SHE DIES AT THE END

CHAPTER TWO : Old connections

Evelyn dials the phone to the woman who helped her try to get justice for her sister. The one person who wanted that for her. Valerie. Val answers the phone disoriented, "Am I reading this number right? Is this really Evelyn?" Evelyn sighs and smiles at the sound of her voice. She truly finds so much comfort in it. "It is, It's Evelyn." Val rubs her forehead rather confused, "I haven't heard from you in 20 years. Are you okay?" Evelyn doesn't know what to answer. She is okay but she isn't okay all at once. Evelyn starts crying. Val sighs as she hears the sniffles from the other line, "Ev... What's going on?" Evelyn's heart skips a beat at the use of the nickname. "It's happening again", is all she can seem to muster up to say. Valerie knows exactly what that means and sits up from her chair, "Where?" She knows how much this might be affecting Evelyn. In between tears Evelyn tells her there's been 2 murders in the next town over so far. Two murders within 28 hours. The two sit on the phone not quite sure what to say. They know the truth. They know the truth about what happened to Evelyn as a kid, how it wasn't just a tragic accident. Valerie knows more than most, Valerie is the reason Evelyn knows everything. Val releasing this information is also why she's now fired. Valerie doesn't know what to say to comfort her. They haven't spoken in 20 years and have no idea what each other's lives are like now. They're different people who have this one incident in common. Valerie takes a deep breath, "What are you gonna do? I know you want them all dead but you can't. You know how they work. They have a target and they don't get called back to home base until that target is dead. Everyone else is just practice." Evelyn sighs knowing she's right. Knowing how the kids that died at camp that day including her sister and friends were just collateral damage to get to her. Something that she will forever feel guilty about even if it's not her fault. Now these 2 kids murdered in the town over are adding to the list of collateral damage. "I just don't know what to do Val. I have a daughter. I can't have her be killed just because she's in the way or just because she's practice! She means everything to me." Valerie sympathizes thinking of her own daughter she has messed up her relationship with, "I have a daughter too. It's terrifying to think of either of them getting hurt because we didn't do enough to stop this back in '01." Evelyn nods realizing that she was right to call Valerie. She knew Valerie would really be the only one to understand. "Are you gonna be okay tonight?", Valerie asks with concern in her voice. Evelyn takes a breath before answering, "I will be. I don't know how much I'll sleep considering I am currently responsible for 3 teens but I'll be okay." Valerie bites her lip at the end of the call simply hesitating, "Would you wanna... I don't know... Meet up? Grab a coffee? Discuss? I know we live near each other based off the fact we're both worried for our kids in the same area." Evelyn gives a little chuckle and thinks of what her life could've been with Valerie in it this whole time, "Yes Val, let's meet up tomorrow. I'm not leaving my house or my girls therefore you're gonna have to come here or something." Valerie agrees as they hang up. Valerie falls back into her chair with a wave of guilt. She knows how much this has affected Evelyn over the years and she feels terrible she didn't do anything to stop it before she got fired. Evelyn deserved better than that.

•••

The next day, the 3 girls walk out from Maeve's room half asleep still confused and worried about Evelyn's behaviour the night before. Evelyn smiles at them as they take a seat and she serves them breakfast. She notices the stares, "Girls I'm okay. I'm sorry about yesterday. I just got alarming news." Maeve, with her mouth full of toast turns to her mom, "I don't believe you but okay!" She says muffled. Evelyn walks behind her baby and grabs her in a surprise hug, "You better believe me!" The pair giggle as Willow and Pip laugh at Mae's muffled talking due to her mouth full of food. Evelyn takes a deep breath, "Anyway! I have an old friend coming over today and I do not want any of you going out so would you mind just hanging in the basement? I'll be in the living room. Please?" Pip smiles at the woman who's become more of a mother to her than her own, "Yeah that's fine! Why don't you want us to go out though?..." Evelyn starts anxiously trying to cover up what she said, "I didn't say that! I said I wanted you guys around not that you couldn't leave!" The three teens share a look with each other as Evelyn walks into the other room, head in her hands. She can't believe this is her life now. The clock strikes noon and Evelyn shoos the girls away to the basement. The 3 go down mocking her as they think this friend is secretly a boyfriend of hers. Evelyn rolls her eyes and takes a seat waiting on Val. She walks over to the mirror and looks herself up and down making sure she looks good. She realizes this and hits herself in the head, "You're such a bonker! She's just a friend!" She shakes off her nerves and takes a seat once again. She has never felt so uncomfortable in her own home before. So many parts of her want to tell her daughter, Pip and Willow the truth. She wants to tell them what's really going on but she doesn't entirely know herself which is rather frustrating.