Within by Rachel Rae

door and locked it.
    “ Five minutes,” the voice whispered. 
    I stared at myself for at least three of them, trying to convince myself otherwise, but it didn’t work.   
    “It’s time you do for Krystle.”
    I looked in the bathroom mirror and saw Akira looking back at me. A dizzy feeling came over me, and I couldn’t help but bend over the sink. I no longer felt the fight I once had, giving in; I walked over to the toilet and poured what was left from the medication bottle into the toilet, then flushed it. I walked back to the wall mirror in the bathroom and stood there, waiting on her to reappear.
    “I knew you would understand me,” I heard Akira say.
    “What should I do? I don’t know anymore.”
    “Don’t worry, I’m going to help us,” she said reappearing.
    “So what’s next?” I asked.
    “Courtney,” Akira smiled.
     
    Chapter Thirteen
    Courtney
    As of lately, things have been a bit different; Krystle to me has seemed to trail back into the way she was when she “loses” the baby. Every day I bring her breakfast before I go to work and lunch, when I can make it home on break, but ever since we’ve told her the truth, it’s been trouble.
    I sat in my office as my client continued to talk. I really didn’t want him as a client, but unfortunately, I didn't turn him away.  I didn’t know exactly who it was that had scheduled this appointment with me, until about forty-five minutes ago.
    I glanced at my watch as he went on and on about nothing, adjusted my seating; then took a deep breath.
    “So you see, I don’t always drink beer but when I do, it’s with a whole bunch of ladies around me.”
    “Elijah, normally I don’t curse out my clients, but for you I’ll make an exception. You have been a thorn in my side since I met you.”
    “Thank you,” he immediately responded. “Wait, is that a good thing or a bad thing, because thorns come from roses and those are pretty nice… Except for maybe funeral roses; then they would be pretty sad.”
    I attempted to repeat myself, but quickly changed my mind because it was no use. I just shook my head repeatedly, speaking slow and lowly. “I don’t care when you drink a beer, Elijah.”
    “Okay fine, do you at least drink wine?” he asked.
    “Please remind me why you’re here,” I said, massaging the front of my head.
    “Why am I here… Why am I here,” he said, with his voice slightly trailing off. “Oh yeah, because you owe me a favor for helping you with your car. Remember, with the dead girl in the back seat?”
    “She wasn’t dead!” I hissed.
    “She shol’ looked dead to me, but you know what that’s neither here nor there. Now look, you’re a pretty dangerous woman with killing people and whatnot, but I like a little danger with my coffee. Would you like to go out on a date with me? I know you’ve been watching me, watch you,” he said with a wink.
    “Excuse me?”
    “You farted?”
    “Did I fart? What? Hell no! Do you have a problem, Elijah?”
    “Nobody has ever asked me that before,” he said, looking as if he was about to start tearing up.
    I started to feel bad for him, I knew something was really wrong, and now I’m glad that he chose me to help him work out his issues.
    “Go ahead, Elijah, I’m listening,” I said softly.
    “It all started when I was just a little boy. I tried to ignore it; hell, I even tried to run away, but it kept happening over and over, sometimes even in groups.”
    “Let it out, it’ll make you feel better,” I said, writing on a notepad.
    “Let it gooo, let it gooooo,” he started to sing. “Okay, I can’t keep the ladies off me. It’s like I’m irresistible,” he said, putting both hands over his eyes.
    Before I could respond to him, my desk phone rang; I didn’t hesitate to answer. “Excuse me for a moment,” I said, forcing a smile. “Courtney speaking, how can I help you?”
    “What time are you getting off today, if you don’t mind me asking?”
    The voice