Going Under | Sitkolson [C]

8. VOICES IN THE AIR

I made it to class early, moving to the back where Josh and Chris are, both having a small conversation.

"Hey, Rick, what's up?" Chris frowned, stoping his conversation.

I sighed, shaking my head, "It's nothing, really, just..."

Josh also frowned, leaning forward, "What's wrong?"

"I've been getting really bad headaches, and these..." I shake my head again, stopping myself, "It's just headaches."

I honestly didn't know what to tell them. That I've been having crazy headaches and that constant voices won't shut up? Not Ryan's, but whispers. All they do is whisper my name. It wasn't so bad at first, but then they started whispering over one another. I just wish I could talk to Ryan to get them to go away. But, he hasn't been around for the past three days. I've been calling, yelling, screaming, everything. He just hasn't been around. That's when I started boarding the 'crazy train'. Unfortunately, it had more twists and turns than I wanted it to have.

People started to notice that something was wrong with me. The constant tugging on my hair and groans for people to 'shut up', they all knew what was going on with me. What's even worse, though, is that my own brother witnessed me having a break down.

That may not seem like a bad thing, but he's seen so much, he didn't know whether to calm me down or not. He probably thinks I'm crazy as well, and I don't blame him. But, it's not like I can talk to someone about it. I've got no money to pay for appointments, and my parents don't give two shits. Either way, I'm screwed. I refuse to let alcohol and drugs be the answer, though. Sure, I smoke, but I'm not going to start drinking myself to sleep. If anything, that'd worry my friends more. And
I don't want to let them down.

"Ricky..."

"Rick..."

I let out a groan and covered my ears whilst pressing my head to my desk, my teeth clenched.

This was just the start. I knew it. Images flashed before my eyes, all filled with screams and blood. My breathing started to grow heavy as I saw my brother in a pool of blood, lying on the school bathroom floor with people around him, all laughing and whispering.

I pushed my chair back, sprinting out of the class room and down the hall, skidding to a stop when I saw my brother and Vinny talking by their lockers, both smiling.

I ran to him, resting my hands on his shoulders whilst looking him up and down, "You're not hurt, are you?"

He shared a look with Vinny before looking back to me, shaking his head, "No, I'm not. What's-"

I cut him off by pulling him in for a hug, resting my chin on his shoulder, "Be careful, okay?"

He nodded his head, pulling back, "Ricky, what'd you-"

I turned to Vinny, "Make sure he doesn't get hurt, okay?" He nodded his head and I continued, "And don't get yourself hurt, either."

"I won't let anything happen to him, Ricky. It's okay."

I let out a breath of relief, closing my eyes for a few seconds.

"Ricky... I'm outside."

My eyes instantly opened at Ryan's voice and I wasted no time in running towards the school exit.

I'm sure that I looked like a mad man running around the school every five seconds, each time in different directions, but I didn't really care. Ryan tile me I'd see him soon, and I was about to.

As soon as I pushed open the door, I kept watch for a black hoodie, running to one as soon as I saw it.

I grabbed the person's arm, turning them around to face me, "Ryan?"

"What?" The person frowned, his voice higher than Ryan's, "You have the wrong person, kid."

I frowned, letting go of them as they walked away.

I spun back around, keeping an eye out for any hoodies.

"Ricky, he's not coming back."

I shook my head, covering my ears, "You're wrong. He's here."

"Ricky, he's gone."

"Ricky."

"Ricky."

"Ricky!"

My head snapped up, my eyes meeting Angelo's blue ones.

"Are you okay?" He asked, frowning at me.

I nodded my head, stuttering, "Ah, yeah. Just a headache."

Still frowning, he nodded, "Can you tell Chris to meet me here at lunch?"

"Yeah." I mumbled before running in the other direction, heading for the other side of the school where no one else goes.

I didn't want to believe the voices in my head, but they were closer to an answer than what I was. I hadn't spoken to Ryan in days. I hadn't dreamt about him, I hadn't seen him, nothing. I barely knew him, but his lack of existence had such an affect on me. Especially when the only voices I heard weren't his.

• • •

I sat with my back against the wall, my knees brought up to my chest as I stared at the ground.

Tara and Phil were there, but they were both passed out on the couch. I didn't have a problem, not one bit.

Ever since my 'scene' at school, the guys kept an eye on me. I had one of them in just about all of my classes, it was my Chemistry I didn't have one of them in. Angelo practically skipped out on Art because he was too busy watching me, and Josh and Chris missed half of our English and Maths work because they were, too, too busy watching me. Josh and I ditched Phys Ed, because we weren't too good at that, so that gave him another reason to watch my every move. But, now they were gone. The voices were still there, and each over one another.

The images started to get worse and worse, causing me to tug and pull at my hair. Before I knew it, I was lying on the ground, nothing but a blanket of darkness hovering over me.