The Crazy Kind

Chapter 5: Iris

I felt my heart pounding against my ribs as he slipped into my lodgings, gun drawn. Let me tell you now, thinking you're ready feels completely different from actually facing death. Funny how quickly that sense of having escaped crumbled back into a panic when I saw the two of them through the window. I hadn't bothered to question their methods of how they found me. According to the blind man, these guys had been committing torture, mutilation, and murder for years at least. If one were to somehow avoid capture for all that time, they'd surely manage to devise a sort of technique for it. There was no conceivable exit apart from the front door. I was trapped. At the very least, I lived alone and Jen had gotten out long before they showed up. The isolation only magnified my fear but the knowledge that those close to me were safe provided a layer of comfort.

"Ace, what is this?" Levi asked the gunman wanting to end me. Hold up, he sounded confused. This wasn't part of the plan? Then why were they here?

"Poor little Levi's gone soft, hasn't he?" the man called Ace challenged. "I'd even go so far as to say you've fallen for her."

"That's enough! We agreed to stick to questions only!" The silver gleam of a blade flew into Levi's hand as he put himself between us. Oh please no. I hated blood. The very sight of it made me nauseous.

"You agreed. I made no such deals." I found myself backing up in response to this madness until I was against the wall. Nowhere to go now. I don't care how calm anyone says I appeared to be. Deep down, I was freaking out. I still didn't know who these people were, or even what I'd done to upset them. There had to be more to this than just a bit of ink, right? What the actual hell was going on!?

"I said that's enough!"

Lowering the weapon, Ace spared us a conflicted glance before shuffling back to the doorway. I felt a sigh of relief escaped me as he did so. Was I safe? Levi had made it clear that he would have none of it and as far as I could tell, they were at least moderately close. He wouldn't shoot his friend for this, would he? My moment of security was silenced when he whipped back around, drawing his own blade and barrelling forward with an animalistic roar, shoving me into the wall as his free hand closed around my neck. Gasping both from the impact and the sudden shortage of air, I felt the back of my skull bash into the concrete as the world went silent, time itself seeming to crawl to a snail's pace.

A wave of nausea and lightheadedness hit me, causing me to collapse to my knees as the pressure on my windpipe vanished, my assailant having been pulled off of me by his former ally. In a feeble attempt to clamber back to my feet, I barely registered the two men locked in combat, each trying to wrestle the other into submission. I could tell that their lips were moving, aggressively spitting words like they were venom. It looked like Levi was trying to yell some sense into Ace, but I couldn't hear any of it. Everything was drowned out by the ringing in my ears. The last thing I saw before crumpling back into a pathetic heap on the floor was Levi yanking his adversary's arm into the air and a quick flick of the wrist. Something fell off, I'm sure of it, and it was the last straw.

For a while, it was like I'd phased out of the scene around me, watching as though it were a dream, experiencing it but knowing I'd never recall the details later. As my vision blurred, a single sound burrowed its way into my mind. A scream. As faded and distant as it was, I would have recognized it anywhere. "Jen?" I whispered faintly just before it all went black.

I awoke to the sensation of someone's desperate attempts to slap me awake. The feeling of palm connecting with cheek dragged me out of my slumber while also remaining gentle enough to not be painful. Sound and feeling. After what felt like an eternity without them, they were perceived as almost alien. Then there was the sense of soft hands caressing the sides of my face. That could not have been one of the boys, could it? Opening my eyes, I immediately identified the face looking back to belong to Jenessa.

"Oh, Iris. What did they do to you?" she muttered to herself, almost sympathetically.

"Jen? What happened? Where are we?" Pulling myself into a sitting position to face my best friend, I recognized where we were. Those iron bars and stone walls could not have been anything else. We were in a prison cell. Now that just opened up a whole new can of worms, didn't it? What had either of us done to warrant being thrown in here? Sure, we weren't the biggest fan of rules but I think I'd remember if I'd ever committed a crime.

"Curious as ever, I see. Don't worry about it. You'll work it all out," she ventured, lost in thought by the sounds of it, before clasping my hand and speaking, now with more confidence. "I know you will." It was strange talking to her in such a state. Where was that trademark certainty and composure that followed her like a lost puppy? I was glad to see it returned, even for those few seconds before her grip loosened and her breath seemed to get captured in her lungs like she was being choked by some unseen force.

What happened next was easily the most horrific event of the day. I could do nothing as Jenessa's eyes glazed over and she fell, sprawled out like a ragdoll to the ground. Being threatened in my own home paled in comparison to watching the only person to stick by me all these years breathe her last. In a heartbeat, I was beside her. Check her pulse, that was the first thing to do, wasn't it? There wasn't one. No. This couldn't be happening. People don't just drop dead without reason, for goodness sakes! Was she breathing? No, of course not.

The dusty concrete was slick with tears by then, but I couldn't have been bothered. In a last-ditch effort, I resorted to my final flicker of hope, calling her name, over and over again like a chant, trying to shake her back into existence. Stupid, I know. If it were that easy to raise someone from death's cold embrace, none of us would ever lose anybody. I don't know how much time I spent trying, dragging out that futile endeavor until her unmoving corpse began to fade into nothingness, as did the jail cell around me and my own room rematerialized around me.

"...He's gone. You're alright," Hearing the end of whatever Levi was trying to tell me sent me further still into a fit of hysterics.

"Gone! It's not alright! It'll never be alright!" I babbled, clawing at the ground, the walls, even Levi himself. Maybe if I tried hard enough, they would all just peel away and send me back so I could keep trying. I'd never stop trying. I refused to believe that she had left forever. Without a thought, My hand latched onto an old snowglobe. If you couldn't tear your way through, you'd use something sharp. Smashing the glass orb and using the shards to carve away at the wallpaper, I heard myself screaming, "Bring her back! She's not dead! Bring her back! She's not dead!"

"Stop it! You'll hurt yourself!" Rough fingers snaked their way around my own, disarming me of the glass and restraining me. I struggled, thrashing violently in vain, the final echoes of my little chant dying on my tongue. "I don't know what happened or who 'she' is but I can promise that you never left the room."

Had I been here the whole time? Then what was all that? Some twisted nightmare? No, it felt too real. Still, if there was even the slightest possibility that Jen was alive, I'd take it. Slumping over when Levi finally released me, I remained motionless, eyeballing a spot on the wall.

"It's getting late. I can't be caught outdoors at night, I'm afraid." Afraid, he was. It was evident in his tone, trembling and shaky. Why though? I didn't ponder the question. There were too many other things on my mind that just seemed so much more important. For example, what the hell had I just witnessed? I'm not sure what was more painful. Watching it all through my own two eyes or the uncertainty on what exactly had happened. "Maybe we'll... see each other again sometime," he said, more to himself than to me, preparing to leave the room.

"Wait." Only lord knows why those words just had to come out of my mouth. "Don't go... please." Oh my God, what was wrong with me? He saved my life, but he was also the reason it was in danger to begin with. How did begging him to stay seem like a good idea? Was it him? Was it me? Maybe I just didn't want to be alone, or was there some other reason? I don't know. I really don't.

To both my relief and dismay, he turned around. Relief because I wouldn't be alone and dismay because he almost got me killed. Kneeling so I was looking straight into those gorgeous pools of hazel, he apologized, "I'm so, so sorry about all this... If you really want me to stay, I will, but honestly, you have no reason to trust me after everything that's happened today." It was in that moment that my mind was made up. I did want him to stay. In spite of everything, his raw yet gentle voice was too comforting of a presence to give up. Chances are, the night would have been too much to handle without it. Still, there were so many answers I needed desperately.

"Why come looking for me anyway?" I had to know. Nothing could change the past but I at least wanted a reason.

"Old habits, I guess." Levi tensed up, remembering something unpleasant maybe, avoiding my gaze like he was ashamed. "Honestly though, I'm getting sick of it all. So much anger and bloodshed. I don't expect you to understand but I just-"

"-Feel like running away?" I finished for him. I'm going to assume I surprised him judging by how he immediately shut his mouth and stuffed his hands into his pockets awkwardly. The feeling was no stranger to me. We all have something deep inside us that we wish we could escape from. However insignificant, it will always be there and anyone who denies it is a liar, nothing more.

"Sorry. I guess you do get it after all."

"Yeah, I do. Just about anyone would," I trailed off, remembering days long past when such worries were never on my mind. Before everything seemed to go wrong. I wished I could go back, turn back time and relive the good times. "So let's do it. Run away, I mean."

Damn, that sounded cliche. The scariest part was that I hadn't even realized what I was saying until the words had left my mouth. Oh, no, wait. The scariest was that I meant it. The possibility of finally getting out of this hellhole we lived in was so very, very appealing. Was this really the right time or person to escape with? After all, he had just admitted to attempting murder out of habit. Habit! It didn't matter how sorry he was, he still tried.

"Gonna be as straightforward as possible here. You don't want to be caught anywhere near me, Iris. You'd only be nailing the coffin shut on your own happy ending," he said with absolute certainty. How could he have been so sure? Had he already tried and failed? Was it really not worth another attempt?

The sound of sirens snuck its way into the conversation like a third voice, causing Levi's eyes to widen in alarm. Crap! The window was broken, stained red around the edges of the hole. It never once occurred to me that the lone man in my room with me did not enter alone. Had Ace gone crashing through the glass? Surely, that must have attracted someone's attention.

"I have to go," Levi murmured as he scampered for the door but was stopped cold by the echoing ring of a doorbell. He'd never make it out the front door.

"Stop. Follow me," I urged him. This house was a maze, complete with its own secrets and twists and there was an abundance of places he could hide. It would be like he melted into the structure itself, that's how difficult it would be to locate him.

"This isn't your problem. It's mine," he argued in return.

"Just trust me," I hissed out. Grabbing him by the arm, I led him through hallway after hallway, room after room until we were in a massive, two storey high space lined with bookshelves and platforms circling the upper layer. Yes, I had my own library, though I hardly ever used it. Why would I when all the same information and more was out there on the web? Poor Levi, though. The boy's eyes were popping out of their sockets as his amazement seemed to grow with every door we crossed.

Now, where was it? The doorbell rang for the fourth time, renewing my sense of urgency. Dashing up the stairs, Levi hot on my heels, I scoured the various book titles. They were arranged alphabetically, and I watched them all fly by until I knew we were close. R, S, T, there it was. On the shelf directly at eye level sat a book appropriately titled 'That One Room'. Pulling it as if I wanted to read it, I stepped back as the entire shelf swung open, not quite from floor level so as to not leave obvious markings, but from around knee height.

"Get in." There was no debate as he climbed into the space behind, mouthing a silent thank you as he did so. This wasn't the only secret area such as this I had found. In fact, the mansion was chock full of cleverly hidden rooms and tunnels, and I doubted even I, living here alone for years had found them all. I had no clue as to why they all existed but if someone were to memorize all their locations, they could practically disappear in one room and reappear somewhere else like a ghost.

Another ring of the bell reached my ears. Well, time to deal with the cops. At the door, I steeled my nerves, knowing full well that I may have to spout a few white lies if I wanted Levi's presence to remain unnoticed. Should I even have lied to them? What irrational reason could I have had for sticking my neck out for someone who technically invaded my home? It didn't matter. Too late to change my mind now. Opening the door, I froze in disbelief. The person standing there, badge in hand was living proof that it was a small world.

"Holy smokes, Iris? They didn't tell me whose house this is, but damn, this really makes my day," Landon snickered with a wry smile. Oh, lord, here we go. Meet the ultimate douche and rascal from my high school days. He was trouble, or so he believed. To me, all that talk was a massive exaggeration. Deep down, he was a coward, especially when it came to his car, his hair, and of course, his ego. "People missed you when you left, you know? Where did you go anyway?"

"Left? You had me expelled for breaking up with you, Landon." How, you ask? He was the principal's son, of course. In fact, that's the only reason he got away with anything, and his actions proved just how shallow he was. Get over yourself, dude. It's not my fault you turned out to be a basketball-obsessed brute who cared more about his hairspray than anything else.

"Then you shouldn't have done that, eh?" Wow, he had issues. Too many to count, actually. "Back to business, Miss? Your neighbor called the station and reported hearing some sort of struggle and breaking glass? Also, you've been crying." Oh, right. The meathead was a cop now.

So they just heard it? No visual? Mentally preparing for the blatant deception I was about to pull on him, I thought over what I knew. My room was a mess, there was blood on my broken window, and the cop they sent was someone who knew me well enough to tell when I was lying. Could I get away with telling him the truth, but without all the parts with Levi? Maybe. What choice did I have?

"I was attacked. He's gone now though." Keep it vague, Iris, keep it vague.

"Attacked? By who? At least give me a description of the culprit."

"Dark skin, buzz cut, black hair..." As I continued to list off details, I couldn't help but think of the corner I may have just backed myself into. I would never manage a lie that Landon would believe, and at the same time, Ace would surely retell the story with all the missing details should he be caught. Did Levi even want me to rat out his former comrade? The more I thought about it, the worse of an idea this felt like.

"Alright," Landon droned, scribbling down my words in a notebook, "You won't mind if I have a look around? Clues, you know?" At that point, I could only hope he wouldn't notice the extra set of prints or anything that Levi may have left behind. Apart from those possibilities, he could have searched to his heart's content and not find an actual person in the house.

Search, he did. The bedroom, the kitchen, the living room, everywhere, all the while giving me a scrutinizing glare. Okay, obviously he didn't believe me, but the force could do nothing without proof, right? I hoped so. A few hours passed, and he gathered his stuff and claimed that he'd seen enough. Had he found anything that could be held against us? If he had, we had a problem.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Iris," he dragged my name out in a mocking fashion, giving me one final scoff before stalking back to the police car waiting across the street, muttering all manner of inaudible thoughts as he did. What did I do to him, really? Now that he was gone, I realized that Levi was still hiding in that secret room and had been for the past few hours.

"What the hell? What took you so long?" he grumbled, squinting in the relatively bright light when I helped ease him back through the gap in the wall. Yeah, I'd have been annoyed too. That room, in particular, was completely barren apart from four walls, a floor, and a ceiling. I explained the whole situation, carefully reading his expression especially when he heard that I told them about Ace. Well, he may have been saddened to some extent but at least he wasn't angry. I made sure to leave out the fact that I'd just been interrogated by my ex, for some reason. I just felt like he wouldn't have been interested.

"They'll catch him eventually, and he'll probably tell them everything. You know that, right?" He stayed silent. Probably didn't have anything to say right now. How could he possibly word it out, seeing as he'd likely spent most of his life running from the cops only to have them find him like this? It was strangely ironic, wasn't it? "You have to run," I appealed, hoping his own sense of self-preservation would agree.

Silence. He must have been thinking it over. It was not as simple as getting up and leaving, but he didn't have time. The moment people started looking for him, it'd be near impossible.

"You're right..." Levi held my gaze, firm and serious, and uttered the three words I'd been waiting to hear. "Let's do it."

"Alright, we gotta be quick. We've only got however much time it takes for the cops to do their job." I said nothing more as I headed to my room to grab my essentials. Unfortunately, it seemed someone had other plans. Lying there on the foot of my bed was a piece of paper.

"Hey, Iris, you got your stuff?" The question died in his throat when he saw the note I was holding, which I promptly read out to him through a dry mouth and chilled spine.

"Gotta say, Iris. You hid him well. Try anything out of the ordinary and I'll report what I found. Your move. -L"

Someone found out. How!? I felt my knees buckle as I fought the urge to hurl, overwhelmed by anxiousness all of a sudden as nausea kicked in. The two of us just stared at each other in horror and I knew the same realization was dawning on him. We couldn't run. We were trapped.