Trials - Chapter 6

Date: 11th September 2172

Eric’s house was in almost complete darkness.

After his parents had gone to work, Eric had quickly gone around the house closing all of the curtains and blinds, refusing to let anything in from the outside world. Then, after checking that all of the doors and windows were locked, he had gathered three books, turned on a light in the living room and begun to read.

Before he knew it, he was already done with two of them.

Eric glanced over at the time on his watch and saw that it was time for his daily exercise routine.

He changed into his workout clothes and went to the home gym on the first floor. He stretched all of his core muscles for five minutes, then jumped onto a treadmill for twenty minutes, then he lifted weights for another five minutes, and used a punching bag to finish it off.

By the time he was done, he was drenched in sweat and exhausted, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling for Eric.

If he didn’t do this much to distract and train himself, then Eric believed he’d never have a chance of venturing out of his house again.

Despite his parents’ attempts to take a long period of time off work, they hadn’t had more than a day to try and talk to Eric about what had happened and how it wasn’t healthy for him to live his life as a shut-in. However, whenever they were home, Eric locked himself in his room until he knew that they were gone.

For him, it was far easier than talking to them.

Eric relaxed from his routine for a few minutes, then showered and changed, before resuming his reading.

***

Date: 14th September 2172

As soon as school had ended, Kaida had run to Eric’s house and, out of breath, she walked up to his door and banged on it loudly.

“Eric! Eric! You’re in there, aren’t you?”

She pressed her ear up against the door but she didn’t hear anything on the other side.

If Eric was at home, he was ignoring her.

Still, Kaida didn’t give up that easily.

She leant against his door and began browsing on her phone, periodically checking the windows and door to see if there were any changes.

After waiting outside of his house for twenty minutes, Kaida decided to call it a day, for now.

She slipped her phone back into her pocket and walked home and, as she went, she kept looking over her shoulder again and again to see if Eric was coming out.

If Kaida could even catch a glance of him, that would be enough to calm her worrying heart for the moment.

However, Eric never appeared.

***

Date: 16th September 2172

Around ten in the evening on a Friday, Connor had stopped by Eric’s house alone and had climbed up to the roof and was sat outside Eric’s bedroom window.

“You should’ve been there today, Eric. Mr. Graham was happily showing off some old epics that he loved. I mean, not my sort of thing, but I imagine you’d have loved it. Oh.” Connor chuckled. “Alexa’s face was hilarious as she was trying to understand what the books were saying. ‘Why do I have to read something as dull as this?’ she was screaming.” His expression turned sombre and his smile weakened. “She misses you, too.”

Connor listened for a moment, hoping, praying that Eric would say something; but, as always, nothing.

He let out a quiet sigh, stood up and forced a big smile onto his face. “Well, it’s gotten late, and my folks worry far too much. I’ll come back next week, but I hope to see you at school again soon. Night, Eric.”

With that, Connor climbed down from the roof and slowly walked off into the night.

On the other side of the glass, Eric was sat on his bed in total darkness, his head in his knees and a blank expression on his face.

Even though Connor had been talking for an hour, Eric didn’t remember anything except for what he’d said before he left.

“I’m sorry, Connor.”

***

Date: 13th November 2172

Eric smashed his fists harder and harder against the punching bag with each swing.

Each part of his routine’s time had doubled and, even though he knew he was over exerting himself, he kept throwing his fists again and again, ignoring the aches in his muscles and the pain in his fingers.

***

Even after two months of knocking on Eric’s door and waiting for him to respond, Kaida still hadn’t given up on him, even when he never responded to her.

In fact, with each day, she waited for him longer.

Obviously, to make sure that she wasn’t just standing idly outside his house doing nothing, Kaida spent the wait studying, doing her homework or texting friends.

Kaida had even started knocking and calling for Eric every minute just to see if she could potentially annoy Eric out to talk to her, or even get him to yell at her.

Unfortunately, it had been in vain.

No matter what she did or how long she waited, Eric never answered.

***

Date: 14th November 2172

“God, physics today was boring!” Connor complained. “I know Mr Noel only just left, but God damn do I miss him already. At least I could understand what he was saying. This new guy, though, can’t explain a thing. Honestly, why’d he have to chase a bigger pay check over staying with his students?”

Connor let out a small sigh. “My parents were asking about you the other day. They…they send their love and really, really…want to see you again. They…I…think of you as a brother.” He frowned and stared at the glass behind him. “Alexa, Kaida and everyone else at school miss you…I…miss you.” Connor cut himself off when he felt his eyes watering. “Well, see you next week...Goodbye, Eric.”

Without a reply, Connor left for the night, leaving Eric, curled up on a ball on his bed.

***

Date: 11th January 2173

The doorbell rang loudly, breaking Eric’s focus on his book.

With a heavy sigh, Eric went to answer the door and found an unattended package a delivery driver had left.

“If you’re going to ring the doorbell, then at least wait until I answer the door,” Eric muttered lazily, picking up the large cardboard box.

He heard something heavy.

Eric looked up and panicked.

It was Kaida.

It was the first time she’d seen him in months, she had inadvertently dropped her schoolbag, spilling the contents everywhere.

“Eric…” Her eyes were watering as she slowly walked towards him.

Eric, on the other hand, was like a deer in headlights, paralysed and terrified.

It was the first time in months that he had seen her.

Eric dropped the box and turned to run back inside, but he tripped on the steps and hit the door.

“Eric!”

Eric got up and tried to slam the door behind him, but Kaida jammed her arm in the door, wedging it open.

She winced, ripped the door open and screamed, “Eric, wait!”

She grabbed his wrist but Eric broke free and ran towards his bedroom upstairs. Kaida barged in, throwing the door closed behind her, and was close on his tail, determined to catch him and talk to him.

But she couldn’t catch him.

He threw open his door, jumped inside, and quickly locked it.

“Eric, wait!” Kaida pleaded, turning the door handle and hammering against the wood. “Eric! Why won’t you talk to me?”

She kept banging and banging on the door as Eric curled into a ball against it, hiding his face in his knees, trying his best to ignore her cries.

“Eric, please…talk to me,” she begged, placing her head against the door, tears streaming down her face. “Please, don’t do this. I…Eric…Eric” She slid down the door and onto her knees. “Eric, talk to me.”

Eric winced, closed his eyes and curled up even tighter into a ball.

***

Before Eric realised, it was already midnight and Kaida’s cries from the other side of the door had stopped long ago.

She must have gone home without me realising.

He stood up and slowly opened his door and, to his surprise, he found a fast asleep Kaida on the other side.

“Why?”

Eric could see that her cheeks that were wet with tears.

His childhood friend, someone that he hadn’t spoken to in months and who he had purposefully kept away from him so that she wouldn’t be hurt by his misery, had been crying so much outside of his bedroom door. Even after everything that Eric had done, after how much he had done to keep her at bay, and how poorly he had treated her and Connor, she had stayed by his side.

I…I did this to her.

A gut-wrenching and painful feeling developing in his stomach and chest, more painful than the stab wound.

I tried to keep her from me, so that I could keep getting stronger and protect her, but…His hands curled into fists. All I did was hurt her.

He knelt down beside her and lightly brushed her hair, wiping the remaining tears from her cheeks and eyes as softly as he could. “I’m sorry, Kaida.” He scooped her into his arms. “I’m sorry that I’ve put you through so much.”

Gently, he carried her to his parent’s bed and laid her down, pulling the covers over her. He prayed that she would be able to sleep peacefully here.

Eric went to stand up but, in her sleep, Kaida’s hand reached out and grasped his.

Her expression twisted in pain and her grip became tighter. Eric sat back down and lay beside her, squeezing her hand back and stroking her hair. Kaida, either half-asleep or fully awake and testing him, smiled and she peacefully went to sleep.