——
"Caily!" her head flicked to the sound of my voice. We dashed towards each other with wide arms, our eyes tearing up.
I immediately engulfed her into a tight hug, her body gave comfort and safety as I felt her against me. I missed her so much, and we both knew what it takes to survive one of these nights. And I've always hated it. Since it was hard to keep her protected behind me, I didn't even know how to protect myself. But she was everything to me, and that soon changed. I swore to myself I will do everything to protect Caily. Anything.
She buried her face into my sweater with dripping tears, I kissed and held her head tight and safe, I wanted her to know that she was safe. Because she was.
We met gazes as she wiped her face clean, my hand still caressing her head. "It's okay, Caily. You're safe now." I tried to keep my voice from quivering as I gave her a teary-eyed smile.
Almost. I almost once again lost one of them. I don't care what it was that was living and lurking around us in these woods. I'm not gonna take any risks of getting any one of them hurt. My heart pounded so heavy I had to grasp it. I want to believe they can handle themselves but...
'Mom...'
There was a tight knot in my guts as the memory of my mother flashed before my eyes. And as I was at the verge of breaking down, I brought my attention back to the world around me, to Caily in front of me.
I smiled at her and she pulled me in for another hug. My heart pounding in comfort as I listened to her breaths.
"Leeia!"
Suddenly we heard Charlotte's yelling voice approaching from behind. And as we faced them, she quickly hooked her arm around me for a hug, her other arm around Caily. Lilith was behind her, and so she just watched us with a faint smile on her face.
"Charlotte, you okay?" I asked, holding her shoulder lightly. She released from me wiping her eyes and sniffing.
Caily made eye contact with her, and as she smiled, Charlotte's quivering lips slowly gave the smile back to her.
I went behind and hugged Lilith after. I caught a glimpse of her shaking hands that she was trying to calm down, and I held it lightly.
We all stood before Charlotte's house who currently had no visitors or any party happening in it. The police had dismissed all the people invited and gave a call to all their parents. The colors red and blue from the police cars flashed and blinked all over our surroundings, bunch of police officers scattered around the area talking and writing reports. They were all here now, and we were safe at last from this nightmare.
Ambulances were also involved and invited to assist any of us who had been injured. Aiden was currently being treated, my burns and stabbed skin had been cleaned and wrapped up properly. They told us to stay in the ambulance though we just had to reunite and recollect ourselves.
And... Xavier, he's already been brought to the hospital, and is currently being treated. There was not a second in this moment where his face did not appear behind my eyes. I swore to myself I will get to him as soon as possible, and pay for everything he needed.
"Guuyss!!" a loud cracking voice of a man made our heads turn towards the open ambulance stopped by the house.
Aiden was limping lightly and waving his arms in the air like a kid. Keane followed behind him after talking to the officer that had treated Aiden.
Caily stepped forward, a wide smile on her face as she copied him and stretched her arms up high. "Aiideen!!" her voice rang out, Aiden quickening his pace towards her.
