The falls

chapter 46

Lilien awoke on the creaky porch of the Mystery Shack, her head pounding and her limbs stiff from her fall through the rip. The memories of her experience in the Silver City lingered, sharp and vivid in her mind. She had touched heaven, if only briefly. The rope that once tied her to Bill's device was gone, and the cold morning air bit at her exposed skin. She sat up slowly, realizing where she was.

Inside, through the open window, she could hear panicked voices—Neomi and Jessica. They were freaking out, searching for her, their voices a mixture of worry and frustration.

"Where could she have gone?" Neomi's voice trembled.

"I don't know!" Jessica replied, her tone equally anxious. "She wasn't at the log cabin, or the northwest mansion... it's like she's just gone!"

Lilien stood, rubbing her arms to bring warmth back into her body. Her legs wobbled beneath her, but she made her way to the door and slowly pushed it open. The creak of the hinges stopped both girls mid-sentence. Their heads whipped around, eyes wide, as Lilien stepped inside.

"Lilien!" Jessica yelled, rushing toward her. Neomi followed quickly behind, her face a mixture of relief and anger.

"You're back!" Jessica wrapped her arms around Lilien in a tight hug, squeezing as if afraid she would disappear again. "We were so worried!"

Neomi, however, lingered behind, her arms crossed, her brows furrowed. "Where the hell have you been?" she demanded, though the relief in her voice was evident beneath her frustration.

Lilien hesitated, feeling the weight of what she had done pressing heavily on her chest. She pulled away from Jessica slightly, meeting Neomi's concerned gaze. "I... I need to explain something. I went through the rip."

Both Neomi and Jessica froze, their expressions shifting from worry to disbelief.

"Through the rip?" Neomi's voice was sharp, her eyes narrowing. "As in, the one Bill was messing with?"

Lilien nodded, guilt coursing through her. "Yeah, I—I went through it to help Bill understand it. I needed to see where it led. I didn't tell you guys because... well, I wasn't sure what would happen. I wanted to know if it would actually take me to heaven, to the Silver City. And... it did. I saw it, Neomi. I saw heaven."

The room fell into an awkward silence, Jessica and Neomi staring at Lilien as if trying to process what she was saying. Jessica's expression softened first, while Neomi's only hardened.

"You did what?" Neomi's voice was low and tense. "You helped Bill? You went behind our backs and helped our enemy figure out the rip? What were you thinking?! You could have died!"

Lilien bit her lip, her stomach twisting at Neomi's words. "I know. I know it sounds bad. I wasn't trying to help him, I swear. I just... I needed to know if it was heaven, if it was real. And it was. And technically I did die because only dead people can go to heaven but that's besides the point. The rip is stable now, but Bill still can't control where it leads. At least not yet."

Neomi shook her head, stepping back as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You helped him understand the rip. What if he uses that knowledge to get what he wants? What if you just gave him the key to creating weirdmageddon without the mess of other dimensions involved?"

Jessica, however, moved closer to Lilien, her hand resting gently on her arm. "Neomi, wait," she said softly. "I know what Lilien did was... risky. But because of her, we know more about the rip too. We know it can connect to heaven. That's important. Maybe we can use that against Bill somehow."

Neomi's jaw clenched, and she looked between Lilien and Jessica, her eyes blazing with a mix of hurt and anger. "You don't just... help the enemy like that. How can we trust anything you do now? how can we know you aren't going to get yourself killed?!"

Lilien stepped forward, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Neomi. I swear. I didn't think it through, and I know I messed up. But I needed to see for myself. I'm sorry."

Neomi closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "You went through all of this alone. You didn't tell us. You didn't trust us enough to be a part of this decision. That's what hurts the most. we could have been there to help you if things went wrong, but we weren't because you didn't trust us. you technically died but came back this time. but what if you didn't come back?"

Lilien swallowed, guilt tightening her throat. She hadn't realized how deeply she'd hurt Neomi by acting on her own. "I know. I'm sorry. I should've talked to you both before doing anything."

Jessica squeezed Lilien's hand, offering a small smile. "Neomi, I think Lilien's trying to make it right. We know more now, and we can figure out what to do next, together. Maybe this was a mistake, but we can work with what we've learned."

Neomi's expression softened slightly, though her arms stayed crossed defensively. "Just... promise me we won't make decisions like this without talking to each other first. I don't want to go through that again. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

Lilien nodded quickly. "I promise. From now on, we're in this together."

Neomi finally uncrossed her arms, stepping closer to both of them. "thank you,"

Lilien and Jessica both nodded, relief flooding through Lilien's chest. For now, things were okay. They had made it through one challenge together. But as they all stood there, the enormity of what lay ahead weighed heavily on their minds.

Bill was still out there, and the rip remained a dangerous unknown. They had to be ready.