Insanity's Embrace IC

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Alex froze, them glanced around quickly fulling the folder up to his chest. "Just a few sketches, nothing special." he said quickly, his voice taking on a nervous tone, and the sentence was followed by an equally nervous smile. Then he pulled out a picture he had drawn the previous week, it was of a young couple sitting side by side on a park bench, the girl's head resting on the guy's shoulder. It was his most detailed work yet,, they was sat like that for hours. "See nothing special." he said calming himself.
 
Lara watched him with great care and understood right away that he was hidding something.

"Your eyes tell me nothing but lies Alex. You see I dont see a couple holding hands for hours in the park. I see lines of gray and other lines of white. These lines are not just lines they are a road map. Directions if you will. Here this line here connects to that one over there and this one... see what I mean, your a map maker...thats what you are.."

Lara looked around and lowered her voice. "I know, they are looking for you.. and they will find you, they will get more if they find us together.. but Im sure you already knew that too.."

Lowering her eyes to stare at the table Lara's heart was racing. She didnt even care that she might sound insane, it was beyond that now. All that mattered now is that they didnt find her and do the things they had done before.. all those sick and violent things. That cold table and bright lights. Lara's breath started to quicken, her hands were damp and her neck got hot. She as going to be sick again.

Lara bolted from the table and this time missed the womens wash room and busted into the mens, she didnt even see that man at the sink as she ran to the last stall and was sick.
 
Alex gulped, "You mean them? You saw them..." he clung to his hair with his right hand while his left fell to his side, the folder slid onto the floor, forgotten. "NO!" he said shaking his head. "They can't find me. Do they know I'm looking for them?" he was hit with the urge to run, to get away. His breathing became rapid and cold beads of sweat formed on every inch of his skin. "NO!" he shouted running into the bathroom, but it was too bright there too, the light seemed to drill into his mind. The world was turning cold, he was feeling faint, he needed a safe place. His head swam as the other male occupant finished washing his hands and looked at him. Alex swayed on his feet, his limbs felt cold, and heavy, and cold and...... Oh! Look! The floor is rising. Why is it so cold? Why is it so dark? Those thoughts spun in his head as he lay on the floor......
 
Lara heard someone enter right after her. She was still holding onto the side of the not so clean toilet when she looked out from under the stall and saw two pairs of shoes. Flushing away mostly stomach acid she got to her feet and then heard the thud. Somone had passed out.

Opening the stall very slowly she looked down and saw that it was Alex. Her eyes washed over the other man. Would he be more worried about her in the mens room or the man passed out behind him?

Lara pushed the door open a bit and kept the tissue in her hand clinched tight. She was scared that she would be attacked by the man, but she wanted to get closer to Alex. Tears stung her eyes as she wanted to move but was frozen in place. Blinkig them away she thought she heard someone coming toward the bathroom. She wanted to run, she wanted to scream and hide but her legs were firmly planted, Lara was unable to do anything, but she wanted too.
 
Lost is the cold blackness of his brain Alex's mind wandered. His thoughts where like slippery stones, slipping from him just before he could see what they where. Slowly he began to smell something. Something acidic, something entirely unpleasant. Slowly shapes formed in front of his eyes, cold hard edges, white tiles. Slowly he came to see a bathroom, but it was on its side, and what was that smell?

His limbs felt like jelly, and his stomach felt like stone. 'Smells like fresh vomit.' he thought before he remembered. "Lara!" he called quietly getting to his knees and looking around. The smell seemed to be coming from a stall nearby, but he was feeling too woozy to get up now, he would just remain here a little longer then go back to the table, she was probably waiting there.
 
Shaking but willing Lara went to him. "Oh Alex are you okay, what happened? Here let me get you some paper towels. Lara rushed over to the sink next to the other man and got a few paper towels wet. She was shaking harder and harder as she tried to sip a little water and rinse her mouth before she went back to him with fresh damp towels.. Red faced she knelt down beside him.

"here... put this one on your neck and this one over your eyes, it will help.. Are you okay? Im worried about you.." her tone was soft and warm as she prayed no one would come in and whack him on the back of the head with the door.
 
Alex complied, placing the towels where Lara had instructed. He found comfort in her tone and the words she spoke. He was still feeling week but it was overshadowed by other emotions. "Thank you Lara, I'm fine now." he said looking at her, still wiping his forehead with the towel. "I don't know what happened." he said thinking back, then it dawned on him. They had come for her just as they had for him, but where he had gotten away she.... "I'm so sorry." he said pulling her into a hug, he finally understood what could break a mind like that. "I'm so sorry." he half-sobbed into her shoulder. He didn't want to say anything more in case it reminded her of when it happened, he didn't want her to become lost to him like she had earlier.
 
Lara hugged him back and smiled softly hushing him as she held him to her. It felt so nice and warm. It was the nicest thing anyone had done for her in ages. The lack of human touch had really closed her mind and heart and up until now she didnt realize just how much it had affected her.

"Umm Alex.. it will be okay I dont know really if it will but isnt that what Im suppose to say and god what is that smell." Lara pulled back form him and covered her face with her hands. Her eyes were watering as she inched back from him and slowly on wobbly legs got to the sink. Her stomach lurched and she dry heaved.

"Make it stop.. I hate this.. please make it stop.. she begged the stopper in the sink" She was shaking and so confused over her constant upset stomach. Nothing she ate was kept down for very long. She was utterly confused and very embraced.

"I... I should go. Your okay right.. yeah.. and I have to get to work and yeah... I have the presentaion to deliver and they are waiting for me forget lunch okay raincheck.. okay. okay yeah.. alright yeah.. I go.. I mean Ill go now. Yeah.. okay"

Lara bolted from the restroom, she hussled over to the table where her things where and just shoved them into her black bag. The tubes and everything were sticking out at odd angles. She didnt care she had to escape but with her stuff. She had to keep her stuff with her at all cost. Lara worked hard on the zipper but with everything jammed in so roughly and messy the zipper wasnt working.
 
Alexander's hands lingered in the air for a moment, still reaching out to embrace someone who was no longer there. "what did they do to you." he whispered quietly enough for her not to hear.

He followed her out of the bathroom just in time to notice his folder disappearing into Lara's bag. She seemed to be running away, just like he had felt the need to, but she was running from herself. "LARA!" he called out trying to catch up. He didn't want her to leave, not without some way of finding her again. "Wait!" he said quickly writing down his name and mobile number and mobile number on a napkin and giving it to her. "Be safe." he said giving her a quick hug.
 
She looked at him and shot him a crisp look. "Look I dont know who you are or what you want from me, now let go of me" Lara jerked her hand away from him and hussled out the door with his book and all her crap jammed into her black bag. Her long project tubes got hung up in the door again as she left. One of them slipped out and remained wedged in the door as she ran for a taxi.

She didnt seem to miss it as she got in the cab and was gone. The left behind item had her name and address on it along with other names and numbers but her info was on it nontheless. The cab pulled away from the curb and she was gone, at least for now.
 
Alex took several steps backwards, a real connection with someone, and now she didn't even remember. He watched her leave with a look of shock written across his features. It couldn't end like this, he needed to help her regain her life, to regain herself. He walked over and picked up the tube, if anything it was only right to return it to her. Without another word he stepped outside and returned to his apartment, he would see her again, he had to.
 
A few blocks later the cab stopped and the driver turned and yelled at Lara like there was no tomorrow. He threw the small box of buttons, paper clips, bottle caps and pennies back at her. He got out as he was stilling yelling and screaming at her as he opened the passenger door. He was in a rage. He reached in an yanked her to her feet. He shook her hard and then pinned her between himself and the cab.

"Why you flithy little whore, you think your going to get a free ride from me.. Oh no not today sister, you cant pay me with bottle caps and pennies what the fuck is wrong with you!" The cab driver felt eyes on him as a few people on the street stopped to stare. A few reached for their cellphones but none of them were calling 911, they were all filming this madness and putting it on youtube.

"Let me go.. please.." Lara begged over and over again but he just held her in place being gross and lude. "What you wanted to fuck me out of cab fare how about I just fuck you right here and now .. huh.. howd you like that.." He started to reach under her skirt and full panic started to set in. Lara wriggled and scaremd but not a soul moved to help her.

"Thats right, fight back but you aint gonna win.." The drive was about to say more when a voice boomed over him. "DROP THE GIRL!!! AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP!!!"
Someone had called the cops and when it was all said and done Lara stood on the sidewalk in a daze. Her belongings at her feet as she just stood there in the light mist that filled the air.
 
Alex watched the cab go wondering if he should have let her go, Dr. Scot had asked him to look after her. Sighing he turned away and continued on his way towards the art gallery that had been his original goal. He turned to the sound of shouting, and saw a large man holding Lara. "Noo." he breathed and began running towards them, he was trying to figure out what he could do when the police showed up. "Lara!" he called out elbowing through the crowd. "Are you alright?" he asked praying she would recognize him.
 
Lara blinked at Alex as her expression didnt change. A voice rang out to her from the cop car. "hey pal she with you? Shes really shaken by this ass hole here.. better take her home.." The cops did their best to get the crowd and traffic moving once again. A tow truck was lining up to haul the cab away. One more officer walked over the Lara and his size scared her to death. She jumped behind Alex and clung to his coat.

"hey Mac, she dropped this back there loks like her cellphone. Take care of her okay, she aint said a word to us so we dont know if this bastard hurt her to not, and we dont see any blood so well she is free to go. Seem like Tyrone Beckly had a few warrants out... anyway night folks" The cop tipped his hat and walked off to join the others.

Lara clung to Alex with all she had, weakly she looked up at him and nearly whispered to him. "I want to go home now.." her eyes were wide with fear as the rest of her seemed locked in a type of shock only few had ever known.
 
Alex nodded at the police officer before taking the phone. "Don't worry officer, if I find anything I'll know who to call." He wondered if he should call Dr. Scot, but decide a message would do, and using his own phone typed out a short description of what had happened and added that he would be taking Lara to his flat, signing it as 'Alex (Ducky)'

He took Lara's hand and let her away from the crowd, taking her back towards the run-down building where he lived. He opened the door and let her up the flight of stairs and into his messy single-roomed apartment. "Well Lara, this is where I live. THis is my safe place" he said trying not to laugh. Three years ago hi though he would at least have a condo, or small house. His future had seemed so set, so bright. And now he had his first visitor since he moved here. He moved some papers and blurry photos of object off of the couch and stashed then in a cupboard. "Would you like anything to drink?" he asked, even though all he could ready offer had tap water of coffee.
 
Lara went with Alex in such a casual manor, it was almost like she had done it a million times before. The exterior of the building did little to scared her as she moved up the creaking stairs. The warm yet musty smell of the stairwell seemed to be something of a comfort and once he opened the door to his apartment she felt instatnly at home.

He was trying to clean up the mess but it was more of what her flat looked like and she couldnt help but giggle. "Ducky..your place lookes like mine.. are we at my place or yours.." Lara looked around his place and noticed the odd placement of things and then the lacking of chairs around the dinning table and the way the window coverings were blocking out almost all the light.

It was just like home to her and she smiled. Walking over to the sofa she sat down on its edge and tugged at her skirt trying to look like she was okay. Her hair felt dirty but she flashed him a smile and noticed that he was hidding something in the kitchen cabinet but said nothing.
 
Alex finished with the cupboards and walked over to where Lara sat. "sorry its such a mess, I don't get many visitors." he said nervously before sitting on the couch next to her. "But the cleaner than it looks, I vacuum it often. When that happens thing just get moved round but never actualy put away." he was talking at random, trying to think of something better to talk about.
 
Alex finished with the cupboards and walked over to where Lara sat. "sorry its such a mess, I don't get many visitors." he said nervously before sitting on the couch next to her. "But the cleaner than it looks, I vacuum it often. When that happens thing just get moved round but never actualy put away." he was talking at random, trying to think of something better to talk about.
 
Lara tried to smile at him but it was no use. "Look Ducky I know your like me, I know they are looking for you as they are looking for me. They keep making bad things happen to me. I dont know about you but it hasnt stopped. They want something from me and I dont.." Lara's voice trailed off as she looked down and burped a little.

She felt a flare of heat grip her neck like a mans oversize hand. Suddenly she felt ill. Her eyes watered. "bath..hoom..' she stood up quickly and looked for it. Without really waiting for him to point she spotted it and bolted to it and shut the door. She was in there a while and when she came out she looked pale and weak.

"I think Ill just.." she went to say more as she leaned into the door jam of the bathroom her knees buckled and she slumped to the floor. Behind her in the bathroom she had again written strange numbers and signs all over the mirror, floor and walls. Even the tub had strange circles and numbers. It was like a code all written in shaving cream and toothpaste.
 
Alex rushed to Lara, He picked up her light form easily and carried her to his bed. He lay her down and covered her with a light blanket. After making sure she was comfortable he fend back into the bathroom stopping only to pick up his digital ca,era from the table. Slowly, painstakingly he photographed ever symbol, and every wall as a whole. He could feel there was something hidden there, perhaps she had learned something,.. He was overcome with empathy for the girl, and wished something so terrible had never happened to someone like her. Better they had caught him, better it was him. An old familiar feeling rose up inside him as he moved to Lara's side, he lightly stroked her hair as he contemplated what he felt he needed to do. "I'll make this right." he whispered "I'll make you whole again."
 
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