E C H O E | h.s. Fanfiction

*Chapter Six*

The rain hit the windshield in steady sheets, blurring the world outside as we sped down the road. It wasn't the same kind of downpour that could soothe you; it was the kind that drummed against the glass, making everything seem worse. I sat in the backseat, next to Lisandra, gripping the seatbelt across my chest like it could somehow ground me. But nothing could. Not after what happened.

"Where's my brother?" My voice cracked as I spoke, eyes darting between the back of Kyle's head and Elowen in the passenger seat. My breath hitched, panic creeping up my throat. "We shouldn't have left him. We need to go back!"

"Layla," Kyle said, trying to keep his voice calm, but there was an edge there, something clipped. "Your brother is safe. I checked, okay?"

He glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyes locking with mine for a second, and I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter. He was trying to keep it together, but I could tell he was shaken too.

"I don't care what your GPS says, Kyle!" I snapped, my voice higher, almost hysterical. "We just left him there. Alone. After... after..." My words fell apart, and I buried my face in my hands, my mind spinning with images of the chaos at the cemetery.

"I texted the guard," Kyle's voice broke through my panic. "He's heading back to his hotel. Your brother's already on his way. The police are there. Okay?"

Safe. He kept saying that word like it meant anything right now.

I turned to Lisandra, who sat stone-still beside me, her face pale and drawn. She hadn't said a word since we got into the car, but I knew she'd seen something. I could feel it in the way she had grabbed my arm right before the gunshots rang out.

"You saw something," I said, my voice trembling but insistent. "Lisandra, you came to me... you knew something was about to happen."

Lisandra shifted uncomfortably, but still didn't say anything. She just stared out the rain-soaked window, like the world outside was far safer than whatever was inside her head. Elowen glanced over her shoulder, concern etched on her face, but she didn't say anything either. It was like we were all too scared to really dig into it.

"I swear, Kyle," I whispered, leaning forward, "We should go back. We should tell them what Lisandra saw."

"She didn't see anything," Kyle replied sharply, his patience fraying. "We're not going back. It's not safe."

"Safe? Since when are we safe?!" I almost yelled, my voice cracking with fear. I felt like I was losing my grip, and the edges of my world were crumbling around me. I had to do something. I had to go back, I had to know my brother was okay. I wasn't sure I could breathe until I saw him with my own eyes.

Kyle's jaw clenched. "We're not going back to a place with active shooters, Layla. It's not a discussion."

I glared at him, tears blurring my vision. "You didn't see her face!" I shot back, pointing at Lisandra. "She saw something, Kyle. Why can't you see that?! She—"

"Layla, enough!" Elowen finally snapped, her voice shaky but loud enough to cut through the storm between us. "Kyle's right. We need to get to safety first. We'll sort everything out after."

I swallowed hard, trying to choke down the sobs building in my throat. "He's my brother... I just... I can't lose him, too."

"You're not losing anyone," Kyle said through gritted teeth. His knuckles were white against the steering wheel. "You just have to trust me."

Trust. That felt like such a hollow word right now.

I turned my gaze back to Lisandra, who sat rigid, her face blank, but her eyes haunted. I knew she was holding something back. She had come to me right before everything went wrong.