twisted beautiful things

xxviii. chasing

xxviii. chasing

'life's got me by the neck, with a blade against it

cause i was running late for the train and i missed it

the only thing i feel is pain and vengeance

so imma act out like a raging misfit'

(nf)

>>>

atticus

"They're gone." Kennedy's voice is panicked through the phone. The uneasiness of her tone that is normally composed and confident sound has me sitting up straight immediately, already beginning to feel the panic slipping through my bones.

"They're gone-I-I-" She's a jumbled, blubbery mess and I jump to my feet, despite the ache that darts to my head.

"Kenny baby slow down," I say, keeping my concern and panic out of my voice in hopes to calm her down.

"They're gone," She says tearfully, "My-my parents-and Grandpa Zeke-I went with Aidan for a few hours but then when we got back no one's here when they said they would and there stuff is all here-"

"Well maybe they decided to go out?" I say calmly, aching to be there with her.

"No Atticus you don't understand. One of them would've told me they were going somewhere, and their stuff is still here, like their cars, their phones-"

"Maybe they went to see a neighbor?" I suggest, and she catches a breath, swallowing her tears.

"Okay," She says tearfully, "I'm gonna-gonna go check. Aidan baby come here-"

There's some shuffling and I feel a clawed hand slip through my chest and squeeze around my heart.

Everything lately has been too weird and spooky. The thought of what Kennedy is going through-not just with her missing family but also her baby, our baby- I just can't imagine. It makes me want to hop a plane and fly down there as soon as I can.

"Do I need to come down?" I ask her and I can almost see her struggling, hear a door close.

"No," She says, her breaths evening out, "No, don't-stay where you are. It's just, Atticus, I've had this nightmare before. Coming back to an empty home- like I mean, when I was a little girl I used to be so scared that I would go to school one day and then when I walked home nobody would be there because they were taken away by-" She sucks in a breath, "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm crying-"

"Don't apologize," I sink down on my bed and run a hand through my messy hair, exhaling a breath.

"I'm- me and Aidan are at our neighbors" her voice has quieted. "Call you back?"

"Yeah," I'm uncomfortable with the idea for some reason-I want to be there right with her. But I hear a knock and then her whisper of "i love you," and then the phone cuts off.

I pull it away from my ear and blink at it, trying to register everything that has just happened. Swirls of fatigue fog up my brain and I groan, stuffing my face in my pillow.

She worries me.

Goddamnit, now I won't be able to sleep. Not like I've been able to anyway.

Ever since I got the news about the baby, I threw out everything drug-related in my house and have now been trying to detox at home. I know it can be dangerous to do it on your own, but there's no way i can go to a hospital for it. And my addiction isn't too bad-I would imagine the symptoms of withdrawal would be mild.