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V BROKEN BONES
WHEN THEY RETURN TO THE HAMILTON ESTATE they were all drained. All four of them dragged themselves into the house with the enthusiasm of men sent to hang. The warm, sunny morning had dwindled into a cold, icy evening. The atmosphere had changed inside the house, too. It felt like something had shifted inside the house since they left-a dark shadow, something twisted and villainous, loomed in the air around them. It felt like a clawed hand, ready to strike.
Darcy declared that she wanted to be left alone for the night.
No one objected: no one asked where she would go, or what had happened, or if she was alright.
No one said a word.
They watched as her flickering silhouette faded up the staircase, with a single long finger ghosting over the railing. In that moment, she looked more dead than they had ever seen her before. Even when she was actually dead, with her body sprawled against the rosebush, she looked more alive than she did now.
Silently, the boys sat.
No one spoke until they heard her feet stop dragging and stomping against the floor.
"What the fuck is happening," Tom asked, "I mean, actually, what the fuck is happening? I feel like we haven't talked about how actually fucked this entire situation is."
"Tom, please, want your mouth," Elijah groaned.
"I will when I hear some fucking answers," Tom replied.
Elijah growled low and deep in his chest. He looked tired, just like the rest of them. His neck was craned so his head laid flat against the cushion of the couch. He looked human for the first time. He wasn't wearing his usual porcelain perfect mask.
Tom stood, his body almost flinging off the couch, and started to walk off.
"Where are you going?" Spencer asked.
"If we don't have to babysit a ghost tonight, I'm getting drunk."
And for the first time, both boys agreed; they stood up and made their way towards the kitchen.
▾ ▾ ▾
Darcy slipped into a random room, the only room with the door left ajar. She felt like she was swelling with feelings. She tried to shut the door-it didn't budge. It continued to stand solid and untouchable, much to her distress.
