He Almost Made It

 

http://twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.co.il/2011/05/torture-chamber.html

“They never left, you know,” Yuki murmured, “The nightmares.”

“I know,” Evan whispered back to his best friend.

“Now I think I understand why they did it.” She smiled in a ghostly manner. Yuki looked like a specter, her eyes distant and faded, skin white as paper.

“It’s been a year,” Evan hesitated, “Since we got out.”

“It’s not fair,” a tear slowly rolled down Yuki’s cheek, but she didn’t blink. “It should have been me.” her voice was soft, and to anyone else it would have sounded indifferent, but Evan knew better.

“It shouldn’t have been any of us,” and he knew how melodramatic it must have sounded, “None of us deserved it, not us and not him.”

“If only she hadn’t told us to run.”

“Well, I am grateful she did, we would all be dead if she hadn’t…” Evan was cut off by Yuki’s quiet sob.

“She’s dead too now, why couldn’t it be me?” Her voice rose. “I wish I didn’t let him run behind us, maybe he could have made it…”

Everyone in the art room was staring at her. Her tears fell onto the plain canvas under her. She couldn’t paint, not after they were taken by those gruesome bastards. Not after, she lay there paralyzed, along with Evan, Justin, and a female stranger. What had they injected into them? Did it matter? They had carved their skin with symbols, following their crazy delusions of awakening a demon… or was it the devil? Again, did it matter? They had gotten out… alive. But not Justin… not the girl who had been captive before Evan, Yuki, and Justin.

“We’re going to have to excuse ourselves,” Evan didn’t even look at teacher as he grabbed Yuki’s arm and dragged her dazed body outside. 

And then they were out on the cold rooftop without their jackets. Yuki stood a few meters in front of him. She turned. Her short hair was pulled into her face by the wind as it swooped into Evan’s eyes making him squint, but he could still see her devastated expression.  

“I remember how they forgot to refill our veins with that… substance one day.” Yuki said.

“The girl… she was too weak to run. She told us that it was the only way out. Up the stairs and to the left.” Evan could just barely hear her over the roar of the lightning.

“I will never forget leaving her there. Justin didn’t want to, but she said she just wanted to die. Now I can understand her.”                          

“Yuki…”

“And then we ran. I knew I shouldn’t have let him get behind and cover for us, but I was so scared. I was scared and I was a coward.”

“No, Yuki…”

“But they heard our footsteps. They knew to kill us before we exposed their secret and surely they were aware that the court would plead them guilty.” She took a deep breath as gargantuan raindrops began hitting her face. Evan said nothing.

“They caught up to us. With the strength we had, I was surprised they didn’t earlier. I guess adrenalin does crazy things to one’s body. But skin can only hold out so much. Justin’s skin. The girl’s skin. They cut it like birthday cake.” Yuki turned her back to Evan. 
“He almost got out with us.” She whispered.

Silence.

“He almost made it!” she screamed as she dug her nails into her face.

Silence.

“The trial is tomorrow. They have all the evidence. They have the other bodies that those bastards used, and I know there is no way anyone in the world will let them get away… but why can’t I help but feel so…”

“Terrified? Unsettled? Insecure?” Evan offered, “How can we not?” he continued, “After all that we’ve been through, we still can’t tame the nightmares, all we can do is befriend them.” he walked over to Yuki’s side.

They didn’t touch, look at each other, or speak. Just stared at the enormous campus below them as the rain soaked through their clothing making it stick to their skin. After a while they silently returned to the classroom. The teacher and students didn’t say a word. Everyone in town knew about the kidnapping and the torture they went through, but didn’t dare say a thing to the face of the victims, even though they frequently whispered behind their backs.  

 Yuki picked up a paintbrush. Evan finally smiled.