Splintered

(Content Warning: This story addresses sensitive issues such as mental health, violence, murder, sexual violence and abuse and contains harsh language)

“This is your fault. We wouldn’t be in here if it wasn’t for you. You are such a freaking jerk.”

“You can’t blame me every time we get in trouble. You were right there with me. You wanted to just as bad as me, I was just willing to say it. Quit your whining. It’s childish.”

“Childish? Really? That’s the pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it?”

“Can we just not talk? I’m sick of your voice.”

“Then go away, get out! If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine by me!”

“Yeah, like I can just leave. We are stuck here for now. We wouldn’t be if you could have kept your mouth shut in the first place. I still can’t believe you ratted me out, ratted US out.”

“I had to do the right thing.”

“You didn’t HAVE to do anything. You had a guilty conscience.”

“Hell yes I had a guilty conscience! Do you not feel bad at all about what you did to that girl?”

“What WE did.”

“You went too far.”

“So what, you were just an innocent bystander? I seem to recall you enjoying yourself. It was all your idea in the first place!”

“It was not my idea! What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You’re the one that wanted her. You are the one who pointed her out. I didn’t even notice her. You wouldn’t shut up about her.”

“You sick piece of shit! I didn’t want that!”

“Then why did we do it?”

“Because YOU wanted to!We always do what you..”

“So, let me get this straight. You are saying I MADE you do it?”

“I’m pretty sure I didn’t MAKE you do anything. You are a big boy. Nobody controls you.”

“No, most of the time I do what YOU want! You never shut up! You push and push and push until I just go along. I just wanted to meet her, talk to her. I didn’t want to hurt her!”

“Well you sure didn’t act like it. When you stuffed her shirt in her mouth and wrapped duct tape around her head, was that me telling you to do that?”

“She wouldn’t stop screaming. What was I supposed to do?”

“You could have let her go. I didn’t tie her up. I was just having fun.”

“What, let her go, let her run straight to the cops to tell them what we did? That would have been better?”

“Better than killing her? Yeah, probably. We are still locked up.”

“I fucking hate you.”

“Well then go away and leave me the fuck alone.”

“If I could walk out of here and leave you, I would. You’ve been getting me in trouble for way too long. I’ve been listening to you for way too long.”

“Welcome to the club, buddy.”

“What are we gonna do?”

“I’m going to sit here until I see a chance to get out, I don’t know what you are going to do? Why are you even asking me. You hate me, right? I’ve been your best friend since grade school and yet, you hate me.”

“I do hate you.”

“Do something about it then.”

“If I could, I would.”

“Oh, you can, you’re just too chicken shit. You’re only tough when your dealing with dumb little college girls.”

“Fuck you!”

“Oh stop it, you are hurting my feelings. I can’t stand having you mad at me.”

“This isn’t a joke!”

“It’s not, you are correct. The only joke here is you. That’s why everyone is always laughing at you and talking about you behind your back. I hear them. I hear the things they say.”

“Shut up! You ever think maybe it’s you they are talking about?”

“It’s not me. Nobody laughs at me.”

“Or what, what would you do? You just talk. I always end up doing your dirty work.”

“So you admit now that it’s your fault we are locked in here?”

“I’m not admitting shit. It’s your fault. You pushed me. You drove me to it. I just wanted to talk to her.”

“All I did was suggest we go talk to her. You grabbed her up. You tied her up and gagged her. You threw her in the truck. You drove the truck!”

“You’re right, I’m a horrible person, but so are you.”

“I’m not the one trying to lay blame. I’m not the one sitting here bitching and moaning. I don’t want to be locked in here with you. I don’t want to eat the shitty food.”

“Nobody cares what you want! You better get used to it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You. You are always so demanding. You always get what you want, or take it.”

“Kind of like you did with her?”

“That’s not the same. I didn’t want to hurt her. I was just going to talk to..”

“That’s all you ever do is talk! You can blame me all you want but you weren’t even going to talk to her till I convinced you. You’d have driven on by and then regretted not stopping all day. You’d be thinking about it a week later, talking about her, wishing..”

“She’d still be alive and we wouldn’t be in here!”

“We could have been free. We are in here because of you and your big mouth.”

“I wish you were dead.”

“Do something about it! I dare you. Oh yeah, you won’t. We both know you don’t have it in you.”

“You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

“You’re right, I didn’t think you could do what you did to that girl.”

“Fuck you.”

“Yeah, fuck me. That’s all you got. You know you come at me, try to kill me, you’re a fucking dead man. Remember that.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“Yes, you are. That’s why you kept me around all these years. You never had any balls. Your mommy cut ‘em off when you was a kid.”

“I have balls!”

“I was speaking figuratively, dumbass. You know exactly what I’m talking about. She turned you to splinters. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be in here. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be so fucked up. We probably wouldn’t know each other though if she hadn’t of done what she did to you.”

“Can you please just shut up? Quit talking about my mama! She did the best she could on her…”

“Mr. Bowling. How you doing tonight?”

“Hi, Nurse Jean.”

“Hi. How you doing? Any visitors tonight?”

“Just one and he won’t shut up and leave me alone.”

“Well I have some Haldol for you. That should make him go away and you can get some sleep. Go ahead and back up from the door so I can open the bean slot.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Here is a cup of water and this one has your pills in it. Go ahead and put dem in your mouth and take a drink. Now don’t be forgetting to swallow.”

“That’s good. Now open your mouth and show me.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bowling. You go ahead and get yo' self to bed and get some sleep. I think you do a lot better when you done had a good night’s sleep. Supposed to have some outside time tomorrow and the weather is supposed to be beautiful.”

“Hey, that nurse ain’t half bad. I’d like to get her alone some time. She’s got great legs and some pretty…”

“Shut up, Henry. I’m going to sleep and you are leaving!”

“Just hear me out, David, we get yard time tomorrow. That’s our chance!”

“They don’t call it yard time here, it’s rec time. Go away.”

“Ok, rec time, you go ahead and get some rest. You are going to need it so we can figure out a way out of here tomo…”