Autumn Powell is excited to help her cousin Lily by inviting her to stay with her and her boyfriend until she can get back on her feet. What is intended as an act of kindness, may turn into dangerous confrontations with the shadows from Lily's myste...
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"Lily," Autumn says calmly, though she is feeling much more than the calm she is forcing out of herself. "...I know that none of this was easy for you to say," she glances at Eli who is still contently sitting outside. She recalls his same words to her...on matters that were hardly as serious. She swallows and looks back to Lily. "But thank you for telling me, I...I just want you to know that you're safe now."
Autumn almost reaches her hand out to touch Lily, but the thought alone feels foreign and she doesn't in case it becomes a little too robotic.
Lily stares down at her cup. "That's the thing," she starts. Her voice is so quiet Autumn has to lean in. "I don't think I'll ever feel safe."
Autumn can see the tears as they attempt to collect. Suddenly, she reaches a hand out and grabs Lily's, which causes her to look up suddenly. "You are safe!" Autumn's voice comes out with so much determination that Lily looks almost scared for it to be true.
The Diner door opens and in comes Eli along with the sound of a bell. He waves at the half-asleep person behind the counter and then goes to Lily and Autumnn. he puts a hand on Autumn's shoulder in a familiar and comforting fashion. "Hey...I think we should get going now."
Autumn looks up to Eli and nods. She looks at Lily. "Come on, let's go home."
Lily looks down again and nods.
Autumn notices how her body seems like it can barely hold itself up let alone make it to their apartment which is only two blocks away.
Eli keeps his arm around Autumn as she stands and walks out with them. Autumn grabs Lily's hand and doesn't let go of it as the three leave the Diner in silence. They move like reverent zombies up the stairs to their apartment and the only one to make a sound is Eli as he lets out a yawn once in the apartment.
They close the door and don't bother to turn on any of the lights as Eli makes it to the bathroom and Lily and Autumn move to the room. Both the girls lay in the bed. Neither moves for a moment. They just stare at the dark ceiling, the only sound is still the rain outside.
Then the bathroom opens flooding the room with light that is blinding compared to the dark. He turns it off quickly, leaving barely any light. He moves to the room with the girls and then leans over Autumn and whispers. "Hey, I gotta get going."
She turns her head and looks at him. "What time is it?" she sits up suddenly and can barely see his face in the dark. "Oh shit! you didn't get any sleep! Are you gonna be okay? You can call in or something!"
"It's alright, Professor Claflin is kind of nutty about attendance, he has a two strikes policy. I can always take a nap when I get home or something." then he lands a kiss on her forehead. "You get some sleep, and take care of Lily." he whispers the last part even lighter, as to keep her from hearing it. "I love you."
The two linger and then Autumn kisses him again and wraps her arms around his neck. "I love you too," she whispers in his ear and then hugs him even tighter.
