BILLIE'S NIGHTMARE

Chapter 30

The ride to my house was the most silent I had ever experienced with someone on the passenger seat. Cane kept his eyes out on the road and watched the images outside blur past.

I knew he was still upset at me for agreeing to this. His fist was tightly clenched and his jaw looked like it was going to explode. He didn't understand how much I needed to do it. How much he and the tribe mattered to me. I didn't want them dying in my hands.

When I stopped at my house, I looked to Cane and asked if he wanted to come in. He ignored me and continued looking out the window.

"Silent treatment, huh?" I chuckled. The tension in the car was suffocating. I took in a breath and released it before climbing out of the car. As I walked towards the house, I noticed him follow behind me. I shook my head lightly as I entered the house.

Just as I stepped into the house, a cold wave passed through me. After that, everything went black.

Our breathing was fast-paced and ragged underneath the bed. The feel of his presence was one thing, but to have him lay right over us on the bed, exactly where we want him was the closest thing we have ever experienced to euphoria. He shifted over the bed and his talking silenced.

That's when I saw light. It was faced towards us and almost blinded our eyes. It's been too long since we've seen light. And in that moment, he froze enough for us to take in his features. The features that would soon be ours.

"Billie!" Cane's panicking voice brought me back to reality. I opened my eyes and saw his eyes wide as he shook me violently.

"What the fuck—" I squinted. I then noticed that I was laying on his lap. "Cane—"

"What happened? Why did you just pass out?"

"I–it happens sometimes—"

"Because of the demon?"

I pressed my lips together and looked to the floor. He seemed angry. I knew that if I said yes, he would get angrier, despite already knowing the answer. Seemingly, my silence was enough to answer his question.

"For fuck's sake, Billie!" He ran a hand through his hair in a frustrated manner, gripping it tightly before letting go. I stood up and started for the kitchen before he could say anything further. He followed behind me in confusion.

"Something sharp," I muttered to myself, feeling a command playing in my head over and over. The urge to do the deed was too persistent to ignore.

"Billie, what are you..." He stopped when he saw me take out a knife from the drawer. His eyebrows raised, then drew together.

I jogged up the stairs and only when I saw the hallways did I notice nobody was home. I walked into my room and Cane's footsteps followed behind me. I opened my closet and looked into it.

My knees fell weak and I dropped to the ground. An ache filled my heart that made my throat clench. I clutched the knife in my hand tighter and bowed my head down. I recalled the events that had taken place only weeks from now. I had shared my first kiss with Josh in that very closet. I had felt his lips on mine for the first time, felt any lips in general for the first time.

"Billie—"

I raised my hand to gesture silence without turning around to look at him. I needed a moment. I needed to breath. I needed to relax. I needed to forget Josh, just for now. Just so I can complete this task.

I rubbed my eyes, making the layers of tears that had built up fall away. I crawled into the closet and memorized the exact place I had stood. And then in bold, I carved a capital "B" on the wooden floor. I turned around and crawled under my bed.