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By Marc Monroy

I can't believe I've been in the hospital for a month. I just thought I was out for a few days but a month? I wonder what went on while I was out. "Ryan?" I said. "Yes Carissa you need something?" he asked. "It's not that. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life.” I replied, "But what could I do in return?" Ryan smiled and said, "There is one way." He started to lean closer to me and our lips touched and we kissed. After that I sighed. Then my mother came in. "Are you okay honey?" She asked. "Yeah mom I'm fine." Then the nurse walked in. "Mrs. Stevens, she should be ready to go home today." She said. In a way I was delighted, but then again in a way I wasn't. I am because I could be with Ryan; the bad part is my brother.
I frowned. "Carissa what's the matter?" Ryan asked. "I want to see A.J." I said. My mother looked at me like I was nuts. "Honey you really want to see him?" My mother asked. "Please mom I want to see him." I pleaded. She sighed and said we would visit him later. I got dressed in fresh clothes and we left the hospital. When my mother was driving me home and I saw someone watching me. "Is something wrong Carissa?" Ryan. "No, nothings wrong." I replied. I just kept staring but I couldn't see his face it was covered. Once we got home I went into my room and then I stopped at the sight of a blood stain on the floor. I put my hand on my gut remembering what happened that day. For most of the day I just lied in my bed thinking about A.J. Then I kept remembering when he stabbed me and hated him. I hated him then loved him again and hated him some more. I turned over and ended up falling asleep.
I was in a dark room with no lights and I just stood alone; no Ryan, no mom, no A.J. Then all of a sudden I saw the man I caught staring at me as I passed. He strapped me to a chair and then he had a knife and started to stab at me constantly. I woke up screaming my head off and yelling out begging for whoever it was to stop. Ryan and my mom ran into the room. I just continued screaming and saying the same words over and over again. "Carissa calm down your okay, no ones hurting you." Ryan said. I just kept on tossing and turning frantically. Ryan put his arms around me telling me that I was okay. I was really awake this time and crying. "Carissa it's going to be okay no one is hurting you." Ryan said calmly stroking my hair.
What just happened? The dream seemed like real life, well dreams are like that but this was different. The man from earlier, I wonder who he could be. But I didn't really want to find out. I saw my mom behind Ryan. "Honey, are you sure you want to visit your brother right now?" My mother asked. "Yes." I replied wiping tears off my face. We got into the car and drove to the juvenile hall. About half way there I saw the same man gain watching me as I pass. I had the worst feeling about him.
Once we arrived and went inside a police officer lead us to his cell. I saw him; there he was just facing the wall. He turned around. "Carissa is that you?" He asked. I broke out in tears. "Is this what I get for loving you and treating you how others didn't?!" I shouted. He stayed silent observing the bandages on my arm. "Brother, why did you do it?" I asked. "Because I wasn't accepted like everyone else." He replied. "I was always there for you but you didn't even think! You just wanted to kill, even the one who would never leave your side no matter what you did!" I cried. A.J. started to cry. "I'm sorry." He said. Then my cell phone vibrated. "Hello." I said. "Carissa is everything alright?" My mother asked. She probably noticed the tone of my voice. "Yeah everything is okay mom." I replied. I wonder why my mom decided to wait outside. "Are you ready to leave?" Mother asked. "Yeah I'm ready to go home now." I replied. "Good bye brother." I said. Then my mother drove us home.
Once I got home my mother said she had to go out of town for a few days. "Hey mom could Ryan stay for a while?" I asked. "If his mother says it's okay." Mother replied. Ryan called his mom and then a few minutes later he said he could stay. It was 10:00 pm. "Ryan want to watch a movie?" I asked. "Sure why not." he replied. "but um Ryan, I said," I'll be back, I'm going to take a shower first okay?" Ryan went to the stack of DVD's and said, "Okay, but uh just real quick, how does 28 Weeks Later sound?" "Okay sounds good to me." I said. I went into my room undressed, grabbed a towel and turned on the shower. I couldn't get the dream I had out of my head. What did it mean? I had no idea but it must have meant something. All of a sudden I heard something heading my way from downstairs. I stepped out of the shower and then I saw Ryan come from the corner and I shrieked. He quickly covered his eyes. "Carissa! I'm sorry." He said. "Ryan, could you wait a minute downstairs please?" I asked. "Okay Carissa I'm sorry." He said. I just smiled gently. I wrapped my towel around me and went to my room to get dressed. I went downstairs and jumped onto the couch next to Ryan. I got a blanket and we cuddled as we watched the movie. Later I fell asleep with my arm hooked on Ryan's. I woke up at the sound of someone pounding at the door. It was 2:30 am, who could be here at this hour? Then the pounding stopped. I crept to the door and put my ear to the door. The pounding got harder and I jumped back and went to the door. Once I opened the door a delivery man was holding a package. He asked if he was at the right address. “Excuse me umm I'm looking for a Ryan Johnson?” I took the package and set on the dining room table. Then Ryan woke up. “Hey Carissa, what’s that, a package?” He asked. I shrugged. I wonder what it could be. I thought. I decided to take a walk.
I just stared up at the night sky enjoying the fresh air. The neighborhood was almost pitch black. My house was the only house with lights on. But the moon was shining bright and I could see the bright stars in the beautiful night sky, I think I saw the Big Dipper. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful, although I coughed with the smell of cigarettes. Then I saw a man a trench coat when I was halfway down the street. He was staring at me and every time I looked away and back at him he was still staring at me. I started to walk faster and I made it to the next block. I turned to see where he was but once I turned back I got startled and fell back. He was getting closer and closer to me. I started to back and I had enough time to get up and run. Then I turned around turned back and then I felt a tap of his hand on my neck and I started to run once more. He chased me to my back yard. My backyard was pitch black, Ryan must have turned off the lights in the house. I leaned against the wall of my house and when I left where I stood. I felt his breath on the back of my neck. He grabbed me by the mouth and grabbed both of my hands with one of his. I was kicking my feet struggling to get out of his grip. Then I felt something strike my head and I fell unconscious.
I woke up on my lawn in the freezing cold rain covered in mud. Once I got up I broke into tears. I realized who it was. Or so I thought I did. I was shivering and hopefully didn't get a cold. Once I walked in the door. I felt so weak I collapsed. Ryan ran from the stairs and saw me lying motionless on the floor with blood dripping off my forehead. “R…Ryan.” I said weakly. He panicked and carried me upstairs. I just lied in bed for a few days thinking, about who you might ask. I just think about the same man day by day wondering what his true identity is. I sighed and turned on my side and went to sleep. It was going to be my birthday in a week and I was going to turn 16.
I woke up an hour later. My clothes were dirty dried blood was on my face and what was I to do? Time to take a shower I said to myself. I questioned so many things in my mind and wondered where this would lead. I heard Ryan downstairs doing something but I don’t know what. I have been inside the shower for a half an hour and I was so deeply in thought I could have stayed in for at least an hour. I heard a car pull up so I peeked out of the window close by to the shower. It was Ryan’s mother. I quickly exited the shower and went to my room to get dressed. Then I ran down the stairs regardless of drying my hair. I ran to the door and I said, “Good morning Mrs. Johnson.” And she said good morning back. She said had to come back home. Then she asked, “Carissa; would you like to say with our family for a while?” I smiled and said,” I would love to Mrs. Johnson.” She smiled back at me and then we headed to the car. All of a sudden I once again felt like I was being watched. I was; by the same man except this time when I spotted him he went away. This worried me so. I hope he doesn’t follow me. Then I heard Ryan ask,” What’s wrong Carissa?” I turned to face him. “It’s nothing.” I replied.
Once we arrived at Ryan’s house I made myself at home. “Carissa.” I turned my head to pay attention. “Yes Mrs. Johnson?” I asked. “You can stay until your mother gets okay?” She said. “Okay Mrs. Johnson will do.” I replied. I sighed and asked Ryan, “Ryan what was that package I got in the morning a couple days ago?” Ryan snapped into attention and replied, “Oh um it's a surprise.” I stood up and decided to go to the backyard. When I went out there I saw something that looked like blood on the ground. But there was a trail of it. I followed in until I got into the back of my house. I climbed over the fence and the blood ended with a bloody knife. I don’t have a clue where this came from but I just know there was someone around here that had it. I didn’t really want to know who had done this. I just went back inside to see what Ryan was doing.
Ryan was just slouched on his couch watching TV. I asked him if he wanted to go somewhere. He said “Alright where do you want to go?” I said we should go to the movies. There were some good movies out like My Bloody Valentine and the new and improved Last House on the Left. I wanted to see Last House on the Left.
Once we got to the movie theater we paid for our tickets and went to the screen room that we were in. There was hardly anyone inside. In fact there was only one; only a man sleeping. When new sat down Ryan said he was going to get us some snacks and refreshments. While he was gone I just took out my cell and started to text some friends. What was strange is that the man seemed to just wake up right after Ryan left. Ryan was gone for a while and I got bored watching all the ads before the movie started.
He finally came back with a large popcorn and two medium sodas. I looked over at the man and I noticed he has been staring at me. I whispered into Ryan’s ear and once Ryan turned to look the man turned away. Could this have been the man that has been watching me for the past few days?
We were just enjoying the movie after the little staring contest with the man across the way. Last House on the Left was one of my favorite movies of all time. The second is probably Disturbia. The movie was pretty good so far until I noticed I was being watched again. This was very awkward. Ryan noticed me being so uncomfortable. “Carissa what’s wrong?” He asked. I gestured him to look at the man again. He stared at the man and once again he looked back. Since he kept looking back at me and then turning away we ended up leaving the theater.
When got back home I decided to go back to my house and I found my door unlocked. Once I went in I saw a trail of blood on the floor. When I looked at the stairs there were bloody hand prints on the wall. I went upstairs and the ground had smudged bloody prints and the trail led into my room. Once I opened the door I screamed. It was the bloody corpse of someone who was once my friend lying on my bed. I started to cry and then all of a sudden I heard the front door shut. Then I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and I ran to my bathroom and quietly shut the door. But once I went in the bathroom I almost slipped. I noticed blood was on the floor in here too. I just hid in a corner in the bathroom and put my hands over my mouth to silence the noise of my breathing. I heard my brothers old room door shut then my room. Then the knob slowly turned and someone walked in. It was him.
I didn't want to believe it but it was my father carrying something in his hand that looked like a baseball bat. He walked in looked inside the shower and then looked around the room more and somehow he didn't find me and left the room. I quickly ran to the outside. I panicked once I saw Ryan's car windows smashed and I noticed the car door was opened. “Ryan!” There was Ryan with his head back with a forehead that had blood dripping down it. I quickly ran back into my house and called the paramedics.
So here we are at the hospital and Ryan in his hospital bed. I didn't know this would go so far. He killed one of my friends and now he almost killed Ryan. I sighed and than I asked if he was okay. “I’ll be alright Carissa, I promise.” Ryan’s mother came through the door. She gave Ryan a hug and me a hug and asked who did it. Then I started to tear up. “It was my father, he did this.” Ryan’s mother cam over to me and gave me another hug trying to comfort me. Then a nurse came in and said, “He should be able to come back later today.” Mrs. Johnson drove me home to her house to wait until Ryan was ready to come back home. Police cars were all around my house as much as CSI. Yellow tape was put in front of the door so no one could enter. I couldn’t stand to look at my house because of what was concealed inside.
It was 7:00 pm and Ryan was ready to come back home. Ryan’s mother went to the hospital to pick him up while I was at the house alone. I said I wanted to go with her but she insisted on me staying here. All I did the whole time was look out windows to see if my father was lurking around any corners of the yards. I went and sat on the couch and fell soundly asleep.
A while later I was woken up by the sound of knocking. Once I opened the door I saw Ryan and had a weak smile. I was so happy to see him back home. I gave him a bunch of hugs and a big kiss. Hopefully he didn’t get any brain damage with the bat. Once he got inside I went through the DVD’s and picked one out for us to watch. I picked out Pulse, another favorite of mine. Ryan sat on the couch slowly and started to relax the second he sat down. Well he did deserve it after what happened earlier today.
We waited till it was around 9:30 because it was dark then and it made a better atmosphere to watch the perfect horror movie. I slapped it into the player and plopped onto the couch and played it. I grabbed a blanket and put on Ryan and myself; I leaned against him and made myself comfortable. I fell asleep watching with my arm hooked around Ryan’s.
I woke up in what seemed like another world. It was pitched black and no one around but me. Then all of a sudden I was knocked down and being tied up. Then a hand grabbed my hair and yanked me forward while the duct tape around my mouth muffled my screams. I was thrown onto the top of the table back flat and my head hanging off the top. Ten my hair was grabbed once more and held out and I saw someone. It was my father holding a large knife and He lifted the knife and once he thrust down I woke up screaming my head off. “Carissa what’s wrong!” Ryan shouted. I continued to scream things out and Ryan was holding me down and telling me to calm down and telling me that no one was hurting me. I calmed down after a while but the crying lasted for an hour.
Ryan told me I should try not to think about and focus on something else but it was hard. I thought about what my dreams might mean. Then again maybe they don’t mean anything.
My house was still under investigation. Today when I went to school for some reason why there was non one at the school except me and Ryan. But where did everyone go? Since there was no one left except for me and Ryan decided to forget about going to school today.
Two days past and it was right on the day of my birthday. “Happy Birthday Carissa!” Ryan said with a smile. “I have something for you” It was the package from a while back. It was wrapped in red wrapping paper with a pink bow. I smiled and said, “Thank you Ryan.” Right when I took off the bow we heard a scream from upstairs.
Once we got upstairs I gasped in terror. Ryan’s mother’s body lied on the floor in a puddle of her own blood. “Mother!” Ryan cried out. He ran to her side and kneeled and put his hand on her neck to see if she was alive. “There’s no pulse.” Ryan said sadly. He cried over his mother’s motionless body while I stared out the window wondering where my father had gone off to. I rushed down the stars and called the police. We waited 10 min until we heard a few cars pull up. I ran back upstairs to check to see if it was the police. It was. When I was looking out the window I saw a man in dark trench coat holding a handgun. “Look out!” I shouted from the window. It was too late. All the officers were killed and my father spotted me up in the window and burst through door of the house. I panicked and was about to go down stairs when I heard a gun shot. I ran into Ryan’s room and hid inside his closet. Footsteps went up the stairs and then entered then room. I peeked through a crack in the closet door. I was him. He turned and then I quickly moved from the door. I heard footsteps slowly heading towards the door and covered my mouth from my breathing. Then the door opened slightly and a hand came from it and grabbed me by my hair. I screamed out in pain as he dragged me on the floor. He let go and right when he was about to fire I tripped him and ran out of the room.
When I made there was only open space and there was no where to even run without being fired at. I ran to the backyard and hid behind the entrance. I just stood there breathing heavily feeling like I was just going to collapse. Then I heard someone coming from the side. I tried to run but right when I started I was hit on the head by something and blacked out.
I woke up in what looked like a cell. It was dirty and very humid and water leaked from the ceiling. I saw someone in the corner of the cell. They started to walk towards me. “Get away from me!” I shouted out in fright. Then my eyes widened at the sight of my little brother A.J. It looked like he was tortured because of the burns and cuts all over him. He was crying and then came towards me with a hug. I held him close and started crying as well because I was so glad to see him. Then dad came and then opened the cell and then dragged me to my feet. “Dad why are you doing this?” I asked in tears. Then he hit the side of my face and knocked me over. “Get up!” He roared. I got up slowly and then he took me to this room with a chair in the middle. Blood was on the walls and the floor and even a little bit on the ceiling. Devices also were in the room and some tools such as a rusty scalpel and some others. He threw me onto the chair and strapped my arms and ankles to it. He grabbed a rusty knife at first that looked red hot and then cut it into my arm and started to slide it down very slowly. I screamed at the top of my lungs from the pain. “Please stop!! Please!! AAAh!! ” I cried out. Blood poured to the ground from my arm. Then he did the other arm and this time it seemed more painful than from the last arm. Then he set the knife down and unstrapped my ankles and wrists and let me collapse onto the floor bleeding to death. He dragged me back to the cell and left in there for a few hours before another round of torture. I passed out from blood loss a few minutes later.
I woke up with bandages around my arms already soaked with blood. I just lied on my stomach looking at my brother who was facing the wall. I heard my father walk by my cell and then I noticed the cell was unlocked. I struggled to my feet and ran out and the cell door made a loud crash when it hit the wall. I barely made it out of the door. Once I saw where I was I just ran where ever I thought was the right direction. I just realized I was in the woods but how did he get this far without anyone noticing? As I ran I heard gunshots behind me.
After about 5 minutes of running I found a campsite. Hopefully someone was there to help me out. I made it as far as I could into the camp but then I just collapsed from exhaustion. Father was not too far behind either. I tried to crawl but I was too out of breath. Suddenly it started to rain. He walked up to the side of me and then kicked my side with brute force. I cried out in pain and coughed out blood. “Thought you could get away did you.” Father said. He stomped on my back and aimed his gun at my head. “No I can't kill you yet.” He said. He lifted his foot off my back and then he stomped on my head and blacked out.
I woke up about an hour later noticing I was being dragged. He tossed me into the cell and he went up to me and kicked my side again. “sis!” A.J cried and ran over to me. I lied almost motionless with barely a breath of life. “get ready for another round of torture sweetheart.” Dad said. Tears started to roll down my face and I began to cry.
Ryan was being rushed to the hospital in critical condition. “we're losing him.” A nurse said. They put an oxygen mask on him and he was stable for the mean time. They took him to a surgical room and his eyes opened slightly. “Doctor he's awake.” One nurse said. The Doctor leaned over and said, “You'll make it son just hold on a bit longer.” Then they went under the knife.
It was 5:30 pm and I still lie on the ground motionless not moving a muscle. Dad came from the corner and said “Time for some more pain sweetheart!” He grabbed my arm and jerked it along as he dragged me around the corner. “You runt your coming with us too.” I knew it, this is where I die, by the hands of my father. He had a different style chair this time. It looked like a car seat with barbed wire on the back and the front. He threw against the back of the seat and I screamed out in pain. He strapped me to the chair and then the barbed wire in the front seemed to be getting closer or was I headed towards it. It pressed against my chest and I started to scream. My brother watched in terror as he heard my screams and watched as his own father was doing this to me. The barbed wire was pressing down harder and harder as my screams got louder. A few minutes later the barbed wire slowly started to move away. Blood poured from my chest and stomach and I just sat there breathing heavily. After he removed the barbed wire I fell out of the chair face first into the ground. A.J. Just sat in a corner crying. I felt my shirt go wet with blood and felt the blood get to my hands about a foot to my sides. I was losing too much blood. About a minute and a half after I fainted from blood loss.
Ryan lied in a hospital bed staring out the hospital window. Then Carissa's mother entered the room. “Mrs. Stevens.” Ryan said in surprise. “Ryan are you alright?” She asked. Ryan just nodded. “Ryan what happened to Carissa?” Mrs. Stevens asked. Ryan looked away. “Her father took her. That's all I know” Then The doctor that did the surgery on Ryan came in. “Son are you alright?” Ryan turned towards the doctor wide eyed. “Dad?” He just nodded. “I have some news from a campsite close by form here. They said they've been hearing screams close by and even gunshots.” Ryan immediately sat up as quickly as possible. “I have to find her!” Ryan shouted and then flinched from the pain of the gunshot wound. “Ryan you need to rest you just came from surgery.” Ryan lied back down and turned to the window.
I woke up with a sharp pain all over my body. I found myself wrapped with bandages around my whole torso. I felt so miserable and dead. My face was covered with dirt along with fresh cuts and a few bruises from falling onto the floor so much. My blood stained the floors and even my brothers hands. Apparently he was the one wrapping me up with bandages every time I came back into our cell. Its almost the end of the day. The nerves in my arms feel numb and maybe even dead. I pray for Ryan to come and try to help me out of here. From the first hour of torture all I can do now is cry. I have no courage left and not enough to survive the rest of the way.
My brother ran to me with a hug and started crying. I held him close hoping things would eventually change and we'd live through this. A sharp pain went through my chest and made me go to my knees and tears rolled from my eyes. “Sis are you okay!” A.J. Asked almost in panic. I placed my hand on his head. “I'm okay brother don't worry about me.” I said assuring. I don't want my brother to worry about me. If I don't live hopefully he will.
It was five in the morning. Ryan still stayed looking out the window. Then he got out of bed and put his casual clothes on and he reached into his pocket for his cell phone but he ended up taking out the present he had for Carissa. He took one glance at it clenched his fist and sneaked out the door.
Ryan was able to sneak past the nurses at the front desk and after he went out the door he started to run.
Dad came by the cell holding up his gun and aimed it at me. “I might as well take care of you know,” He said. He loaded it and then right when he was about to fire A.J dashed fro dad's feet and made him trip and the gun went off. He kicked A.J and fired at him. “No A.J!” I screamed. I ran to him and tears rolled from my eyes. I just leaned on his body crying and then dad aimed the gun at me. All I could do was stare at the barrel that was aimed for my head.
Ryan ran about 2 miles and ended up at a campsite in the woods. He started to yell out her name and ran further into the woods. Then he spotted some abandoned house and was sure Carissa lied inside.
I still stay looking at the barrel aimed for my head. “dad don't do this,” I said crying. Right when he was about to fire I heard the door behind him burst open and heard Ryan's voice. Dad stood still regardless of Ryan running towards him. Then Ryan grabbed dad;s wrist and tried to get the gun away from him. Then the gun went off and I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and cried out. Blood was dripping from my arm and the pain grew. They fought over the gun and Ryan lost grip and Dad struck Ryan over the head with the gun and rendered him unconscious. I Stood up and ran into Dad and knocked him over and ran out the front door.
I heard gun shots behind me and continued to run until I tripped and fell flat on my face. Once I turned to my back I saw the gun aimed at me for the second time and the last time. He was about to pull the trigger when Ryan came up from behind him but when he did that the gun went off again and then my vision started to blur right after the shot went off. “Carissa!” Ryan shouted and I felt my stomach and it felt wet with blood. This is it, this is my end. I don't think I can lose much more blood.
Ryan went into a state of rage and panic. She fought Dad for the gun as I watched dying little by little. After a few minutes Ryan got the gun from Dad and aimed straight at him and then he fired and watched as he collapsed to the ground, dead.
Carissa lied on the ground covered in her own blood struggling to stay conscious. He knelt over her body. “Carissa please Carissa, you can make it,” he said with tears forming in his eyes. Ryan put his hand in his pocket and took out a necklace and placed it around her neck. “I never got to wish you a happy birthday,” he said. Ryan picked up the heart that was on the necklace and opened it up. There was a picture of Carissa and Ryan on both sides. Tears rolled from Carissa's eyes. Carissa put her hand in Ryan's she said, “Thank you Ryan.” She smiled and then Ryan gave her a gentle hug and when he let himself go she passed on.

THE END