A/N: A lot of 'firsts' in this story. My first non-ToS fan-fiction, my first horror fan-fiction and my first Silent Hill fan-fiction. I wanted to make this a real character driven story, so this first chapter is really just about introducing the main character in her everyday environment before she gets plunged into the world of bleakness that is Silent Hill. The 'horror' element will be stepping up in the next few chapters so stick with it and I'll try not to disappoint. :)
Oh, on another note, aside from the obvious Silent Hill elements – this story, at it's very heart, is a romance. Just though I'd warn you!
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I) Seriously, next time I look, please be gone.
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Dead day.
Adelaide slumped backwards in her chair behind the counter, spinning round idly as she gazed up at the row of fans lining the ceiling. Her lightly freckled face stared back from the slowly rotating metallic blades. No customers, no work to do, no way to make the time pass quicker. Great.
She ran her fingers through the shoulder length mass of brown hair and frowned. That was supposed to be getting cut today too. Another victim of thinking about the money before anything else when the boss asks if you can work.
The radio beside the till crackled once, and the young lady glanced hopefully at it, mentally encouraging the device to return to life and save her from the tedium of the early morning quiet period. For a few seconds the radio seemed to co-operate, before giving up and plunging into silence again.
"Aw, c'mon! Cut me a little slack here?" Adelaide bit down in frustration on the lollipop she had just placed in her mouth and picked up the small appliance. It rattled suspiciously as she shook it from side to side. "Damn piece of crap."
The twinkling of a bell indicated that someone had just entered, and Adelaide cast a look towards the door in irritation. Despite being bored, she certainly wasn't feeling like serving any customers.
Her mood was raised on realising that it was her friend Claire, rather than someone that would actually need assistance. Adelaide watched the preened girl totter up a book-laden aisle towards the till, overloaded with bags, and allowed an amused smile to cross her face. She could see why people found it surprising that they were close friends – she had to admit herself that they were polar opposites after all. Claire came from the generation of long blonde haired girls who wore fake tan and short skirts in the winter, whereas Adelaide would have to concede to her friend's chides that she was a little bit of a tomboy – Especially if today was anything to go by.
She looked down at herself, taking in the oversized and well-worn jeans, the equally lived-in trainers and quite possibly the most cutesy disney-esque T-shirt in her repertoire and sighed. She was really going to have to make some new additions to her wardrobe soon.
"Hey Addy!" Claire grinned and waved a freshly manicured hand. "Busy day huh?"
"Huh, yeah," Adelaide pushed a chair beside her with a foot, sending it rolling out from behind the till. "Take a seat if you can make it past the enormous queues."
"Cheers hun, think my legs are about to drop off." The blonde haired girl held up the bags proudly. "Major shopping therapy."
"All right for some," Adelaide picked up the radio again and resumed fiddling. "Some of us have to work though to be able to afford such luxuries."
"Aw, be nice babe. I got something for you too." Claire fumbled around in a bag and produced a large baseball cap, one of those old trucker style ones. "It's that one you wanted, right?"
"Oh yeah! Cool." Adelaide looked at the cap admiringly before putting it on. "Aw! Thanks hun. Stylish huh?"
Claire smiled, "Sure…if that's your thing. Don't go wearing it tonight though, hehe."
Adelaide frowned in thought. "Tonight? Have I missed something?"
"Yeah silly, tonight! Clubbing? Big group event? How could you forget?"
The brown haired girl nodded. It must have slipped her mind. "I don't know…" she stretched before continuing to mess with the radio. "…I'm working all day, and I've got a stack of homework to do for college tomorrow. I might give it a miss."
Claire looked shocked. "What? Are you serious?" She rolled her chair closer and patted Adelaide on the shoulder. "You have to come – Frank's gonna be there too – remember?"
Adelaide looked away to hide the colour that had quickly risen to her cheeks. "So?"
" 'So' nothing babe, you have to come. 'sides, I've already told him that you'll be there."
"He asked?" Her flush had increased furiously so she remained looking down at the radio as it slowly buzzed into life. Got'cha.
"Uh-huh, so now you've got to come, right?" Claire straightened the loose strands of her hair and leant down on the counter, stifling a yawn.
Adelaide turned the volume up on the radio as a station came into focus. "I'm sure I can manage to attend then, being as I'm expected and all."
"Atta girl." Claire giggled and stretched. In the short silence that followed, the radio produced an outburst from a news channel.
" – Although, again, no formal suspect has been named, it is likely that the murder is the continued work of the serial killer who has been operating undetected around the country. Border policing has increased, as well as FBI presence in the targeted areas, but speculations are high as to how much an effect such measures will have. As the murders have been occurring all across America, once a day for the past four days, it has been suggested that there may be more than one killer operating in unison."
Claire leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Turn it off hun, that kind of shit gets me down."
Adelaide thumbed at the dial, adjusting the wavelength. "Four huh? Jeez, that's kinda screwed up." The radio answered in static for a few moments, before it faded into another station. It took the brown haired girl a few seconds to realise that it was the one she had just turned over from. Odd, she thought, frowning. It's a different wavelength too.
" – Mary Lawrence, who resided in Helena, Montana, was found dead in the early hours of the morning by her husband of two years, Stanley. As with the other murders, her eyes, ears, tongue and heart had all been removed – once again presumably by the murderer. A large incision in the stomach region appears to have been made to…" The newswoman's voice faltered a little, "…remove Mrs Lawrence's baby. She was…eight months pregnant."
"Adelaide." Claire protested.
She shook herself from the horrific broadcast and nodded, reaching for the dial. "Yeah…uh, sorry."
"I don't know who could do such a thing. It's so sick."
"I guess there's people like that out there." Adelaide shook her head, and removed the empty lollipop stick from her mouth. "Makes you worry huh?"
Claire nodded glumly. "Yeah, I'm not even pregnant and it freaks me out. Bet your mom's worried too eh?"
I guess so, thought Adelaide as she attempted to bring another station into focus. Eight months? She shook her head. "I think she's nearing eight months, but she doesn't normally let the news bother her."
Claire squealed. "Ooh, not long now then, eh? Then you'll be a big sister."
Adelaide rolled her eyes and tossed the lollipop stick in the bin, reaching for another two from her hidden stash beneath the counter. "Yeah real exciting huh? Poor little kid, it's only coming into the world to cement that bastard further into the family. Here, catch!"
Claire plucked the lollipop out of the air and smiled supportively. "Your dad, right?"
"Incorrect answer." Adelaide waved her lollipop admonishingly at her friend. "Step-dad. There's no way I'll ever call that creep my dad. Y'know, they both started on me again last night about changing my surname. I mean seriously…"
The blonde haired girl laughed, and placed her hand supportively on Adelaide's. "You hang in there hun."
"Yeah, will do. I'm a Cartright to the bitter end. Ah, got it."
A station crackled into life, but the moment the newswoman's voice could be heart, Adelaide realised that once again it was the same channel.
"The hell is wrong with this thing?"
" – Mr Lawrence, who works night shifts, returned home to find his bathroom door locked from the inside. It was here where the dead body of his wife was found. Local police are speculating how the crime had been committed, as there appears to be no discernible point of entry apart from the locked door. Such baffling evidence has not been isolated to this one murder."
Adelaide sighed and turned the volume down on the radio. "I'll fix it later." She cast a weary eye over the empty bookshop. "Man, this absolutely sucks."
"Aw, my poor overworked buddy." Claire laughed and slapped Adelaide on the back. "C'mon, lets go grab lunch or something."
The brown haired girl thought it over for a second before nodding. "Yeah, I'm sure we're not gonna lose any business in an hour…or two." She smiled at Claire's raised eyebrows. "Hey, if I'm going out tonight then I'm getting my hair cut too."
"And getting more glamorous clothes," added Claire. "Let's go then, what are we waiting for?"
"Right!" Adelaide grabbed the shop keys and made for the front door. "Oh wait!"
"What is it?"
The brown haired girl ran back to the counter, grabbing a sheet of paper and a thick marker pen. She scribbled the words 'out to lunch' on the paper and held it up at her friend as she made her way back to the front door.
"I've always wanted to do that," she giggled – fastening the paper to the glass pane in the door.
--
What to wear.
The day had rolled laboriously into evening – the stifling summer heat unrelenting – and Adelaide had found herself perched on the bed in her room, brushing her newly cut bob of hair and pondering her wardrobe. She just wasn't a clothes person when it came down to it – in fact she had never been a clothes person, so why was it bothering her now?
Franks gonna be there too – remember?
Feeling the weird and familiar sensation of butterflies rising in her stomach, Adelaide sighed and flopped back onto the bed. It doesn't matter what I wear, I'll still make myself look like a klutz at some point anyway. She looked across at the bags full of designer clothes, each hand-picked by Claire – and as such none of them were really her style. Still, make an effort eh?
The butterflies were suddenly replaced with a lancing sharp pain that felt as though it was going to pierce through her stomach. She sat up with a barely stifled cry at the ferocity of the sensation but it didn't relent, instead increasing in its potency.
"Ow! Shit." Wrapping her arms around her stomach, Adelaide rolled onto her side and curled up to try and reduce the crippling pain. Her breathing was becoming ragged, and she was squeezing her eyes shut so tightly that small tears began to form and collect on her closed eyelids. What the hell was this?
The pain intensified even more and she let a short piercing cry free from her mouth – the sound coinciding with a small crash downstairs. Then it finally began to relent, ebbing away slowly and leaving relief where it subsided. Adelaide rolled onto her back, gulping in enormous breaths as she massaged her stomach. What had just happened? She lay still for a few moments, wondering what had been the cause of the sudden pain.
Perhaps it's my appendix or something, she thought as her breathing returned to normal. I'll have to keep an eye on that, go to the doctors or something. And what the hell was that noise downstairs?
Adelaide sat up, pondering the matter. Her parents were never back this early, so it was unlikely to have been them. She paused for a second, listening for any further noises – but silence had once again returned to the house. Reaching over to the foot of her bed, she picked up her hockey stick from where it lay against the wardrobe and gingerly stepped out of her room.
"Hello?" she ventured on reaching the hallway. There was no response, so she slowly began to descend the stairs.
"Anyone there?" Not like anyone would have answered if they weren't supposed to be there. Yeah, hi. I'm just burgling your house, don't mind me. Stupid.
She took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the lounge. It was as empty and cluttered as it had been when she had left this morning. No room to swing a cat, no parents here, no food in the refrigerator…most probably.
Quick scans of the kitchen and dining room revealed no intruders were present in the house and Adelaide returned to the living room quietly relieved. She took a seat on the sofa and sighed, leaning back into its soft embrace, as the afternoon light flooded the room in a light orange glow. The pain in her stomach had subsided completely now, with not even a dull ache left behind as a legacy. As she shifted position, she felt her pocket vibrate as the mobile phone within alerted her to the arrival of a message. Fumbling with the device as she plucked it free from her jeans, Adelaide opened up and read the SMS before groaning in disbelief.
Hey babe, it's Claire. Slight change of plan hun, now meeting at 7.00 instead of 8.00. See you there, xx.
An hour less to get ready? Adelaide let out another small moan and hauled herself out of the chair. As she moved, something caught her eye in the far corner of the room. The computer that they kept there was on, the monitor emitting a dull white light from the open word processor document on display. Adelaide frowned – had that been on when she got back home?
There was some woman's name on the document. Laura Elbury? It wasn't a name that she was familiar with, but that wasn't unusual. Her stepfather, Scott, worked for some department in the government, so it was quite frequent to have some random person's name or address on file in the family computer.
Big deal. Clutching the hockey stick, she went back upstairs to find something half-decent to wear.
--
"Adelaide!" Claire came bounding down the alleyway beside the club as Adelaide stumbled off the bus into the cool air. The paling summer light caught the first sprinkling drops of rain in a sparkling embrace as her friend embraced her, grinning. It looked as though she had already been drinking, and she swayed jubilantly – looking Adelaide up and down.
"Jeans. T-shirt? And after we spent all that time shopping." She shook her head. "Oh Addy, what are we going to do with you?"
Adelaide looked down at herself. "What's wrong with this? It was more comfortable than most of those half-outfits you picked." She looked at Claire and grinned. "Besides, people have got enough skin to stare at with just you!"
It was Claire's turn to look down at herself, and her outfit. "Ah well, you got a point. Don't want you hogging all the attention now, do we?" She smiled, "But I said don't wear the hat! C'mon, the others are inside."
The rhythmic beats of music that had seemed muted on the outside exploded into life as the pair entered the club. It was still in the early hours of the night, but the place was packed solid with people in various states of alcohol enhanced cheer. The warm, cloying air of the place slapped her in the face as hard as any physical blow and Adelaide found she was already having to wipe her brow a few seconds in.
"Hey C'mon Addy, we're over in the corner there."
Adelaide squinted hard through the throbbing crowds of people to see where Claire was pointing. She could make out one or two people that she knew before her heart skipped a beat – recognising the tall young man with his back to her, his short brown hair tinted by the flashing lights of the club. Frank was there. He really had come. As if he realised she had been staring, the young man turned around and his eyes met hers.
She felt the colour rise in her cheeks as he waved her over. She felt herself return the wave somewhat clumsily as she turned to Claire.
"I'm…uh, just going to grab a drink first. Meet you over there?"
Claire grinned, "Uh-huh. Don't keep him waiting too long now." She laughed and poked her tongue out at Adelaide's flustered response before disappearing into the crowd. The brown haired girl sighed and walked up to the bar, hanging around for a what felt like an age before one of the staff realised that, yes, she was actually next, rather than the more boisterous people who kept pushing in front.
Just say hi, she thought as she took her bottled soft drink. Hi. How's it going? Yeah, that works…
Pushing through the crowds to the corner seats that her group had claimed, Adelaide emerged off balance from the sticky dancefloor and manage to stumble into someone in front of her.
She fell forward, and felt someone's arms wrap round her waist – stopping her from painfully meeting the floor. The sudden impact jolted her arm however, and large amounts of her drink flew from the bottle all over her top. The owner of the arms hauled her upright and, before she even looked up, she knew who it was.
"You all right there?" There was no mistaking his voice. She had managed to stumble into Frank.
Adelaide looked up, wishing that the peak of her hat extended further to cover her blushing face. "Uh…yeah, sorry if my drink spilt on you…oh, it didn't…never mind then. Sorry for bumping into you and…uh, yeah…" Way to go girl – great entrance, now just shut up already!
Frank smiled, "No problem," he replied over the heavy pulse of the music. "Here, want me to get you another one?"
"Um, no – it's…" Adelaide trailed off as Frank had already turned for the bar. She looked across to see Claire and her other friends grinning at her. "What?" she snapped. "Lay off already guys." The brown haired girl flustered as she tried dabbed at the large wet patch on her top with her free hand. "I'm going to the toilet to dry up."
She pushed her way back through the crowds feeling thoroughly humiliated and dumbly followed the signs to reach the toilets. Go in, dry off, and come back out a new girl. Easy. The music was already beginning to feel like it was giving her a headache and she closed her eyes wearily, pushing the door open.
The first thing she noticed as the door closed behind her was the sudden muting of the music from the hall behind. The temperature had also dropped noticeably to a piercing chill and Adelaide opened her eyes to stare in confusion at the scene before her. Was this really the way to the toilets?
She was in a corridor, albeit one that looked as though it hadn't been used for years. The pale walls were dank from leaks in the thin pipes hanging from the ceiling above, and were coated in large amounts of rust and god knows what else. The corridor was illuminated periodically by two long banks of strip lights that flickered and died repeatedly, and it looked as though the corridor intersected with another at the end.
Adelaide frowned and took a few steps forward. In the silence, the sound of footsteps on metal echoed loudly and as she looked down she realised that the floor consisted of large mesh panels which seemed quite insecurely connected to the base of the walls. The brown haired girl paused for a moment. It was as if someone had taken the floor away and lay several fences down in replacement. Beyond the metal criss-cross's there was nothing but a thick, gloomy darkness – as if the void extended forever beneath her. The view began to trigger small pulses of nausea in Adelaide, and she forced herself to pull her gaze away.
Is this for real? Adelaide was about to turn round and leave when she saw, faded and covered in layers of dirt, the sign at the end of the corridor pointing left for the female toilets. Shivering against the sudden cold breeze, which seemed to be emanating from below the disconcerting floor, Adelaide trudged slowly forward, the echo of her footsteps the only sound in the dilapidated room. Think I'll keep the toilet breaks to a minimum, she told herself – partly just to keep her mind occupied from the current environment.
A strange feeling began to manifest itself in the young lady as she neared the point where the corridor intersected with another. It felt not quite as though she was being watched, but as though some dread part of the room's character was slowly becoming a physical entity. Adelaide found herself turning left, not just because that was the way to the toilets, but also because something felt wrong with the other direction. She couldn't even bring herself to look right – it felt as though something terrible would happen if she did.
Realising that her breathing had become rapid, Adelaide shook her head. That's enough girl, you're freaking yourself out. Creepy place but still…there's nothing behind you. Nothing's gonna happen if you turn round. Just try it and see.
She began to turn, wondering why she was holding her breath.
Nothing behind me. Nothing's gonna happen.
A scream suddenly filled the air from the direction of the toilets and Adelaide jumped in fright, emitting what felt like an incredibly loud yelp of terror. The corridor behind her forgotten, the young girl looked round at the door which, presumably, led into the female toilet and an involuntary shudder passed through her. The door, like everything else here so far, was in an incredibly poor condition, with rust, mildew and numerous other stains providing a miserable decoration.
Think I'll be leaving a complaint with the management, she thought – then felt herself release a tiny, humourless laugh. Who are you kidding girl? Stop talking to yourself and admit it. You're scared.
Her thoughts heightening her sense of fear, Adelaide jumped for the second time as another scream punctured the air. As much as she wasn't trying to take in any of the details, she realised that this second one sounded different. The first scream had sounded like it had been generated by fear or an unpleasant shock, but the second…it sounded as though the owner of the voice was in pain. Real bad pain.
The hell is this? Adelaide licked her lips nervously as the scream intensified. Perhaps I should go and get help?
Whoever was on the other side of the door sounded as though their throat was going to fail completely – the scream becoming a hoarse, gasping sob and as she squinted against the still flickering light, Adelaide could see something emerging from under the small gap of the toilet door.
Was that…no way, was that blood?
Concern overpowering her common sense, the young lady dashed forward towards the door. Large quantities of blood had begun to form around its base, running through the holes in the mesh floor into the gloom below.
Oh shit. This is not good.
The scream was fading now into a gruesome parody of its former strength, but, even on the other side of the door, Adelaide could feel the immense pain that was fuelling it. She remained where she was, paralysed with a strange dread fear that wouldn't relinquish its hold on her. Even if she wanted to, she doubt she'd have been able to move to go and get help.
Abruptly the scream ended, as if it had been playing on a television and someone had hit the mute button. In cue with the silence, even larger quantities of blood began to spill from under the door, pooling around her feet and descending through the mesh like a grotesque crimson rainfall.
Okay girl, move yourself now. Do something at least. Making a snap decision, Adelaide pushed at the door and braced herself for whatever lay behind.
Whatever she was expecting, it certainly wasn't the sight she was greeted with as the door swung open.
The toilets were a non-entity, and where they should have been lay a rather large, lavishly furnished sitting room – although suffering from the same run-down decay that plagued the corridor she had just left. Adelaide paused mid-stride and blinked foolishly at the room, her head reeling.
Seriously, what the hell was going on here?
She leaned backwards out the doorway to check the sign on the door. Definitely the female toilets, yet something was very much wrong. Confusion giving way to nervous fear, Adelaide stepped into the room and heard a hideous squelch as she did so. Despite the better part of her brain warning her against it, the young lady looked slowly down to see a vast puddle of blood congealing on the carpet around her feet and out under the door. With her breath caught fast in her throat, Adelaide's gaze followed the puddle up the room where it seemed to be emerging from underneath a sofa; the back of the furniture facing the entrance to the room.
Adelaide paused and closed her eyes, feeling powerful waves of nausea pass through her. None of this can be right, she thought fervently – massaging her temples. This is just too screwed up to be real. She felt unsteady on her feet, like she was drunk – only without the presence of alcohol in her system and her ears were ringing painfully.
Seriously, next time I look, please be gone.
After a few seconds she opened her eyes again, and let out a small sob as she realised that the scene before her hadn't changed. Well, it had a little. The puddle of blood had increased. And besides, who in here had been screaming?
Her senses swimming wildly, Adelaide took a step forward towards the sofa.
"…Um, hello? Anyone…here?" No reply – not like she was expecting one anyway.
The feeling of dread intensifying with each step, Adelaide stepped around the pool of blood emerging from under the sofa and leaned over the item to have a look.
"Oh. Oh Shit! No!" She fell away from the sofa in fright, tripping up her own feet in an effort to get away and landing belly down in the pool of blood.
"Oh my fucking god!" The young girl let at an anguished cry as the fear which had been suppressed so far at the back of her mind exploded free, forcing her shaking limbs to respond and help her to her feet.
Get away, just get away! She tried to stagger to the door, but her legs seemed to have ideas of their own, weakly giving out from under her and sending Adelaide crashing into a potted plant in the nearest corner of the room.
Oh god. Oh shit. Oh fuck. The young lady lay where she fell, burying her head into her folded arms and let out a strangled sob of fear, screwing her eyes shut. That could not have been real. Just go away. Go away.
Adelaide remained on the floor long enough to forget how long she had actually been there for. As her breathing gradually returned to something resembling normal, she opened her eyes and raised her head.
Still in the room. Oh god. Is this really happening? C'mon girl – move it and go and get help, or something.
Holding onto a nearby bookcase for support, Adelaide hauled herself to her feet, feeling incredibly light headed and nauseous with every small movement she made. Trying her best to ignore the large amounts of blood that coated her arms and the front of her T-shirt, the young lady waited for the dizziness to pass and took a deep breath. From her position, the head of the body that lay sprawled across the sofa was visible, and she shuddered at the sight of it – trying to repress the urge to be sick.
It was, or had been, a middle aged woman. But what had been done to her was just…
Adelaide closed her eyes, shaking her head ferociously from side to side. Please don't let this be real. A strange thought came to her suddenly, a memory from earlier in the day when Claire and herself were listening to the radio in the shop.
"As with the other murders, her eyes, ears, tongue and heart had all been removed – once again presumably by the murderer."
"Shit, no way!" Adelaide's eyes flew open wide as she stared at the body, feeling the blood drain from her face. The body had none of these things – and by the looks of the freshly flowing blood, they had only just been removed.
Was that…was that what the screaming had been? This woman…dying?
The young lady swallowed rapidly, trying to keep down the bile that was threatening to rise. She straightened her cap to try and distract her mind, but something else from the radio broadcast forced itself into her brain.
"A large incision in the stomach region appears to have been made to…"
"…Remove the baby." Adelaide finished the sentence out loud, feeling very weak. "Oh no…"
She took a single step closer, but that was all that was needed. The enlarged belly of the corpse came into view, a jagged slash in the shape of a 'Y' having opened it right up. The young lady let out an anguished sob at the sight and turned away, drawing in deep breaths. It was one of the murders…and this one had happened…here.
Suddenly a sound pierced through the silence of the room. It began like a low gurgling growl but, as the noise increased in volume, seemed to merge into that of a baby's crying. Adelaide spun round in shock, her eyes darting around the dilapidated room, trying to discern where the sound was coming from – but it seemed to be emanating from no single direction rather, as if, it was emerging from the walls of the room themselves.
The crying intensified, and Adelaide felt the hairs on the back of her neck begin to stand on end as a second sound began to intermingle with the wailing. It sounded like a siren of some description, like one of those old ones used for warnings – and also seemed to be coming from no single location.
As she looked around in fear and confusion, Adelaide felt her head throb violently with pulsing waves of sharp pain. Screwing her eyes shut, the young lady clapped her hands to her ears as the sound grew ever louder but it was no use, the noise permeated into her skull and made her feel as though her head would soon explode from the intensity of it all.
Shit! Got to get out of here, she told herself, and opened her eyes a little to guide her as she moved to the door. As soon as she took her first step though, the noise and the dizziness became too much and Adelaide fell crashing to the floor. The terrible sound then faded almost instantly, as if the contact with the ground had caused it to dissipate.
The brown haired girl lay there on the floor, relishing the silence for what seemed like an age before she realised how cool and hard it was on her cheek. Wait, hadn't the room been carpeted?
Slowly, and painfully, she opened her heavy eyelids and squinted against the almost clinical brightness of her environment. She was lying on a large white tiled floor and just beside her lay a bank of sinks, fixed beneath long mirrors. Somewhere close by came the sound of music, muted through the walls.
Resting on her arms, Adelaide looked across at the other side of the room, wincing at the severe pain that each small movement seemed to cause her head – to see a line of toilet cubicles. She was in the toilets? Then, what had happened before – had it been real?
With a groan, the brown haired girl made herself get up, sitting on her heels and placing her hands on the ground to support herself. There was fresh blood on the floor and, as she looked down, she realised that her top was still saturated in the stuff.
Adelaide rubbed at her eyes. Then…how? What's going on here? What am I…?
Her thoughts were distracted as the door to the toilets opened and Claire entered, looking concerned. Her eyes widened on seeing Adelaide and she dashed over, kneeling beside the brown haired girl in alarm.
"What have you been doing girl? You've been gone for ages – Addy? Shit, Addy what happened? Are you…" she looked at the T-shirt in shock. "…Are you all right girl?"
Adelaide tried to reply but words failed her. She felt so exhausted, both physically and mentally, and scared. She fell into her friend's embrace and nodded weakly.
Claire hugged her and uttered a few soothing comments before pulling back to stare her friend in the eye.
"Hun, you've got a pretty nasty cut on your head. We're getting you home now, okay? What happened, did you trip?"
Adelaide closed her eyes – the intense light in the room was hurting them. "I…I don't know…I" she paused. How could she even begin to explain it? Had it all even happened? The blood, it could have been from this cut on her head. The whole thing could have just been some concussion-generated delirium, right?
Claire shook her head and smiled softly, "You're so clumsy, Adelaide. Wait here for a minute okay? I'm just going to go see if Frank can drive us home, all right?"
Adelaide blinked and nodded. "…Us?"
"Yeah, well I gotta make sure you get back okay, right?" She patted the brown haired girl on the shoulder. "Besides, I can't very well go on the pull with blood all over me now can I?"
--
The short drive to Adelaide's house was a reasonably quiet affair, punctuated only by Claire's continuous checking up on the young lady's condition and keeping her from drowsing off. Regurgitating everything she had ever read or heard on head wounds and concussion, Adelaide's friend was like a particularly fussy parent, but the brown haired girl found the thoughtful sentiment endearing.
Frank kept a respectful silence for the majority of the journey, although ventured a couple of light hearted comments and smiled reassuringly whenever Adelaide seemed to look a little gloomy.
Adelaide herself kept her gaze fixed on the windscreen from her position in the front seat, feeling thoroughly ashamed of the fact that regardless of what happened earlier, she was still in such a frame of mind as to be feeling nervous butterflies whenever she spoke to the young man.
"This is your street, right?" He said softly after a few moments. "You'll have to let me know when we're at your house."
"Yeah…" Adelaide looked out the side window at the rows of identical detached houses passing by. "…Sorry for ruining your night guys."
"Ah, shaddup already about that, it's cool hun." Claire patted her friend's shoulder.
"Yeah, don't worry about it." Frank stifled a yawn. "I've got an early start at work tomorrow anyway, so it's probably for the best."
"It's still early though," Adelaide protested. "You could always go back."
Frank looked across at her and grinned, his warm, brown eyes reassuring. "Nah. Besides, it wouldn't be as much fun without–" he paused for a second, as if catching himself and Adelaide could just make out that colour had suddenly blossomed in his cheeks.
"Um…" Her eyes met his and she felt herself blush too. They both seemed to realise it at the same time and simultaneously looked away, mumbling some nonsensical comments.
"Hey Addy," piped up Claire from behind. "Think we just went past your house!"
"Uh…oh yeah…" Crap. It had been a long, long day, and Adelaide was looking forward to sleeping it off.
And desperately hoping that, come morning, this will all have been just some messed up dream.