Dying to Breathe

10.1: get over it or solve it

***CW: mention of a unalived body

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you're doing well. Finally starting chapter 10, yay! Pls listen to this song while reading. Idk about you, but I relate to it way too much.

Chapter 10, Part 1: Get Over It or Solve It

"Let's make a bet."

Rolling to her side, Penelope felt the residue toxicity of alcohol swim through her veins—her head spinning violently with each breath. Knowingly, a sun-kissed hand pushed the waste bucket towards her just as she keeled over the side of the bed, throwing up nothing but stomach acid and water from the night before.

She felt her hair being pulled roughly into a bun at the top of her scalp as she groaned in discomfort, "What do you want?"

"I bet that you won't be able to do it."

Penelope frowned, shoving the bucket of her stomach debris away before flipping back over. "You're just vaguely stating something unspecific without risking anything—that's not a bet." She pointed out, watching the green sparkle at her mischievously.

Laughing quietly with only the smallest of smiles on her lips, Millie took a seat on the bed, cocking her head to the side. As the dark strands partially hid her face, she nodded slowly, leaning into Penelope's space. "If you lose the bet..." She whispered, her dark green eyes flickering between her identical ones, "...you'll die."

Penelope blinked, her heart dropping into her stomach as she sat up, "That's not funny, Millie."

"If I lose the bet," She continued, her whispering eerie voice seemingly coming from the inside of Penelope's own head, "I'll die."

Penelope sat up with a start, her heart pounding in her chest as the shrill noise rang out into the dim, empty room. Placing a hand on her chest, she closed her eyes.

Just a dream.

Her phone rang out again beside her as she carefully picked it up and answered the impatient caller calling so early in the morning. Gulping down the lump in her throat, unease settled around her as she spoke with a squeak, "Hello?"

"Morning, princess," She heard the familiar voice; the once calming humming sound sending her body into a frozen state immediately.

"Dad?" She swallowed back the thickness in her throat again. If they were calling a day early (since they had plans to talk on Sunday), there could only be one thing it was about.

Millie.

She heard her father exhale, controlling his breath before forcing the words out, "There was some news on Millie's case Friday afternoon...Your mom and I decided it would be best to not worry you during school hours."

Penelope felt the spinning in her dream earlier become a staple of her reality as she focused on breathing through the nausea, listening intently.

"A body was found in the woods near the bar on the outskirts of town."

Penelope stopped breathing, shaking her head, "She's not dead." She spoke mechanically, refusing to believe it. "It's not her."

"I hope not, honey." His voice shook, "But the body... it wasn't..." He struggled, "Animals had—It wasn't... W-what they found wasn't... recognizable—the authorities aren't even sure how long it had been out there for."