6

I stared down at the first mask I had ever received from him. So many memories were laced in the eye holes. I have a box under my bed of the many masks he had given me on the rare occasions I visited him. And now it's finally senior year. I wouldn't lie, my freshman and sophomore years were a bit tough. Kids were of course cruel, but Sherriff Bracket kept them all off my case and eventually, I learned to say fuck them. His daughter Annie became one of my close friends too. It took a while to trust her and Lynda Van Der Klok. They were popular girls who still didn't mind hanging out without me sometimes. I actually didn't mind that, because I didn't always like hanging out with them either. Best friends, right? But it was okay. Puberty was kind to me. My body blossomed and my breasts filled out into double d's which boys liked to look at more than my face anyways. So if anything, I learned some high school survival tricks. I was so excited about it all.

My mom and I were as close as ever and I knew I could rely on her. Now all that was left, was my true friend, Michael. I visited him every Friday and he had completely shut down. He had grown quite tall for an eighteen-year-old and is basically a giant. His hair had grown dark and over his face. I could hardly see any of his face now. He was constantly chained. As much as I was loving senior year, it was also time to look and apply at colleges and a part of me didn't want to stay in Haddonfield, but leaving would mean leaving Michael and I wasn't sure I was able to do that. I mean every Friday I visited him for ten years, even after Deborah killed herself and Angel was taken away, I was all Michael had. My mother didn't understand, but she remained silent when I did go and visit him. I would go see him and talk to him about anything and everything from school to both our futures. I even asked him questions and tried to get his opinions on things even though I knew he wouldn't answer me.

But that wasn't the only thing that bothered me. It was the conversation I had with Dr. Loomis last week.

"I think it would be healthy for both you and Michael, if you started to space your visits with him."

My face shook in absolute shock and I took an inch back and looked him over.

"What? Why?" I asked quickly and the doctor just sighed and looked down some.

"Kyra, it hasn't gone unnoticed that you have been Michael's link to this world for eight years. Even though he hasn't spoken a word, he still shows sign of being fully aware, shows signs that he is still there. But you are both maturing and you have a free world to grow in and I am afraid that Michael is showing signs of… sexual aggression with his maturity." he explained and I just tilted my head, squinting some in disgust.

"He doesn't even speak. He just makes masks in his room and he doesn't cause trouble. You told me that."

"I know."

"Then where are you getting these… sexual aggression from? I don't understand." I said.

"He masturbates." He blurts swiftly cutting me off. I blinked some and he looked around and placed his hands on my back and we began to walk down the quiet hall. I had secret session with Dr. Loomis as well to help me cope with Deborah's death and seeing that orderly killed by Michael eight years ago. Not even my mom knows I go and visit him.

"Okay so he… masturbates. That's a healthy function that men go through." I said and he nodded.

"Yes, yes you are right, but we do keep video footage of the patients while in their rooms and I have caught Michael standing naked in front of his walls, masturbating. When he isn't in his room, I do go and check to see what has brought this sudden change on. And I have found that he masturbates at the picture you gave him eight years ago." he explained and I looked down thinking of the picture and running my hand through my curls.

"Okay… well it's not like he's learning about sex ed here. He's been here since he was ten." I replied. Dr. Loomis nodded.

"Yes. But you do come up in our discussions and it's not hard to miss the erections he has and the shallow breathing and the clenched fists. Now he hasn't done anything to show signs that he is dangerous to himself or others which is why I have allowed you both to speak without orderlies' present. But I fear he may become sexually violent now that you both are nearing your peaks of maturity." he said. I shrugged.

"So you want me to stop seeing him, because he is acting like a horny teenage boy?" I asked and he paused in his walking.

"I just want you to be mindful of the signs. He's not just a boy, he is becoming a man like you are becoming a woman. And he is a killer." he warned and I stared at him for a long moment taking in his words.

"You heading over there?"

I jumped and turned to see Mom in the doorway and I cleared my throat and nodded.

"Yeah. I'll call you when I'm headed home." I replied and she nodded.

"Okay." she said with a soft smile and left. I had to admit, it was good to have my mom back. I jumped into my 2005 Toyota Camry and headed for the hospital. I looked around the neighborhood noticing all the pumpkins that were out and the Halloween decorations that were in front of some of the neighbor's houses. It was like nothing had happened here. Like no one was even murdered eight years ago. Either that or everyone has moved on like they were supposed to. Maybe it was time for me to move on as well. I parked in the visitor's parking and looked at some of the paper applications on my passenger's seat. I've already faxed some of them out already. I got out and went inside and signed in as usual.

I was sitting outside at one of the lunch benches when the door opened, I turned and saw Michael coming out. He was in his usual grey robe with a white t-shirt under it with grey sweats. He was wearing a new mask. An orange mask. As he was seated in front of me, I remembered what Dr. Loomis had told me last week. I smiled at him as the chains were taken off his body. The orderlies merely sat at the table behind us casually watching. They had to be here when we were outside.

"I didn't know you liked orange." I replied. He just looked down at the table and I nodded. "Another masterpiece." The air seemed thick around us today and I couldn't quite figure out why.

I sighed some and crossed my arms and jumped right into it.

"Senior year. The last year of a child's education before going off to college, the adult stuff." I said smiling down at the table. "I often thought about us going through the rest of middle and high school together. I ask myself what clique would we be a part of. Would we remain friends… would we date? I know we probably wouldn't have gone that far but I still thought about it. Maybe we go to the same college and graduate and I don't get married and have a family." I said. Michael never lifted his head and I just felt stupid now. But then again who would he tell?

"It was rough, going through high school without you. Kids were mean and they made jokes about my face. One girl actually tried to bully me… I think this is something you'd like to hear." I replied scoffing softly and chuckling. "I was in the locker room a few weeks back and I think she was jealous that she's flat chested and I'm kind of not." I replied. Bits of his hair moved off his face from in front of his nose, but I didn't think too much into it. "I guess she thought attacking my looks would make her feel better. So as she was calling me names, I just balled my hand into a fist and I beat her ass into the ground. All her bougie little friends screamed and cried and ran from the bathroom and I just whaled on her. It felt good… the violence."

I shook my head in thought of it all.

"I was suspended for a few days but came back a new person. No one messed with me. But I managed to make some friends and now we are at the end of childish things." I said now staring at him. He didn't look up and I didn't see his eyes. "It's time for me to start looking for colleges. I have looked in state and out of state."

I don't know why I was suddenly so nervous to tell him all of this. It's not like he cared.

"Do you want me to stay here?" I asked and he didn't respond. He just kept looking down at the table. I felt foolish for even asking.

However, his arms started to shuffle some and I watched as one of his hands came up and his fingers curled up except for his pointer finger. He stuck it straight out and just slowly placed it on the table. He began to move his hand down then up as if outlining the letter v. Then he put a long line down that v. Y. E. S. I inhaled in shock at his words. That's the first thing he has communicated in years. I didn't even think he was truly listening to everything I had been saying. I exhaled and nodded some.

"Okay." I responded.

Michael's POV

She made the right decision asking me about leaving. I had been thinking for eight years if I should also kill her or not. It wouldn't be difficult breaking out and killing her, but she was the only one who stayed. Even after my mom took her own life permanently dividing our family up. Why would she be so selfish? But Kyra has been with me since the beginning and I would see to it she stayed with me until the very end whichever that would be. Had she had told me she planned to leave and never come back then that would be the end, but she has proven to be on my side.

"Okay." she replied. Now she has fully given herself to me and it was time to ensure she knew she was mine. Forever.