Attack

Two weeks had passed. Two weeks of nightmares and sleepless nights I was restless and always spaced out.

“are you okay” George asked me as we walked to school

“yeah” I answered not looking him in the eye.

He stopped walking and came to stand in front of me with a skeptical look.

“okay we are ditching” and with that he turned around to start walking in the direction of our spot.

“George if you think I am ditching school with you, you must be out of your mind” I told him squarely.

“you can’t keep doing this” he said gesturing to me with his hands.

“doing what?” I asked getting a little irritated, I did not have time for an argument and I could feel a headache coming.

“going through the motions” he said with a glint of sadness in his eyes.

“honestly, I don’t understand what you mean so when you are done with your gibberish meet me in school” I said tiredly then turned back in the direction of school.

“your empty Tamar! your eyes the way you walk, talk it is like you are not living anymore”. He stepped a little closer to me and looked around the already deserted street.

Oh God! We are going to be late.

“it is not everyday a person sees someone maimed to death, blacken and disappear and you saw it all in one day and you are acting like everything is fine. No! screw that you are acting like a zombie”.

I felt emotions that I have been suppressing surface when I saw just how frustrated George was.

“I am a guy Tamar and I don’t mean to be stereotypical but I know what would have happened if I saw what you saw. You are not sleeping well; you are not eating well hell you are not functioning well” he said throwing his arms in the air.

“this is not the Tamar I know so can we go?” he asked sternly.

Without further argument I followed him because every single thing he said was true.

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Christy was already there when we arrived a book in hand lying flat on her stomach. No surprise there I would be very rich by now if I could be paid money for every time, she ditched school.

She turned at the sound of our footsteps and looked worried when her eyes landed on me, did I really look that bad. The grass surrounding us was as green as it gets and the weather was warm but I felt gloomy and tired. I sat down after George did and we entered a silence that was both awkward and uncomfortable.

Christy and George kept giving themselves looks as if waiting for one of them to say something. The silence was finally broken.

“speak” Christy spoke shortly.

“about what” I answered back trying to behave oblivious to what they were talking about. I brought my knees to my chest and started to pick at the grass beside me not wanting to look them in the eye.

“stop talking like you don’t know what we are talking about” George said with some sort of edge to his voice.

“I don’t” I answered risking looking at them in the eye.

They both looked at me like I was hurting and there was nothing they could do about it. I did not know when the first tear slipped the second and then the just flowed endless.

Christy came close and put her hands around me while George kept patting my back awkwardly and I just cried, something that I had not done in a long time. As I cried, I felt emotions trickle in: anger, hate, sadness, a little bit of happiness and even regret. What I saw was absolutely horrifying and I thought that if I ease back into my life it would make it more like a dream, but the truth is, it was real, very real, and the more I come to terms with it, the more I have a chance to be normal again.

I relived it at the back of my brain everything that had happened. From the time that I had met him to that man’s death. I had questions, numerous, and I knew what I had to do but I was scared that I will hear something I did not want to, and I may not want to outrightly admit it but, I was scared of meeting him again he made me nervous.

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The drive to 912 lapin street was quiet for me and it was only the noise from George and Christy bickering that could be heard over the gentle movement of the car.

George had gone back to get his mums car immediately I said the word. I did not want them to follow me thinking it will be dangerous but they had insisted.

“do you think Mrs. Roland will hit on the new P.E teacher?” Christy asked looking at me from the passenger seat.

I smiled a little at that

“well if birds still fly then yes, she will” I said grinning.

“oh, come on guys she certainly has some shame that guy is too young for her” George pointed out while keeping his eyes on the road.

“I don’t think so George do you remember that substitute Math teacher” Christy said shaking her head.

We all burst out laughing at the memory of that. It was one of those memories where you remember and a smile can’t help but light up your face.

She had made a public fool of herself when she had declared her undying love for the math teacher and he had scratched the back of his head and looked at her and said.

“I am sorry but I don’t do old women”. I really don’t know which kid got it on video but it was quite a story at Rin High School. She didn’t show herself in school for weeks saying she was very sick but we all knew better.

“how is Ricky” Christy asked.

“he is fine” I answered smiling at the thought of the brown eyed boy.

George visibly shuddered at the mention of Ricky’s name and I chuckled at that.

The distance was getting smaller and smaller and my nerves were growing.

“do you want us to accompany you” George asked looking at me briefly through the front mirror.

“no, I should go alone”. Christy who was looking a little tense before relaxed. I did not really blame her; I did tell them a lot of scary things.

We finally pulled into the dirt road where 912 lapin street was, I kept my gaze trained outside as the car slowed to a stop.

The building was big but not impressive. It was probably a warehouse with some of the roof about to fall of and the plaster coming off showing the bare bricks. I took a deep breath and opened the car door.

“just wait here for me at the junction” I said to them looking at the building. I turned to them and they nodded and then I started to walk. I heard the sound of the care reversing as I trudged to the warehouse.

The metal door at the entrance was almost intimidating. I started to regret why I did not call him before coming here.

Questions that I should have asked before I came fleeting through my mind. What of if he was not around? what of if he hates me now? What of if I don’t know what to say and I end up embarrassing myself. I stand there for God knows how long before I finally try to push the door open.

Cool air hits my face immediately I step inside. It is very dark and I can’t see, I pull out my phone from my back pocket and turn it on to use the torch. The torch only illuminates a little part of the warehouse but from what I can see, there is no one here.

“hello” I call out all my previous doubts surfacing again.

“anyone here” I try again. I get this gut feeling that I should not be here but I push it away it is probably my nerves speaking. I notice another door at the other end of the warehouse and I gasp when the door rattles and in comes Gabe. He does not waste time; he has my hand in his and we start to run out of the warehouse.

I follow him not knowing exactly what to do; I think the sheer look of panic in his eyes is enough to shut me up. we are greeted by warm air as soon as we step out but we still keep running.

After putting some distance between us and the building; the next words that comes out of his mouth has me looking at him as if he has gone crazy.

“lie down”. My chest is heaving up and down; his panic has rubbed off on me. I regret asking George to wait somewhere they can’t see me now.

“now” he shouts and I don’t know when I fall on the floor my face eating dust. He covers my body with his

“what the he…

Boom!

I let out a scream at the loud sound covering my ears with my hands. I keep screaming and Gabe just stays silent on top of me. The ground shakes and I do not need a shrink to tell me that the place I was in a couple of minutes ago is in flames. My eyes are squeezed shut and my ears are ringing I still keep my hands in place scared of pulling if off my ears.

I cannot register anything that is happening. My mind is a blur and I don’t want to look. Gabe stands up from me and pulls me up to my feet. They are wobbly and I still keep my eyes shut. I feel my legs being swept up from the ground.

I finally open my eyes and sure enough I am in Gabe’s arms. I see George running towards us before my vision turns black.