A Dark Lesson pt. 4

Debbie, now dressed in a plain white t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants, sat in the small nurses office tucked in the back of the Youth Center.  Her head was bowed, her wet hair covering her face, and her hands were clasped tightly in her lap.  Amanda did her best not to stare, to try and see the traces of those scars through the thin white fabric of the t-shirt. 

Debbie had cried for only a little while, and then had gone silent, pulling herself away from Amanda, and stepping into the shower before Amanda could protest.  A crime had been committed.  The scars were proof of that.  The shower would wash away important evidence.  But before Amanda could say anything Debbie was already under the stream of water, the dirt and dried blood rushing down the drain. 

“Debbie?”  Joanna stepped into the nurses office, her clipboard in hand. “My name is Joanna.  Amanda here wants me to give you a quick check up, to make sure you’re alright.” 

Debbie just shook her head. “But I’m not alright.”

Without any prompting Debbie lifted her shirt, revealing the pink, puckered scars.  Joanna’s eyes went wide, and then she gripped Amanda’s arm. 

“Call Clare.”  Her voice was a harsh whisper. 

“What? Why?” Amanda shook her head, confused. 

“I… I recognize those markings.  Don’t ask me how, but I do.” Joanna turned to face Amanda. “Call Clare.”

Amanda paused.  Sure, those markings were odd, but… supernatural?  Maybe some psychotic could have done it, thinking it was part of a ritual, but something supernatural? Demonic, even?

“Whose Clare?” Debbie watched them both, her eyes wide and curious. 

Joanna cleared her throat. “Clare is a friend of mine.  She and her company handle… odd cases. Those scars… they remind me of something, and I think Clare might be able to give us a few answers.” 

“I know what they are.”  Debbie’s voice was mumbled, almost child like.  “They aren’t complete though.  They failed.”  She lowered her shirt.  “They tried to trap my soul, but it didn’t work.  My soul came back with me. That’s why they failed.”

Amanda couldn’t believe what she was hearing. 

Joanna looked at Amanda, her face more determined than before.  “Like I said, call Clare.”

All Amanda could do was nod.