04 Everything Okay?

Narrie has trouble shaking memories of last night's nightmare. She tries to talk to Edgar about his strange behavior.

          I forced myself to get up and ready for school. In the bathroom mirror: “look at me”, an invitation to walk with Kate to class: “Join me.” there was no declining this offer. On the way, conversation came to an abrupt halt, and it was only natural for me to bring up what was on my mind. “Kate?” I started to get her attention, for she seemed transfixed by the pavement.

          “What's up?” was the cheery response.

          “You know that you and Tee and Edgar are my best friends, right? We've known each other for a long time, and we know each other inside-out.” (you don't know Tee, right? You'll meet him soon enough)

          She smiled, knowing what I meant. “Totally.” she responded sincerely.

          “Have you noticed Edgar acting a a little strange lately? I feel like he's hiding something, but he- ” I didn't really know where to take it from there, but thankfully, Kate could see where I wanted to go.

          “Yeah, now that you point that out, I see... I didn't really notice before, but yeah, I think you're right.”

          “Next time I see him, I'll try to bring it up” I ended the conversation, for we had reached out separate classes.

          “Good, you do that.” She responded, and then went to her class.

          During lunch, I ate where we normally do, and Edgar still seemed worried; his eyebrows were pushed together. He when he had finished his lunch he tried to 'go to the bathroom' but he's such a horrible lier, we said he could hold it until we were all done. Then he wanted to go get water, and we pointed at the bottle in his lunch. His third attempt an escape was that he was still thirsty, and when he said he did not want any of our waters, I offered to get water with him, and sense he'd accidentally made a big deal out of getting up, he had no choice but to go with and thank me.

          We walked and talked. I started the conversation by saying, “Edgar, I don't have much time to say this, so I...have... you seem off your game lately... I mean” I was trying desperately to find the right words, and they just weren't coming. I was trying so hard not to be offensive by saying, “Jeez, you acting weird, what the heck?” but he being who he is, he understood.

          “I have been” he said understandingly. It seemed to be a dramatic understatement.

          I followed that with, “but what I mean to say is, why, or can I help, or... tell me what's going on” I was trying not to sound desperate.

          “I've been fighting a cold lately. I'm not sneezing or anything, so I'm not contagious... hence being at school, but...” he trailed off.

          That's it? That can't be it! “But there's something else. Come on Edgar, you can trust me. What is it really?” He looked down and away. There is something else he's not telling me, I'm sure.

           He said at last, “Don't you know me? I feel safe telling you anything.” I turned away uncomfortably. Because I was looking away, he continued with “Look at me” with such a striking resemblance to the bugs swarming around my mother's head I felt as though I could almost see the bugs. He grabbed my shoulders and whispered in my ear, “It's okay; right now you're alright. I am not able tell you.” His words echoed in my ears “I am not able to tell you.” My head started pounding. “Right now you're alright” 'Right now?!' what does that mean? The bugs swarmed my head. I wanted to pull away, but I couldn't find the strength to move. Suddenly, all the sounds and colors of my surroundings blended into one another. I looked down, and there was no floor. I looked up and there was no sky. I could feel Edgar holding my shoulders firmly, but I couldn't see him. I couldn't see my feet or my hands. I felt completely numb, almost like I wasn't breathing. I felt my joints stop functioning. My hips, knees and ankles seemed to come apart. I fell to the floor in slow motion so that upside-down feeling in my stomach was exaggerated and lasted until the light drowned itself, and there was none left.

Author's Note

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