Map to Redemption

Day 2 (Part 1)

A/N: I've been struggling through this for a long time. My headaches are still a big problem, unfortunately, and moreso with the relentless hot weather this summer. This chapter is already at 5k words and nowhere near the end of the day that it's mean to be, so I decided to post it as is, and the rest of day 2 will come as a second part. Sorry in advance for any errors; I edited many times, but my brain is on permanent malfunction.

Lyra woke with a pounding heart, visions of Richy's body on the floor still flooding her mind. She sobbed, dragging herself upright, and grabbed her phone. Jake was already calling her and started speaking before she even said hello. He didn't have his voice modulator on, and her heart leaped at the sound of his true voice in her ear.

"Lyra! Are you alright? What happened? This is not how you explained the spell to me."

Lyra was relieved to know that Jake remembered everything and that he was still fine. There was a light admonishment to his tone, and it shook away some of her upset. Rather than being annoyed, it amused her. She knew he was only behaving this way because he was concerned, so she gathered her thoughts before speaking.

"I'm just sad, and shocked. We shouldn't be talking on the phone like this, though. Shall I come to you? I need–"

"No. I will come to you. I'll be there in 10 minutes." Jake disconnected before she could say another word.

Lyra sighed, knowing that there was no point in asking him to wait the 30 minutes it would take for her to arrive on foot. She texted him that her room would be unlocked and went into the shower. When she came out, he was perched on the edge of her bed (the only place in the room to sit). He was wearing a black fleece vest over a dark gray, long-sleeved shirt with his standard boots and black cargo pants. A black hoodie sat neatly folded on the bed next to him, and his backpack sat at his feet. He balanced his laptop on his knees. It warmed her heart to see him within her space. He belonged there, just as he was in her heart.

He set aside the laptop and stood as she exited the bathroom, searching and analyzing her face as he moved closer to embrace her. Hearing him sigh, she sensed that he felt the same relief and comfort as she did in being close together. It was a balm to both of their souls.

"I have never seen someone die before," she murmured. "Let alone someone that I know, someone who seemed so full of life. Why did he try to run, Jake? Was it your gun? Or me saying his name and making him feel exposed? Could we have done something differently?"

She gazed into his eyes, feeling antsy. "I would like to return to that house and wait for him downstairs so that we can talk to him without the danger of him falling down the stairs again. We need to fix this, Jake. I can't live with the idea that anyone has to die."

Jake acknowledged the gesture by raising his chin, but gently restrained her, calming her frantic movements. "Tell me how you worded your spell," he requested. "Did you use my name?"

He had a habit of asking questions, even if he already knew the answers, as he enjoyed gathering information to confirm his thoughts.

Lyra sensed that this was one of those times. She shook her head immediately. "I thought of you as I recited it, but I didn't mention your name in case anyone was within hearing distance. Also, I'm unsure of your last name, so I didn't want to use the wrong one."

She raised an eyebrow at him, wondering if he would tell her his full name. He raised an eyebrow back, waiting for her to tell him about the spell. She chuckled and shook her head.