Page 63 of Jacob Michaels is Dead

“Just in case?” Lucas looked terrified. “You’re coming back, Rob.”

“I know.” I nodded. “But this will make leaving easier.”

Lucas kept himself propped over me with a hand on either side of my body digging into the cold ground. I could feel, against my thigh, that he wanted the same thing that I wanted.

“Say you’ll come back.”

“I’ll come back.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“We’ll be together forever?”

“Even in death.”

Lucas’ body sank into mine. Under a nearly moonless sky, the stars already blotted out, we made love. And I wondered if I hadn’t just lied to Lucas. What if I never came back?

“Fuck!” Lucas screamed as we slammed the door to the house behind us and threw both of our bodies against it. “They’re right behind us, Rob!”

Lucas and I held ourselves against the door, digging our heels into the hardwood floor as the sound of wolves throwing themselves against the door sounded. We had passed Oma and Carlita as we ran through the woods towards the house. They had merely been standing there, watching us. Lucas had wanted to stop and scream for them to come help…but I had known that it would be pointless. They were meant to watch. Besides preparing me, those were their roles in this never-ending story. I had urged Lucas to continue running, to put as much distance between ourselves, Bloody Bones, and his wolves.

“I have to get to the cellar,” I said, twisting the deadbolt, flipping the lock on the knob and sliding the chain in place. “Come on!”

“Rob.” Lucas turned to look at me, his back still to the door.

“What?” I turned to look at him, my heart thundering, and my mind racing with the wish I had in my head. “What is it?”

“I don’t want to watch you go.” He said, his face a steel mask, though a single tear slid from his eye and over his cheek.

Simultaneously I hated and loved Lucas. I loved how much he didn’t want me to go, but I hated how I would have to do what I had to do all on my own. When I saw a tear slide from his other cheek, I couldn’t be mad any longer. I just wanted everything to be over.

“Okay.” I nodded, trying to not shed any of my own tears.

Lucas stared at me, tears rolling down his cheeks, trying to figure out what to say. Suddenly, his eyes flicked away from mine, landing on something to my side.

“Ernst!” Lucas bellowed as the sound of more wolves throwing themselves against the door met our ears. “Ernst, we need your help!”

I turned to find my best friend at my side, looking up at me with wide, terrified eyes.

“Ernst.” I sighed, no longer able to control my tears. “Hey.”

“’Ello, Rob.” He reached up to grab my hand.

“Ernst.” Lucas continued. “Go with Rob. Don’t let him be alone.”

“Wha’s ‘appnin’?” Ernst looked up at me, the terror replaced by wonder.

“I’m going to make this all stop,” I said, simply.

“I can’t do it, Ernst,” Lucas said, still bracing himself against the door as the chain rattled as the door was pounded on by wolves’ bodies. “But I don’t want him to be alone. Will you go with him?”

Ernst squeezed my hand, and a look of pride replaced all of the others.

“I’d be honored, Rob.” He said.

I smiled down at him, trying to stop my tears but finding myself unable. I didn’t want to leave Lucas, Ernst…I didn’t want any of this.