Chapter 74:
Arabella's POV:
When I woke up, I knew exactly where I was. I recognized it by the blue-and-white checkered tile floor in the living room. And by the lamp on the far side of the room.
I was in the house we lived in when Noah was little. Before we moved next to Sam.
"Wh... Why am I here?" I ask, not expecting an answer. But I hear chains. Slow footsteps.
"Who's there?" I ask. But nothing.
More slow footsteps and the sound of chains dragging.
"Hello, Kitten," a deep, raspy voice bellows.
Only one person in the world has ever called me Kitten.
"Dad?"
"That's right."
He steps into view. The scar below his eye makes me shudder. "You miss me?" He has a belt in his hand. "You miss my belt?"
I don't reply. "Didn't think so."
He takes a step forward, but I step back. "Aw. You scared?"
I look at him. "No."
"Don't lie." He raises his belt as if to hit me, but I move out of the way just in time. He breaks a vase.
He snickers.
Something inside of me dares to say, "Aren't you scared? You killed your wife, and now look what you're doing to yourself..." I feel bigger now. Braver. This is something I've dreamed of saying since last May.
He contemplates something in his head for a moment.
"Do I look afraid to you?!?" He yells as he goes to hit me with the belt. But I catch the belt before it can hit me. "Do I?" I reply. He looked defeated. He stepped back and looked at his hands. And then I turned around. "The thrill is gone," I whisper.
And then I woke up. Outside, in Sam's backyard. Sam and Chandler are on either side of what was the fire. It's just a couple of red ashes now. It's probably around 4:30 in the morning. It's almost dawn.
I realized what's been bothering me for the past several months. I've been afraid of my dad. But... I'm not anymore.
I'm not.
I guess I was being too loud because Chandler woke up. He stretches. "How long you been up?" He asks.
I just huddle under the blanket staring at the ground. "Not long."
"You all right?"
"Yeah."
"Your hair's messy."
"Shut up," I smile and throw a rock at him.
"Ow, that was my tummy!" He whines and tries not to smile.
"I aimed lower."
"Oh."
We just talked about random stuff. But then I got mad because he wouldn't tell me what happens in the second half of Season 5!!
"What happens?"
"I already told you. I can't tell anyone."
"You can tell me."
He shakes his head.
"Just tell me what happens after Beth died."
He shakes his head again.
I gasp. "Does Carl die?"
"No."
I smirk. "Crap! Don't tell Robert Kirkman!"
I giggle. "Your secret is safe with me."
"I can tell you something else about the show."
"What? What? What? What? WHAT?" I reply quickly.
"There will be zombies."
"I hate you."
"Love you too."
Then his a shadow forms across his face and he looks worried.
"What is it, Chandler,"
"Nothing. Just tired." I nod.
Chandler's POV:
I look at Arabella. I've only known her for a few months, but I think we're really close.
And the fact that she doesn't like me the way I like her really hurts.
"Arabella?"
"Yeah?"
"What woke you up? Anything?"
"My dad. Well, I mean, a dream about my dad."
She tells me about her dream. "Well, you see, I'm no dream expert," I begin, "but I think that symbolizes that you're no longer afraid of him because he couldn't get to you. You didn't let him. You barricaded his attack which made him weak. You said 'The thrill is gone' because the thrill your dad experienced is no more."
She looks me in the eyes. "Are you sure you're not a dream expert?"
"What?" I laugh.
She smiles. "That sounded like something Ed Sheeran would say." I raise my eyebrows and smirk.
She looks shocked. Her jaw drops open and she asks, "Are you Ed Sheeran?"
"Maybe." She giggles and looks up at the sky.
"It's such a pretty night. Too bad it's freezing."
The stars gleam and glow. "It looks better in the summertime," I admit. She nods.
"Life is always better in the summer."