𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙛 '𝟖𝟑 - 𝐵.𝐸

32 - 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘖𝘧 1983

I felt his weight over my face, collapsing onto me. The pressure lifted, and I gasped for air, my vision still dark. I looked up, as she stood there, wide eyed and a bloody rock clutched in her hand, Billie.

My weak hands rolled Sam off of me, his back facing upwards in the creek. I grabbed my bleeding head, gasping for air, before my sore red eyes searched for her. Her face was shocked, her eyes blue and wide as she looked down at Sam's unconscious body, someone she had known forever. The rock slipped from her fingers, landing with a dull thud in the creek. She didn't blink once.

I lay there, stunned, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The cold water soaked into my clothes, the chill finally penetrating the numbness that had taken hold of me. The stars seemed to spin above me, the enormity of what had just happened crashing down on me like a tidal wave.

Billie stood there, her chest heavily moving up and down, the silence between us thick and heavy. I could see the questions in her eyes, the fear and confusion. She had saved me, but she had no idea what she had just stepped into. The forest, once a place of mystery and secrets, was now a graveyard of betrayal and death.

I struggled to my feet, my legs shaking. The world around me felt surreal, like I was moving through a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. It was only supposed to be Beth. I walked closer to Billie as she slid down to the ground, her back leaning against an old oak tree.

"Billie... I'm sorry." I said, grabbing her hand. She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears and confusion.

"I'll tell you everything, just breathe, okay?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Jo...what is this?" Tears ran down her face as she looked to me for answers. "What did I do?" She repeated, just like I had hours before when I looked at Jessica's brown eyes staring at me from deep within the tunnel.

I couldn't answer her. The weight of everything was too much, the words stuck in my throat. I looked around, the forest closing in on me, the shadows seeming to reach out with accusing fingers.

"Are you hurt?" She asked, her eyes trailing across every inch of my body, seeing the blood hiding the scratches and bruises that covered me.

"I'm fine-" I said, trying to reassure her.

"No, you're not. We need to get you help." She said, trying to stand up before I pulled her back down, staring steadily into her eyes.

"Billie, listen! Just calm down, okay?" I held her hands in mine. "He ran at me... chased me through the forest and attacked me-"

"I ran in to find you, I thought you were doing the sacrifice." She said, her voice shaking.

"I wasn't Billie, I-I'll tell you... I just want to make sure you're okay first." I exhaled, looking behind me at his body halfway in the water.

"Fuck!" Billie said loudly, my hand slapping against her mouth, not wanting anyone to hear us.

"Someone will hear, Billie!" I whispered, pulling my hand down.

"I want them to. We should wake up Mrs-" She started, but I interrupted her.

"Bil..." I said, trying to calm her.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"We can't wake anyone up." I said, my voice low.

"Why not? I-I just... I killed him. I didn't mean to. I just wanted him off you..." She said, her voice breaking, tears rolled down her face as her eyes turned a lighter blue.