I wake up at four in the morning, my stomach growling the only noise in the quiet, early Summer morning. Only that and cicadas fill the air. Wait, when was the last time I ate? OK let's see. I haven't been puking, but I only really eat with Lily. That's two meals over the last couple of days. I don't really eat at home. I just hide in my room as accessing the kitchen means dealing with my parents. I just... don't eat at home if I can avoid it. My hunger makes me feel funny. My mind feels hazy and I can't focus. I start seeing things. Not like Purity, but more like what you see in movies when someone hasn't been eating or sleeping. I've been doing both to a minimal amount.

I see dark figures, shadows of monkey-like critters skitter across the floor and climb up the walls, chattering with an eerie laugh.

"Oh Hell no!" Purity exclaims trying to attack them to no avail, "this one's mine!"

"It's no use," I sigh, "I've finally gone crazy."

"When were you ever sane?"

"I dunno," I shrug, "how long have you been around?"

"Since you were ten," Purity replies, "since..."

"Since what?" I demand.

"You don't recall?" Purity asks.

I shake my head.

"Well it didn't happen then," Purity sighs, "look, we need help. Whitney and Morgan are both asleep. Whitney goes to sleep early and Morgan never stays up past three. Just try to message Lily and pray or hope, whichever, that she's up."

"I'm on it," I reply, as one of the critters crawls on my shoulder, chattering in my ear with a clicking sound. Even though it's not real, I can feel its claws digging into me, ripping into my flesh and drawing blood as real as Purity over there.

"I resent that!" Purity exclaims.

I just ignore the pain and message Lily...

Richard: You up?

...

...

...

Nothing. Dammit, now they're getting into my closest and ripping all my shirts to make a nest on top of my dresser. What in the fuck am I gonna-

Lily: Why are you up?

Richard: You first.

Lily: Early morning swim. Couldn't sleep.

Richard: Ah, I see.

Lily: Yeah. I'm not wearing anything right now lol.

Richard: To much information.

Richard: Get some clothes on and dry off before you get sick. I don't want anything bad to happen to you.

Lily: Dense as ever I see. OK I'm on it.

Richard: Let me know when you're done.

While I await Lily's reply, I check on the creatures, which Purity is chasing down with a broom that isn't real as they inflict wounds that aren't real, scratching up my chest and drawing my blood which isn't really my blood. It's all just a hallucination.

They begin to whisper, saying things I've heard those I've helped or purified say.

"Yeah I'm underage and that shit is dangerous."

"Burning juice... bad."

"It's just physical discipline!"

"I'm a crooked cop!"

"I haven't been home in a week!"

This is getting worse, and frankly, scary, as they begin to speak gibberish that doesn't make sense. Maybe they have been from the start? Who knows?

Lily: What's up? Is everything OK?

Richard: No I have a serious problem.

Lily: Richard if you're puking I swear to God.

Richard: No. This is much worse.

Lily: Oh good lord you're not cutting are you?

Richard: Nope. This is different. So, like, I've been having issues sleeping as of late, and I don't eat much at home and these two things have basically caused a mental breakdown that involves vivid hallucinations from the mix of hunger and sleep deprivation.

Lily: Do you normally hallucinate? Like, hear voices, see things, anything like that? It's not as scary as the movies make it seem and you can get help for it from Bertha. I won't judge you.

"You know what to do," Purity smirks.

Richard: Nope.

Lily: OK. What is it you're seeing?

Richard: These weird little monkey critters. Black, shadowy, scattering shit about and scratching and biting me and they really hurt.

Lily: You can feel them?

Richard: Yes.

Lily: OK that's bad. Look, my parents may know what to do. I can call them.

Richard: Are you crazy? No! Morgan's parents are the only ones who know anything and that's just because she told them I don't like mine without my consent! If my parents find out...

Lily: OK OK I understand.

Lily: It's pretty clear we need to get you food and rest. Can you make it today?

Richard: My dad's on a business trip and my mom will be running errands all day. They told me about all this right before I went to sleep. Although I kept waking up.

Lily: OK. Can you try to sleep?

Richard: I don't think that's gonna work.

Lily: Damn. OK, just, ignore the monkeys. I'll be there in a few.

Richard: Really?

Lily: Well it's not like we have school and I'm honestly afraid to leave you alone like this. Besides, my parents are out on business too.

Richard: Thanks Lily, but my mom won't be leaving until six. Just wait for me at the docks, OK?

Lily: Got it. Be safe Richard. Don't do anything reckless.

Richard: I won't.

"Don't you dare," Purity growls, "we don't know what's gonna happen in the next-"

Richard: I promise.

"God dammit!" Purity exclaims.

I put my phone in my pocket.

"How are we gonna get out if your mom decides to check on you?" Purity asks.

"Bed dummy," I reply, opening the closet with all my dad's stuff and finding a mannequin head before grabbing pillows from the bottom of my own closer which I stuff under my blanket to create the illusion of volume and place the head on my pillow, facing away from the door as not to reveal it's just a mannequin head. With that, I climb out the window, grab my bike, and-

Hold up. I placed my bike outside the shed. If I take it, mom will notice. I have to walk.

Monkeys scurry at my feet as I begin down the road, biting my ankles as everything begins to warp around me from mad hunger and exhaustion. Everything looks like a forest now as the monkeys leap from tree to tree, clawing at my back and leaping down at me. The rest is a blur. The next thing I remember is hearing a car horn. I find myself crying in a ditch as Lily rushes to me.

"Richard!" She exclaims, "can you hear me?!? Say something!"

"I'm alive," I reply.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Lily holds up her left hand, lifting me up on her right shoulder.

"Watch your clothes there's a lot of blood," I reply.

"There's no blood," Lily shakes her head, "how many fingers?"

One of the critters smiles at me and bites off Lily's hand.

"Well zero now," I yawn.

"OK you need to go to the hospital," Lily helps me into her car, setting me in the passenger seat.

"No," I shake my head, "no."

"Richard look at yourself," Lily pleads, "I'm like 99% sure you're actually dying right now."

"No," I shake my head, "they can't know. My parents can't know. I have to keep going. I can't rest until I finish what must be done."

"What must be done?" Lily asks.

"I have to keep going," I reply as the monkeys claw at my face, drawing blood and tears, "I can't rest at all. I can't let them hurt anyone."

"Richard," Lily asks, "what have you been doing these last few days?"

"It has to be done," my mind grows clouded and my vision begins to darken as the exhaustion begins to take hold, "I have to protect you. I have to protect the ones I love. My sisters, my friends. I... I... I..."

"Shhhh," Lily gently lowers my hands, "it's OK. You can do what you need, even if I'm not sure what it is, but you can't keep doing it like you are now. You either need to rest more, or do less. For now though, close your eyes. Rest. You're not doing anything today."

"I have to," I can't tell Lily from the environment as everything begins to fade, "I have to. I have to. I can't lose anyone else."

Anyone... else? I don't even know what I'm saying anymore.

I feel the car stop as my mind begins to give out and I feel a warm embrace, comforting. I feel that blissful feeling, finally stopping the pain from my fake wounds. I hear Lily's voice, "It's OK. I'm here. You're not going to lose anyone. Close your eyes. It's OK Richard. I'm here. I'm here..."

Then everything goes totally blank.