Part 2:

The next morning Liz awoke curled next to the bathtub, lightly covered by the towel, a splash of red staining its pristine white cloth.

She shook her head, for a moment forgetting everything.

Then it all came back, in a rush that left her nauseous and clinging to the toilet.

Closing her eyes, she pulled back the towel that covered the leg.

When she opened them, she nearly vomited. Angry red scars, some still bleeding, ran up and down her leg.

Standing up she found the leg incredibly painful to walk on, for each muscle underneath played across an appendage that was torn and mutilated.

She numbly opened up her small medical bag she kept next to the sink,

"band-aids aren't going to cover these……" she thought, thinking abstractly.

"It's a feeling, though" Liz stated to no one……….

pain was hell, but what she had endured last night was more then hell, more then grief, more then horror. More then she had ever had to deal with in her life.

So it ended up like this.

At 6:02a.m Liz hobbled over to the clock and read its numbers.

Absently she began getting ready for school. Wondering what to wear to cover and hide the evil.

She sat down and stared at the wall, dumbfounded at her emotional state.

At 6:45 she looked back at the clock.

"shit" she thought under her breath.

Clothes were a matter of dark jeans, a white shirt, and a long sweater jacket, which she buttoned to the top, despite the hot southern temperatures. She tied her sneakers and put on her makeup, almost an automaton.

"It's me again," came the voice from the previous night, "you can't do this alone, you need my help. I will get you through the day Liz," the voice promised.

Almost identically to the night before she replied "fine."

Grabbing her spiral, she  headed downstairs and began the walk to school, limping ever so slightly, only noticeable to those who would truly know who she was.

Throughout the classes, everyone stared at her. She wasn't answering any questions, offering any answers. Even to those who only knew her in class this was an odd event.

By third period she'd had enough. She went to the bathroom and locked her small frame in a stall….

"Dammit, you asshole!" she railed against the other in her mind, "you are supposed to make me look normal! They all know!"

The other answered just as quickly.

"I am only here to help you survive Liz, not to make you 100%........I never promised you that…….I promised to get you through the day, and I'm doing that aren't I?" the voice concluded with more then a hint of annoyance.

Closing her eyes, Liz rested her head on the cool metal stall.

Why god? Why? She asked internally……not expecting an answer.

At 1:15 fourth period began. Fourth period.

Chemistry.

Max.

Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod

She entered the class, with a measured stare. Her leg beginning to hurt worse, she limped slightly into class, hugging her spiral to her breast tightly.

Iwillnotlookathimiwillnotlookathimiwillnotlookathimiwillnotlookathimiwillnotlook

She refused to meet his eyes as she sat down next to her hatred at the desk.

He noticed her limp though, and concern flooded his thoughts.

"Liz," he began.

"Shut up."

At 1:17 Liz became hard. Her sensitivity was shot, her patience wearing thin as her leg throbbed and ached. A pain she both welcomed and despised.

Max obeyed her command and stared ahead blessedly throughout the entire class.

At 2:00p.m, Liz began walking home from class, hobbling more…….Maria sidled up next to her.

"Liz, what's wrong?" she asked simply. Expecting a simple answer.

Liz was skirting the edge of a cliff though, and was about to fall over at any moment………

"Leave me alone, please," she whispered to Maria.

"I can't do that, Liz, what kind of friend would that make me?" she asked genuinely.

"That would make you good….." Liz was biting back the venom that threatened to expel from her mouth………She had no idea where the anger was coming from. Well she did, but the magnitude of it was staggering.

"Just. Leave. Me. Alone. Do. You. Understand." She stared at Maria, hoping the words would have some effect this time. "Please."

So at 2:23 Liz cut off her friend. Someone else she didn't have to bother with.

She made it up to her room, bypassing her parents completely, and laid down on her bed. Mentally and physically exhausted by the day's many activities.

"Since when was the world ever this hard?" she asked herself.

"So when did you first see her?" Maria asked Alex, both at his house, discussing Liz's welfare.

"1st Period," Alex responded gamely, "she ignored me too."

Both had sat for long moments of time racking their collective minds about what had occurred that day, and what had caused Liz to act in this odd manner.

"Maria….her limp," he looked at her concerned. This was no longer a matter of Liz depressed or having a bad day, something was physically wrong with her, and that was alarming to the both of them.

"We should see Max," Maria finally concluded, "of all of us, he would probably know the most of what is going on."

So at 4:50 p.m Alex and Maria drove to the Evans' in Maria's ratty Jetta, hoping this stop would provide some clues to help their friend.

Alex knocked on the door while Maria chewed her gum worriedly.

Max answered, and invited them in. Maria motioned for them to be able to talk somewhere more private, noting that Mr. and Mrs. Evans were in the living room.

Never one to beat skirt around a subject Maria stated their objective the second Max's door closed behind the trio.

"What's wrong with Liz?"

Max closed his eyes. So many words wanted to come to the surface, instead he rubbed his eyes.

"You haven't heard, have you?" he asked mimicking the hollow tone that Liz had given him the night before.

"Heard what?" Alex leaned in, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Tess is pregnant." He stated flatly.

Both of them looked at him oddly. What does this info have to do with Liz?

"I'm the father."

Max never new what was coming before Alex reached back and socked Max in the face.

Alex winced in pain for a moment, massaging his knuckles, "bastard!", he yelled at Max, "what did she ever do to you?"

"Nothing. Everything." Came Max's flat reply.

Maria grabbed for a bottle of essential oil in her knapsack and took a large whiff……it appeared to help her calm down somewhat.

"What do you know about her limp?" Maria asked quickly, wanting to get out of the situation desperately.

Max shook his head, "What?"

"Don't try to act concerned you ass, just answer the damn question." Alex spat out, livid at his best friends' betrayal.

"She was limping around class today, you must have noticed, or wait, yeah, lemme guess, you were probably too busy fooling around with Tess…" Alex continued."

Max's eyes were gone…….wondering when the hell had he not noticed that his other half was sick, or hurt, or worse……….

"I…, he began, "I don't know, I didn't notice." He at least had the good grace to look ashamed of his behavior.

"Come with us." Maria ordered Max.

"Maria?" both Alex and Max said at the same time.

"You two can duke it out later, we need to help Liz, and he," she pointed to max "can help her if its something physical"

"she doesn't want to see me." Max ground out…..

"Well look here Max, I don't give a shit what you think. You can help Liz. You are coming. Simple as that, and as God as my witness if I have to bash you over the head and drag you out of this house you are coming to help Liz……..So are we crystal?"

"Clear."