Those Who Surround Us Change Us

Chapter 4

Three months had passed since the doctor's visit and Fayre was being extra careful to try to stay out of stressful and strenuous activities. So far, she had done so rather well, but nothing can stay good forever. Fayre had taken the day off and had decided to explore the city, which is probably the worst choice she could've made.

While in town, she was mugged, her money, phone, work pass, and other valuables were gone and the police were being less than helpful. They didn't even seem to try and look for the perpetrator, even if they had nothing else to do. Fayre was stressed, she knew she was, but she couldn't stop it. It wasn't until she was on the bus that she felt the sharp pain in chest. She was sweating and she couldn't seem to breathe.

She collapsed on the bus, she barely remembered the EMT trying to get her to speak to him. She couldn't remember the ride in the ambulance. She didn't register that that was the stupidest choice of her life until she realized that she was dead.

When Iowa made it to the hospital, Fayre was already gone. The doctor said she had died in the ambulance. He had left her to grieve for her friend after that. He had other patients to attend to. It took Iowa awhile before she could bring herself to go down to the morgue and see her friends body.

She stood over her friend staring was emotionless eyes, she was numb. The only friend she had was dead. The only person who seemed to care for her was dead. The only person she cared about was dead. She was dead. Iowa wished she could trade places with her. Fayre was so young, she'd only recently turning twenty-two. She should still be alive, out in the world making friends. Iowa couldn't understand this cruel reality. Why did someone so young, so pretty have to die? She wanted to be with her, she wished she'd died with her. She wished some accident had happened at work while her friend was dying that maybe she would be with her now.

Iowa traveled back home at a slow pace. She refused to take the bus, walking through the pouring ran with no jacket. She walked the five miles to her apartment, drenched when she finally made it there, but she didn't care. She couldn't feel anything. She hoped that somehow a cold would kill her. She wanted to die, she needed to die. Maybe then she'd be at peace, she'd be with Fayre, her only friend, her true friend. She didn't bother to change out of her wet clothes, taking a seat on her beat up couch. She stared at her off white wall, caked in a layer of dirt.

She wished she was anywhere but here. Without fully comprehending it, she had fallen asleep. She woke up the next morning to a loud banging at her door. She didn't bother to move, hoping they'd go away.

"Iowa!" came a shout through the door, it was the landlord. She was supposed to pay rent yesterday, she'd forgotten. She reluctantly stood up, grabbing the envelope of cash hidden in her fridge and answered the door. She shoved the envelope in his hands, not bothering to try to start a conversation. The door was immediately closed in his face. He didn't bother to bang on the door again, he knew he'd get no answer. She looked horrible and he could only guess it was about the girl he'd seen on tv, the same girl he'd seen hanging around Iowa.

Iowa didn't attend work that day, she didn't see the point. Her boss didn't blame her, but he did worry. He'd seen other employees go through the same thing and it never seemed to end well. He knew Iowa well enough to know that she'd bottle it all up until she exploded.

How right he was. He realized within a month that she probably wouldn't be attending work anymore. He had tried to contact her, but her phone had been disconnected. He got her address and knocked on her door, nothing. He was worried, he didn't know where she was.

She, however, was lost. She'd up and left in the middle of the night a few weeks back. She'd used all her money to rent a cabin out in the middle of the woods, the same woods Fayre had told her about. Fayre had told her of her hometown, Ely, Minnesota. She talked so passionately about the adventures and memories she had in those woods.

Iowa knew that she needed to see it one time before she decided it was time. So, she booked a cabin and a flight and flew up here. It was beautiful, she knew why Fayre loved it so much. She almost felt bad for what she was going to do. She was going to desecrate her friends favorite place with her unholy blood, but as she held the gun to her head, she didn't seem to mind as much. When she pulled the trigger, there was no going back.

Her body laid in the middle of those woods for weeks, food for the animals. She was dead, just like she wanted and she was finally reunited with the only person she loved, her Fayre.