by Dawn Brazil
“What do you think? I’m not on her favorite persons list, and that’s not going to change for a while.”
“She’s not that bad. But just think—she won’t be here long.”
“Wow. Brian, that’s horrible. I don't want her dead—only off my back.”
“She won’t change her mind about being disposed. No matter what anyone thinks, or how they feel about it. Tiff is probably going to try her best to convince you to be disposed of, too. Mostly, she’s all talk. She has a big heart. I’ll try my best to be a buffer, but I know her. She’ll find a way to get to you.”
“Like kissing my boyfriend.”
“Yes, exactly like that.” He makes a face like he’s uncomfortable. “She’s more aggressive than I remember, but we were young. She was all talk back then. You know the type. Don't worry, though. I’ll never let anything happen to you. I promise.” He hugs me tight to his chest.
Tiffany doesn’t scare me, though. I can handle her. We share DNA, so I figure she can’t be that aggressive since I’m not. Underestimating an opponent, however, has led to dire consequences throughout history. I don’t want to become another statistic. Or murdered girl number ten in my low-budget, B-slasher movie life.
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Mass Hysteria - Lunacy
Chapter 1
Once everything is clean at our campsite, we gather our bags and head toward the cabin and my life preserver.
I don’t try to keep pace with Brian and Ian. Tiffany, however, has no problem keeping up. She turns and smirks periodically. I want to smack the senseless grin from her face.
For the past hour, every couple of yards, a shooting pain stretches up my legs to my hip. It causes me to stumble each time. I quickly right myself before Brian is aware, but I’m not sure he’d notice, because he and Ian are busy talking with Tiffany. She walks in between them and seems captivated with every word they say.
Brian doesn’t turn as much as he did on the way to the HBU. I guess he figured I’d say I was okay. At least that’s what I tell myself to stay upbeat.
The pain in my leg is unbearable. I grit my teeth and walk through it. My feet get tangled as I walk, and I trip constantly. You will not embarrass yourself by falling and having to be helped up. I swallow my common sense and continue.
A sharp pain pierces my side, and I misstep into a cactus. My hand rushes to my mouth to muffle the cry of pain. “I need a break,” I announce through clenched teeth.
Brian stops, tilts his head, and looks at me as if he forgot English.
“Are you in pain?” he asks. He marches back to stand beside me. His hand goes to the small of my back and he rubs gently.
“Not a lot.” He shifts his hand to the right of my abdomen and an intense throbbing fires through me. I double over in his arms and collapse in a heap in the dirt. Brian follows me down.
“Shit. Why didn’t you say something?” Brian’s nostrils are flared as he cradles me between his legs on the ground. Without consulting my brain, my eyes make a mad dash to find Tiffany. Brian follows my gaze.
“Sunshine,” he says, lifting my chin so our eyes meet. “You should have told me how much pain you were in. We shouldn’t stop now, though—we’re so close.” I push up on his arm and try to lift myself to a standing position, but pain radiates from everywhere when I do. He stops at the sound of my whimpering. And I want to crawl under a cactus at the scathing look Tiffany gives me.
Brian runs his free hand through his hair and takes a deep breath. He lifts me off my feet and swings me to his back. I grab his neck with both hands while my legs are wrapped around his waist.
“This is a stupid idea, Brian,” Tiffany snaps. “You can't carry her all the way. That’s going to slow us down.” She looks to me. “Why don't you just go back to die? You probably will, anyway.” I feel ridiculous on his back and curse the pain, but the pain has humbled me. I know without Brian carrying me, I won’t make it.
Ian doesn’t seem to share Tiffany’s sentiment, because he nods once to Brian and takes off. Tiffany mumbles under her breath again, about how stupid an idea it is to carry me, and continually looks back and rolls her eyes.
Brian ignores her. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. All you have to do is hold on until we make it to the cabin.”
Ian hears our conversation and exclaims, “Which, in my estimate, is only a mile and a half up the road.”
“I'm sorry,” I say in a small voice. I bury my head in Brian’s shoulder. Pain releases from my legs and my abdomen, but has also moved to my arms.
“You don’t have to apologize to me.”
“I feel so weak. I can’t hold onto you much longer.”
“You can. You will. What you’re giving me right now”—he shakes his head—“This is the greatest gift—something I never thought I’d have.”
“What can I possibly be giving you right now? Other than a good workout.”
He snorts. “You’re giving me you.”
His words are whispered so only I hear them. My stomach flutters. At last, one thing my body does today that doesn’t make me want to discard it.
When Brian first set off with me on his back, his confidence renewed my strength that I could make it to the cabin. With each step, my weight on him increases. His shoulders are soaked with sweat, and so are his shorts. He staggers a few steps, rights us, and continues. This cycle is repeated several times, to my dismay.
“Look,” Ian says, turning to us and pointing. “The cabin.”
“We made it!” He gives me a high five and Brian grunts.
“Sorry,” I murmur. A jolt of pain rockets through me and the world goes silent. My grip on Brian loosens, and my body takes on the consistency of Jell-O, all wiggly. My arms slide from Brian’s neck. I scramble to snatch him back, to wrap my hands back around his neck, but my body won’t cooperate. My legs have slid down and no longer grip him. I stare straight at the blue sky overhead. Brian whirls around to catch me.
My body slams into the dirt, snatching away my breath. Brian lifts me instantly and I know I’m slipping into the abyss. It’s engulfing me and this time it feels different, definite… Brian slings me over his shoulder with Ian’s assistance. He grunts loudly with the effort. His strength renews my fight to stay in the present.
I shut my eyes to the pain as Brian’s pace increases, like he’s sprinting. Then I hear it, his mother’s strangled sob as she takes us in once we approach the cabin.
Brian hands me off to his father. He carries me in his arms, up a few steps and into the cabin. I turn my head to spy where everyone else has gone. Ian and Felicity hover over Brian, who appears exhausted and out of breath. Tiffany rummages through a bag and digs out a bottle of water for him.
“This is going to be quick and easy,” Jason says. He places a straw to my lips. “I need you to drink, please.” I obey, but the water is the last thing I want. I feel like it might all come back up. I take a deep breath to bring my body back to center.
Jason motions toward the others. I’m lifted from the couch and brought into a bedroom. They place me on the bed, and everyone rushes back and forth as Jason barks out orders I don’t comprehend. It’s like I’ve been swallowed whole and everything in this new reality is in slow motion. I can’t hear the actual words, but everyone’s lips move. An object is affixed to my head. This thing wraps around my entire head, and I instantly feel the pressure it creates on my skull. It starts with a gentle vibration, but escalates to a steady pulsating rhythm. It doesn’t hurt, though.
“It’s going to be okay, Liz,” Jason comforts me. “I’m going to give you a local anesthetic to relieve the pain and pressure you might feel in your head.” He rubs a cotton swab across a small vein and inserts a needle into my arm. A tiny prick of blood shows o
n my olive skin. I glance away. The room is empty, save for the two of us.
“Okay. The meds will make you drowsy, but you won’t go to sleep. This will all feel like a dream when it’s over. I’m going to start the procedure and I need you to be as still as you can be. You will feel pressure, but no pain. The shot took care of that. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I answer.
Everything blurs, as if I’ve put on giant bifocals. The pressure around my head intensifies, but I recall Jason’s words about me not moving, so I remain as still as possible. I can’t see, but I hear him switch on the resuscitator. It sounds like a vacuum. Something tickles my ear and snakes around my lobe. I want to reach up and remove it, but again, Jason’s words not to move repeat in my head.
The winding snake in my ear is uncomfortable, coupled with the throbbing cap around my head. I smash my eyes closed and count random numbers while he attempts to save my life… 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71…
Acknowledgements
I am eternally grateful to everyone who helped bring this story to fruition. This was the very first story I ever wrote…many years ago. I put it away several times but kept returning to it because I loved the characters. And I adore wickedly horrible scary movies like Elizabeth!
My husband, my voice of reason and best friend, has endured my Brian and Elizabeth talks for over a decade now. Let’s give this man a round of applause. Thanks to my daughter for being the first cheerleader of this story. She shipped Brian and Elizabeth before shipping was a thing – I think I’m saying that right.
Thanks so much to all those who helped get these stories polished and ready for readers, especially, Sandy, Yosbe, but many others also.
And of course, thanks to the readers!
About the Author
Dawn Brazil has a degree in English and has always had a passion for words, but had to stumble through a few careers before deciding to do what she loved. She lives in Texas with her husband, three kids, and wild imagination.
Contact Dawn here:
Website: www.dawnbrazil.com
Instagram: @authordawnbrazil
Twitter: @DawnBrazil
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorDawnBrazil
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brazildawn/
Blog: DawnBrazil.blogspot.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Mass Hysteria – Lunacy – Chapter 1
www.dawnbrazil.com