Flint

 

“It’s Friday the 13th, Freaks. Isn’t it like a holiday for you?” One of the guards laughs like he’s just said the funniest thing.

Stupid fuckers.

Ten, eleven, twelve…

I grit my teeth and go back to the beginning. Taking smaller steps, I start counting my steps again until I reach my seat.

Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen.

I did it. I try and hold onto the feeling of calm.

“One of these days I’m going to drag you on your ass, you psycho. I can’t deal with your stupid ritual every fucking day.” Another guard sneers at me, but I’ve already fixated on something else. The newspaper in front of me.

The headline has my attention:

College prank turns bloody.

I read the short article.

Last night at Washington State University a terrible incident occurred. Student Lucas Banks was found dead in one of the dorms. Police are still investigating the case, but according to reports Lucas Banks planned a prank on another student, Avalon Stone when it turned fatal. It is still unclear whether the incident is believed to be murder or an accident. Answers will be provided once the police concluded their investigation. The suspect is currently being held under psychiatric care until further notice.

My breath catches when I see her picture next to the article. Her features are hard to make out but her hair has my attention. Like fire. My hand finds the lighter in my pocket and I run my thumb over the striker wheel.

One, two, three, four…

Those red strands are wild around her face. Wild like her eyes.

…five, six, seven, eight…

Her lips are plump. My eyes drag over her delicate neck.

…nine, ten, eleven, twelve…

I follow those red strands down to her collarbone and fixate on the tattoo on her neck.

…thirteen.

“A..A-Avalon.” I murmured her name to myself. I say it thirteen times as my thumb finds the metal striker again. I smile.

I turn the page to see if there is any more information on her but I’m distracted by the sounds of yelling and crashing from the hallway. I take my thirteen steps to the cafeteria door when I see it. Flaming red hair.

“Great. A new freak.” The guard mumbles under his breath. He pushes me aside to go and help the other two guards trying to restrain her. She crumples to the floor when she gets a baton to the stomach. These guards, they call us freaks, animals. But they’re no better than us.

My fist clenches when one of the guards digs a knee into her back and pulls her hands behind her back to attach the handcuffs. She lets out a scream of pain but they don’t care. She’s tugged up by one arm and frog-marched down the hallway. Towards me.

“Let me go! Let me go!” She screams and tries to tug free but the guards are too strong for her. Instead, she’s pushed forward and loses her balance. Her feet trip under her and she falls to the floor before she’s tugged up again. Her hair covers her face but she flips it back over one shoulder with a swing of her head just as she passes me. There’s a look of defiance on her face.

Then her eyes meet mine and the entire world goes quiet. I count my heartbeats as we stare at each other.

One, two…three, four…five, six…

Then she’s shoved down the hallway again, but our eyes still hold. They hold until she’s pushed into an elevator at the end of the hall.

...seven, eight… nine,ten…eleven,twelve…thirteen.

She’s here.

My Avalon.

My Thirteen.