Dead On Arrival~ Season 2- Episode 25: You're Just Like Him

Oops forgot to post this here. Sorry.

Episode 25: You’re Just Like Him

One night watching Gemma was enough to ruin someone’s sleep for a week. I could still feel her clammy hands on my face. Her breath tickling my chin. The crazed look in her eye alone still haunted me. I remind her of her boyfriend? What on earth? Man, she’s creepy.

I settled into the lazyboy chair in the living room and closed my eyes. I had tried to get a nap earlier in the day in Aaron’s room, but Gemma had even ruined that. Locking herself in the bathroom like some maniac. What did she call herself doing in there? I looked over at Gemma sitting on the couch fluffing her pillow in prep for bedtime. “I’ll have to keep a better eye on her,” I thought, but for now Wade and Omar would be on watch tonight. Wade watching the front and Omar watching the back. Would that be enough?

I yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep. My body giving up the fight. My thoughts and troubles fading into a blur. My stinging eyes finally resting. As I felt myself growing heavier and my mind descending into the gloom of slumber, I heard something. Laughter? Voices? I felt myself awakening. My mind back alert. I sprung up and my eyes opened. I looked over to see Gemma not on the couch anymore, but standing in the doorway of the living room. Her slender body leaning on the door frame. A giant grin on her face shortly followed by a roar of laughter.


“You kidding me!”

Omar answered her. “I ain’t kidding!”

“You’re a hoot!”

This resulted in more laughter. I stood up and walked over to get a better view. I lurked behind her for several minutes just watching. Both Wade and Omar seemed to be having a great time goofing around with her. I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth the longer I watched. Anger bubbling inside me. After sharing another joke, Omar noticed me and froze. Wade followed his gaze and mimicked him. Gemma continued giggling, but stopped noticing their faces and turned around.

“Oh, did we wake ya?” she said grinning. “Sorry about that.”

I snarled. “What the fuck?!”

“Well, no need for the foul language. We were just having a chat.”

“A chat?!”

“You can join us if you like. Omar was just telling…”

“This is not a fucking slumber party. I’m trying to get some sleep and you two dumbasses are chuckling it up with the enemy! For fuck sakes!”

Wade shot up and put his arm on my shoulder. He whispered in my ear, “Ixnay on the enemynay.”

I snorted. “We don’t know her and till we can trust her, she’s the enemy. Now can you politely shut up and let me sleep?!”

I stormed off back to my armchair and plop down in it. I watched Gemma slumped off to the couch. She sat up and shot me one last look before laying down for the night.

Next day…
“Audrey, I can’t sleep. Ever since she’s come into this house, she’s been keeping me up with her stupid blabbering!”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “With Wade and Omar?”

“Yes! I’m beginning to think they like her.”

“I doubt that, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Jones sure loves her.”

We both shared a deep sigh as the two of us stood in the dining room. We could hear Gemma gleefully chatting it up in the kitchen with Jones over breakfast. I rolled my eyes and Audrey sighed again as we listened. We turned out attention back to each other.

“I can’t sleep.”

“You said that.”

“She watches me.”

“She what?”

“I’ve caught her staring at me more than once during the night. Just staring. Just sitting there staring at me from the couch.”

She furrowed her brow, but an amused expression flickered across her face. “Like how? Like how does she look when she… stares at you?”

“Stone-faced. It’s fucking creepy. Like she’s staring into my soul.”

She laughed. “Sounds like her.”

“Don’t laugh. It’s fucking terrifying.”

“Well, she does seem strangely drawn to you. Maybe she has a crush…”

“More like crush me and wear my skin as a suit,” I scoffed leading to more fits of giggles. I smirked. “So do you think Vince will allow me to join him on the couch upstairs at night? I don’t snore. Hey. I’m even willing to cuddle if he’s into that.”

Audrey at this point was in stitches and was I feeling a bit better. We shared a quick smile before Gemma entered the room deflating the cheerful vibe immediately. She sat down at the long dining room table and began picking her teeth. She looked up at me and Audrey.

“So what you guys up to?” she said flicking the contents of her teeth across the room to our disgust.

“Discussing your workload,” I lied glaring back at her. “When are you going get some work done? I remember DJ saying something about earning your keep. Remember?”

“I cleaned the kitchen table.”

I tapped the table. “Have you clean this table?”

“Yep.”

“Then why do I still see crumbs and bits of food on it?”

“I don’t know,” she said shrugging tracing her finger on the table. “I didn’t put it there.”

I pounded the table. My patience wearing thin and voice rising. “I don’t care who put it there. Clean it up!”

“You don’t have to yell,” she said plainly. She remained seated and picked at her teeth again. “I’ll get it.”

Audrey looked from her to me. Her expression a mixture troubled and amused. “I think I’ll go check on Vince. Um… good luck.”

She quickly left leaving me and Gemma alone. Part of me relieved as I knew my patience couldn’t hold back my temper any longer. I gritted my teeth and pounded the table again making her jump.

“Now see here. All you’ve done is sit on your ass and done nothing since you got here! When are going actually do some work?!”

“I’m pregnant. What do you expect me to do? I’m working for two you know,” she said winking infuriating me more.

“Oh, I know. You remind me every time your lazy ass needs an excuse to be a lazy pile…”

“Nathan! Gemma,” Madison intruded hurrying into the room. She appeared to be carrying a large folded piece of paper. “Change of plans.”

“What?”

“I was thinking we relax today.”

“But… but,” I stuttered pointing at the table.

“The table can wait,” she said. She unfolded it revealing a map. She brushed the crumbs with her sleeve and placed the large map on the table in front of Gemma. She then smiled. “We’re going to find your boyfriend today.”

Gemma sat up looking alarmed. “My what?”

“Your boyfriend, John. You do remember you have a boyfriend right?” she said smirking. “Well, it’s been roughly three days since you came here and he hasn’t shown up. Thought we should at least try to look for him.”

“Why? He’s dead.”

“Oh, ye little faith. He might be out there looking for you. Don’t you want to go look for him?”

“Um…”

“Madison, can I talk to you?,” I asked politely. I grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side. I whispered. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, but you’re a genius.”

“I know. I know Wade said to give her time to ‘slip up’, but how about we put this on hyper-drive and expose her on one of her lies. Find this "John.”

“Scratch that. You’re an evil genius. I thought you lost it with the whole murder thing, but this totally redeems you on so many levels.”

“Really? I thought so. I remember you telling me about how she creepily said you remind of her boyfriend and then boom it came to me.”

Gemma cleared her throat. “Um…can I go now? I have to clean this table and I just remembered DJ wanted me to…um…sweep the back porch. Yeah, so can I go?”

“No!” we said in unison. Madison stepped forward and put on her cheesiest smile. “No. We need you to look on the map and tell us where you were last. Maybe we can narrow it down and find him. Maybe retriever some of your stuff too from that car you spoke of.”

She stood up looking nervous. “Uh… that’s not necessary. Besides, I got a lot of work to do.”

“Now you want to work. No, you sit down and study that map,” I insisted joining her at her side. I gently pushed her down in her seat. “Now where were you when you and…um…John got split up?”

“Yeah. DJ’d handy map here covers most of the surrounding area,” Madison added. “Just point to where you were or maybe point to something that looks familiar. Maybe a landmark perhaps.”

“I don’t really remember. I was sort of running for my life when we got split up.”

“Oh, but something had to stick out to you. Maybe before you ran into the large herd.”

“Look, I don’t remember and frankly I think it’s a waste of time. John is dead and my stuff wasn’t worth going back for, so please just drop it.”

“And what if you’re wrong. He could be out there. Alone, scared, wanting his dearest Gemma back in his arms. Holding onto your dearly possessions.”

“Dramatic much?”

“Look, just try to remember, please. You just sit here and see if anything jogs your memory.”

“Yeah, we’ll leave you here and go into the next room even if that’s more comfortable,” I added.

“Hey, let go into the kitchen. Maybe we’ll bring back a snack,” Madison agreed grinning from ear to ear.

I tried not to laugh at Gemma’s confused face, but she looked both a mixture perplexed and horrified as she looked up at Madison’s eerily cheerful face. Something about it did seem pretty unsettling in light of how she felt about Gemma. For once the redhead seemed caught off guard and disturbed.

She furrowed her brow. “Um…ok?”

We left the redhead alone with the map for a few minutes and retreated to the kitchen. Both me and Madison chatted excitedly over a cup of joe. We peered in on her every so often watching her literally squirm in her seat. She looked like a caught mouse backed into the corner about to be eaten. You could just tell her mind was trying to cook up some new lie or excuse to avoid the circumstances she found herself in as she stared blankly at the map. Once we were done drinking our stale cups of coffee, we went back in and was welcomed by the sight of an empty seat. The pale redhead was no longer sitting in front of the map. Instead, she was back on the living room couch.

“Um…excuse me,” Madison snapped staring down at her laid out on the couch. “What are you doing?”

“Laying down obviously. Where’s the snacks?”

“Snacks? You’re supposed to be looking at the map!”

“I don’t remember,” she repeated looking annoyed. She turned over turning her back to us and buried her face into the cushions. “I’m tired and I’m pregnant. I need my rest. Can we do this some other time?”

“No! We’re doing this now and you’re coming with us!” I snarled. “Get up.”

“Are you daft? I’m not going out there. I told you. I’m not putting my babe at risk.”

I scoffed. “Convenient how your unborn child keeps showing up in the conversation when you don’t want to do something!”

She frowned. "You sound like…”

“Me?” Madison said. “I said the same thing. It is convenient isn’t it?”

“You don’t understand…”

“Oh, I understand. I understand that you’re full of shit and I’m tired of it,” I fumed. “Get up!”

“I’m not looking at that stupid map anymore. Leave me alone,” she spat. She grabbed a pillow and hid her face behind it. “I’m tired.”

“Get up!” I grabbed her arm and pulled.

“Get off of me! Let me go!”

I manage to yank Gemma up on her feet and pulled her towards the dining room. I pulled out the seat in front of the map and made her sit down. She looked down at the map. Her confident demeanor deduced to something I didn’t expect to see from her. Fear. She looked up at me with the most pained expression on her face and looked over at Madison at the doorway literally pleading with her eyes.

“I don’t know. Can I go? Please?” she asked softly.

“No. Either you tell us where you were last or we’re going on a little road trip to find John. We’ll bound to run into something you know. Hey, we might even find the car you were living in or maybe the junkyard will jog your memory.”

"Please stop it!” she cried. Tears began streaming down her face. “Maybe I don’t want to find him!”

“Huh?”

“Please don’t make me!”

I chuckled. “Don’t you see we caught her in a lie. Just like you said. She doesn’t want to find him, because he doesn’t exist!”

She immediately stood up and loudly began sobbing. Madison stood by looking almost puzzled by her display of emotion. She tried to rush past me, but I blocked her. She pushed me, but I grabbed her arm.

“You’re a liar. Admit it!” I snarled. You’re one of them! A vulture or whatever you call yourselves.“

"You’re hurting me! Please.”

“You’re going admit it and you’re going admit it now. Who are you?!”

“I told you! Now please.”

“I’m not going put up with this bullshit any longer. I’m sick of it!”

“You’re hurting me!”

“I’m hurting you?! I can do much more than this.”

“You’re just like him. You’re just like him”, she moaned. She crumbled to the floor. “Always hurting me. Please stop!”

Woah! What?“ Madison gasped.

"I don’t want to find him. I ran away! He hurts me. He hurts me!” she screamed. “You think this bruise on my face is from those things outside? No, he put that here. He put every bruise and mark you see on this body. He’s the real monster!”

We stood in stunned silence. She seemed genuine. Her tears seem real. Her emotion, no longer wooden and fake. She sat on the floor outwardly sobbing. It didn’t take long for a small audience to peer in wondering what the commotion was about. Wade, Omar, Audrey, Tao, and Jones.

“I’m… I’m…” I stammered as she looked up at me helplessly. I couldn’t look her in the eye. I didn’t dare look at the others. I needed air. I needed to be anywhere, but here. I rushed over to the backdoor praying it was open and it was. I practically leap out its doors and leaned on the banister.

I stared up at the sky. My mind drifting to my father and the helplessness I felt in his presence. Looking up at his cold eyes. Was I becoming like him?

I don’t know how long I stood like that, but I was too afraid to turn around to Madison calling out to me. She joined me at my side and patted me on my back.

“She ran away.” I blurted out.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, do you believe that?”

“I…I don’t know. Is she ok? Shit. Jones even saw that. We’re toast!”

“She’s fine. Jones is comforting her, but yeah he’s pissed. I don’t think he’s angry enough to kick us out yet. I’m sure she’s in there telling him quite a tale though.” She slid to the floor and sighed. "Is it crazy that I actually sympathize with her?”

“No.”

“I do still think she’s mostly full of shit, but that..that seemed real. I.. I should know.“

"What you mean?”

“Before this. I use to date a lot of shitheads and even had the nerve to get engaged to one. He never had the balls to hit me, but he treated me like shit. Abused me mentally. Cheated on me. Accuse me of cheating. Just a real asshole. Stupidly, no matter what he did I put up with it and I even loved him at one point,” she sighed again. “I swear I inherited my mom’s taste in men. After my dad, she got herself involved with an asshole too. An abusive one. I know the scars. I know the fear.”

“Do you think she ran away from the Vultures? That she ran away from this John guy?”

“I can’t say, but it’s hard not to believe a woman when you’ve been that woman. She’s awfully believable.”

“Shit. It’s like the apocalypse put all the fucked up kids together.”

She laughed. “Well, Omar’s normal. Wade is Wade. Then there’s Lin…”

“Lin hounded my brother for months for thousand dollar shoes and she’s a freaking spoiled rich heiress!”

“Ok, scratch that.”

We shared a good laugh, but we quickly went back to being serious. I sighed loudly and she rubbed my shoulder looking concerned.

“I think I’m turning into my father. What I did in there. He was just like that. If I even breathed wrong, he was breathing down my throat yelling his head off just like that.”

She shook her head. “No. You’re not. Matt told me about your dad and you’re not him. Not even a little. Neither of you.”

“But…”

“Hush. You just got carried away. We both did. We just have to go about this a better way. She might be telling the truth about 'John’, but who is he really? We have more questions than we have answers and that’s not enough for me. She owes us answers.”

I’m so sorry for the delay. I’ve been mentally and psychically battling health wise. I would have had this up sooner if I hadn’t been in such a funk. Then I did get distracted playing bday presents recently. xD Still no excuses. I’m back on the job!