Just One Look

Horse and Pony Show

After one week and two days, I decided that my boring life at home was too much to take. So I returned to the red locker lined halls, with the imitation marble flooring and florescent lights that flickered on the ceiling. People stopped and stared, at my scared and still healing face. People ran up to me, ones who I barely talked to hugged me, telling me that they were open to talking about it. I know that, if I did, if I would open up to them about what happened behind closed doors. That the whole school would know my story and I would be the center of gossip. So, I smiled politely and made small talk about school.

That is, until science class. If Jared was still alive, or if he heard that I was back at school, you would think he would be the kind of guy to skip a week or so of science. But no, he was still there, present in my life. My body froze and I stood dumbfounded in the doorway. He hadn't seen me yet, I still had the opportunity to run and hide. I knew who he was working for, he was working for that psychopathic, serial killing monster. Or he was that psychopathic, serial killing monster. I hesitated, just a moment too long and his blaring blue eyes fell on me. He suddenly looked as if a bus was about to hit him. He got up and made his way towards me, just as I was walking briskly away from the classroom. He started to follow me and my heart started to pound.

"Catrina." He called, making gain on my pounding feet. I started to walk faster, and he kept gaining. "Catrina." He called, his tone more guilt-ridden.

"Get away from me." I demanded, walking faster still, closer to a jog. He wouldn't stop following me. I rounded a corner, we were alone in the science hallway. The bell had rung and everyone was in their classrooms.

"Catrina." He called again, reaching out with his hand. His fingers grazed my arm and I flipped out.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I screamed, I whipped around and threw my books at him to get him away. "You sold me out! You let him get to me! It was because of you, that I was captured, and that I was held captive for God knows how long!" I roared. He looked at me like a scolded puppy.

"I didn't know what he was going to do to you!" He shouted, his eyes flashed.

"And you didn't stop to think, that whatever deal you made with that freak would have some kind of negative impact on my life?"

"I didn't know!"

"Of course! I totally believe you! So you did it anyway! You, you, you betrayed every single moral in society!" I hollered, "You bargained someone for your own well being, and look where that got Karen! She's dead! She died! He got to her too, and now she's gone. There's no getting her back. How does that make you feel? Knowing that you'll never see Karen again?"

"I-"

"Don't say anything, whatever you say now. After now, is just going to make you look like an even bigger pilgarlic, asshole, than you've already made yourself." I said, my hands were shaking so bad I had to tuck them under my armpits. I turned and sprinted down the hallway, I didn't hear any following footsteps. Teachers and students alike peered outside of their classrooms, Jared stood there his pride and dignity ripped to shreds. I heard, later on in the day that he had gathered my things and brought them to science class. I played hooky for the rest of the day. I went home and locked myself in my room, I was terrified that he would find me, and Joker would come to get me again. I couldn't let that happen again. Never again. I had assumed in that moment that they were too different people with two different motives and two different personalities.

The next day, my Mom forced me to go to school. No matter how much begging ensued, she drove me to the front doors and dropped me off. I walked blindly to my locker and opened it, a white notecard fluttered to the ground. I set my bag on the ground and picked up the card. On the front it read my name. Within, there was a letter.