The boy stood in front of the freshly dug grave, tears wetting his cheeks. A single daisy he picked on the way over was clutched in his hand. The white flower had stood out against the dying grass, persistently holding onto life despite the weather.
He knelt by the grave.
His chest ached, like a giant hand had punched his heart out of his chest, leaving a raw aching wound in its place. The tears continued to flow, and he sniffed.
“I’m sorry, Evie,” he said. He let the tears flow, not even bothering to wipe them away. “I’m sorry for everything- every petty argument and-” He sobbed.
The wind blew through his hair and dried his tears. His cheeks flushed from the sudden cold that his drying tears created.
With a pale, trembling hand, he placed the rumpled daisy on the mound of overturned dirt, the crumpled petals moving in the wind.
He knew her body wasn’t underneath the flower and dirt, but he felt like he had to make it up to her somehow. Knowing he shouldn’t stay any longer, he stood, his knees popping.
“I miss you, Evelyn.” He turned around and walked out of the graveyard, the metal gate shrieking to a close.
Not once did he turn back. If he did, he might’ve seen Evelyn looking between the daisy and him, confusion written all over her face.
|<>|
A blue Ford pickup truck came to a stop in front of a brick house.
Nathan glanced around, looking for Evelyn. She was nowhere to be seen. Good. He didn’t want her nagging him the entire time, telling him it was a bad idea.
Nathan pulled on his shoes, hurriedly tying up the shoelaces. Lacing up that last of his shoe, he got to his feet.
The horn outside honked.
Something coiled deep in his stomach, and Evelyn’s words came back to him. I don’t think you should go see this Aeron guy. There’s something off about him.
Brushing it off as nerves, he hurried to the truck, locking the front door behind him. He jogged up to the Ford, throwing open the door before sliding in.
“Hey, Aeron.”
Aeron’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his grip white. His eyes were red and swollen and his cheeks flushed.
“Hey, are you okay?” Nathan asked.
“I’m fine,” he gritted.
The truck pulled away from the curb, the engine purring beneath them. Aeron kept his eyes forward, never saying a word to Nathan.
|<>|
The Burger Shop at the edge of town was empty, save for the odd old couple that could be found at their table alternating Fridays.
Nathan and Aeron sat at a table in the corner, one wall containing a window facing the dense forest.
“So…” Nathan began, unsure what to say. “Crazy weather we’ve been having, huh?”
Aeron popped a couple French fries into his mouth, his dark eyes staring at his greasy burger. He swallowed.
“Yeah. Lot’s of storms. People are prepping for a harsh winter ‘cause fall’s early this year.”
“Yeah.”
An awkward silence fell between the two. Aeron grabbed the straw wrappers off the middle of the table and started to fold it. Nathan fiddled with his straw.
Aeron surprised Nathan by speaking first. “How have you been since after Evie died?” he asked cautiously.
Nathan froze like a deer in headlights. His hand paused halfway to his hamburger, the fingers just about to brush over the seeded bun.
“I-uh…. um…”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to answer.”
“No, it’s fine,” Nathan said. “It’s just hard to talk about. You know?”
“I know.” He took a swig of his drink, the carbonation making his tongue tingle. He swallowed hard before picking out his next question with care. “Do you, I don’t know, suspect anybody?”
Nathan furrowed his brow, the seeds of suspicion planted deep in his gut. Evelyn was right. He was acting.... off.
Could he possibly know?
“Well… no. Not really. Even the police haven’t figured it out.” Nathan tapped his finger against the lid of his drink before taking a sip. “How about you? Do you suspect anybody?”
Nathan leaned forward and crossed his arms. Their food lay untouched on the table, a smudge of ketchup on the plastic surface.
Aeron looked at the ketchup like it offended him and wiped it away with the corner of his napkin. Crumbling it up, making sure the ketchup was in the center of the napkin, and spoke.
“I think it was someone close to her.”
The two boys glowered at each other, daring the other to say it.
Aeron looked away first, grabbing his cheeseburger and taking a bite with his eyes studying where the food once was. They finished their meals in awkward silence, every now and then looking up at the other.
Aeron’s mouth felt dry, his tongue like sandpaper. His hands began to get clammy, and even wiping them off on his jeans didn’t help.
He took a sip of his soda, hoping that it would fix his parched mouth.
Nathan finished his hamburger, wiping the ketchup off his fingers on his jeans. He stood, pulling on his jacket, and threw his trash away.
The sky outside was starting to fade into twilight, the sun sinking below the horizon. Dusk wrapped its dark fingers around the earth.
Aeron stood up, wiping his fingers off on a napkin. He dumped his stuff, and taking one last sip of his drink, he tossed it in the trash.
Nathan walked outside, a chill biting at him. He shivered and pulled his jacket on tighter. Aeron was unaffected by the cold, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.
He fished a silver key out of his pocket and stuck it in the keyhole in the side of the car.
The headlights danced and bounced around the dark as they drove away, illuminating trees in perfect circles. The sun sunk below the horizon, plunging the whole world in darkness.
Nathan frowned. “Aeron, we’re driving the wrong way to my house.”
“I know.”
Worry knotted up his stomach, fear creeping up his spine. Evelyn was right. Something was really wrong here.
His hands grasped his seat belt, the material digging into his palms. Every nerve in his body was screaming, telling him that something wasn’t right.
His voice shook when he asked, “Where are we going?”
Aeron didn’t reply.
The car swerved out onto the shoulder of the road. Nathan could hear his heartbeat in his ears, fear making it beat even faster.
“Get out of the car,” Aeron said, his voice cold. But Nathan could hear the slight tremor in his voice.
Nathan obliged, unbuckling his seat belt with a click. His knees shaking, he got out of the car, unsure whether or not her should close the door. He opted not to.
Aeron got out, slamming the door behind him. Teeth clenched and nostrils flared, he slammed Nathan into a tree. The rough bark of the tree dug into his back, scrapping his skin off with sharp stings.
“What are you doing?” Nathan asked, his voice shaking but angry.
The golden light from inside the car shone on Aeron’s face, casting elongated shadows on his face. Tears filled his eyes, making his eyes glisten.
“What do you know?!” Aeron’s voice was hoarse, but force was put into his words.
One arm pinned Nathan’s throat, threatening to cut off his air supply. Aeron’s other hand gripped a handful of Nathan’s shirt near the collar.
The road was deserted, and Nathan lost hope of a car driving by and witnessing what was happening.
“Answer me,” Aeron demanded. His arm pushed against Nathan’s windpipe and Nathan choked. Panic flooded his senses, and his face turned beet red. Aeron loosened the pressure.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Nathan choked. HIs hands weakly scratched against Aeron’s arm, trying desperately to get him away.
“Yes, you do!” A single hot tear trailed down Aeron’s face, and Nathan watched it confused. What the hell was going on?
Nathan tried to reason with him. “Aeron, I don’t know what you’re talking about. But maybe if we just take a step back and talk…”
“You do. You know exactly what I am talking about.” Aeron’s breathing was heavy and labored, and the delirious look on his face scared Nathan. “You know who killed Evelyn, don’t you?”
Nathan’s eyes widened, and he almost laughed. “Me? Know who her killer is? Yeah right. If I knew who killed her…”
Aeron’s face screwed up in confusion. “What? You don’t know?” He sounded… unsure of himself.
“I swear,” Nathan began slowly, “that I don’t know who killed her.” Hope bloomed in his chest, and he tried to suppress it. Who knew how Aeron was going to react?
Aeron let up on Nathan, his eyes clouded and confused. “You’re sure you don’t know who killed her?”
Nathan locked eyes with him. “I swear that I don’t know who killed Evie.”
Aeron nodded like Nathan passed some kind of test. He got back in the car, firing up the engine.
Nathan hesitantly followed, closing the car door, and the light faded out in the car. The whole ride back to Nathan’s house, he sat there tense and rigid, ready to dash out of the car with any wrong move.
The car turned a corner, and Nathan almost cried with relief. His house was dim except for the light in his sister’s room. His dad must’ve gone on another business trip, which meant that Grandma was sleeping on the couch.
Nathan clicked his seatbelt and opened the door before the truck even came to a complete stop.
“Thanks for the ride,” he called over his shoulder, slamming the door shut.
“Nathan, I’m uh- look. I’m sorry about-”
“It’s fine.”
Nathan walked up to his house, his breaths coming out in white little puffs. Winter really was coming early. About three months too early.
He fished through his pockets and retrieved his house key, jamming it into the lock and opening the door.
The house was dark, and soft snoring came from the living room. Nathan shut the door quietly behind him, checking behind the curtain to make sure Aeron drove away.
With a sigh of relief, he let the curtain fall back over the window. He slipped his shoes off and crept up the stairs, avoiding the steps that creaked.
“Nathan?” Sage poked her head out of her room, the scent of burning candles and smoke wafting out of the room.
“Hey, Sage.” Nathan sniffed the air and frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Oh, um, I’m trying aromatherapy. You know?” She gave an awkward smile before it dropped off her face. “Can I talk to you?”
Nathan sighed, the pain in his back radiating in waves. His throat still felt tight from the lack of oxygen. “I’m actually really tired. Can it wait until tomorrow?”
Sage faltered. “Oh yeah. Of course. Sleep good.”
“You too.”
|<>|
The heavy scent of smoke hung low in the air, along with the scent of vanilla.
Three candles laid on the floor, on the south side of the circle made of salt. Their flames flickered, casting moving shadows over Sage.
She sat, crossed legged in the middle of the circle of salt, double checking her work.
To the south of the circle, the candles sat flickering; a potted plant on the opposite side. And on the sides of the circle were a bowl of water and a black crow feather.
She looked down at the ancient book in her lap, a diagram painted onto the thick page. She pulled an ornate knife out from behind her, the blade glinting in the candle light.
The handle was black, with amethysts and diamonds encrusting the smooth surface. Near the end of the hilt, a crude pentagram was scratched into the surface.
Using the blade, she scratched into her wooden floor. She connected the items together, the end result a pentagram.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, causing the contents of her stomach to swirl.
Her slender finger traced the words of the spell, her teeth biting her lip in concentration. She begun the spell, the words sounding elegant and dangerous. Blazing bluish white light filled up the scratches of the pentagram like blood filling up a cut. The light reflected in the same shape on the ceiling.
Sage’s hair fluttered as if an invisible wind ruffled through her hair. Her skin looked pale in the strange light. Dark purple shadows danced along the room, eerie and haunting.
She closed her eyes, her eyelids looking a faint purple. Her lips moved with grace, the words rolling and dripping off her tongue.
The light shot up from the ground, reaching the ceiling in a wall of light. It spread outwards from the ceiling, the fingers of light crawling over the textured surface.
Sage’s blonde hair, now a bright silver in the light, floated around her head. The words came faster and faster, the chanting becoming a soft hum.
The tendrils of light spread outwards, reaching the windows and doors and spreading outside.
Outside, the light started forming a giant dome around the house. It slowly melted downwards, until a dome of light surrounded the entire house.
The white light flashed and became a burning blue before it faded away.
Inside the circle, Sage’s eyes fluttered open, the iris swallowed up by the pupil. Her eyes returned to normal, and her heart skipped a couple of beats. She slumped to the ground, her body sprawled out against the floor.
The scratches in the floor healed themselves, the wood growing over the imprints.
The candles flickered out, letting the dark shadow envelope the room. The outside light faded away until all that remained was the faintest shimmer. The thick book fell off her lap and thumped to the floor, falling face down.
Sage’s conscious welcomed the looming dark, needing a rest after the straining ritual. Her eyes shut, her body slowed down, until it was just her heartbeat filling the silence.
The rhythmic thumping of her heart lulled her into a deep sleep.
A/N: I wrote this awhile ago, and honestly this is my favorite chapter.
Question: What do you think about Aeron now?
Answer in the comments below! Also, go and vote on my new story I will be posting, Hourglass, to let me know that you guys want the story!
Also, the beautiful new cover was created by taylorink! (isn't it gorgeous?) :D