Execrable

Chapter 3

As soon as school ended, I rushed home, barely acknowledging my friends' worried glances. My thoughts raced, tangled with questions that only Bellatrix could answer. The walk home felt endless, every step weighed down by the anxiety gnawing at my insides.

When I finally reached our small, cramped apartment, I found Bellatrix sprawled on the couch, headphones on, completely oblivious to the storm brewing outside her bubble. She looked so carefree, like she didn't have a single worry in the world. It only made my anger and fear swell even more.

I yanked the headphones off her head. "Bellatrix, we need to talk. Now."

She jumped, startled, her usual mischievous grin faltering when she saw the seriousness in my eyes. "Hera, what the hell—"

"No, you don't get to brush this off," I interrupted, my voice shaking with barely contained emotion. "What did you do? What did you steal from Lisa and her gang?"

Bellatrix's eyes widened, and she quickly averted her gaze, her usual bravado crumbling. "I... I didn't mean to, okay? It just... happened."

I clenched my fists, struggling to keep calm. "Bellatrix, you have no idea what kind of trouble you've gotten us into. They want it back, whatever it is, or they're coming after me. What did you take?"

She bit her lip, clearly wrestling with whether or not to tell me. Finally, with a resigned sigh, she reached into her bag and pulled out a small, ornate box. It was intricately carved, almost ancient-looking, with strange symbols etched into its surface. It didn't look like something a high school student would have—more like something that belonged in a museum.

"I found it during that camping trip last summer," Bellatrix confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't think it was theirs. I thought it was just some old, abandoned thing... but when I showed it to Lisa, she freaked out and demanded I give it to her. I refused. I don't even know why, but something told me not to."

I stared at the box, a cold dread creeping up my spine. This wasn't just some petty theft. This was something bigger, something we couldn't even begin to understand. "Bellatrix... we need to give this back. Whatever it is, it's not worth the trouble it's causing."

"But it's mine," she argued, her stubborn streak flaring up. "I found it. Why should I give it to them?"

"Because they're not playing games, Bellatrix!" I snapped, my fear boiling over into anger. "They threatened me today. If you don't return it by the end of the week, they'll come after me. Do you really want that on your conscience?"

Her defiance crumbled at that, and she looked down at the box, guilt washing over her face. "I... I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just... I wanted to keep it because it felt important, like it was meant for me."

I softened, seeing how conflicted she was. "I know you didn't mean to, but sometimes holding onto things that don't belong to us only brings more trouble. We have to find a way to fix this, and the first step is giving that box back."

She nodded slowly, her fingers tightening around the box as if reluctant to let it go. "Okay... I'll give it back. But... what if it's too late? What if they don't accept it?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," I said, hoping to reassure her even though I wasn't sure myself. "For now, we just need to do the right thing."

Bellatrix handed me the box, and I couldn't help but feel a strange, almost electric sensation when I touched it. Whatever this thing was, it was more than just an old artifact. But I pushed that thought aside. First, we had to survive the week.

"We'll take it to Lisa tomorrow," I decided. "Together. And we'll hope it's enough to make this nightmare go away."

Bellatrix nodded, though I could see the worry etched in her features. As I tucked the box into my own bag, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over—that this mysterious object was just the beginning of something much bigger. Something that might change our lives even more than last summer had.

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New Chapters would be out every Saturday.

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