R I S E N

Chapter 13

I don't know why but that name got me to freeze where I was. I then quietly close the empty drawer to the nightstand next to the bed. That name cycles through my head while I wonder where I heard it from, why it sounded so familiar.

Effy meets me in the doorway, blocking my path.

"Why is she calling you Elizabeth?" Effy whispers but steps to the side so I could get by her.

I just give a light shrug, carrying a backpack out with me. I go to Felicity's body and unbutton her jeans. I unzip them as silently as I can and pull them off her. She was about my size, she was just a little taller than me.

Effy gives me a weird look while I put them on. I steal Felicity's shirt too, grateful to get out of this blood soaked one. It drops to the ground with a quiet heap but loud enough to be heard when you're trying to be silent.

"Look, I know you're listening. I know you're there." I mentally slap myself for letting the shirt drop like that.

I go back to the kitchen counter where the first-aid stuff was and I put everything I took out of it back in. I zip the red bag back up and put that and a bunch of other useful stuff from the medicine cabinet into the backpack. I go to the fridge next and fit as much water bottles and canned food as I can into it.

"Ethan says you don't remember me. That you don't remember any of us. He said you don't remember Serenity or what happened in our home."

I stop what I'm doing, my heart fluttering in my chest. A heavy feeling sinks into the bottom of my stomach.

The conversation I had with Ethan in Austin's room surfaces in my head. Ethan giving me a half-smile and then saying, "but for real. Lance, Kaleb, Shelly, Serenity..do any of those names ring a bell?"

I'm still, hovering in front of the backpack in a crouched position. My hands drift down from where they're holding the bag and my eyes lower to the ground as another memory comes to mind.

Me sitting on the ground, stunned with grief and surprise while my little sister coughs hysterically in front of me and a girl in the background screams, "Lance, do something!" That's when Serenity gets shot.

"I beat myself up about it everyday. You said she was alive and I made Lance pull that trigger. Maybe Serenity would still be alive right now if I hadn't said those words.."

It goes silent on the other end.

A lump forms in my throat and a tear slides down my cheek as my lungs dare to suck in a heavy breath of air.

A sniffle, "I'm so sorry Elizabeth..I should've just stayed quiet. I'm having such a hard time forgiving myself. I know it's not you I should be apologizing to, that I should be apologizing to Serenity but she's not here..so I was hoping you could forgive me. I talk to Serenity everyday- or at least I try. I'm hoping she can hear me. I pray every night."

That heavy breath of air comes into my lungs as more tears fall from my eyes.

The doorknob turns but does not allow entrance.

"Can you please open the door?" The girl pleads. "It's me, Shelly!" You could hear the smile on her lips as she says this, hopefully.

I wipe the tears from my eyes and get to my feet. Effy looks to me for permission to open the door.

"Don't open that door," I tell her, firmly.

Shelly goes quiet on the other end.

I put the gun on safety and tuck it into my butt pocket and I hang the backpack over my shoulder. I wasn't entirely sure how I knew how to do that or the fact I knew to do it at all. It felt natural.