Rogue | outer banks

Flashback 10

A Few Weeks Later

The following days after the 'mysterious disappearance' of Colin and Laurie were a blur of grief and guilt. However, as time passed, the wounds began to heal, but the memory of that day continued to linger like a stubborn shadow.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rafe's voice trailed behind me as I ascended the stairs. His uncertainty was palpable, a reflection of the doubt that gnawed at my own resolve.

But I couldn't turn back now.

"Amelia, hey!" Rafe's call echoed through the empty staircase as I halted abruptly, waiting for him at the top of the stairs. He caught up, placing his hands on my hips and gently guiding me to the side. "Amelia, this is insane," Rafe protested as we walked down the long corridor.

"She's Colin's mum, Rafe," I replied, my voice carrying the weight of our shared responsibility. "And look where she is because of us," I added, my gaze fixed ahead.

Colin's mum, once a pillar of strength, now languished in a psychiatric ward, the fabric of her sanity unraveling in the aftermath of her son's supposed disappearance.

"Coming here is the least we owe her," I said softly, my words carrying the weight of the guilt that had haunted us since that dreadful night.

"Oh, yeah, that's great," Rafe replied with an amused scoff. "And what exactly are you gonna tell her?" he asked rhetorically, his tone edged with a bitter truth. "We're Colin's friends, and he's pretty much dead because of us," Rafe whispered with a harshness that stung.

"You got visitors," the nurse announced, diverting our attention as we walked into the designated room for visitors.

Colin's mum sat at a table alone, her fingers engaged in a nervous dance, ripping away the tiny skins around her nails. The sight sent a pang through my chest – a visual representation of the unraveling we had inadvertently caused.

"Serena?" I called out softly, my heart tightening.

The woman looked up, and a rush of emotions threatened to spill over. Colin and she were so similar. But the woman before me bore no resemblance to the vibrant woman I had met before – it was as if she had aged a hundred years since then.

"Hi," I greeted with a gentle smile, my voice laced with hesitation. "I'm Amelia. Amelia Thornton? Do you remember me?" I ventured, acutely aware of the fragility of the situation. "I used to be a good friend of Colin's. And this is Rafe," I gestured towards him. "Rafe Cameron?"

Serena shifted her gaze to Rafe, who offered her a tight-lipped smile before her attention returned to the relentless task of picking at the skin around her nails. The air grew heavy with an unspoken tension, and I could sense Rafe's silent suggestion that perhaps it was a bad time.

"Maybe it's a bad time," Rafe whispered in my ear, his concern palpable.

"Bad time?" Serena scoffed, her tone bitter. "I don't know anything about what happened to my son," she continued, her words striking like a blade through the air. "They didn't even let me give him a fucking funeral because there was no body found."

The words hung in the air, and it felt as if someone had sent a knife through my heart, slowly turning it around. The pain in Serena's voice mirrored the guilt that had haunted me since the day Colin and Laurie died. I swallowed hard, grappling for words that could bridge the gaping hole of silence between us.

"I'm truly sorry," I whispered softly.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Serena's eyes bore into mine, seeking answers that I couldn't provide.