Devils Roses 01 - Cursed

hardened, I had never seen his face grow so cold. "You have to go with me. I promise I won’t let them hurt you. Psychiatry has come a long way. This is for the best."
    I looked down. "I'm not coming with you. I'm not going to an institute."
    He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “Aimee, come on. Be reasonable."
    "No."
    "Then I think you need to leave. I’m sorry but I can’t help you anymore. I’ll keep your secret but that’s it. If you’re sick and won't let me help you, then I can't have you here hiding out. I can’t keep this from your dad and Alise anymore. I’m part of the family now.”
    I was in agony. I pressed my lips together and stood up from his couch. I picked my fleece off of the back of the computer chair and walked up the stairs to sneak out of his house, the way I had come in. I was ashamed of everyone I knew.
    "Aimee, I'll take you back to the hospital. If you'll come, I'm sure that they'll find what's wrong." he called after me, but I ignored him.
    I had been abandoned.
    How could Shane agree with him?
    How could Shane think that I needed to be committed and still have sex with me?
    When I got out of the garage door, I ran. I ran as fast as I could, until I reached the old highway where our secret beach was. I ran down the old road to the trail. When I crossed the road into the thick forest, I savored the cool air I got when I entered the trees. I didn’t feel afraid of the forest, which I wished had been from feeling invincible, but unfortunately, was from a lack of care. If I died then I wouldn't care.
    I ran along the trail, barely seeing the greenery and trees, as I made my way to the ocean. I could smell the salt and seaweed when I approached where the forest cleared and the trail ended. I ran down to the beach, still feeling angry with Blake and Shane.
    I walked along the small part of the sandy beach, enjoying the feel of the sand under my sneakers. Slowly, it turned to rocks, the usual West Coast beach. The rocks got bigger and it became more difficult to walk along.
    I smiled, looking at a huge rock, and remembered my sister helping me to lift the rocks that were much too large for one small child. We poked at the crabs with sticks gently, until they clamped a pincher on a stick. Then we would run around with the stick and the crab. I couldn’t help but shake my head, remembering the terrified crabs as we each ran up and down the beach. No amount of running would make them let go, they hung on until their little crab feet touched ground again.
    I wished I had that ability to hang onto something with all of the force and strength I had. I wished I were able to stay on my stick, no matter the amount of turmoil I was put through. Instead, I sat on some driftwood, far down the beach and looked out at the grey, choppy waters. I had nowhere else to go. I wasn’t completely cold, but I wasn’t comfortable. I missed Blake’s house. I contemplated if the shoe were on the other foot, if I would have tolerated this sort of madness from him. I knew the answer. He had made the right choice. I thought about Shane and imagined him walking up the beach with open arms, ready to believe my crazy story, knowing we loved each other.

Chapter Fifteen
    Cabin fever without a cabin is called insanity.

    I didn’t sleep, and out of desperation, I made a small campfire on the beach the old-fashioned way. Rubbing dry sticks together did produce a fire. It was lucky my muscles never cramped, because it had taken me forever to get a spark with the damp wood.
    I didn’t know what to expect with the changes, but I definitely expected more than the odd stomachache or random sweat. I started to wonder if I was ever going to change, or if that was it. I was stronger, faster, required very little to survive, and didn’t need a lot of sleep. I was like a super being but without anything cool.
    My college years would be very cost effective, at this rate. One meal a week and with no sleep required, my grades would never take that initial dip everyone experienced.
    I decided, that if after three days nothing was different, I would go home. I would tell my dad that I was cured and finish my school year on time.
    Counting down three days was a tough way to think about life. I had nothing to do in my spare time but think. I walked the beach in both directions. I found neat tidal pools that contained all sorts of sea life. I swam in the ocean, made fires, and even built a small log cabin. That had taken