The Panic of Fear (Book One of The Fearful Trilogy)

Chapter Thirty Six

  I wake up to something swinging me around roughly. I see the smile again. "Will you just kill me you bastard?!" I scream at it. I hear laughter in response and sigh. "I'm not getting a nice and easy death am I?" Louder laughter.
  I want to cross my arms but of course I'm in my cocoon of death. I want to slip into another memory so I can die happy. But I don't think that's going to happen. I try to free at least one of my arms but it's useless.
  The Smile just tightens it's grip. All of a sudden I hear a Floofic scream. Now I really want my arms back. The Smile drops me and I land on my shoulder.
  "FUCK!" It hurts so much. How high up was I? Zodiac comes over. "Why don't you find some soap?" I glare at him. "Because. Cursing reminds me I'm alive. And it gets the anger out."
  He just rolls his eyes and I pet him on the head. "Good job." I try to stand up. My legs feel like jello but they work now. "Finally. I can walk!" "Stop celebrating about something stupid like that and get out of here." I glare at him again.
  "Did you hang out with Reine recently?" I don't get an answer and just figure he did. I find my flashlight and try to flick it on. Nothing. I bang it against my hand.
  It turns on. I pick up Zodiac and place him on my not hurting shoulder. We walk down a hallway and I see a door. "Every door I open has a new horror. Let's see what this one has."
  I open the door but it's an empty room. "No. I don't believe this for a second." I rub my shoulder and walk forward ready to swing my flashlight at anything. "Alex?" I hear a voice call from the darkness.
  "No." I don't believe it. Chris calls out to me again. "Alex? Please be you." I swing my flashlight around and find him huddled in a corner. He's wearing the same thing he was on our date.
  How long ago was that? It feels like years. I don't want to believe it's him. I don't want to fall for another trick. But the way he looks at me. I walk over to him.
  I gently place a hand on his shoulder. "Alex. You will not believe what I have seen." I give a laugh. "I'm pretty sure I could." He throws his arms around me knocking me backwards.
  He burys his face in my chest and I feel happy once again. I notice he's covered in dirt but then again I probably am too. He looks at me tears falling from his eyes.
  "Thank you." I can't help but smile. I reach out and run a hand through some of his hair. Now I know why Jordan liked doing that so much. "Why are you petting me?" Chris asks. I laugh and shake my head. "I'm not petting you. Just. Trying to get the dust out." I don't want to tell him my ex boyfriend used to do that.
  He'd kill me. Anything's possible now. I stand up and reach my hand out. He grabs it and pulls himself up. "Please tell me you don't have your cat with you." I rub my neck. "Do you take him everywhere?" I smile. "He follows me when he has no food. I can't stop him." I explain.
  Chris just rolls his eyes and I smile. "Let's get out of here." I start hearing childlike laughter. "Now!"