I Can Save You
Chapter 6
By: Makena
Benji climbed the stairs to the top floor and gently pushed the door open, revealing Fey in a blood red tank top and black pants. Her cherry lips formed a smile on her face as Benji reluctantly came closer to her.
"Hello," she said brightly, her voice almost seeming to echo. There was something wrong with the room - besides the fact that it seemed unusually dark while light seemed to come from no where in particular. There was also something wrong with the way she had spoken to her; it was Fey's voice, but it some how seemed... fake.
Benji didn't respond to Fey's greeting as he looked around the room for the light source. He looked at the mirror, watching it as if it were going to attack. The light, it seemed, was coming from inside the mirror and growing increasingly brighter and bigger. He watched as flame leaped suddenly from the mirror and engulfed Fey in it's burning rage. Horrified and astonished, Benji began to back away from Fey towards the door. Fey's face fell into a confused look as she tilted her head slightly.
"Don't leave," she said to Benji. "Come - let me save you." She held out a hand to him, which was engulfed in orange and yellow flame.
"Come on, Benjamin," she called again as Benji slowly backed himself into the door. "If you want to, I can save you..."
"...I can take you away from here, So lonely inside, so busy out there, And all you wanted was for some one to care..."
"Benji?"
Benji stirred from his sleep with a grumpy look embedded on his face. He had dreamed about Fey again, and the story was still the same: she offered to save him while all the while she seemed like the one who needed to be saved the most.
"Benji?" the voice asked again. "Come on - I know you're awake!"
Benji opened an eye and looked around for a moment. They were still in Fey's car, the top down with the night air whirling around their heads while the radio played the all to familiar song. Benji had fallen asleep in his black Unseen hoodie - hood up - and with his arms folded, nested between the door and the seat while slouched down like a child.
The road was empty for the most part and flat, and Benji suspected that they had reached one of the western states - Iowa, perhaps. The sky was clear and clean, unlike the sky in the cities, which was thick with pollution and the reflection from the lights was too harsh to be able to properly see stars.
"Where are we?" Benji asked, sitting up a little to better see the road ahead of them.
"We're in Iowa," Fey replied, her long hair waving in the wind. "I couldn't find a hotel - that's the thing about driving most of the night. There is a lake near by, though. I thought if you were awake enough we could go swimming?"
"A lake in Iowa?" Benji questioned, a little skeptically. Fey shrugged.
"It's obviously not a very big one," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Come on - it'll be fun. I need a break from driving, anyway."
Before Benji could have a say in weather they went swimming or not, Fey pulled off into what looked like a small park along the side of the road. The park overlooked a small lake that got in the way of the endless fields that covered Iowa.
Benji climbed out of his seat and pulled his hoodie off, along with his hat, and set them in the car. Fey was already at one of the picnic tables, yanking her shoes off. He watched her for a minuet, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets.
"Come on," Fey said, unbuttoning her collared shirt which revealed a black tank top. "Don't be such a baby."
"I'm not a baby," Benji protested as Fey began to unbutton her jeans. Benji turned away and Fey laughed at him.
"Well, if you feel uncomfortable in the presence of a pantless girl, than I suggest you keep your eyes closed until I say so."
Benji sighed and waited, keeping his eyes on the car. Behind him he heard what sounded like Fey walking into the lake before diving in.
"It's okay, Benji," she called out. "I'm in."
Benji turned to see Fey swimming about the tiny lake, disappearing for a moment before popping back up from the black water.
"Come on!" she called for the millionth time that night. Benji shook his head.
"It's too cold," he called back. "I don't wanna get wet."
"Okay," Fey called. "But you're gonna feel pretty stupid sitting up there all alone, getting warmer in those black clothes you keep wearing..."
Benji sighed and rolled his eyes, but quickly threw his t-shirt off and un-did his pants to reveal red and black boxers. He kicked his shoes off and stuffed his socks inside before walking to the water's edge.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered to himself, testing the temperature of the water with his toes. While he didn't want to admit it, the water was warm enough to swim in and it was cool enough to refresh his body. He rolled his eyes before quickly walking in and slipping under the water, the coolness wrapping around him. He popped back up to see Fay a good couple of inches from his face.
"Glad you could join me," she said with a smile.
Benji watched as she came closer to him, her face expressionless. She took her hand and rubbed it along Benji's arms, and he knew what she was doing; she was looking for scars and evidence of new cuts. He wanted to yell at her, scream "I'm fine, I haven't fucking done anything!" but he allowed her to search. She smiled at last.
"Good," she said before swimming backwards towards the middle of the tiny lake.