Deception

Chapter 15|Wait for what? Christmas?

It is quite possible that there are grammatical errors in this chapter.

So...yeah.

• • •

I roll onto my back, groaning in discomfort. "I don't think I've ever eaten this much in my whole life."

Noah and I literally just ate a whole leg of deer in one sitting, and even though I feel like I might throw up, I don't regret it.

I hear Noah groan from the opposite side of the fire. He's salvaging as much meat as he can from the carcass of Bambi, and cooking it over the embers of the fire using a damp stick so it won't catch fire. "I think I'm going to be sick," he says, putting his head in his hands.

"Join the club, buddy," I reply, pulling myself up, which requires a substantial amount of effort.

The meat that Noah is cooking on the fire is starting to go the texture of jerky, which isn't bad, I mean I'd rather have jerky than nothing. He removes it from the stick, placing it in a dirty piece of material that he ripped off his shirt, and trying it. There is a reasonable amount of food there for two of us, so it should last a while.

I warm my hands on the dying fire, which is pretty much pointless because it doesn't expel much heat at all.

Noah is shivering, and although his mouth is closed, I can hear his teeth chattering.

"You're cold, aren't you ?" I ask, already know what he's going to say, and what the truth really is.

He shakes his head, clearing his throat. "I'm fine."

I roll my eyes, not exactly in the mood to argue. "Okay, whatever, I'm going to sleep."

So headstrong.

I close my eyes, pulling my legs up to my chest. Moments later I feel a presence behind me. Noah drapes an arm over me, and presses his chest against my back.

"You don't know the meaning of personal space, do you?" I ask rhetorically, shifting slightly to get comfortable.

He just shrugs, leading us into a somewhat awkward silence. His breath is warm on the back of my neck, which gives me goosebumps all over.

"Your heart's beating," he whispers in my ear.

I swallow. "Yeah, it feels weird."

"Well you were a zombie for a while, welcome back to being human."

I snort. "Thanks."

"No problem Princess."

• • •

I walk through the front door, expecting to be greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies, but the kitchen is void of any smell at all. It's stuffy inside, like the air is stale and the windows haven't been opened all day, despite the sun shining brightly outside.

I drop my backpack on the ground, wandering down the hallway. Mom is nowhere to be found. I know she should be home because the car is still in the driveway, and she promised me she'd be here when I got home from school.

I check the bathroom, and the study, both turning out empty. I finally reach the end of the hallway where I find her bedroom door slightly ajar. I push it open with one hand, and step cautiously into the room.

A fallen chair lays carelessly on the ground, and my eyes are drawn upwards. A rope is tied to one of the beams in the ceiling, and a well practiced noose acts as a necklace around my mothers neck. Her beautiful blonde hair cascades over her shoulders, and covers one side of her face as her head is tilted to the side.