Stefanie was lost. Had been for longer than she cared to admit. She kept up the facade that her brother’s and father’s death were not having as large of an impact on her life. Her head was still up, only when others were looking, and she made it seem like she still had vivid colors bursting through her fingertips. If only anyone knew of the dark shades she surrounded herself with. The way that the shadows she once saw as darker pigments of colors were now black and rigid. Stefanie was spending so much time in her head that she forgot about what it meant to do something.
There were those that could almost make her forget the troubles that followed her like her shadow. Gigi was still in her life, something she would be thankful for. She had her health. Not that really was anything to be thankful for considering she felt empty inside all of the time. No wonder children cry over things being broken. They know that it will never truly be fixed. It was how she had felt. How she felt now. Why lie to herself as she walked across the street to the cafe where she was to be meeting Rafiki? No one could listen to the thoughts in her head. No one saw how she was behind locked doors. No one knew of the chipped paint she kept picking at because she did not know what else to do. No one saw her anymore. Her identity had slipped between the cracks. In some ways, she had let it. She had always let that happen.
Genuine smiles had only graced her lips around a few individuals. Gigi who was mentioned. Rafiki who she was to meet now. Link, which was a surprise to her that someone she did not know had caused such a thing. Maybe it was because he wasn’t around when it all fell apart. Didn’t watch as the world crumbled and she was left there grasping out for the pieces that she knew she could never fix. The world was a shitty place. The glass castle called the Montgomery home was a shit place. She was always so close to picking up the stones and shattering it. Why not have one more thing added to the list of fallen apart? Why she did not do it and instead just left every chance she could she would never know.
Stefanie glanced down at her phone at the sound of the familiar text tone. I’m here. She would forget her troubles for the day. She told herself that as she replied back to him, See you in a minute, Rafiki. It felt almost normal. Almost normal. She had to keep reminding herself about that. Every time something felt like it was normal she had to pull away and add in the almost. How could things be normal anymore? Stefanie could never be normal. Her life could never be just normal. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, she certainly was not in Kansas anymore.
Rafael felt his phone buzz as Stefanie responded to his text, shutting his phone off immediately after. He couldn't risk being placed at the warehouse, should things ever go south. Rafael put the cigarette out that he'd been smoking, placing it inside of a small, plastic baggy. Vince had been very clear about what would happen if he were caught. He'd dispose of all the evidence at a later time. Shoving the baggy in his pocket, Rafael pulled out a cloth and a small bottle filled with chloroform. He dabbed the rag inside carefully, hands shaky is he approached Stefanie.
She was facing away. Thank god. He wouldn't be able to go through with it if he caught a glimpse of those eyes. She was his fucking friend. Rafael didn't think as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back into the darkness. He pressed the cloth against her face. He held onto her as tightly as he possibly could, hoping to keep her still as she struggled. He held onto her roughly, fearing that if she escaped, he’d be discovered.
The only thing Rafael saw was his mother’s face. That’s what kept him composed.
Her body went limp in his arms, and he let out a sigh of sheer relief. Now wasn’t the time to bask over a job well done. Because it wasn’t over yet. Rafael leaned over, lifting her up and into his arms as he carried her to the van with ease. He opened the back doors, setting her down inside. He bound her legs together with rope before taping her mouth shut. Now came the hard part. He had several vials of morphine on him. He’d been instructed to inject her with them in order to keep her from being aware of what exactly was going on. Rafael wrapped a tourniquet around her arm, loading a needle with morphine. He found a vain and pictured her skin with ease, pressing down on the syringe.
Had he just ruined her life?
Rafael tied her arms up last, taking one last look before stepping back and shutting the back doors. "Fuck, I’m so sorry,” he murmured, knowing he couldn’t dwell on what he’d just done. He ran around to the driver’s seat, getting inside and starting the van. He had a long drive ahead of him.
