Honesty Falls

30+6

"I say if someone is trying to kill her, let them have her. As far as I can see, she's nothing but trouble."

That comment from Vallen didn't help her tears.

Pike's hysterical laughter didn't help either.

Someone started to come to her, but Conway's staff hitting the floor stopped him. Henry handed her a hankey that Benjamin handed him.

She tried to stop crying, but she had a lot to get out and her breakdown didn't seem to care that she had an audience.

Amidst the sounds of her tears, the meeting started back up.

After a few moments, Vallen cussed, and his chair hit the floor. "All of you are as crazy as she is."

"He's gone. Nigel, you can comfort her now. Benjamin, do you have another hanky?"

"I'm okay, Mr. Churchill. Please continue. You said that we need volunteers to form a watch?" Her voice ended on a sob.

Mr. Churchill winced. "Nevaeha, we can handle everything. You can be excused. Tell Silas to keep his eyes open. We want him driving you to and from school."

"And don't worry about teaching tomorrow. You need time to regroup, is all."

"Thank you, Mr. Herrmann. Benjamin, for the hanky and Nigel for the hug, I'll take a rain check."

"Sure, Nevaeha."

It was still dark outside. The sun was still a few hours from making an appearance.

Her feet knew the way home well.

She'd only taken about forty steps when she stopped. A shadow moved away from a storefront.

"I knew you were crazy enough to walk home by yourself. In the dark, when there's a killer after you."

"I thought you hoped that someone rid the world of me. Either way, I'm safe. The town is taking extra precautions to keep it that way."

"Yet I don't see any of them offering to walk you home."

She swiped at the last of her tears. "I wouldn't take you for the kind of guy who walks a girl home."

"I'm not. Are you going to walk or not?"

She was unsure what this meant. She couldn't feel anything off him, and she knew from the hum of the necklace at the base of her throat that the spell was still working. Her feet started moving again, and he fell into step at her side.

"Why do you walk when you don't have to?" He asked once the town was behind them and only darkness laid before them.

"Habit. I only got that power about two years ago and I've walked this path more times than I can count. Plus, I like it. A person can do a lot of thinking while walking home." She paused and took a look around. "He's gone. I can hear the crickets and the frogs. The wind."

"Who's gone?"

"Your friend. He's haunting me."

"You mean Pike?"

"Yes." She waited until they were walking again before she stole a quick glance at him. He was looking ahead, his face giving nothing away. His voice was calm. Calmer than she's ever heard it.