Run and Hide

Chapter Four

"Nate?" He looks up at me, "I need to communicate with her, let her know that I can help." Nate pulled a Ouija board out from under the bed. "This is what I've been using to talk with Nina." Setting the board on the floor, Nate and I sat down across from each other with the lights dimmed. "I saw what happened to Nina, I wished I could go back in time and save her." Tears streamed down Nate's cheeks, "I do too."

Placing two fingers lightly on the planchette, Nate and I cleared our minds. "Nina, are you with us?" The planchette hovered over 'yes,' then started to move around the other letters. Nate says the letters out loud, I wrote them out as we asked questions. "Do you know where your body is?" The planchette hovered over 'yes,' then it moved to other letters across the board.

'Not her in the room.'

"Why can't Nicole be in the room? She wants to help you." Nate says with a frown across his face.

'I will kill her.'

"Nina, you will not. Nicole is the most selfless person I know; I wouldn't want anybody else to help more than her."

'She can't help.'

"I can help, and I will. I will set you free."

'Promise?'

"I promise, Nina. I will make this right for you, no matter what I must do." I said, tears escaping my eyes. I felt like I was responsible for her, she was just a confused little girl. I wasn't even sure if I could, but I was going to fight like hell.

I turned to my left; Nate was slouched over against the wall. "Nate?" The lights flickered, Knick knacks from the shelf above fell to the floor.

As Nate sat up straight, his eyes weren't baby blue anymore. "I told you I would kill you if you interfered." I bit my tongue in fear, a metallic taste swirled in my mouth. "Nina, I promised I would help you, let me." I said, holding my mouth in pain.

"You were there the day I died, why didn't you save me?" Nina said, pushing me backward. I didn't think about it, but then I realized who she was. Nina was one of my first real friends when we were kids, but she was sick. We'd leave notes on our windows to read, play outside together when she felt good; keep each other's deepest secrets.

But Nina didn't tell me about the abuse, she took that secret to the grave.

Nina knew the realization came to light, "come here." She says, I came a few feet away from her, Nina touched my forehead; I fell into another flashback.

Seven Years ago:

I met Nina at our neighborhood park, we were ten years old. Once I introduced myself, we clicked instantly. It was like I was missing something, the last puzzle piece to my board. As the streetlights turned on, I walked Nina home and introduced myself to her parents, they seemed like any other parent.

Nina and I met at the park once a week or so, until she stopped coming. I didn't see any notes in the window, her gigantic stuffed teddy bear wasn't sitting on her bed anymore; I was worried. I went to mom for advice on what I could do, she smiled. "Take this to Nina's house, I'm sure she's down with another cold."

As I stumbled up to her door, I heard footsteps nearby. Ringing the doorbell, I was greeted by Mr. Perry. "I brought Nina some soup, can I take it up to her?" Mr. Perry shook his head, taking the bowl from my hands. "I'll go see if she's up to visitors, Nina has been down with Pneumonia." I sat down on the red chair next to the staircase, I wanted to see my friend.

I could hear noises upstairs; it sounded like they were wrestling. What I didn't know was that she was drowning in the bathtub, fighting for her life. A few minutes later, Mr. Perry came downstairs, he was drenched in water. "I don't want you to catch whatever sickness is going around," he said pushing me out the door. I never saw Nina again.