(Song for this chapter: Intro by the xx)
I see him. In wild color, I see him. His face is pale, drained of all color, but eyes still a peircing and vivid green. The rope around his neck has left bright red and pink burns. I see that for the first time since the wake, too.
Michael. My Michael. He's standing close enough for me to touch. The world behind him twists and blurs in a kaleidoscope of color and he is a sharp outline of everything he was supposed to be. He smiles at me.
"Mikey?" I say. My words sound like they're under water. Michael twists and blurs like everything around him, and as i reach for him he is just out of my grasp.
"I'm sorry Nina, but you should have known better." He says. His voice, once soft and sweet when it said my name, is distorted and rough. He weaves his way through the crowd and I follow him outside. Everything is so quiet, but so loud at the same time. Theres a buzzing in my ears growing louder and louder. Oh god, what did i take? I cant breathe. I cant think. All the while i think i can hear Michael faintly behind me.
Your fault. Your fault. Should have known. Your fault
The last words he ever said to me echo through my head. Louder and louder, they grow to a scream I can feel building in my throat.
i hate you
I hate you
I HATE YOU
Luke's voice sounds behind me. "Nina! Where are you?" it calls. I'm far beyond it. Far beyond this city, this world.
This is hell, I think.
Mikey wraps his arms around me.
"Baby, wake up." he whispers.
The scream begins before I can stop it
"Nina!" Luke catches me before I collapse onto the cold concrete.
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When I wake up, I'm in Luke's bed, wrapped up in one of his flannels. He sleeps soundly next to me. Calum is asleep in the chair in the corner of the room, legs draped over the edge of the arm. Alice sits on th floor beside the bed. She looks up at me, her normally electric blue eyes pale and bloodshot.
"Did you see him too?"
"Yes."
