Blissfully unaware of the turmoil that was going on upstairs, Dawn shuffled
a little on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn on her lap, watching the movie.
She had turned the lights off, so the only source of light came from the
glow of the television.
Dawn's eyes were fixed on the screen and she had become so engrossed in the movies that she didn't notice Xander ascending the stairs.
"Dawn" He whispered. Dawn didn't take her eyes off the screen, but she turned her head slightly. "What"
Xander reached the bottom step, one hand behind his back, the other dangling limply at his side.
"You don't belong here," He whispered sharply. Dawn pulled her eyes away from the screen. Even in the faint glow of the television she could tell Xander's face had gone paler. His eyes were deadpan and tiny beads of sweat were running down his face, he looked feverish.
"What are you talking about?" Dawn asked as she placed her popcorn on the floor and slowly got up from the couch. Xander stepped closer to her, his eyes fixed on Dawn's face.
"You're not human," He hissed. The impact of his words caused Dawn to stumble backwards in shock.
"Why are you saying these things?" Her voice shook and a tear ran down her flushed cheek.
"Because it's true," Xander said, walking slowly closer to Dawn "You're a danger, you have to die" He whipped his hand up from behind his back, brandishing a large shard of glass with blood dripping off the tip. Dawn screamed and ran into the kitchen before Xander could move closer. Xander was about to pursue, but he caught sight of the shard out the corner of his eye and felt his insides freeze. He dropped the shard as if he'd gotten a shock from it. He stared down at the blood on his hands, which was oozing from a nasty gash on his knuckles.
He pulled his gaze away and looked over at the kitchen doorway, hoping to see Dawn, but she wasn't there.
"Dawn" He called, his voice quivering. There was no response; only the sound of the voices from the film could be heard. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me"
There was still no reply. The room filled with silence, even the television went quiet. The glow of it created an eerie atmosphere, one that caused a shiver to run down Xander's spine.
"What's wrong with you?" Dawn's voice finally came from some where in the kitchen. Xand moved a little closer to the door.
"I don't know, I'm sorry, you have to believe that"
Dawn's head appeared in the doorway, followed by her shoulders and very slowly the rest of her body.
"Why did you say those things?" She asked moving in the room, kicking the shard of glass on the floor away as she pasted it. "Why did you threaten me?"
"Don't give her any answers," The voice screamed, "She's evil, and you have to kill her"
"SHUT UP" Xander yelled, covering his ears with his hands, causing blood to spray on to his face.
"What's wrong" Dawn asked, the sting of tears lining her eyes.
"Kill the bitch" Xander gritted his teeth
"I don't know, they keep telling me to..."
"Kill her, kill her, kill her NOW" Xander dug his nails in to the side of his head, his eyes shut so tightly they ached.
Dawn placed a hand on his arm, her hands trembling with fear. Not for herself so much, but more for her friend.
"What can I do to help, should I call someone? I could call Tara"
Xander could no longer hear Dawn's voice over the scream in his head. It only had one word for him now
"Kill her, kill her kill her" Xander couldn't take much more, it was deafening. He felt like his head was going to erupt. With ever word, pain followed. He had to make it stop; he needed to make it stop.
"Xander let me help you" Dawn's voice cried, barely reaching Xander, as the voice grew louder.
"Kill her, kill her, KILL HER" In flash of rage and pain Xander pulled back a tightly clenched fist and snacked it in to Dawn's face knocking her off her feet and sending her crashing into the coffee table. Her head hit the surface hard, knocking her out cold.
Xander stared down and Dawn's unconscious form, the voice had stopped completely. His jaw dropped open and he felt his whole body tremble. He couldn't believe what he had just done.
"Well done" The voice said simply.
Xander ran out of the living, in to the kitchen and dived under the table. He pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, burying his face in his knees.
"You have to finish her off," The voice whispered. Xander shook his head.
"No, no, no" He said through the tears that were steadily running down his face. "I don't want to hurt her" He gently rocked his body back and forth while repeating the same word over and over "I'm sorry"
Silence filled the room as the seconds ticked by. Dawn's body didn't move from her place on the floor and Xander remained under the table. A knock on the door broke the silence, but it caused no sir in either person. The knock came again. After a few more seconds with out a response the door opened slowly and Tara's head appeared in the gap.
"Hello" She called out. When she got no reply she pushed the door open further and entered the house. She glanced up the staircase, but found only darkness welcoming her. She moved into the living room and felt around for the light switch, once located she turned on the lights. As the room became illuminated the first thing her eyes fell on was Dawn's unconscious form on the floor. She rushed over to her side and crouched down beside her.
"Dawn, can you hear me?" She took a close look at Dawn's face and noticed a large cut on her forehead, which was bleeding steadily. She also saw a large bruise on her jaw. Tara took a clean tissue from her pocket and held it against the cut. Her mind was a whirl, deciding what she had to do next. It only made sense to call for an ambulance. She looked around for the phone, which she knew, was in the kitchen. She removed her hand from Dawn's forehead and made her way into the kitchen. She took the receiver off the wall and dialled 911.
"What is your emergency?" The operator asked.
"I n-need an ambulance" Tara stuttered, "My friend is unconscious, the a- address is 1639 Revello Drive"
The operator advised her to stay calm; an ambulance was on its way. Tara thanked the lady and hung up. She made a move to go back into the living room to check on Dawn, but she heard a faint sobbing noise from underneath the kitchen table.
"Xander" She whispered. The sobbing stopped and was replaced by heavy breathing. Tara ducked her head down to check under the table. Her eyes fell on Xander's trembling form, her hand went straight for his shoulder.
"A-are you all right?" She asked softly. Xander raised his head up to look over at Tara. His eyes were red and stained with dried tears.
"Tara" His voice was rasped and trembling. Tara sat on the floor beside him.
"What happened?" She asked.
"The voices...they told me to do it...I didn't want to...I didn't..." Tara wasn't sure what to make of his broken up explanation until she put what he said with the bruise on Dawn's jaw.
"Did you hit Dawn?" She asked. Xander instantly looked away, burying his head in his blood covered hands.
"I didn't want to, they told me to"
"Who are they?" Tara asked softly.
"Don't tell her," The voice said, "She has no business knowing. She's a witch, she's evil" Xander covered his ears and shut his eyes tight.
"Shut up, shut up" He yelled, causing Tara to jump and nearly bang her head.
"I've called on ambulance for Dawn and I-I think you should come with her to the hospital" Xander's head shot up from his hands and glared at Tara.
"Why?"
Tara bit her lip. She knew that calling him crazy as not the best way to convince him to come, but that was how he was acting.
"Because you don't look well and you're hearing v-voices, that's not a good thing. You need help" Xander shuffled out from under the table and sprung to his feet, griping the table in a desperate attempt to stop shaking.
"I'm fine, I don't hear voices" He tried his best to smile, but couldn't quite pull it off "I was just joking, no one ever takes me seriously, why start now" Tara knew he was lying, there was nothing she could see that could convince her otherwise, his still trembling body and his still paling skin was proof of that.
"You just hit Dawn and I can tell your not joking about the voices" Xander lowered his head to avoid looking at any part of her. "You need help, trust me, I only want to give you that help"
"Don't believe her. Her method of help is to use magic, that's bad. Think of all the times magic has gone wrong" Xander didn't want to listen anymore, he was sick of the voices and he knew how to make them stop.
"I don't need anyone to help me, I already know what to do" He stumbled over to the sink and found a large kitchen knife lying on the draining board. He picked it up and stared at the sharp blade. Tara held her breath as she watched the tip of the blade approach Xander's temple.
"Xander, p-put the knife down" Tara said nervously. Xander didn't listen, he just edged the tip closer to his skin.
"I have to get rid of the voices" Tara took a step closer to him, but he matched her step, moving back towards the fridge.
"You d-don't want to do this. T-There are other ways to get help, please put the knife down"
"Use the knife on her, kill the little witch"
Xander shook his head, sweat poured down his face and neck and his hands shook.
"I can't take it," He yelled. "They keep screaming inside my head. They want me to hurt people. I've already hurt Dawn, how can I trust myself not to hurt you"
Tara closed her eyes and forced herself to relive a moment in her past that she didn't like to bring up, but she knew it was the only thing that might help Xander.
"I know what you're going through. You remember what Glory did to me, what she did to my mind" She took a deep breath before continuing "I know what it's like to lose gripe on your sanity and have no ability to control what's going on in your own head, but I got help" He looked up, her eyes wide and pleading "Willow got me through it and I want to help you get through it, so please put the knife down" Xander closed his eyes and breathed heavily. His hand was trembling to badly that he felt the blade graze his forehead repeatedly.
"Don't listen to her, kill her"
"NO" Xander scream as he threw the knife on the floor "I don't want to hurt anyone else" He felt his legs shake so badly that they gave up on him and he collapsed on to his knees. Tara knelt down in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be all right" She tried to reassure him. Xander ran a hand over his sweaty face, his fingers sweeping over the graze on his temple, reminding him of what he had come close to doing.
"I'm crazy, aren't I" He mumbled.
"I don't know, but if you come to the hospital with Dawn and I we can find out" Xander looked up into Tara's eyes and it was at that moment he saw what Willow found so captivating about her. She was such a gentle soul and she genuinely cared. Something Xander wished he saw in more people.
"Willow's a lucky girl" He said with a feeble attempt at a smile. Tara on the other hand managed to smile as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in to a hug. "Bitch" Xander closed his eyes and ignored it.
Dawn's eyes were fixed on the screen and she had become so engrossed in the movies that she didn't notice Xander ascending the stairs.
"Dawn" He whispered. Dawn didn't take her eyes off the screen, but she turned her head slightly. "What"
Xander reached the bottom step, one hand behind his back, the other dangling limply at his side.
"You don't belong here," He whispered sharply. Dawn pulled her eyes away from the screen. Even in the faint glow of the television she could tell Xander's face had gone paler. His eyes were deadpan and tiny beads of sweat were running down his face, he looked feverish.
"What are you talking about?" Dawn asked as she placed her popcorn on the floor and slowly got up from the couch. Xander stepped closer to her, his eyes fixed on Dawn's face.
"You're not human," He hissed. The impact of his words caused Dawn to stumble backwards in shock.
"Why are you saying these things?" Her voice shook and a tear ran down her flushed cheek.
"Because it's true," Xander said, walking slowly closer to Dawn "You're a danger, you have to die" He whipped his hand up from behind his back, brandishing a large shard of glass with blood dripping off the tip. Dawn screamed and ran into the kitchen before Xander could move closer. Xander was about to pursue, but he caught sight of the shard out the corner of his eye and felt his insides freeze. He dropped the shard as if he'd gotten a shock from it. He stared down at the blood on his hands, which was oozing from a nasty gash on his knuckles.
He pulled his gaze away and looked over at the kitchen doorway, hoping to see Dawn, but she wasn't there.
"Dawn" He called, his voice quivering. There was no response; only the sound of the voices from the film could be heard. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me"
There was still no reply. The room filled with silence, even the television went quiet. The glow of it created an eerie atmosphere, one that caused a shiver to run down Xander's spine.
"What's wrong with you?" Dawn's voice finally came from some where in the kitchen. Xand moved a little closer to the door.
"I don't know, I'm sorry, you have to believe that"
Dawn's head appeared in the doorway, followed by her shoulders and very slowly the rest of her body.
"Why did you say those things?" She asked moving in the room, kicking the shard of glass on the floor away as she pasted it. "Why did you threaten me?"
"Don't give her any answers," The voice screamed, "She's evil, and you have to kill her"
"SHUT UP" Xander yelled, covering his ears with his hands, causing blood to spray on to his face.
"What's wrong" Dawn asked, the sting of tears lining her eyes.
"Kill the bitch" Xander gritted his teeth
"I don't know, they keep telling me to..."
"Kill her, kill her, kill her NOW" Xander dug his nails in to the side of his head, his eyes shut so tightly they ached.
Dawn placed a hand on his arm, her hands trembling with fear. Not for herself so much, but more for her friend.
"What can I do to help, should I call someone? I could call Tara"
Xander could no longer hear Dawn's voice over the scream in his head. It only had one word for him now
"Kill her, kill her kill her" Xander couldn't take much more, it was deafening. He felt like his head was going to erupt. With ever word, pain followed. He had to make it stop; he needed to make it stop.
"Xander let me help you" Dawn's voice cried, barely reaching Xander, as the voice grew louder.
"Kill her, kill her, KILL HER" In flash of rage and pain Xander pulled back a tightly clenched fist and snacked it in to Dawn's face knocking her off her feet and sending her crashing into the coffee table. Her head hit the surface hard, knocking her out cold.
Xander stared down and Dawn's unconscious form, the voice had stopped completely. His jaw dropped open and he felt his whole body tremble. He couldn't believe what he had just done.
"Well done" The voice said simply.
Xander ran out of the living, in to the kitchen and dived under the table. He pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, burying his face in his knees.
"You have to finish her off," The voice whispered. Xander shook his head.
"No, no, no" He said through the tears that were steadily running down his face. "I don't want to hurt her" He gently rocked his body back and forth while repeating the same word over and over "I'm sorry"
Silence filled the room as the seconds ticked by. Dawn's body didn't move from her place on the floor and Xander remained under the table. A knock on the door broke the silence, but it caused no sir in either person. The knock came again. After a few more seconds with out a response the door opened slowly and Tara's head appeared in the gap.
"Hello" She called out. When she got no reply she pushed the door open further and entered the house. She glanced up the staircase, but found only darkness welcoming her. She moved into the living room and felt around for the light switch, once located she turned on the lights. As the room became illuminated the first thing her eyes fell on was Dawn's unconscious form on the floor. She rushed over to her side and crouched down beside her.
"Dawn, can you hear me?" She took a close look at Dawn's face and noticed a large cut on her forehead, which was bleeding steadily. She also saw a large bruise on her jaw. Tara took a clean tissue from her pocket and held it against the cut. Her mind was a whirl, deciding what she had to do next. It only made sense to call for an ambulance. She looked around for the phone, which she knew, was in the kitchen. She removed her hand from Dawn's forehead and made her way into the kitchen. She took the receiver off the wall and dialled 911.
"What is your emergency?" The operator asked.
"I n-need an ambulance" Tara stuttered, "My friend is unconscious, the a- address is 1639 Revello Drive"
The operator advised her to stay calm; an ambulance was on its way. Tara thanked the lady and hung up. She made a move to go back into the living room to check on Dawn, but she heard a faint sobbing noise from underneath the kitchen table.
"Xander" She whispered. The sobbing stopped and was replaced by heavy breathing. Tara ducked her head down to check under the table. Her eyes fell on Xander's trembling form, her hand went straight for his shoulder.
"A-are you all right?" She asked softly. Xander raised his head up to look over at Tara. His eyes were red and stained with dried tears.
"Tara" His voice was rasped and trembling. Tara sat on the floor beside him.
"What happened?" She asked.
"The voices...they told me to do it...I didn't want to...I didn't..." Tara wasn't sure what to make of his broken up explanation until she put what he said with the bruise on Dawn's jaw.
"Did you hit Dawn?" She asked. Xander instantly looked away, burying his head in his blood covered hands.
"I didn't want to, they told me to"
"Who are they?" Tara asked softly.
"Don't tell her," The voice said, "She has no business knowing. She's a witch, she's evil" Xander covered his ears and shut his eyes tight.
"Shut up, shut up" He yelled, causing Tara to jump and nearly bang her head.
"I've called on ambulance for Dawn and I-I think you should come with her to the hospital" Xander's head shot up from his hands and glared at Tara.
"Why?"
Tara bit her lip. She knew that calling him crazy as not the best way to convince him to come, but that was how he was acting.
"Because you don't look well and you're hearing v-voices, that's not a good thing. You need help" Xander shuffled out from under the table and sprung to his feet, griping the table in a desperate attempt to stop shaking.
"I'm fine, I don't hear voices" He tried his best to smile, but couldn't quite pull it off "I was just joking, no one ever takes me seriously, why start now" Tara knew he was lying, there was nothing she could see that could convince her otherwise, his still trembling body and his still paling skin was proof of that.
"You just hit Dawn and I can tell your not joking about the voices" Xander lowered his head to avoid looking at any part of her. "You need help, trust me, I only want to give you that help"
"Don't believe her. Her method of help is to use magic, that's bad. Think of all the times magic has gone wrong" Xander didn't want to listen anymore, he was sick of the voices and he knew how to make them stop.
"I don't need anyone to help me, I already know what to do" He stumbled over to the sink and found a large kitchen knife lying on the draining board. He picked it up and stared at the sharp blade. Tara held her breath as she watched the tip of the blade approach Xander's temple.
"Xander, p-put the knife down" Tara said nervously. Xander didn't listen, he just edged the tip closer to his skin.
"I have to get rid of the voices" Tara took a step closer to him, but he matched her step, moving back towards the fridge.
"You d-don't want to do this. T-There are other ways to get help, please put the knife down"
"Use the knife on her, kill the little witch"
Xander shook his head, sweat poured down his face and neck and his hands shook.
"I can't take it," He yelled. "They keep screaming inside my head. They want me to hurt people. I've already hurt Dawn, how can I trust myself not to hurt you"
Tara closed her eyes and forced herself to relive a moment in her past that she didn't like to bring up, but she knew it was the only thing that might help Xander.
"I know what you're going through. You remember what Glory did to me, what she did to my mind" She took a deep breath before continuing "I know what it's like to lose gripe on your sanity and have no ability to control what's going on in your own head, but I got help" He looked up, her eyes wide and pleading "Willow got me through it and I want to help you get through it, so please put the knife down" Xander closed his eyes and breathed heavily. His hand was trembling to badly that he felt the blade graze his forehead repeatedly.
"Don't listen to her, kill her"
"NO" Xander scream as he threw the knife on the floor "I don't want to hurt anyone else" He felt his legs shake so badly that they gave up on him and he collapsed on to his knees. Tara knelt down in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be all right" She tried to reassure him. Xander ran a hand over his sweaty face, his fingers sweeping over the graze on his temple, reminding him of what he had come close to doing.
"I'm crazy, aren't I" He mumbled.
"I don't know, but if you come to the hospital with Dawn and I we can find out" Xander looked up into Tara's eyes and it was at that moment he saw what Willow found so captivating about her. She was such a gentle soul and she genuinely cared. Something Xander wished he saw in more people.
"Willow's a lucky girl" He said with a feeble attempt at a smile. Tara on the other hand managed to smile as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in to a hug. "Bitch" Xander closed his eyes and ignored it.
