish I'd swallow those pills Ralph offered. I close my eyes as the pounding continues.

I slowly ease my breath.

After some moment, I start feeling dizzy, not caring about the quandary, I allow the drowsiness to wash me.

•••

When I open my eyes and detect myself loosen up. I guide my hands to my face finding it hard to process that there is no chain claiming them down. A somber burst escapes my lips as tears glide down my eyes. I can't believe I'm free. I look round for Stella but she's nowhere to be found. I ransack the cubbyhole for her, I wipe my tears away. The room's dark due to the fact that the curtains are fastened.

I reach the blinds and pull it apart, allowing in the light, my eyes shy away at the brightening of the light. I take the opportunity to look again. She isn't there. Unmistakably, Ralph has her.

As soon as my eyes are able to locate the entrance, opened, I speed to it lunging myself down.

"Ow!" I exclaim in a low voice as my soft body meets the concrete, cold surface of the marble floor.

I instantly spring up not giving a damn about the strain. I race down the hallway with my breath sporadic.

I halt as I discover that I just run into my living room. The bright color of the wall and couches shine out, leaving me in complete shock of how I get here. I turn back to meet the dark hallway.

My heart races.

"What's happening to me?" I question myself, feeling appal.

I spin back the superfluous lambent living room. I scrabble inside the living room, a woman with massive golden curls just like Stella sits on my favorite couch, the blue beanie. I run to her front and descry it's her.

"Oh my God! Stella!" I rush to her and hold her hands, shaking softly for her to talk.

Her eyes dart to me, she frowns in recognition and squashes my hands. I look at our join hands and back to her face. Her sapphire blue eyes are glassy.

"You've got to help me, help me!" She starts wailing.

"Hey, hey, I'm here, Stella, I'm gonna help you."

"No, he's coming, he's coming to kill you!"

"What? Who." I drop her hands but she hasps my wrist back in her hands.

"You have to help me."

Tears are oozing down her pretty face.

"Stella–" I start but stop when I hear footsteps.

I glance up and cut a glimpse of him, the postulated devil. A shiver runs down my spine and everything stays cold. I move astern in the horror of what he may do to me.

I feel a strong grip on the right upper arm, I perk up to the doleful beseeching eyes of Stella.

"Please, don't leave me here!" She blathers, shaking.

The clashing of a metallic object pinches my attention. It is Ralph grasping scissors, I pant. I swivel to Stella. I slowly release my hands from her grip.

"Please,"

I move backward, nodding my head in disagreement, I can't help her with Ralph moving towards me with scissors. I'm terrify.

"Please don't leave me!"

Stella's lugubrious eyes plead as I spring backward to the wall. My hands trail the wall as I tremor.

I touch the doorknob. I open it and run out closing it behind.

"Haley!"

I turn and stare at Jeremy. His eyes are puffy and red, his ravishing shiny black curls that I love to run my hands through, looks like a comb has not sailed through it for days, however, he still manages to keep his breathtaking look.

"J," I chuckle softly and dash into his arms.

His warm husky body collides with my small frame, I bury my head on his chest inhaling his masculine scent as his arms secure me. His presence gives me security in a way I can't explain. He pulls away, abruptly staring at me, I bore into his dreamy blue eyes to seek an answer to his action.

"J, it's me. Haley," I say when I try to grab his hand but he pulls away.

"J..." I turn back to the direction where he's staring.

It's my home on fire, my parent's property. I surge outrage as I watch the house burning like a forest on fire. The cloud becomes dark same as me.

"Why didn't you help?" Jeremy's voice is low as he glowers at me.

I amble to him because he has already shift away from me, "J, I- I, try to, trust me, I d-did." my voice comes out sputtering.

He moves further away from me, "No, you didn't, Haley."

"I did."

"You left her!"

"I...why are we even talking about this, she left you." I bite my lips, immediately regretting saying that.

"Hey, J, look at me, I-"

"She begged you!"

"I'm sorry!"

"No, No, No, Haley! You left her."

He's broken.

"Why did you do this? Haley" my mom's voice rings in my head.

I spur back to see her crying, "You burnt the house!"

Her scream fills the air till I can't hear a thing again.