Havenfell

Chapter 31: Facing It All Over Again

(Content Warning: This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, death, and disturbing themes. Reader discretion is advised.)

The days had blurred together after Bree's death, each one blending into the next, a haze of grief and shock that Felicity struggled to see through. The group had become a shadow of its former self, broken and weary. To distract themselves from the weight of their losses, they decided to go out for lunch together, a tentative attempt to reclaim some semblance of normalcy.

The small, cozy café they found offered a brief respite from their collective sorrow. Felicity looked around at the familiar faces, each one etched with lines of exhaustion and pain. Nathan and Callum sat close together, their hands occasionally brushing in a silent exchange of comfort. Juno, her eyes still red-rimmed from crying, forced a weak smile as she listened to Nathan recount a funny story from their school days. Pete's empty chair loomed like a ghost, a stark reminder of their latest loss.

Felicity tried to engage in the conversation, but their mind kept drifting. Their gaze wandered to the window, where a group of children played, their laughter a sharp contrast to the heaviness inside the café. Felicity's thoughts turned inward, replaying the events of the past days in an endless loop. Bree's lifeless body, the blood, the chaos – it was all too much.

After lunch, they walked back to the hotel in silence, the camaraderie they'd once shared now fractured. The familiar sight of the hotel's exterior brought a sense of dread. Felicity's heart sank as they noticed a commotion near the entrance. Rin stood facing Alex, their posture tense, while Alex's face contorted with rage.

"Rin, just drop it," Felicity heard Nathan say softly, his voice filled with concern.

Rin's voice was steady but filled with an undercurrent of anger. "You can't keep doing this, Alex. You can't keep hurting people."

Alex's eyes were wild, his face flushed. "You don't understand! None of you understand!" His voice grew louder, more frantic. "I've done what I had to do. For us. For our future."

Juno stepped forward, her face hardening. "Alex, this isn't about us. This is about you and your twisted need for control."

The group watched in stunned silence as Alex's fury escalated. He turned on Rin, his eyes blazing. "You think you're better than me? You're all just pretending! Pretending like you care, like you understand. But you don't. You never did."

Rin tried to speak, but Alex's voice drowned them out. "Shut up! Just shut up!"

In a flash, Alex pulled out a knife, the blade gleaming in the dim light. The air grew thick with fear as he lunged at Rin. Felicity's breath caught in their throat as the blade found its mark. A sickening sound filled the air, and Rin's eyes widened in shock.

"Alex, no!" Juno screamed, her voice breaking.

Rin staggered, their hand clutching their throat as blood poured out, staining their clothes. They fell to the ground, their eyes pleading for help that came too late.

Felicity felt their knees give way, collapsing onto the pavement as the scene unfolded. Nathan and Callum rushed to Rin's side, their hands trying in vain to stop the bleeding. The hotel staff and other guests began to gather, their faces a blur of horror and disbelief.

Juno's sobs filled the air, a raw, agonizing sound that tore through Felicity's disassociated haze. They crawled toward Rin, their vision blurring with tears, but they were too late. Rin's body lay still, the life already gone from their eyes.

The world spun around Felicity, and they felt a scream building in their chest, a scream that refused to come out. Everything felt unreal, like a nightmare they couldn't wake up from. Juno collapsed beside them, her hand gripping Felicity's, and together they wept, their tears mingling with Rin's blood on the cold, hard ground.