These Streaks of Blood

16

Daniel wakes up feeling disoriented and slightly ill. He looks around; it takes him a while to realize that he's in a bed, and a girly one at that. His head is raised on two pillows, and sheets are wrapped around him. The room is dark, the drapes pulled shut over the windows. He blinks a few times, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. When they finally do, he discovers that he's still in Natalee's room.

"I'm sorry," a voice says from the corner, and Daniel starts, alarmed, until he notices the bright green eyes staring at him from a chair across the room.

"Natalee," he sighs; in relief, maybe. Everything is coming back to him, a wave of emotions running through his mind, his body. It's mostly grief. Liv is dead. That's why he blacked out; because Liv is dead. Gone.

He doesn't hear a sound, but a few seconds later, the room is illuminated with light. The drapes are still closed, so she must have flipped the light switch. Daniel wonders briefly why she closed the windows off from sight, but soon realizes that he doesn't really care if she wants to be seen or not. His thoughts are stuck elsewhere.

Olivia. He'll never see Olivia again.

Natalee stands at the foot of the bed - her bed - staring at Daniel with what can only be concern. "I really am sorry. That you lost Olivia," she says finally, and it sounds sincere.

Daniel peers at her, the spots of light dancing across his vision proof that his eyes still aren't completely adjusted. "You didn't seem very sorry before. You seemed... really mad, if I remember correctly," he points out.

Natalee hesitates before shaking her head. "No, at least not mad that you were looking for her. Ever since I left, I hoped that people would keep looking for me and Emily, and even Olivia, no matter how futile I knew their efforts were. It made me feel good, I guess, to believe there were still people who would care, whether or not I was dead, or taken," she explains softly.

Daniel listens attentively and feels himself frown. "Of course people care. The town has been in turmoil since all these killings began, and when you and Olivia were kidnapped, well... it gave them hope, albeit just a small amount."

Natalee smiles, but it's a very small, meaningless smile. "Yeah, well... it doesn't matter whether people care or not. It's over. Leewood is safe," she says.

Daniel can't believe his ears. He sits up like a bullet, eager to hear the information Natalee clearly knows. "What do you mean, it's over? They caught the killer?"

She laughs, very softly, and again, without humor. "I told you, they'll never catch him, not so long as he doesn't want to be caught."

"But you just said--"

"Yeah, I did. It's over because he's not going to attack Leewood anymore. It's over because there's no more reason to search for me or the other girls; they're gone. There's no need for fear anymore. The town is safe now," Natalee explains flatly, and she turns away from him.

"Natalee..." Daniel doesn't know what to say. Emily too?  

"Don't. I don't need consolation, not from anyone here. Especially not from you." There's hatred in her voice, thick and pure.

Daniel is bewildered. "Me? What have I done to you?" he wonders. He's always considered himself a nice enough guy, and he certainly wouldn't want to hurt Natalee after everything she must have been through, especially if she really lost her sister.

Natalee's head whips around, her hair flipping from her right shoulder to her left in the process. She opens her mouth to respond, but stops herself, and Daniel again thinks he sees the glint of sharp teeth. Too eager for answers to question it, he ignores the thought.