Together We Fall

Chapter 59

Chapter Fifty Nine

All that I've been able to think about today is Trace and Mason. The two of them. Each of them. They've been crowding my mind all day for different reasons.

When I saw Trace today at lunch my body flooded with emotions. I was happy to finally see him again. Days felt like years without his smile.

He grinned at me and I felt happy. Like nothing could touch us, stop us. We were together and that was all that mattered.

But then the little voice in the back of my head came out and reminded me of all my worries.

It had screamed at me to stay back, don't get too close because I know what happens when you get close. Arm's length is where I need to keep him. Close enough to see him but not touch him, feel him. My smile faltered and I know he saw it, but luckily he stayed quiet. I ignored all of his stares throughout lunch.

Speaking of staring: Mason. The entire lunch Mason watched me, never saying anything.

He didn't speak to me in chemistry class this morning either. It seems like he's mad but I don't know why. When he left my house yesterday everything seemed fine. I need to talk to him at some point.

I need to talk to both of them. I just don't know when.

I pull into my driveway, mom's car is gone. Looks like I have the whole house to myself. Even though that'd make most teenagers giddy, it makes me a little sad. I don't like coming home to an empty house wondering when my mom will be home.

Sadie runs out the backdoor and I head upstairs. Yesterday I got to the sixth stair before slipping and sliding down the rest.

A soft chuckle escapes my lips at the memory.

When I get upstairs I notice something. Or rather, hear something.

It sounds like water running, a shower. But that can't be right. I'm the only one here.

Unless... oh shit! I'm going to die!

I remember reading something once about if you ever suspect a killer being in your house, make a joke. If you hear a laugh call the cops.

With a shaky voice, I shout, "Where do cows hang their paintings!"

No answer.

Damn.

"In the mooo-seum." I whisper to only myself, laughing quietly.

Looks like I'm going to have to do things the reckless way. I've never envisioned myself having to fight off a killer but nobody knows the future. I've only got one question: what was my killer doing before this? How'd they get dirty enough to need a shower?

Oh no. It's blood. They've already killed someone! Now they're using my shower to clean the evidence!

I grab a hairdryer, prepared to unmask the killer behind the curtain, literally. I'm going to toss the hairdryer at their feet and run away.

Whoever it is better beware because getting electrocuted will be a shock.

Okay, I'll stop. I tend to work better by joking in serious situations, it's a bad habit.

My sarcasm will probably get me killed one day. A man can have a knife to my throat and I'll say something like 'what are you going to do? stab me?'.

I pull back the curtain and scream.

The person in the shower screams along with me. We both just stand there screaming at the top of our lungs. She got lucky that I know who she is, she was about to die.