When she woke back up, it was to the sound of the Camaro roaring into the driveway. With an uncomfortable turn in her stomach, she slowly climbed out of the bed. Hopefully, Billy didn't suspect that she had been out exploring.
It didn't take long before he came knocking at the bedroom door. She cautiously opened it, momentarily taken aback when she saw he was carrying a cardboard box. Inside of it was a heap of clothes, and while none of it was hers, she supposed it was better than nothing.
Despite this one, good deed, she wasn't going to succumb to him, and nor did she want to sit around and wait for him to do something about it. Who knew what he was capable of? He clearly had a short temper on him, and it was best to steer clear of it before it escalated.
Nonetheless, Billy showed an unexpected tenderness towards her when he helped her change out the bandaging. He had to unbutton her dress, but he was respectful about letting her cover up where she needed in order for him to clean the wound and bandage it up.
"So, am I not able to leave...ever?" she asked. It wasn't easy not to be snide about it, but she genuinely needed to know if she was a prisoner now.
"No." At first, he didn't seem to want to elaborate on when, but even Billy didn't seem content with the bluntness of his answer. "There is no way back. Not yet."
"You said I drowned... How do I not remember going into the water?"
Billy started buttoning her dress back up, cleaning up the trash from his remarkably good job at fixing her up. "Call it a catalyst for something much bigger - someone's test to see if they could...cause a disturbance."
"Let me guess... Your test?"
Billy gave her a look that was hard for her to read. "No. Not mine. What happened to you... and what's going to happen up there," he pointed towards the ceiling, "is much, much bigger than either of us "
"What are you getting at?" she asked, completely lost. "What's going to happen?"
He half-smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing to worry your pretty head about. You're better off here. That's what matters. Now... you really need to eat. What are you in the mood for?"
Food. She almost forgot she needed to eat. Even though she was on another plane of existence, hunger was still a thing, and she felt it suddenly.
Over a steak dinner in the kitchen that night, not much was said. Billy didn't seem keen on pushing her too much, which was a relief.
The next day, Lillian scavenged for answers a little closer to home. Not that she called this house a home; it was far from it. Hoping to be rid of it soon, she was searching for a means out of this Second Circle realm she was stuck in.
During her search, she came across a sketchbook. It apparently belonged to Susan, as she determined by the handwritten name in the bottom corner of the first page. As she only just recently found out by peeking in Eddie's trailer, duplicate items apparently existed here as they did in her world, even the people that they belonged to didn't. It was a strange peculiarity.
The book only had five sketches - one to each page. there were a couple of flowers, and the others were animals. They were actually pretty decent - better than anything that she could attempt.
An idea came to mind.
Now, Lillian was never the sort to keep a journal. A lot of girls did during their teenage years, but she always thought it was just silly. She started writing on the sixth page.
Day 2.
I'm pretty sure it's July 11th. It was the 9th when I met up with Eddie at Skull Rock. The next day is when I think I ended up here. I still don't really know where here is, but I'm stuck with Billy, who is supposed to be dead. He's not the same Billy I remember. He's...scarier. Angry. Possessive. Well, he was always a bit possessive, but this is to a whole new level. I miss Eddie...so much. He's probably wondering what happened to me. I'm trying to find a way back to him, but I just can't seem to figure it out.
Not only was this a good way to keep track of the days, but it might also help her organize her thoughts. Maybe, just maybe, it would help keep her sane.
On the third day, she thought of something she hadn't before. There were no phones in the house, but was it possible she could call Eddie two worlds away? She needed to get to a phone. It took forever for Billy to leave, and she was starting to feel convinced that he was stalling for time. Finally, he was gone, after getting a confession out of her for what she wanted for dinner.
That was another weird thing that she hadn't figured out yet. Whatever she wanted for dinner, he was always able to conjure up, regardless of what was or was not in the kitchen.
Giving it about half an hour after he left, Lillian ran over to the deserted, Munson trailer, her heart racing. This had to work. She grabbed the crate she had used before as a stand, taking it around the back side and slamming it into the window. It didn't shatter until the fourth or fifth time she struck it, but when she did, she tried to get rid of as much broken shards as she could before she climbed in. There was no good in cutting herself up during this break-in.
It was so strange being here. It looked so much like she was used to, except like Billy's place, there was a dark, purple glow from the ethereal sky coming in through the windows. She located the first phone she could find in the tiny, living room, then dialed the number. Yet, there was no sound to indicate there was any power.
She tried looking for a generator, the circuit breaker, anything that could get her the electricity she required.
Coming up completely defeated when nothing worked, she collapsed onto the couch. Her chances of getting out of here were looking even slimmer.
Day 3.
Electricity doesn't seem to be a concept here, or more, the phones just don't work. Billy's music cassettes work in the player. No phones, no television, no radio. I suppose that's just because there's no one to monitor all that stuff. Salmon for dinner. I guess I get to eat like a queen, but I certainly don't feel like one.
A week in, and Lillian was making fewer attempts to get help. She was running low on determination, but the only good thing in her favor was that her captor had yet to really catch on. She took a different approach - learn and ask questions. Billy was eventually more eager to answer them when they ate dinner, just because it beat sitting in unsettling silence.
She asked him what he did when he went out, and to her surprise, he actually gave her an answer.
He served someone higher - didn't really specify who or what, as he deemed the details were unimportant to her. He served as a guard of sorts of this area, and sometimes served as a bounty hunter when someone or something crossed over that wasn't supposed to.
He practically pampered her, truth be told. Lillian never said she didn't like it. She accepted whatever he gave her, but usually kept her distance. While he seemed only slightly impatient that she wasn't entirely giving into him, he seemed convinced that she was at least settling in.
Day 16.
Today would have been my birthday. I'm 20 now. I remember last year at this time. I went to Eddie's place, and he got me a bouquet of flowers with red lilies. He knew my favorite color. He somehow was able to tape some cassette tapes on dowel rods and make them part of the arrangement. Uncle Wayne said he spent hours getting it right. I never saw him put so much effort into something crafty before. Most romantic and metal birthday present I ever got. And then, he serenades me with "Screaming in the Night" by Krokus with his guitar. That was one of my favorite moments.
Every day, she wrote in that book, tucking it inside of her pillow for safe keeping. Depending on how eventful things were, she might not always have had much to say. Some entries were shorter than others, to where she might fit more than one on a single page to try and save room.
Day 32.
I had a dream, and it made me realize something. When I came here, I passed through a gate from Limbo. I don't remember seeing it, but maybe it's still there. I'm going to check it out next time Billy is gone.
...
Day 35.
I found Limbo, and I went to the trailer to see if I could find a way out. I didn't, obviously...but I heard Eddie talking! God, he sounds so miserable when he was talking to his uncle. My heart hurts so much for him. I've been gone for a month. I wish so badly I could get back to him... and dad. I hope my dad is okay. I need to check on him, too, but I didn't have enough time. Next time.
...
Day 42.
Dad has been making so many calls trying to find me. I'm trying to get back home, daddy. I'll find a way...
One of the shortest entries in the book, day forty-two was stained by teardrops. Seeing her home so quiet and desolate just left her feeling completely hopeless, and hearing the pain in her father's voice as he tried everything he could to find his little girl... She just couldn't put it into words.
Day 66...
There wasn't much to notate here, and usually, when that happened, Lillian would recall a happy memory and write it down. Her thoughts were interrupted by a flash of movement from outside the bedroom window. She climbed out of the bed. Was Billy back already? She hadn't heard his car pull up. As she looked towards the driveway, a flicker of fear erupted inside of her. There was something there - the first time she ever saw anything else alive here since she arrived, but...what the hell was it?
Larger than a Great Dane, it crawled on all fours, and it looked as though it was scavenging for food. Lillian held her breath, looking towards the other room where the cassette player was blasting Motley Crue's Live Wire. She quickly tiptoed to it to shut it off, but it seemed that stopping the music had actually drawn its attention more. She peaked her head through the window only to find that it was looking right at her.
"Shit!" she choked out, dropping to the floor in hopes to duck under the panel. It was too late.
A horrible scream filled the air - something inhuman and almost demonic. As the front door flew forward, the creature stood on its hind legs, front claws gripping onto the door trim with such grip that the wood crumbled. Paralyzed in fear, she watched its face open up like a giant, red lily, and sharp teeth oozed with saliva.
"Holy shit!"
Lillian staggered up, grabbing the lamp closest to her to throw it at the monstrous intruder. It gave her just barely enough time to scamper out of the living room and towards the other side of the house. She heard the second, furious roar it emitted at her, and slammed the door shut behind her. Not that it did much good. Her heart racing against her chest, Lillian did the only thing she could think to do: run.
It moved so much faster than she did, that she knew she was a goner, especially as she collapsed onto the hard ground
Then, suddenly, an engine roared from her left, and Billy's car came ripping through the side yard, ramming into the monster and sending it into the street.
"Hey, asshole! Watch where you're walking."
Lillian had to admit, that was kind of badass, but what happened next was unexplainable.
He thrust out his hand, and fire spiraled down his arm, starting from the shoulder. It sprayed at the beast, who immediately recoiled until the flames grew, then consumed it entirely. When only a burnt corpse remained, Lillian breathed heavily, staring at Billy in disbelief.
Of all the things she had seen, it was hard to believe that she could still be surprised.
She definitely had something to write down on today's entry now.
It was on Day 121, when Billy found the journal, that the entries stopped.
