Dead.
Dead.
Dead.
Every step is punctuated by the same word repeating itself to no end in Laurie's mind. The blood of... him is dripping from her face (the patches that are still moist enough to drip. Most of it has been there so long it's dried.).
How long has she been walking now? Everything hurts. Is that from the walking, or from the damage done by the man? Man? No, no man. A monster. The Bogeyman. Death. The devil? Possibly. The devil having taken the shape of a man. The shape.
Dead.
Dead.
He's dead.
I killed him.
I killed the devil.
I killed the shape.
Annie.
That thought stops her in her tracks. The gun drops from Laurie's hand and clatters to the asphalt.
Annie.
Annie's dead.
I never told her.
Now I never can.
Annie's dead.
The eyes that were only moments ago glazed over with a dimness seen only in the gaze of the dead have now flooded with a horrible pain sharper than any knife. Her vision is blurred as those eyes flood with burning tears that refuse to fall. Laurie's breathing which was automatic and smooth before, now is a chore to draw in and push back out. She feels like the Shape has it's impossibly strong hands around her throat.
Laurie doesn't notice the red and blue lights flashing around her as the car comes to a stop behind her. She doesn't notice the sound of the car door slamming shut, or even the footsteps approaching.
"Laurie?"
The deputy walks into her line of sight and looks horrified as he drinks in the sight of the blood soaked teenage girl. He reaches out to lay a hand on her arm. The contact Laurie notices.
Her eyes snap up to the deputy in fright. The deputy pulls the offending hand back and lifts both of his hands to show her he means no harm.
"Didn't mean to scare you, darlin'. Everyone's been looking for you. Why don't you come with me? We gotta get you to a doctor."
Laurie doesn't seem to react to his words, but she doesn't resist as he guides her to the passenger seat of the police car.
Annie's dead.
Laurie hasn't said a word since arriving at the hospital. She just sat, staring into space as she was stripped, cleaned of the blood covering her, and redressed in one of the hospital gowns. She was catatonic still when they saw to her wounds. Since, she's just lain on the bed, antibiotics pumping into her veins, just listening to the steady beep beep beeping of her vitals.
It hasn't occurred yet to her that her parents haven't come to see her. The first visitor she's to have enters the room now, hours after her arrival. Sheriff Brackett, Annie's father, enters the hospital room looking more tired than she'd ever seen him. It seems in the twelve or so hours since she saw him last he's aged another five years. His bushy mustache looking more wiry and grey than ever, and the bags beneath his eyes more like suitcases in size and weight. He lets out a sigh so heavy and full of relief, you'd think the weight of the world was just lifted from his shoulders.
"Thank god you're okay." He lets the words out, then moves to sit in the chair by the bed.
"What do you remember? The doc said you blacked out or something."
When she doesn't reply, still staring blankly, his brow crinkles in worry. "Or maybe she said you are blacked out."
No response.
He sighs again, the stress seemingly renewed. "I wanna thank you, kid. You didn't do what you did, that monster would still be running around out there. He almost certainly would've killed Annie if it weren't for you."
Now that gets her attention. Laurie snaps her head toward Sheriff Brackett, then speaks-
"What?"
Sheriff Brackett smiles with relief.
"Glad to see you wrastled your tongue away from that cat."
"Annie's alive?"
The Sheriff is taken aback, and it shows on his face. "I thought you knew! No one told you? She's cut up bad, but she'll live thanks to you."
The tears return to her eyes, this time falling freely.
"Can I see her?"
Brackett smiles again and takes Laurie's hand.
"Absolutely."