The Death Kiss (Nanowrimo)#wattys2017

Chapter 21: The fire

"It was Me." I heard a soft voice behind Chase.

"I should have known that." I shook my head.

Chase looked at Gabriella like he had seen a ghost. He opened his mouth to speak several times but then decided to remain quiet.

All he could utter was a little "Wow".

She smiled," You must be Chase."

He nodded silently.

"What do you want?" I asked.

" You're quite lucky, Adrian has not escaped from the police station. He's still there, answering their questions like a normal human being."

"What does that mean?" Chase asked me.

"It's a long story." I said without taking my eyes off Gabriella.

Gabriella stood next to Chase, and rubbed the back of her hand with his. Chase folded his arms at once. At the very next moment, she placed a sharp knife at Chase's neck. Unfortunately, the parking place was in the basement, which remained almost deserted after 8am. Gabriella took the advantage of the moment. It was so sudden, that I let out a loud scream.

"What are you doing, Gabriella?"

"Don't take a single step, or I'll slit his throat."

"No, don't... Please." I begged her.

I saw Chase tightening his fists. I knew, he was going to push her back. But I looked into his eyes, and somehow he understood me. He relaxed his body at once.

"What do you want?"

"You know, what I want."

I took off my pendant and threw it on the ground.

She whispered to Chase," Pick it up for me, Will you?"

Chase bent down at once to pick the pendant from the ground. Gabriella snatched it from his hand and vanished away.

"Are you alright?" I hugged him so tight.

"Yes. i'm okay." He reciprocated my hug so warmly.

I took a deep breathe and inhaled his scent. I had forgotten how he used to smell in the last few months and it felt so good to hug him again. I had forgotten how it actually felt to feel safe in somebody's arms.

He tightened his grip around me, and I knew, he was thinking the same.

"I love you, Lily."

I remained quiet, as the answer of this sentence had already confused my life enough. I pushed myself back, away from him. He pulled me back and kissed my lips.

"I LOVE YOU, LILY."

I turned around and started walking towards the classroom.

I spent whole day talking to an empty seat next to me. I told Marie about the new gossips that I forgot to tell her earlier. I told her about my re-growing feelings for Chase. I told her all my problems, and it felt so good. When I left the school, I was feeling lighter than before. I was still not ready to accept the fact that Marie would never sit next to me ever again. She would never laugh at my jokes. She would never tell me the gossips. She would never have her birthdays.

She would just not live anymore now.

I rubbed away the tears from my eyes and drove back home. I was about 15 minutes away from home when mom called. She sounded so scared, that I felt the floor slipping underneathe my feet. I thought of every possible bad thing that could happen.

"Mom, Is everything alright?"

The few second pause felt like hours.

"Your music teacher.... He was a murderer... Where are you?"

"I'm almost home. What are you talking about?" I pretended.

I was so eager to know about Adrian. That I couldn't wait to reach home.

"Adrian Jones has been arrested from a local restaurant last night. They said, that he is a serial killer. And when he was being arrested, there was a girl with him who might have been his next victim. I am so scared. Where are you, Lily?"

Mom's words made my throat dry. I couldn't wait to reach home, and listen to the news. What if they found out about me? I had no idea what was going to happen.

"I'll be home in 5 minutes." I assured her.

I accelerated my car and reached home within 2 minutes. I threw my bag on the floor, and sat on the couch to watch the news.

"Adrian Jones aka James Wilson , a wanted psychopath strikes again." The newscaster started her 3pm news.

It was told that Adrian accepted everything, and he would be taken to Prison within two hours. The police tried their best to ask him about the girl but Adrian didn't say a single word.

He was protecting my identity.

Whenever the newscaster mentioned a girl, my mother looked at me. I was sitting at the edge of the couch, ready to hear my name on the enws.

Finally she spoke," By any chance, do * I know this girl?"

"What do you want to say... It wasn't me, Mom." I lied.

Mom turned off the Tv.

"I can't believe it. I was about to send you away with him to that Music competition. I just can't believe it, how could I trust a stranger like this." Mom kept repeating.

"Its alright. I haven't gone anywhere. Just leave this matter"."

"How can I leave it? He was there, around us for so long, and we never noticed his odd behaviour."

I remained quiet. Mom spoke again, "You were out last night..."

I interrupted her," IT WASN'T ME. TRUST ME!" I lied again.

I turned the Tv on again. And the breaking news was being displayed.

"The police Station caught fire due to unknown causes"."

The cameras showed the large building of the Police Station was burning with violent Fire. I saw people hanging out from the top windows, screaming for help. The fire was so wild, that it took over all the entry and exits gates in a little time. I couldnot utter a single word. I knew, Adrian was behind this.

This time, it wasn't only Marie, or Nathan. He went beyond the level of single killings. It was a mass murder movement this time. Adrian was hunting people down like animals. I saw people being burnt alive in that fire.

I felt nauseated and my head became so heavy. I tried to stand up from the couch, but I couldn't.

Everything blacked out at once.