Vision

Chapter Fifteen

Edited

Once arriving at my parent's house, I go straight to my room. A shower and change of clothes are the first things to tackle. But after that, I lay in bed for as long as they allow it.

Lillian sleeps in the spare room down the hall. It was the same room Colton slept in when he stayed here. Guilt and my own stupidity cloud my judgment. I should've seen it. Looking back at his behavior it was so obvious.

Many people check on me several times throughout the passing days. But no one pressures me to get up, move around. It's like they're scared of me, of the things I went through. Colton did achieve one thing. I'm slowly closing myself off, secluding myself from those that truly love me.

It takes days for Lillian to ask, "do you want to talk about it? I can be a great listener." She perches on the edge of my bed, expectant of getting her friend back.

A lump immediately forms in my throat. If I were to tell anyone it would be her. "That night I walked home, someone attacked me. It wasn't Colton. He hired some random guy to do it for him. He beat me up pretty good." They probably think Colton is the one who gave me all these bruises and scrapes, but it wasn't. But it doesn't mean that he isn't the culprit of some of them.

She doesn't speak, silently urging me to continue, "there were things there, at the country club that were in my apartment. He had to have snuck in, broken in and taken things. It was all so well planned out."

My eyes meet hers, "There was someone else there. Her name's Amelia. She's in love with him...Colton," it's still difficult to say his name. "She stood by through everything and let him terrorize me. She was at Oasis." This has Lillian jumping from the bed, shouting 'no way' before slapping a hand over her own mouth. "But, she decided to help me in the end. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be there."

"Well, you're not there anymore. You're safe."

I flash her a smile, but keep my words to myself. I'm not safe until they've found him.

***

Nearly a week later, we're called into the station. Hopefully with good news.

Back in a private room, the same officer as before, he tells us what he believes is good news. "We found four bodies within the house. We believe they were your assailants. Two men and two women."

My mind races. Two men, two women? Then I remember the man and woman that served us, his workers. Amelia has to be the other woman. They all died? Tears roll from my eyes and I'm unsure if it's with relief or sadness. I knew Amelia might not make it out of this alive, she had to know that too, but a part of me wanted her to alive. I never got to thank her. As for the other two, I never had any interaction with them. They could've been accomplices just as Ameila was.

One of the two men has to be Colton. It has to be. The officer wouldn't have such a prominent smile on his face if he wasn't.

"I want to see them," I blurt out. This gets horrified looks from not only the officer, but my parents and Dylan as well. They try to talk me out of it, saying that their bodies are going to be gruesome, but I needed reassurance that this was over.

Against what they want, we go to the morgue. I tell my parents that I can do this alone, that they don't need to see this, that they don't need to worry about me. With hands covering their mouths and stern eyes, they let me walk into the room, but I'm not alone. Dylan and a officer joins me. He holds my hand as we walk up to the first of four covered bodies laying on metal tables.

The mortician uncovers the first body. He's the man that served us our food. I walk to the next one, Dylan following at my side. When the next one is uncovered, I let out a held breath. She's the woman that had helped serve us.