Blue Sunday III: Puzzle Piece

“Alright, it is time for me to wait…”

The man sat before me; he was young and quite tall. I felt paralyzed in every way a person could. I couldn’t move, my vision blurred, my breathing heavy. I didn’t quite understand what he wanted exactly. I couldn’t believe that all he wanted to do was listen to me talk. But I remembered now, I’m not going to say a word to anyone.

“…And listen.” He finished by pulling a small shard of rock from the back of my leg. Was that the thing that made me think that my neck was shattered? I swear that it had ripped through my spine. He was very strange.

I grinned slightly. I didn’t know what was making me do it. It was either the morphine or the thought that there was a crazy teenager trying to think I was going to fall for his stupid trick. It looked like he was paying close attention to me, but something about him made me edgy. I didn’t want him to get in my head.

“I see. You have been under a lot of stress lately, haven’t you?”

It wasn’t a question meant to be answered. I didn’t even know what to say. I just sat there, staring at him with my blurred vision. He looked too calm. He was beginning to freak me out. At first, I had the idea he was a hunter, ready to skin me like a deer. But now…

I have no idea what to think. He wasn’t exactly kind, but he’s obviously not trying to roast me. I wondered what August was doing. She might be alone, I didn’t know. I have no idea where I am. I’d be surprised if she became fond of this man.

“What is your name?” The strange man stood up, brushing the dirt and mud from his pants. He looked me straight in the eyes, I looked away. I never liked doing that. His eyes scared me, too. They were dull, almost gray, even. I wondered if he was blind. But I couldn’t tell.

Maybe it’s my vision.

“Hmm, that’s what I thought.”

What is he talking about? Is he talking to himself?

He grinned, almost like he was ready to eat… something. I immediately responded to his medieval gesture and forced my body to get up. It hadn’t moved. Was my brain not responding to the rest of my muscles? I began to panic. What if he already killed August? Am I too late?

He put his hand down on the back of my neck. I struggled, telling my mind over and over again to stand up. It didn’t respond. Why was this happening? A cold icy feeling dropped into the back of my neck and slid down to my spine. It was that liquid feeling I got from before.

“Calm yourself, I can hear you struggling to move. I’m not here to hurt you.” He said it twice before I officially asked myself something strange.

He can hear me?

I wasn’t making any noise. My mouth wouldn’t open, my body wouldn’t move. And he’s saying that he can hear me? What?

I yelled at myself, Stop it! He’s lying- trying to get inside your head! Don’t be fooled so easily!

But, I think for at least one second, just one, that I believed this strange man above me, gripping the back of my neck. He let go of me, sitting back down on the ground, I didn’t seem to realize that he had a large scar on his forehead. I hope my vision is coming back.

“Now, I’ve known a lot of outcasts in the world, and many of their stories but…” He paused, it sounded as if the next words might offend me, “Your story, and the ways you respond…”

Are different?

“Precisely.” He looked back at my eyes, I could see the scar come clearer than before.

What am I? Is it like one of those stories where I’m the hero because I’m “special”?

Wait. He just answered my head. My head. He smiled back at me, knowing that he had won our fight. Knowing that the pieces of the puzzle were slowly connecting, one by one. He could feel how intelligient I was. I was answering his puzzle faster than anyone else. I wondered if those people who found out his puzzle ever came back alive.

Maybe it was one of those blackmailing things where you found out something bad and someone had to force you to do something so you couldn’t tell. Maybe this man wanted something. Maybe his puzzle doesn’t hook together until he adds one special piece. What if he wanted a puzzle piece. If he wanted it from someone…

My Puzzle piece.