CHASING ASH (GXG MAFIA) BURN THE DEVIL SEQUEL

Chapter Twenty Three

My feet dragged themselves up the stairs to the apartment, huffing and spitting curses at the broken elevator that forced me to revert to exercise. My mind was floating between yesterday's conversation and Carmilla, their faces blending into one as I took my final step up the stairs. My eyes feel as though they're on fire after staying up all night to read over the divorce papers and taking little breaks to cry and drink, spiraling until my alarm shook me back to reality. Work consisted of a lot of hums and eye rubs, counting the minutes down until I saw Carmilla tonight. My keys dangle between my fingers as I rub my shoes on the exterior mat, my eyes falling to the 2 pairs of muddy shoe print next to mine four feet imprinted beside me. That's weird, did he bring someone with him? I push the keys into the keyhole, spinning it slightly before it blocks. It's open.

"George?" I call out as I open the door, finding his now brown stained white sneakers on the shoe rack. Without looking, I drag my shoes off with my feet before stepping into the silent hallway. "George? Are you here?" I call out once more, the silence making my heart cool into a frost of anxiety. I try to ignore the gut feeling in my stomach telling me something is off as I tread into the living room, only to be met with complete silence. Maybe he left his shoes here because they were ruined by the rain...? I sigh in uncertainty as I make my way to the bedroom, the atmosphere eerie when I see my bedroom door open with the lights on. My fingers pulsing, I carefully step forward, creaking the door open slowly, my eyes shutting instinctively to the unknown possibilities. A cold wind whispered through the room as I inched my eyes open, my body frozen as I looked down at the red puddle by my feet. My eyes shoot forward to find George a few meters in front of me, his back facing the ceiling as he laid gray. "Oh my god" is all that comes out as I sprint towards him, my knees giving way as I fall beside him. "George, George, baby" I mumble as I lift his side to look at him. Suspended in time, he stares back at me, his once glowing green eyes now a shade of muted gray.

"George, no, hey, wake up!" I plead, my eyes blurring as I gently tap his cheeks, his blood tainting my cold hands, warming them. Time slowed into a crawl as I wiped his face clean, his soul fading around me. My chest burned as my trembling fingers traveled to his back, gripping him into a tight embrace, our last dance until we meet again. "Please Georgie, please come back" I cried, wishing he'd listen and do as I ask. My tears washed down on his face, wiping his blood away as I held him warming his body with the pulsing heat in mine.

My mind spirals, trying to find something to do, something to fix it. Gently I place him down on the floor, resting his head under the tossed pillow beside us. Shuffling on the floor, I crawl over to my bag in the corner of the room, having no memory of how it ended up there. My vision completely blurred, I pulled everything out in a hunt for my phone. I need help, I need to call someone. I exhale sharply once I find my phone before I switch it on, the blood on my hand making the touch screen do whatever it wants. I screech in anger as I wipe my phone and hand on my trousers, quickly getting back to where I need to go.

"Emergency, which service?" a lady answers, her voice stoic and calm as I pant trying to get the speaker to switch on. "Hello? Do you need fire, police or an ambulance?"

"Yes, yes I'm here. Ambulance, no, police. No, ambulance, fuck, just anyone, please, he's dead" I stammer, my body crawling back to George as I lay the phone in the blood soaked carpet.

"Address please ma'am" the woman asked, the typing background muffling her voice. Everything seems to go blank as she speaks, her words muffling themselves into a jumble. "Ma'am? What's the address so we can send someone over?" she repeats, her voice snapping me back to reality.

"Uh- yes sorry, Dorman Avenue, Emerald House, flat 18. Please I need someone, I don't know what to do "I stutter, my voice distorted under my whimpers.