Snow and the Wishing Well (Fallen Tales series)

Chapter 40

Chapter 40
Sarah
"I just can't stop thinking about it," I stated as we lied on the bed of the hotel room.
Justin's fingers brushed my bare hip where the jumper had risen.
"Thinking about what?" he asked.
"Billy, I mean, what about his family?"
"I didn't realize he had family," he said.
"Yeah, he does. A brother in Australia, a niece."
"What made him come to London?" he asked, letting his hand move further up my side.
"Mmm, He was in Vietnam and moved over here after the war ended. He left everything behind."
"No wonder he liked you so much," he said surprising me.
"What?"
His smile grew wide as he tilted head, "You both left everything behind. You had so much in common."
"But he didn't even know about Vitoria or even Willow Tree Abby."
"Maybe he just knew."
I smiled thinking about it. Maybe on some level he did know. Was that why he took me under his wing? Why he defended me from Steve? He must have noticed my accent, even Steve did. He must have.
"Has the police spoken to you?" Justin asked.
I shook my head, biting my lip, "Not since that..."
"It's okay," he reassured me.
"They asked all the question they needed to, there."
He nodded.
Tears started to form as I thought about him.
"He was my best friend, Justin," I croaked, "He was the only person that didn't judge me for what I did. He supported me and made me feel good about myself."
He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight.
"I know, and if I knew how to make it better, I would."
I smiled, feeling a little bit better.
"I mean it, I would do anything."
"Even, dance for me," I suggested.
"I-I could be i-into that."
I giggled just at the idea.
"Like with scarfs."
"Scarfs? You would be turned on by that?"
"Yeah," I lied, "And body glitter too."
His jaw dropped and his eyes widened.
My giggles became louder and I decided that this was cruel.
"Of course not," he sighed in relief, "Would you have seriously done that?"
He shrugged, "May – no."
I giggled again, as he brought his lips mine.
I couldn't picture my life without him. I knew that I could get through the most hardest times  as long as I was with him. Only with him, I could make it through.

I was in my room. The curtains were drawn and my eyes stung from tears. I realized that this was the night that my father died.
Sarah!
I heard my name as if it had been coming from inside my head.
Sarah!
The voice called again, drawing me to the gallery just outside my room. My legs trembled as I walked over to the railing. Victoria stood in the middle of the void with three hostages tied to chairs. My heart started to pound as I realized who they were.
Billy...Heather...Justin.
But Billy was already dead. Head back in the most unnatural position. Blood running down both sides of his chin and covered his chequered shirt where the knife lied.
I started to choke on the lump in my throat. Tears fell and fell from my eyes like rain.
"Choose one!" she yelled taking out her knife.
I crouched down when my legs couldn't hold me anymore.
"No! No! No, no, no!"  I cried shaking my head.
"Fine," she said bitterly, letting me have a little hope.
That was until she stabbed the knife in Justin's back.
"No!"
I shot up in the bed, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped off me as I tried to catch my breath. I jumped when I felt Justin's cold hand against my shoulder.
"Hey, hey, what happened?" he asked.
I couldn't tell him. I couldn't tell him.
"Tell me what happen."
I rocked back and forth on my heels as I brought my knees to my chest.
"Ahh, it was the night my father died. A-and I could hear Victoria calling my name and..."
I couldn't stay the next bit.
"What else?"
"She had three people tied to a chair, you were one of them," my voice had become uneven as my cries turned into whales, "She told me to choose...I couldn't choose," when he stayed quiet, I found myself rumbling, "And she had a knife and s-she, she –."
"Shh," he comforted, running his fingers up and down my bare spine, calming me down, "Just come back to bed."
I shook my head feeling as if I had betrayed him. I should have chosen him, I should have chosen him.
"It was just a dream, Sarah. Just a dream."
I shook my head, clutching the sheet in my fist with everything that I had.
"No," I sniffed, "It was so much more."