Getting Back To You (Book 2 of Under The Floorboards)

Chapter 11: Kendall

I don't get much sleep. With the wind blowing outside and the occasional faint noise of screams in the distance, the world just seems too loud. Once a bit of sunshine slips through a crack of the walls of the train cart, I push myself to my feet. I can only imagine how I look at that moment; tired eyes, messy hair, hunger within my bones, fear and exhaustion. I don't want to know. Honestly at this point, I don't even care.

An hour or so passes. I don't know for sure how long it has been, I don't have a phone to check anymore. Suddenly, the train comes to a quick stop, waking everyone up. I place my hands on the floor to keep from sliding backwards into a shelf. "Ow. Shit," Damon groans as his head smacks into the wall. Everyone moans as they push themselves up from their sleeping positions.

"Morning already?" Alaska sighs.

"Damn. That was quick," Zane blinks his tired eyes.

"We got to keep moving then, everyone wake up. Get ready quickly," Ty directs as he stretches his arms. Out of nowhere, the fire blows out. The only source of light is the small crack in the wall.

"What the hell?" Nina screams.

When the flames come back to life, a figure is hovering in the corner. It is a shadowy figure, a thin layer of fog cloaking it. She has long, black hair and pale skin. She reminds me of the demon we had seen in the house. When she turns to face us, my heart skips a beat. We all shuffle backwards cautiously.

"Who are you?" Nina's voice shakes as she speaks. Her lifeless eyes look at Leo, as if she is expecting him to answer Nina.

"Becca?" Ty stares in disbelief. She grins wickedly, revealing her decaying teeth. She could have been pretty during her life, but not anymore.

"What do you want?" Leo croaks with pain. His lower lip twitches. I stare wide-eyed, waiting for answers.

"You're just going to leave me here? Alone. Cold. Dead," her voice sounds, a few other voices hidden underneath hers.

"We have no choice, Bec. You got sick, what could we do? You were suffering. You were in pain," a tear trickles down Ty's cheek.

"We have to move on. You're gone now. We have to go home," Leo cries.

"I'm sorry Becca. I'm so sorry," Ty whimpers painfully.

"What is going on here?" I glance back and forth from Ty and Leo. They ignore me, their eyes never leave Becca.

"I'm stuck here now. It's your fault," she snarls a them with disappointment.

"If we could have saved you, we would've," Leo shivers.

"How are you even here?" Ty screams at her angrily, wiping tears from his cheeks.

"The house hasn't consumed me completely yet. Unfortunately, for you," her face hardens.

"You would've died anyways," Ty shuts his eyes and takes in a breath. Becca looks my friends and I up and down as if we are the ugliest things she has ever seen.

"I see you guys have found yourselves a new group of people. What'd you do? Run away? Was it too hard staying with everyone else without me around?" she glances back and forth from them with disgust.

"Like I said, we want to go home," Leo stiffens. Her head jerks to the side, her eyebrows arch with fury. The flames of the fire dance within her soulless eyes, glistening at Leo.

"I'd kill Ty, but I'd rather not be stuck with him for an eternity. Besides, that'd be too easy for me. What more of a way to suffer than the loss of a brother?" she smiles with determination, her eyes still on Leo.

"No!" I scream with anger.

She flies towards him, screaming with multiple voices. I place my hand on his chest quickly, shoving him into the wall behind him. Stepping into his place as quickly as I can, I stare right into her eyes. She flies towards me quickly. Her screams are louder than ever, I can feel the blood oozing from the edges of my ears. I blink the burning from my eyes, clenching them closed as she is only a second from slamming into me. She is going to kill me. I feel the pressure slam into me, my eyes flick open uncontrollably. I hear my friends voices shouting in the distance. I stare into the flames, feeling my body seem to melt. The world is spinning quicker. Then I see it.

The scenery changes and I am staring at Leo, Ty, and Becca. The ground is coated with snow, their lips purple from the cold. I hear voices in the distance, Leo shakes his head with fear. Pain is etched in each of their eyes, Becca is fast asleep. "She's too sick. She will be dead by nightfall," Ty whimpers.

"We can't just let her suffer, but if she dies here then she will never make it home," Leo cries.

"They said we have to do it," Ty stiffens.

"But she's our best-friend," Leo slurs his words in denial.

"Give me it," Ty croaks through his tears.

"Oh god," Leo whimpers as his hands drag a blade out from his pocket. He trembles as he places it in Ty's hand.

"We have to do it. She's in pain," tears stream from Ty's eyes. Becca coughs, her eyes flicker open. She wrenches  to the side, spitting out a puddle of blood. Leo faces away from her, breathing heavily through his cries.

"There's no cure for lung cancer out here. She's dying," Ty repeats. Becca squeals in agony, her hands clasp at her heart and her eyes clench shut. She looks already as though she's dead.

"Do it already!" Leo screams at Ty. And just like that, the blade plunges into her chest. Her eyes open as she looks into Ty's. All three of them crying, Becca takes her last breath. Her hands fall to her side, her body motionless as both Ty and Leo scream.

I open my eyes, slamming into Leo. I feel a blade plunge through my chest as I gasp for air, struggling to hold onto my consciousness. My hands tremble at my heart as my whole body shakes in his arms. "Kendall!" voices from all directions scream. Leo's eyes look into mine as he scrambles in effort to keep me awake. He shakes me desperately, the pain disappears. I take in a large breath of air, realizing that I'm not dying. Becca is gone and everyone is okay.

"I'm okay." I croak with reassurance.

"Oh my god," Leo smiles gratefully, tears still in his eyes. He wraps me in a hug, everyone else joins in.

Everyone is crying. Everyone is hugging each-other, conversation breaks out. It isn't over for us, not yet.