3 Days Later

I was smiling as I made my way home. Smiling. It was one o-clock in the morning and it was hours past when I told Angie I would be home. The funny thing was, I didn't give a damn.

I had been out for my usual walk and again had found that group of teenagers in an alley by the library. They had the same stupid grins on their faces and were messing around with each other; playing dumb kissing games and swearing. They were high but I let them draw me in for the second time.

They had given me a cigarette and this time I was better able to stomach it. They gave me another and everything started to get a little foggy. I couldn't help but join in on their laughter, their excessive friendliness, their game. It never occurred to me that they had slipped me something.

I let myself get cuddly with the boy and for the first time, it actually felt good to be kissing someone. It felt good in the way that I couldn't keep the grin off my face or the giggles from forcing their way through my nose in a snorting laughter. They didn't judge me or ask me questions about my hair or anything else. It was just so easy to be in that alley with them in that moment. It felt care-free.

By the time I found my way to my window I was feeling sick. It hardly seemed like a problem to me so it took a forceful wrench in my stomach to get me to bend over to throw up. The discomfort of vomiting woke me up enough for me to suddenly realize the idiocy of what I had spent my night doing. I came crashing down from the high and allowed myself to sink into the ground to cry.

When I managed to bring myself together and wipe my face on my shirt I climbed through my window. My cozy bed welcomed me when feet came down on its soft surface. I shut my window behind me and grabbed my pillow. I wrapped my arms around it and squeezed like I was giving someone a hug.

I barely heard the click of a lock as the gentle creak of a door. If I had been paying attention, I would have realized that it was Angie's. There was a light pitter-patter of feet across the floor and then a soft knock on my door. I wondered what the hell she was doing up and my mood was exasperated by how utterly crappy I felt in general. I didn't want her to see me like this but I could hardly just leave her out in the hall.

I slid myself off the bed and went to unlock the door. The other side was silent but as soon as the door cracked open and she was able to fling herself into my arms, she burst out in tears. They weren't just any tears. It wasn't the kind that young children often make with sniffling noses. It was the kind that I had made back in Dr. Reid's apartment.

I swung the door shut so that no one would hear us and held her while she cried. I had a horrible, sinking sensation in my gut that paralyzed me. Tell me it isn't him. Tell me it isn't him.

"Angie," I said. My voice was shaking and I had to stop before I increased her panic. I held her back at arms length. Her face was tomato red but I could have guessed that. I ran my eyes down the length of her. My pulse went screaming through my veins when I saw the trickle of blood down her leg.

"I was hungry." She sobbed. "You never came home and I just wanted to eat so-"

I pulled back into my chest and squeezed her so hard that she couldn't continue. I couldn't bear to hear it. I held her like that for what felt like an eternity and I came to a decision. We were getting out of there.

Angie was on my hip because she cried when she walked. With every step I made with her clinging to my side I thought, its my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault, the whole way there. Now we stood at Dr. Reid's door. When he appeared at the door, it was clear that he had been asleep. It was almost 3 in the morning. I had never come to his apartment so late.

When he saw me, his response was groggy but clear. He ushered us in.

I brushed past him and brought Angie to the bathroom without a word or another glance to Dr. Reid. Her were brimmed with tears the whole time but I managed to get her cleaned up. Looking at her wrecked face, I wondered if he had told her she was beautiful too.

When we returned to the living room there was tea waiting for us. How cute. I situated Angie on the couch and stroked her hair as her trembling hands brought the warm mug to her lips. I sat with her until I couldn't hold myself together anymore. I was wrecked too.

I slipped off the couch and went swiftly to the hall where no one could see me scratching at my arms and legs until they bled. I couldn't cry. I was beyond that.

It was several minutes before Dr. Reid came looking for me. I didn't mind. Angie needed the attention more than I did. He leaned against the opposite wall and waited for me to say or do something. I did the only thing I could. I buried my face in his shoulder and let the silence do the rest of the work. He patted my back awkwardly.

"Can we please just stay with you for a while?" My voice was muffled by his shirt. "Please? I'm sorry it's so late. Please can we stay?" I babbled. He nodded. "Of course."

I opened my eyes at a piercing squealing sound. I was bolt upright in bed in an instant. I squinted my eyes into the darkness and saw a tall figure standing in the doorway holding a bundle in his arms.

My eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light. I scrambled out of bed and almost fell to the floor when I realized that the figure was Curt. The bundle in his arms was Angie. He had a hand over her mouth but her eyes were wide and she was producing the most desperate shrieks. My knees trembled.

"Don't hurt her." I said as calmly as I could, holding out my hand. His face contorted into a smile and his white teeth caught the street lights coming through the window.

"OK." He said almost blithely. And he dropped her. Her tiny body fell through the air and crumpled at his feet. She didn't move. He stepped over her and advanced on me quickly, forcing me back and away from her.

"I'll just take you instead. She's too small anyway." He sounded positively cheerful as grabbed me with super human speed and forced me face down on the bed. I kicked at him and screamed. "Let me go!" I could see Angie's broken form so still on the floor. I had to help her. I had to get away. I screamed and screamed, praying someone would come and help her, help us.

I felt a hand on my shoulder but it felt so out of place. "Alex!" The voice sounded panicked. I lashed out at the source of the sound and felt my hand connect with something solid. "Ouch." The voice muttered. "Alex wake up!"

My eyes flew open and I found myself instantly blinded by the nightlight beside the bed. I raised my fist again, waiting for the offender speak again. A hand caught my wrist. I was about to struggle when I suddenly realized, this isn't my bed.

I relaxed the tension in my hand and squinted up. It was Dr. Reid. "OK? It's me." When he saw realization come to me, he released my hand, still holding his own up in surrender. "Sorry." I whispered.

I suddenly panicked. My hand shot out to the left without thinking. Angie. I felt a lump under the blankets and breathed a sigh of relief. I sat up.

"Nightmare?" He asked. I suddenly noticed how close he was and I backed up to the headboard, drawing my knees to my chest. "Yeah." I muttered, eyeing him suspiciously. I was still half in the dream.

When he noticed my change in demeanor, he stood up and backed away. "Alright." He said, disappointed. "Sleep well." I nodded. "Sure." I saw a hint of a smile but couldn't be sure. When he left, I slid under the covers and waited held my eyes wide open, fearing what I would see when I closed them.

When I lifted my head and squinted my eyes against the sun, I was disorientated. Where was I? I was in a large bed with clean sheets and warm blankets. Snuggled beside me was Angie, her tear stained cheek buried in the pillow, and I remembered. I was at Dr. Reid's.

He told Angie and me to sleep in his bed and that he would take the couch. At first I refused but he insisted and Angie looked like she could use the sleep. We had all been up until 4 in the morning. I remembered the dream I had had and shuddered. I snuggled with the comforter and felt relief wash over me at not being back there with Curt. But I also remembered that it was too late. He had already gotten to Angie. I squeezed my eyes shut and wished I could just sleep for the next 10 years.

A/N: Hmm, so, do you like it? Thanks so much to those of you who have reviewed so far! Ah, there's so much left to say! It looks like they got out but what will Alex do now? Gee, I guess you'll have to wait and see:)