Adams visit

I hear voices and breathing, and I wonder to myself whether I'm in the hospital or at home. Or maybe I'm dreaming??

Then the memories of Yuta's house start to flood back to me, and my heart speeds up whe I think of the possibility that I'm still in the bathroom, or maybe locked in the basement.

I blink slowly, then open my eyes and look around me. There's the pale blue walls, the posters of famous groups and singers, and the pie charts and graphs that I know so well since I stuck them there in year 7. I'm in my room.

I open my eyes a little more and blink to my right, wanting to know where the voices are coming from. There's Yuta. Sat on a chair not far from my bed, watching me with a smile and eyes like a puppet- but only when I let out a gasp and sit up in much shock do I notice that it's just my mum and a random lady, most probably a friend of hers.

They both spring to their feet and rush to my side, feeling my temperature and asking if I'm okay. My mum is even weeping a little, which is unusual because she never really cries about me. Or talks to me in general. I think she figures my confused expression and starts hugging me in tears, apologising over and over again.

I don't know what to say. I wait for it to pass, trying not to cry, then try to enquire about what happened.

"Your friend called the ambulance saying your were unconscious after a sleepover party. I was so scared." My mum explains, sniffing a lot.

"Did he give his name?" It's hardly a whisper, but the adults don't recognise my fear as the other lady blurts out,

"YES, he's my nephew, Adam."

My heart is just below my throat by now. "It's been such a tragic night," my mum continues to wail quietly. "A boy at the party lost his parents to a car crash, right as the paramedics were checking up on you! I'm so glad I didn't lose you in some way, Henry I'm so glad!"

I watch her, surprised that she doesn't notice me staring for over 2 minutes.

Something is very, very wrong.

Paramedics checked me but didn't see the strangle wounds or the blood? What became of the fight? So Yuta isn't dead….?

And about his parents..

"No," I suddenly interrupt the ladies' conversation and they turn sharply to face me.

"Yuta's parents died a long time ago, don't believe that."

"What?" My mum snaps slightly, then seems to remember something and composed herself. "I think you're tired. Rest, okay Henry?"

In an internal fit of fear, I accidentally ask,

"Are you my real mum?"

The thought that I now know Yuta is not just some ordinary bad villain triggers that maybe he could've possessed my mum, like the bad people do in movies. She stares at me and in an instant her face becomes cold.

"What?" She snaps.

Before we can say anything else, there's a swift knock on the door before it opens to reveal Adam. He looks tired and worn out, but his eyes light up a little when he sees me and

he gives a slight wave.

"Um.. could we have a moment please.." his request is hardly a breath as he faces the ladies, who give us both a stern look before heading out.

Adam stares at me for a few seconds, and it looks like many things run through his head. I don't know what to say or do, and I'm scared he might turn into that Adam thing again so I hold my breath and wait quietly.

He then walks over to my bed quite suddenly, and draws one of the chairs near it to sit beside me.

"Hi Harris." He says.

I awkwardly reply, "are you going to hurt me?"

It came out before I even thought of what I was going to say, and I immediately wish I could've been a little considerate when I see the tinge of a hurt look on his face.

"I would never." He says calmly, before adding; "how do you feel? Are you okay?"

"I…" I can't find the right word. "I feel scared."

"I know." Adam ponders for a second before reaching out and patting my head just a little, but gently. "You know I protected you right?"

"Did you kill him?" My voice sounds so tiny and I already know the answer.

Adam sighs, "I can't. It'd take more than just me to kill a monster."

"But you were way bigger than him," I blurt out. "How?? He didn't even…. Change.."

"That's what's more dangerous." Adam's voice is hardly a whisper and he looks me right in the eye. "Harris, can you forget about it?"

"About what?"

"Everything. Just never talk to him again, drop out of school, I don't know."

"Wouldnt he still come after me?" I feel like a very small child asking all the fears out, unable to hold them to myself any longer.

"No. He's manipulating you because you stood in his way or something, I can't get my head around why. If you just leave the story now, it will all end." Then he leans in and adds, a little quieter; "please, Harris. Just forget this ever happened."

"Will he kill you." I voice my biggest fear without really expecting an answer… I just felt like saying it, and the look on Adam's face confirms that this is not the time to step out of the story and leave Yuta to murder him.

"Will he?" I demand now. Adam swallows loudly and finally replies, "I've made sacrifices already. I should die. Harris, just step out before you make them too."