Taylor was sitting on his bed, rocking back and forth with his knees tucked up under his chin and his arms wrapped around his legs. There were shadows under his eyes as if he hadn't had enough sleep.
"I'm... I'm fine," Taylor replied, his voice shaky.
"You sure? You don't seem it."
"I'm fine!"
"Gee, ok, ok, you don't need to yell. But if there is -"
"Nothing's wrong! I'm fine. Really, I am, I just... can you just leave me alone for a while please?"
"Sure, sure," Isaac answered, not really sure that he should. "If you're certain?"
"I am."
"Ok."
Reluctantly, Isaac left the room. And then that insidious female voice reared up again.
"See? He's abandoning you," it said. "Just like they did before, they will again."
"No, no," Taylor murmured. "No, they never did, I just wouldn't listen."
"Lies!" the voice hissed. "They've brain washed you into thinking that. Them and that... that girl... Moira. She interfered, you know."
"No, no she didn't. She helped me," but even so, his voice quavered.
"Moira was never meant to exist you know Taylor. They created her. They created her to brain wash you."
"No."
"But I won't brain wash you Taylor. I won't make you do, anything you don't want to do."
"Then stop making me listen to you! Leave me alone!"
"I can't do that Taylor."
And on those words he felt the sensation of hands running across his chest. He knew there weren't - his legs were in the way for starters, but that didn't stop it. He felt like there was someone sitting behind him, pressing her body against his, her legs wrapped around him. He felt lips caress his neck.
"No!" he yelped, leaping from his bed. "Leave me alone! Please! Leave me alone!"
"Taylor?" asked Isaac, coming back into his room.
Isaac and Taylor's eyes met. Isaac had forgotten something and had come up to get it. Taylor was sweating and looking rather anxious.
"Tay, are you ok?"
"He doesn't really care about you Taylor," said the voice, so that only Taylor could hear.
"Leave me alone!" Taylor yelled.
"I just came in to get my note pad," Isaac defended.
"No," Taylor said shaking his head at his brother. "Not you!"
Taylor seemed to want to say something else, but the only thing that left his mouth was sobs.