Wilting Flowers

35: Old Friend

Pov swap

~~~

Immy just had to leave her parents'.

She couldn't forget everyone else. Just showing up and leaving would be borderline cruel. No doubt her family would tell stories. What about her friends? What about extended family living in town?

So, late at night, a time any sensible person would hate to be out at when a killing spree was rampaging through town, Immy checked who was alive.

Both her parents were reluctant to let her go, but she insisted that she would go whether they liked it or not. So, her dad sent her with a glock. After making sure she knew how to use it, they said their tearful goodbyes. At the moment, it was tucked into her coat and clipped on the pocket.

She didn't talk to anyone. She only really made noise whenever she knocked on the doors of people she was afraid were dead. Her hands trembled with every movement. Of course, no one answered those.

It was practically a suicide mission. Grim had specifically told her not to leave her house, and with good reason. Immy might have come to terms with the death that she was sure would come soon, but that didn't mean she liked it.

Thinking about it made her want to run back to Grim, enter his arms, and never leave. She craved security, but she kept going, because she felt she had to. She couldn't come to her dimension and not check up on all of her friends. If they were dead...

Immy swallowed hard and thought of Grim, relieving some of her disquiet.

She came to a stop at a small house on the outskirts of town. She felt bad for avoiding it, just because things would be awkward between her and it's owner.

Sam Aldwin was her boyfriend back in 2026. They had planned to go to prom together, before she disappeared. She had absolutely no desire to be with him again, in fact, it felt wrong just thinking about being with him, but she felt she had an obligation to check up on him. They were so close before, so why couldn't she stomach the thought of talking to him?

Does it feel like cheating? Normally, she would've laughed at herself—it couldn't have been cheating, of course—but she wished that was the whole explanation, not just part of it. I'm scared of him, She admitted to himself. Why am I so scared of him?

It's the paranoia, She reasoned. It's turning me against all of the boys in this godforsaken town.

Except for the one that I know could actually hurt me! She didn't have the heart to scold herself, instead taking her odd trust with stride. Ha!

Odd trust? Grim's perfectly trustworthy.

What's another way to word it? I want to be around him despite all odds and dangers.

I love him.

Immy corrected the meaning of the word.

Of course I do. He's my best friend!

I want to see him. I should tell him to come get me.

I did exactly as he warned me not to. He won't be happy.

Please, that man practically worships the ground I stand on. He'll be happy I'm safe.

I love him so much.

Oh my god, I'm going fucking insane.

She took a deep breath and pulled herself out of the messy train of thought. She had to make sure Sam was alive.