Page 66 of Fragmented Illusions

When my head is parallel with my shoulder, I peer into the darkness behind me. There are only two rows behind Nat and me—but two is more than enough for people to sit in. At first, I don’t see anything as the room goes pitch black, but then lights begin flashing from the movie, illuminating the room in quick bursts of light.

I squint my eyes harder as the screen mimics a strobe light, almost blinding me—but then I see them. They are in the last row, sitting two seats to the left of Nat and I, staring right at me.

Their masks are on, the white porcelain reflecting the light and making them appear even shinier. They’re clothed in black—which I’ve come to recognize as a staple of theirs—helping them blend easily into the shadows.

I grip my phone tighter in my palm as I feel it slip due to the sweat coating every inch of my skin. The rational part of my brain is screaming at me to turn around, grab Natalie, and get the hell away from them.

But a different part of me—a once very deep part recently brought to the surface again—tells me another.

Stay.

Play in the dark with them.

I inhale deeply, trying to draw oxygen into my suddenly depleted lungs, when my breath hitches in my throat, forming a lump I cannot swallow down. Creepy cocks his head to the side—the faintest of movements. It almost appears as if he’s challenging me. Taunting me.

Silent—Sol—I remind myself, tips his head down enough for it to be noticeable and I feel my brows pinch in confusion. They seem amicable right now and it’s confusing the hell out of me.

I was expecting them to try to elicit fear, or maybe even anger, but this… Teasing? Is that what this is? I don’t know what to do with.

I can feel a crick in my neck form from my position and I straighten my body back towards the screen, forcing my eyes away from them. I don’t know what they are doing here, but I can’t interact with them around Nat. It’s too dangerous.

For whom?

Her?

Or you?

I pull my bottom lip in between my teeth as I force It away. With my sights no longer on them, my hands begin to shake, and I have to press them into my thighs to still them.

I can feel myself losing it, right here in the middle of a fucking movie theater with Natalie right at my side. She’s already seen too much. I was able to play those instances off easily enough, but I can’t do that again.

I need to keep it together.

Be. Fucking. Perfect, Fallon.

Blood rushes in my ears, making a loud whooshing sound that completely drowns out the cliché screams from the movie. I keep my eyes trained on the screen, focusing so hard the edges of my vision begin to blur, distorting everything in front of me.

I can sense my lungs moving with each breath I draw, but I don’t feel them, nor do I get the satisfaction you feel when you take a breath. It’s almost as if you can feel the life force inside of you. But that’s gone.

Focus.

Fight it.

All I feel is their eyes on me, drilling into the back of my skull. A skull I’m sure they would like toliterallydrill into.

You would let them too.

Tears burn my eyes as I absorb the words It tells me. The truth in the ringing so fucking loudly, it stuns me.

A buzzing pulls me back to the surface and I gasp as everything comes back in a wave. Suddenly the movie is blaring in my ears, and the lights flicker in and out. I hear the crunching of people eating their popcorn and the slurps of sodas being drank.

I can hear my breathing, and the rapid beat of my heart against my ribs.

The feeling of being alive.

My hand vibrates again and that’s when I remember my phone is pressed between my hand and my thigh. I lift my hands from my legs and grab my phone. Bringing it close to my face, I lean down to my left to stare at the screen.

Unknown: Play in the dark with us, pretty girl.