Unsteady

One

Adaline was special. She knew it, her mother knew it, everyone knew it, even her best friend; Maisy. It confused poor Adaline because she constantly wondered why everyone acted as if they couldn't see her. Maisy of course, didn't like when people called Addie insane. She wasn't insane, they were just stupid. "I could speak with her, maybe she won't bother you again... Yeah I should do that." Maisy twittled her thumbs as they sat outside in the car. It was midnight and no one was around. " Let's go." She exited the driver's side and walked around to grab her best friend's arm. She led Adaline to the front door and picked the lock for them to walk inside. With just a few more jiggles, the lock gave away and they snuck inside; tiptoeing quietly then shutting the door. They both took their time to look around at the beautiful and expensive content of the apartment as they walked down the dark corridor. They could hear the soft snores of the person Maisy intended on "speaking with". She placed her hand on the doorknob and twisted it. "Are you scared?" she challenged. Adaline only shook her head and followed Maisy into the dark bedroom. There she was lying motionless, and in an obviously deep sleep. They watched as she inhaled and exhaled, neither one of them making a move or sound. Maisy tiptoed over to the right side of the bed; where they would be standing behind her instead of in front. Adaline didn't know what to do, for she had never done anything like this before; Maisy knew this. And even though it was dark, she could see just how nervous Adaline was. "Here." With a shaking hand, Adaline took the silver weapon from her and looked down at it. Maisy took a towel from her pocket and retrieved the knife from her. "Can't leave evidence." She carefully wiped down the knife and handed over a pair of gloves for Adaline. She watched intensely as Maisy made sure there were no traces of their fingerprints. Adaline had never broke into someone's home, she had never stood in someone else's room and she had definitely never killed someone before; but there's a first time for everything right?
"I want you to do it." Maisy dangled the knife by the handle in front of her, Adaline stared at the knife as it sparkled faintly in the dim lighting.

"You want me to..?" She pointed at the sleeping girl that was still curled into a cocoon with her duvet. Maisy irritatedly jutted the handle to her and pushed her forward. "Mai, I ca-"

"Are you scared?" She crossed her arms, eyebrow raised.

"No.."

"Then kill her Addie."

Her heart was in her throat. She couldn't do it; she couldn't kill an innocent person. She hadn't done anything to her to give Adaline a reason to do a horrible thing such as this. And what were she to do if someone were to find out about it? Her fingers trembled, tears fell, and Maisy grew more irritated as each second passed that Adaline hesitated. She wanted to satisfy her best friend, she honestly did, but her body just wouldn't let her do it. Maisy finally snatched the knife from her and pushed her out of the way. "I swear sometimes you're such a baby." In one swift movement, Maisy slit the girl's throat. She shot up straight and grabbed at her neck, gurgling and choking on her own fluids. Adaline watched in horror as the crimson liquid gushed and flowed down and through her fingers, and cringed everytime the girl tried to scream. Tears rushed down her face while she though of ways to help her, to help end her suffering. She didn't realize she was sobbing until Maisy grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and started dragging her into the hallway. "Shut up. It's done and if you keep crying like you're the one bleeding out, then we're in trouble." She walked back for a moment to put the knife on the duvet. She came back and removed both of their gloves, then disposed of them on their way out of the apartment. Maisy took out a lighter and searched through medicine cabinets. "What are you looking for?" Addie sniffled. She ignored her and continued to search. Her hand quickly pulled down a bottle of rubbing alcohol and she began throwing it on the floor and the furniture. "Making sure no one can track it back to us." She simply said. She sparked the lighter and pushed Adaline outside before tossing the lighter into the apartment and watching the furniture go up in flames. Adaline covered her mouth as a new wave of sobs came. Maisy rolled her eyes and turned to look at her best friend that was crumbled into a sobbing heap on the floor, and gently kicked her hands away from her face. "Hey, what did I tell you? I told you to be quiet right?" Adaline nodded. "Do you want to get arrested?" Once again she shook her head. "Then suck it up."

Ever since that night, Adaline had never been the same. She always flinched when she heard sirens blarring in the distance and she would become uneasy each time she passed by the apartment complex that Maisy set fire to. Now she sits at home in a corner. Her hair was frazzled in different directions, warm tears adorned her red cheeks, her back gently tapping the wall each time she rocked backward. The only sounds were her sniffles, her muffled words, and the steady tick, tick of the clock in the far corner of the room. "Addie, what are you doing?" Maisy asked. She had been sitting crisscrossed on their bed for a solid hour, watching her quietly whisper to herself.

Adaline stopped rocking. "You're real right?" She asked softly. Maisy tilted her head in confusion, what was that supposed to mean? "What are you talking about?" She slides off of the bed and onto the floor. Adaline turns her body enough to see her out of the corner of her eye but doesn't say anything. She knew exactly what she meant; she knew why she was asking Maisy this question. She had been visiting a therapist her boyfriend found for her. She had mixed emotions about visiting her though. She continuously asked questions that Adaline didn't like or want to answer, but one thing that was said during the session stood out to her. The therapist asked her to identify what she thought was real and what wasn't. She held up photos for Adaline to identify; even though she saw no purpose for this exercise, she tried it anyways. A card with a leprechaun was held up and she automatically said "not real" which was followed by a praise from the therapist. The rest of the cards were fairly easy for her to decipher, due to the fact that most of these things she knew weren't real already. Maisy leaned over, "Does she need help telling the difference between a horse and a unicorn or something?" Adaline giggled. "Mai, shush!" Ms. Carson glanced up from her notepad. "What was that sweetie?" Adaline's smile slightly faltered and she politely waved her off in a dismissive manner as she shook her head. With a hesitant nod, Ms. Carson proceeded to take her notes.

Once again Adaline giggles, but the therapist actually put the notepad off to the side. "Please tell me what is so funny." She pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose and folded her hands together as she patiently waited for an answer. Adaline took a deep breath as she shifted her weight to her other side and put a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maisy said a joke, but I don't think you would like it very much." She stifled yet another laugh as Maisy whispered another joke into her ear. Ms. Carson removed her glasses completely. "Adaline," she folded them and placed them to the side as well.

"what are you talking about?"

"Maisy, she's sitting right here."

"Honey, there's no one there."