Jao: Is all this real, or is it just in Ron's mind? Hopefully we'll start to find the truth.
Paragon 8
Hollow
It had begun to rain again, a roll of thunder just off the horizon. Kim shivered as she watched from her bedroom window. In the reflection of the glass she saw herself and she noticed her face seemed a bit different now. Uncertainty, fear…pain strewn across Kim's features made her almost unrecognizable to herself.
On her computer was a folder opened to a number of videos. They were holidays, talent shows, and some random home videos all preserved on her hard drive. Walking over to her desk she reluctantly took her seat. Kim searched for one that had been her favorite…
The video player clicked onto the screen and opened the file: last year at Bueno Nacho's Karaoke Night. She was glad she convinced her mom to record it. It had been a promotional thing, for what Kim couldn't remember at the time.
The place had filled up pretty quickly. There was a makeshift stage to the right of the counter where the cash registers were. Outside there were speakers set up so anyone could hear, and there were plenty of people around. Mrs. Possible had stood next to the booth, keeping her camera more on her daughter than on the performance.
The camera focused on Kim and Ron who sat comfortably in their normal booth. A sad smile crossed Kim as she watched. Ron looked so excited as he watched the person who was performing. He didn't even see how she wasn't paying attention; she was watching Josh from across the room.
That's right…this was before then. Before she and Josh were together. The song ended and applause followed. The manager walked on to the stage, cleared his throat and picked up the mic.
"We'll be taking a short break. Pick your next song, order some food and just have fun!" Ron turned to Kim, his mouth open to say something but he stopped. Following her gaze was easy. He took a deep breath and spoke a little louder than normal.
"What song are you going to do, KP?" She blinked and turned his way.
"I dunno, maybe something by Britina. I'll pick when I get up there." Her tone seemed almost annoyed, as if she shouldn't be bothered with his questions right now. Kim felt the twinge of guilt in her stomach as she watched.
There was a flicker of hurt in his eyes, but he grinned past it as he tapped a little nervously on the table. Kim could recall him talking for months about the karaoke night, but when she'd ask him about if he were going to sing, he'd change the subject. Kim turned back to Ron, a pout on her lips.
"Ron…I have this friend who likes someone but doesn't know how to tell him. She's totally scared he'll reject her. What should she do?" He looked surprised for a moment, then looked at his hands, as if carefully choosing his words. That was strange, Kim thought as she watched. Ron usually said the first thing that came to mind, which more often than not, got him into a lot of trouble. But he was quiet for a few moments before looking back up at her.
"She should tell him…in a song."
"You think so?" He smiled and leaned back in his seat, arms reclined behind his head.
"Well yea. I mean, it's what I would do."
"Thanks, Ron. You're the greatest!" She then left to look at the song list. Ron watched her go and sighed.
Kim blinked at her computer screen. She had watched this video a hundred times, but…but now it looked…it felt different. It's because she was paying attention to Ron. Instead of watching herself, she was watching him, his face, his motions…
Kim skipped back to the table and sat down. Ron's face already had another big grin for her.
"So, what did you pick?"
"Invisible." Ron almost choked on his grande soda.
"Invisible? KP, you know th-that's supposed to be sung by a guy?" Kim shrugged.
"I know, but none of the other songs seemed right. I didn't know you liked Clay Aiken."
"Know? I-I wouldn't say 'know.' More like.. heard it a thousand times on the radio is all. You know how they love to replay the same songs…" Kim raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you going to do one, Ron?"
"Nah."
"Why not?"
"I have no reason to. 'Sides, Rufus gets stage fright."
"Hey!" Rufus protested from his spot behind a mountain of nachos and cheese. The announcer took the stage again and called out that Kim was up next. She rushed to the stage, leaving Ron to call to her turned back:
"Good luck!" You could hear Mrs. Possible sigh from off camera. He glanced up at Mrs. P, giving her a smile before turning to the stage.
Kim paused the video and slide the bar back, keeping it on that smile. The image on the screen mixed painfully with the memory of earlier that day. The eyes that stared at her from the monitor was all that was left. She wasn't afraid to let the tears fall and after a certain time had passed the program started again by default.
"I want to sing this song…to let someone out there know that I'm thinking of him." Her eyes fell on Josh, but he hardly noticed they were just for him. The music began and she sang.
Kim's mind drifted back to earlier that day as she watched Ron watch her.
"Why do you love him so much?"
"Josh's loyal, caring, sweet, and gentle. He's got a great sense of humor and he'd do anything for me. I can't ask for anything more in a guy."
"You know, you just described me too, I mean, don't I fit those categories?"
"You do." She whispered to the Ron on the screen, her fingertips touching his image gently. "You do."
"If I was invisible… wait, I already am."
There was a slow rumble as someone ran up Kim's steps. Josh was soon standing in her room, breathing heavily. She leapt to his side, guiding him to sit on her bed.
"What's wrong?"
"It's-." Josh held his head, his eyes wide. "The Sanitarium." No more words were needed; Kim was to her feet and out the door with Josh following behind her.
It was eerie walking to the doors; the windows were dark, a few broken. Kim sported her mission clothes, Josh wearing a set that she had provided, one that had once been Ron's. It wasn't raining anymore, but the wind bit, causing Kim to shiver as she reached for red sticky door handles.
It was dead silent in the Tri-city Sanitarium. No personnel walked the halls; no patients lay in the rooms. Only the low creak of rope from the ceiling and the seldom sound of drips broke silence- thick liquid falling to hard floors.
It was enough to take her breath away. Kim looked up with horror to see from the lobby ceiling and down the adjacent halls hung the many occupants of the sanitarium. They bled heavily from various gashes. All of them stared at Kim and Josh with empty eye sockets.
Terror was an understatement. Never in her life had Kim seen such horrible things, never had she been this surrounded by death. Her hands clung to Josh, her eyes tightly closed blocking the images. Her face buried in his shoulder she noticed the clothes still smelled like Ron. Ron…
She opened her eyes, staring into Josh's. What if Ron was…was… Forcing back the urge to gag she turned around. Due to the open windows the bodies swayed, causing a gentle shower of blood to fall the foot and a half difference from their feet to the two teens that walked beneath them. The over powering smell didn't help, decay mixed with the smell of rain almost suffocated Kim. Josh kept and eye upwards, watching for the familiar face. Each face held a different expression, some of peace, surprise, anger. Both froze as the soft sound of thunder rolled and echoed down the hallway.
"We're here." Josh said softly, holding onto the door handle to what had been Ron's room. Kim took her gaze from the floor to Josh. With a nod from her he opened it and they both walked inside.
It was pitch black and both heard a squish as they entered. Kim clicked the Kimunicator into flash light mode…and promptly dropped it.
Scattered from wall to wall were hundreds of eyeballs—across the walls written in blood was the message: "There's many types of sight, KP. Do you like what you see?" Kim didn't see much more, she fell to the semi-padded floor with a sickening squish.
Warmth and the strong scent of bleach welcome Kim when she finally came to. Turning her head she found Josh's head resting on the pillow beside her. He had fallen asleep next to the bed…waiting for her to wake up. She gently pushed some stray hair behind his ear. He must have been so worried… Kim noticed she was in a long t-shirt, a paint brand on the front. The room she recognized as the one he had given to her, Middleton's night skyline glittered just past her window. It was so romantic.
"So you're awake…" Kim turned back to Josh who sat up and stretched. "I've never seen you faint before. I…I cleaned you up, I hope you don't mind. You were covered in blood and eyes." He visibly shivered at that. Kim blushed suddenly.
"You…cleaned me up?" Josh took her hand and stared into her eyes, beaming nothing but love.
"I was completely respectful, Kim. I only removed your shirt and pants, that's all. You can check if you'd like." Kim looked down her long shirt to notice she was indeed wearing all her undergarments, still just the way she had left them.
"It wasn't easy you know," Josh said in a playful tone. "You're so beautiful it was hard to resist." Kim looked away, hugging her knees to her chest.
"You…you don't think Ron did all that…do you?" Her voice was cracked with tears as the memories returned. Josh sat next to her on the bed, taking her into his arms.
"I…I don't know, but I do know you're the strongest person I've ever known. We'll make it through this, Kim. I promise." Then he left a soft kiss on her cheek. Shifting in his embrace Kim returned the gesture with a kiss of her own on his lips. Josh responded with added passion, parting her lips sweetly. As he trailed small kisses down her neck Kim reached over and turned out the light.
Jao~ Another A Perfect Circle song. Sorry I can't come up with anything better, but I tell ya, it' s great inspirational music. Anyway, next chapter should be up really really soon.