The Witness

The Understanding

"What are you trying to say?"

"I love you. I love you so much just the thought of leaving you tears me to shreds. You know how many times I could have escaped by now!? How many missed opportunities there have been!? Because it's a lot! But I stayed, I've always stayed. I pick you."

"Melony what is happening right now? I don't want to lose you."

"You can't keep leaving me here. I can't take it anymore. Either you take me with you, or you'll need to start locking me in that room again because I can't take it. I need to get out of here. I'm going crazy. Seeing things that aren't there, walking in circles just to feel something. I'm losing my mind," tears stream down my face.

"T-take you with me? You want to go outside?"

"Yes!" I sob.

She sighs and pulls me into her arms, holding me.

"Don't leave me anymore." I sob into her.

"Just wait a little longer. Soon this pandemic will end and we will be out of here."

"When!? When Dakota! You keep saying just wait, just wait, just wait, but I am tired of waiting!" I pull free from her. "I want to feel the sun on my skin. I want to go to the store and buy things. I want to talk to people. I want to be alive again. I want to go get a coffee or have a date that doesn't involve us sitting on your bed watching tv. I'm... I'm so tired." I sit down on the couch.

"You can't," she says.

I just shut down. I don't want to hear it. I shake my head and go to her room, curling up on the bed and pulling the blankets over me.

"Melony," she tries.

I just cry into the sheets.

"Melony, you can't. People will recognize you."

"Then just kill me already," I beg.

She's silent for a while.

I feel her sit on the bed next to me.

"You want to go outside?" she asks.

"More than anything."

"Then go!"

I move the blankets to look at her.

"Get out!" she shouts.

I flinch.

"Now!" she pushes me off the bed.

"Dakota what are you doing?" my voice cracks.

She gets off the bed and pushes me out the door. I stumble back. She keeps pushing me until we are at the front door.

"You want out, then go." She says.

I shake my head no.

She opens the door and says, "Go!" she pushes me so hard I fall back and hit my head.

She slams the door shut in my face.

"Dakota!" I bang on the door.

My heart is in my ears and I can't breathe. My skin feels like it's on fire.

"Dakota open the door," I beg.

I hear the lock click into place.

I feel lightheaded, sick to my stomach. I stumble forward and have to steady myself on the door. My ears ring like when a mic is too close to the amp. When I turn around, Antonia is there.

"Dakota, I can't breathe," I lean against the door.

Antonia walks towards me, one bloody step at a time.