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The rusted gate whines when I push it open, and as I stagger the short distance to her front door, I can’t believe these final steps are the hardest ones I’ve ever taken. I bang my shoulder into the door—refusing to let Shay go—with the last ounce of energy I have left.
I have no idea of the time, but I assume everyone is tucked safely into their beds.
The world begins to sway; however, I refuse to surrender. “Hello!” I cry out, kicking the door with my bare foot.
My body is broken and bruised, and I barely feel the pain any more.
Just as I’m about to kick the door again, a light flickers on from inside, and I see movement through the lace curtain. When the door opens, and I see Ethan, gun in hand, I gently lower Shay onto his feet, not bothering to explain who he is.
Eva appears in the hallway behind Ethan, or I think she does because everything suddenly becomes murky. I welcome the darkness because I am so tired. Before succumbing to the silence, the last thought I have is,we did it.
I don’t know what comes next, however.
Ihear whispers, but I’m not ready to face them.
Every part of me hurts, and I know when I wake, I’ll have to deal with that pain—both physically and emotionally. I don’t know what awaits me, but being a coward isn’t an option.
It feels like my eyelids weigh a thousand pounds, but I push past the anguish and slowly open my eyes. Everything is fuzzy, and when I attempt to rub my eyes, I realize my arm is heavier than my eyelids felt thanks to the plaster cast on it.
“She’s awake!” I’d recognize that voice anywhere.
Eva.
“Don’t ever do that to me again!” She throws herself onto me, hugging me tightly.
I try to hug her back, but it hurts to breathe.
“Why are you here?” I croak, and soon flinch because who knew even speaking would be painful?
“I wouldn’t go back home when you were missing,” she replies, thankfully loosening her grip a little. “I couldn’t. I knew you’d come back. That’s why I stayed.”
“Is Mom okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine. Stop worrying about everyone else. You’re the one who looks like they got their ass beat in a UFC cage match.”
Nice to know I look as shitty as I feel.
Ethan enters with a glass of water, and when Eva turns to look at him, her cheeks turning bright red, I see there is another reason she stayed.
Oh, boy.
“I brought ye some water,” he says, placing the glass on the bedside table.
Eva smiles and gently untangles herself from me, coming to a stand. “You’re so thoughtful.”
And now my stomach hurts, and I want to puke from this PDA.
Hannah appears a moment later, standing in the doorway because the room is small and it’s a tight squeeze. “Thank God yer okay. I knew ye would be.”
Smiling, I shift against the pillows and lean against the wooden bedhead. “You should see the other guy,” I quip, attempting to whistle, but it sounds like a balloon deflating.
Everyone laughs, but it’s strained, and that’s because no one wants to address the big fat elephant in the room—where is Punky?
However, when I hear a banshee scream and footsteps pounding against the hallway, it seems the elephant has come charging.
“How dare you take him!” screams Aoife, not bothered that the room is already full.
Eva, Ethan, and Hannah walk into the kitchen sheepishly, not interested in being a part of this shitshow.
