Eyes Closed by The Narrative on the side->

 Eight Webs

There was fire, everywhere I went. Reddish, yellow flames rose and fell blazing through the office. Everything was my fault. I had left the cylinders open, the gas was leaking catching fire the instant it came in contact with the air.

There were screams; petrifying screams that made my heartbeats halt. I ran, deeper and deeper into the fire. My breaths were raspy, the soot was chocking me. I couldn't breathe. My feet were bleeding but no I had to be strong. I have to save her.

The smoke was burning tears down my cheeks, I couldn't see anything. She must be here, somewhere here. A door collapsed, burning the skin on my back, I could feel the fire scorching my skin but it didn't hurt. It was as if someone had poured a bucket of icy water on top of me.

Then there was a scream but unlike the other screams I recognized the voice. Dread choked my throat. I felt my body go numb. A woman emerged through the door. Her entire body was lighted by the fire. She was screaming. All I could hear was her screams, nothing else-not even the voice calling out my name, not even the sound of the building collapsing.

The flames weren't letting go, they were stubborn. The women stopped fighting. She stood still, the fire eating her away, the red flames swallowing her whole. She reached out for me, I backed away. My head dizzy, everything was fading into white.

 The women didn't move, her body collapsed- the fire had burned her down. But before she collapsed, she raised her hand in farewell. All that was left of the woman was a charred body of black. She was dead. My mother was dead.

I could have saved her but I didn't.

I woke up, drenched in sweat and fear. The same dream, the dream that had become my reality- never left my eyelids.   During the day, I pushed back the memories of her demise but at night they came back, haunting me, stealing all the peace and calm I had gathered.

If she was here, she would smile- that reassuring smile- her lips drawn together into a small smile; she would place her hand on my head. 'It'll be alright, Alice, it'll be alright,' she would whisper.

When the tears wouldn't stop, she would get angry. 'Oh, be strong now. You're a brave girl,'

I felt my eyes water, this isn't the best time to cry.  I pulled my strings together, like always, piece by piece I put myself back together. Like every other time I broke- this time too I lost another piece of my once whole self.

~*~*~

            Where was I?  My body was sprawled across a small bed. A colorful quilt with teddy bears was draped over me. I blinked a couple of time- the darkness of the room making everything seem fainter. The moon lit its way through the window-the curtains were parted letting in the ghastly night sky.

            I noticed there was a SpongeBob bandage on my left hand. Strange, I don't remember getting hurt. Tossing the quilt aside, I walked towards the door- the slight amounts of light falling through it. I tripped few times-over things unknown to me before reaching the door.

            The light blinded me when I walked past the door. Shelves filled with numerous books greeted me- the walls were covered with a light cream color. Everything was so organized- not a page was out of line.

            In the corner sat Delvin, his back hunched over the book, his legs crossed on the chair placed near a wooden table. A blue study lamp was placed on the desk, its light lighted the whole room in a serene oceanic blue color.

            He wasn't lying when he said he studied sixteen hours a day.

"Err...Hey," I breathed out, tucking a stray strand away from my face.

            He turned away from the chair to face me; a pair of thick-framed glasses covered his eyes. He looked quite tired, there were lines running across his forehead. Even in his tired state, he managed to pull out an inviting smile. "How are you feeling now?"

I shuffled my feet, feeling a bit out of place, standing by the door, in a room filled with books, and a boy who had yet again saved me. "I'm feeling great,"   The lie slipped off my tongue, easily. I even add my own smile to compliment my lie.

            "How are you feeling now?" he repeated with the same inviting smile.

"I'm fine," I spoke a bit louder this time, maybe he hadn't heard me.

But that was not the case. "How are you feeling?"

"I already told you, I'm feeling fine," Is he deaf or something?

"How are you feeling?"  Mother of all things chocolate, this guy may be a chocolate treat for the eyes but there is definitely a bolt missing in his brain.

"I'm fine," I sighed.

Again, he asked me the same question but this time I snapped.

"I swear there is something wrong your brain. Chocolate Fudge! Are you deaf or something? Sheesh you're annoying me," I burst out before I could stop myself.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, hoping off his chair. Yes, he literally hoped off his chair like the white rabbit from Alice in wonderland.  "You're finally speaking the truth,"

Is it me or this guy is on a chocolate overdose?  "So you're deaf? I swear you had normal hearing powers the last time I met you,"

He laughed, shaking his head. "God, you're so funny,"

"Um, I'm not joking," I replied, in all seriousness. "So you're not deaf?"

"Why would I be? I don't close off the world around me," He stared at me, his eyes never leaving mine. Everything seemingly blurring into different shades of pink.  He was talking about me.  "Things would be a-lot more easier if you spoke your mind,"

"You're not supposed speak your mind,"

He scoffed. "Who said that?"

"Your words can hurt others,"

In long strides, he advanced towards me, I didn't back away. The subtle smell of his cologne filled my sense. "If you keep them inside, the only person you're hurting is yourself,"

I hated it when he spoke about things like these. Each and every word he said made me want to believe that things could be fixed, that I could be fixed. Hope can be a wicked thing-it can manage to grow in the bleakest of circumstances. Hope is the one thing I did not want.

I remained silent.

He let go of a piece of air. "You're really stubborn. You know that?" He closed the distances between us, step by step. Right when I was about to move back, he angled himself towards the door. "Come on. You need to eat something and I'm not letting you go anywhere without having food,"

~*~*~

            For a medical student, he sure had a nice place. I sat on the tall metal stool placed by the granite counters of the small, warm kitchen. Devlin skipped between the microwave and the sink. I watched flip through the teak cabinets before pulling out a jar.  

            "Do you need my help?" I asked, biting down my lips.

"Nah, it's okay," He quickly popped a bowl filled with god knows what and turned on the microwave. "I've got it,"

            "Um...okay,"

He sat down on the stool beside me, after wiping his hands with a red towel; he twisted he body so he would be directly staring at me. "So in the morning you were trying to kill yourself and then in the evening you faint because of low sugar. You know I'm really curious to know your story,"

I was caught off guard by his bluntness. Of-course, anyone would want to know the reason behind my current state- he wasn't an exception.  "I don't want to talk about it,"

"Ah, I see," He laughed. "But I would love to talk about it,"

He's so damn annoying. Chocolate Flipping Fudge. "I'm not comfortable with sharing my problems,"

            "Trust me," He smiled, that same inviting smile, the way his eyes shone in the faint light of the bulb- made me feel like home-maybe it was because his apartment smelled like apples and cinnamon. I think the piranhas in my stomach just growled at the thought of apples and I hated apples. Chocolate Fudge, I seriously needed food.

            I wrinkled my nose upwards, the thought of trusting a stranger seemed foreign to me. "Why should I?"

            "Because," He spoke slowly, almost like a song. "It is easier to trust a stranger. Because there's no fear of being judged,"  

            "I don't know," I muttered looking down at my SpongeBob bandage. It was really cute. It had SpongeBob and Patrick blowing bubbles while they tried to catch jellyfishes. I still don't remember getting hurt.  

            "I gave you a glucagon injection," Devlin stated, almost as if he had read my mind. "Hence the bandage,"

            I raised an eyebrow. "Are you allowed to do that?"

"Do what?"  He asked, his eyebrows were bundled up in a confused expression.

            "Administer medicine,"

He scratched the back of his neck, looking somewhat flustered. "Well I am a doctor," That came out as a question.

"Well?" I urged him to continue.

 "Okay, I confess," He held up his hands.  "I'm not allowed to do that and I could get into shit loads of trouble if someone finds out,"

"Then why did you do it?'

 "Duh? I needed to save you," He spoke as though he had done nothing but loan me a pen.  I felt flabbergasted at his modesty.

            "Bu-but you're risking your career,"

He smiled- oh my and his smile made my heart melt faster than any chocolate bar. "Some people are worth risking their careers for," My surroundings were fusing with different shades of reds, fluffy bunnies, elf's with open toed shoes all seemed so lovable.

"You stole that from Frozen," Yup, that's all I could say after he said such endearing words. "I bet that snowman is going to feel sad,"

He laughed, clutching his stomach, his glasses nearly falling off the crook of his nose. I couldn't help but join. Ah, it felt good to have air filling my lungs as quick it left.

I don't know when he stopped laughing and I was the only one left making fool out of herself.

I soon realized that I was the only one laughing. This so darn embarrassing- but as you know me, I had to make things worse. "The snowman with a large carrot said 'that some people are worth melting for,' so yah it's not the same but yah," I shrugged my shoulders, my cheeks were burning hot from mortification.

"So you want me to melt for you," I could tell he was trying not to laugh at that and that's pretty impossible- you know to not laugh at Alice. Sigh, mom was right. I should really join the circus. They could use a clown like me. I bet they could paint an amazing smile on face so I wouldn't have to fake it anymore.

"No," I muttered, dryly- feeling somewhat weary. "I don't,"

"You know I would melt for you if I could but I'm not really a snowman," I felt my cheeks burn more brightly then before. I tucked a strand of brown hair from face, looking down at my empty lap.

"I figured,"

Saving grace of microwaves and all things with beeping sounds! The loud sound beep-bleep of the microwave made Devlin hop off the stool and rush towards it. Silently, I thanked the god of electronic appliances for saving me from yet another clown worthy fall.

            He quickly brought out the blue bowl from the microwave- balancing it on a plate- he placed it in front of me. From the drawer, he took out a plastic spoon and set next to the bowl. I looked down at the bowls contents. Steam rose and created swirls in the air.

            So there was a grey, bubbling mixture in the bowl and it certainly did not look appetizing.  I wonder if there is brain puree in this.

            "I know it looks.... well ...like vomit," He started out. Great, he just ruined my appetite.  "But it tastes pretty good,"

            "Um...what is this exactly?" So I might be on the verge of starving and I should probably stuff whatever I get into my mouth but....this is just so grey.

            His face got knotted into a muddled expression. "There's like rice bran, oats and some other things that I don't know,"

I hesitantly picked up the spoon and placed a small amount on the tip of tongue. It was quite hot, but soon the heat melted away leaving a vanilla flavor behind. Before I knew it, spoonful after another the entire bowl vanished-this tasted like heaven-maybe because I was so hungry.

            "Thank you," I set the empty bowl on the counter. "I hadn't eaten anything since dinner yesterday,"

            "How come?" He picked up the empty bowl, turning his back towards me. He set it in the sink before coming to sit next to me.  

I placed my hands on the counter.  "I left my house,"

"Oh, like the big move out thing," He concluded, leaning on his elbow. "'I'm eighteen and I'm going to move'" He spoke in a squeaky voice.

            I shook my head, chuckling. "No, not that one,"

"Then?"

A long, resigned sigh left my mouth. My head fell onto the maze of my arms, lying right above the cold counter as its coldness slowly sunk in. "I don't know. I was bringing my family down so I thought that if I left things would get better,"

            He titled his head to one side, a strange bleakness in his eyes. "So you gave up on them?"

"No, I gave up on myself,"

"Why?"

Slowly, steadily webs were untangling inside of me- words that had been corroding me were being heard by someone else. The gentle hum of two voices were mixing-one being of my heart and the other being his.

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Note: The next chapter- I guess will be the main chapter of this book- the one that will lead to many things.  I hope you guys liked this chapter. I tried bringing back the funny Alice. This is unedited by the way and if you didn't get any of the reference then let me know.  Why is the spacing so messed up? Gah!

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