Detonate

Chapter 29

                It was a bit of a hike to the closest hotel. She got lost a few times in the darkness, it was just past midnight and the moon was waning. When she finally made it, she sighed with relief. Her whole body ached.

Kate stood in the car park, staring up at the crumbling exterior. One of these days she would get to stay someplace nice, she thought, knowing deep down that she might not even live that long.

“You’re running, aren’t you?” a voice said behind her.

She turned to see Toby standing there, silhouetted by the street light. His shadow fell across her face. Her heart stopped for a second, then started beating twice as fast.

“Jesus Toby, you scared me half to death,” Kate said, half mad and half relieved it was him and not someone more sinister. “Why did you follow me?”

“I followed you to make sure you’re alright. So you’re just going to leave them?” he asked.

“God no. I’ll be there tomorrow. I said I would and I meant it. I just didn’t want to stay in that house tonight, too many bad vibes. Plus the fact that Mel just might murder me in my sleep.”

“Oh,” he said, sitting down on the curb where the car park met the overgrown lawn, his legs out straight. “She’s just upset, you know. Mel’s heartbroken. You don’t get over something like that. When someone close to you dies, you have all this rage and hurt and you don’t know where to put it. She’s just channelling it at you because you’re closest. Don’t take it to heart.”

“I know...” she replied sombrely. She sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around her knees. “You sound like you speak from experience.”

“Yeah, my sister died a couple years ago. It was suicide. I blamed my parents, for not noticing sooner, and I blamed myself for a really long time. But she was just dealing with life the only way she knew how, you know. It’s no-one fault.”

“I’m so sorry Toby,” she said, her words conveying one-tenth of the sorrow she felt for him. She didn’t have siblings, but she thought it must have been a heart wrenching situation.

“It’s ok. I don’t mean to drop it on you after such a long, painful day,” he said.

“No, I’m glad you told me. My dad took my mum’s death pretty poorly. I just hate that Mel has to go through something like that.”

“It’s weird,” he said, “I’ve only know them for a little while but it feels like, I don’t know…”

“Like family?” she finished. They both smiled at that.

“Yeah, one big, kooky, messed up family with some really bizarre talents,” he said jokingly, and then his smile sobered. “I’m sorry about Mason.”

“”It’s ok,” she said, staring down at her sneakers.

“I get it. You don’t have to talk about it, but I don’t think you should be alone tonight. It’s dangerous. I could stay with you, if you want.”

Kate could feel her face getting red; she just hoped Toby couldn’t see it in the darkness.

“I… I meant strictly platonically, of course, as friends” Toby flustered, not looking her in the eye, but somewhere around her shoulder. Kate thought it was sweet, that he was sweet, but there were so many emotions raging around inside of her, she didn’t know if she could take anymore.

“Thanks, but I’m ok. I just need to be on my own for a bit,” she smiled genuinely at him, so that he knew she meant it, that it wasn’t about him, but about her.