Mania

Chapter 9

Jesse

Just do it, Jesse. This fucking bastard killed your parents and tried to kill your friends. He doesn’t deserve to live after everything he’s done to you.

No, Jesse. Don’t do it. You’re smarter than this. Let the police handle it. You’re not a killer. Don’t stoop to his level. Don’t give him the satisfaction.

After a few more moments of consideration, I dropped the knife and Adams’s smile broadened.

“I knew it,” he said. “You’re not a killer.” 

He picked up the knife and jammed it into my stomach in less than three seconds flat.

I cried out and fell backwards, yanking the bloodied knife out of my flesh and tossing it aside. I tried to ignite myself with my power, but I felt too weak.

Adams grabbed me by my shirt and punched me hard in the face. I heard my nose crack. 

“You’re pathetic!” he hissed in my face. “You’re weak!” 

Everything hurt. Adams climbed on top of me, the knife raised in the air.

“You were always a fucking waste of space,” he said, laughing.

The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the basement door being kicked open and someone shouting, “Drop your weapon! Hands in the air!”

~ ~ ~

Ireland

“Hey, Sunshine,” I said to Jesse as his eyelids fluttered open. He bolted up.

“Where am I?” he said, trying to pull the IV needle out of his wrist.

“Whoah, Tiger,” I said, pinning his wrists to his sides, “it’s okay. You’re in the hospital.”

“Why?” Jesse asked. “God, I really hate hospitals.”

“The good news,” I said, “is that the police found you in the basement, passed out. Adams was on top of you, about to kill you. They restrained him and he’s in prison now.” Jesse relaxed, breathing regularly.

“Oh thank god,” he breathed.

“And the bad news,” I said, sighing. “Your parents really are dead. There was a funeral for them, but you were in a coma and you couldn’t go to it. Everyone else did, though. You had stitches on your stomach, your nose is broken, and you probably shouldn’t walk for a while.”

“Well, shit,” Jesse said quietly, wiping the tears out of his eyes. “Anymore bad news?”

“The hospital food sucks.”

“It was sarcasm, Ireland.”

I grinned, leaned down, and kissed him softly on the lips.

“I know,” I said. “Everyone’s worried about you. I have to go.”

“No!” Jesse groaned, holding my wrist tightly. “Don’t leave.”

“There’s other people waiting to see you,” I said. “I’ll be back.”

And then I said three words I’d never said to anyone before: “I love you.”

Jesse’s eyes got big and they turned that awesome shade of purple. I blew him a kiss and his hand snatched up faster than the speed of light to catch it.

~ ~ ~

Julia

“How is he?” I asked once Ireland came out.