Hope Everlasting. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter Twenty Two-Lost.

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Chapter Twenty Two-Losing.

Ashlynn’s P.O.V.

“Tabby!”

I looked up to see Dylan behind me, grinning like all his Christmases had come at once. I could see, just from that, how devoted he was to his sister. He took a few steps closer, so his chin was almost resting on my forehead. I could smell him. Yeah, I know how weird that sounded. It was nice, though. It smelt of everything right in the world....it smelt of home. Not like the last time I’d been this close to a guy.

In fact, this was only the third time I’d been in any close contact with a guy. Last time it had been Cory, when his drink had so called been ‘spiked.’ He smelt of sweat, alcohol and...guy. And then there was the first time. I winced; it hurt just to think of it.

He’d smelt like Cory had, too.

A nudge on my shoulder snapped me out of my daze, and I blinked a few times. How many times was I going to phase out today?!

“You ready?” Dylan asked, his brown eyes softening, flooding with kindness.

I nodded--I was as ready as I’d ever be, that was for sure.

With a little more encouraging, I finally mustered up the courage to walk through the door. The receptionist--or whatever her full job title was--locked Dyl and I in. My heart sunk; Cory said he’d not come in, but I hoped that once we got him here he might have actually come to see his sister for once. Clearly not.

With a loud bang that I assumed was one of the many brass bolts being closed, I gulped. We were alone.

At least Dylan was here to help me, anyway.

I stared around the small, cramped room. It really was what you saw in the movies; I’d always assumed it’d been exaggerated for dramatic purposes, but clearly that wasn’t the case here.

There was a small, uncomfortable looking bed perched in a corner. In the centre of the room was a red, plastic chair, like the ones we got back in Elementary school. Two padded, more comfortable chairs had been added for Dylan and I, which I’d been told only came out for visitors. The walls were as grey as the exterior had been; disgusting. I’d have imagined it to be a lot...well, cleaner.

A pang of guilt throbbed through me as my eyes came to rest upon Tabitha again, who was sat on the Elementary style chair. She just looked at me, completely expressionless, yet there was a kindness to her eyes. So, so similar to Dyl’s. She could be reached--I knew she could.

“Uhm...hi, Tabby. May I call you Tabby?” You could hear the nerves in my voice, as I dropped an octave or two every few words. As for Tabitha, she just remained there, staring.

My eyes went to Dylan, who shrugged.

“My name’s Ashlynn. I wanted to talk to you about...” Again, I glanced at Dylan. We’d prepared this speech of sorts, but actually saying it aloud was another thing.

“I wanted to talk to you about...Lilith.”

As soon as the word was out of my mouth, I knew it was a mistake. Tabitha’s eyes widened, and she stood up so abruptly that the chair fell down. For some reason--and I can only assume it was on instinct--Dylan and I rose too. Her eyes darkened, not dissimilar to the look I had seen in Dylan last night, when I had first told him why I was there.

But then something happened that shocked me more than anything I had seen or experienced in this past month or so.  Her eyes clouded over, as though she weren’t there. A black sheet of fog covered them, and for a moment I was transfixed by her swirling orbs.