Hide (Sequel to RUN)

Chapter 13

Maki grazed his finger against my cheek, catching the lone tear on it. It glistened in the morning sunlight before he rubbed it out of existence. I couldn't help but stare as he did so. One of the emotions had gotten a drop out.

But the rest still roiled inside of me, threatening to push past the limits of my tear-ducts.

"Come here," Maki muttered, gathering me up in his arms and lifting me off the bed. I kept my eyes on my bony leg as it bounced lightly.

The feelings inside my stomach were revolting against the barriers of my mind. I couldn't shut down. Not this time.

Years of restrained anger, sadness, loneliness, jealousy, disgust, fear pounded and pounded.

Despite wanting to cry only yesterday,I wasn't so sure about it now.

Maki took me into the bathroom and set me down against the sink cabinet. The war inside my head squashed my curiosity. But I still watched him closely.

He went over to the shower and tub combo and turned the knob to hot. Then he came back over and scooped me up again.

"The water's already warm," he explained to me before he set me down in the tub.

The hot water wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't exactly pleasant. I don't like having wet clothes.

Maki took my head out of the stream and kissed the top of it, "Take a shower. Relax." Then he closed the curtain. I heard the door close not five seconds later.

The water ran down my back, soaking my bra strap. I looked up into the shower head, closing my eyes at the water droplets coming into my eyes. Memories seemed to rain down with them.

I could feel the phantom handcuff around my ankle. I could see the rusty shower head and the top-of-the-line shampoo and conditioner. I could hear the clatter the girls made getting ready. I could smell the excessive amount of perfume Aaron provided us with. But most importantly, I could taste the copper tang residing in my mouth.

My eyes opened slowly to the reality around me. And the tears running down my cheeks, mixing in with the pure water.

"Lord, help me," I whispered.

The tears multiplied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maki closed the door behind him softly, heading into the kitchen.

"Your girlfriend is a psychopath," Curtis said before turning back to his new eggs.

"I'm pretty sure she has feelings, Curtis," Maki pulled the drawstring on his sweats tighter before heading over to the fridge for some milk.

"A sociopath, then." Maki couldn't object to that without being called a liar.

"Give her some slack," Maki said instead. "She's been through a lot."

"Yeah, well. I lost sympathy when she hit me with a frying pan."

"Okay, that was partially my fault. I didn't want to hear the earful she would've given me for dressing her, though."

"You should've just taken her home. Then I wouldn't have a lump on my head the size of an egg."

"You're gonna have another if you don't shut it." Curtis turned to Maki as he took a sip of milk out of the jug.

"I thought you didn't sleep with her." Maki chuckled while taking another sip, almost spitting it everywhere.

"What makes you think I did?"