The Last Harmon [Complete]

Chapter 26

"Thank you for coming. I've been asking for you all day."

"I know, sorry, I've been dealing with a few things," I say, watching as Sophia bites into an apple. "How are you?"

"Sore," she mutters, she suddenly looks at me. "I heard it was your idea to use Sam's power on me. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you."

"They would have thought of it eventually." I scratch at my wrist, turning my head towards the window as I hear my name being called.

"What's wrong?" Sophia demands.

I turn back to her. "What?"

"It's like you're here but you're not here. You said you've been dealing with things, what things?"

"Oh, it's nothing," I lie. "Just rethinking that night."

"You and me both," she sighs, dropping the apple on her nightstand. She wipes her hands together and then leans back into her pillow. "Getting trapped in Amara's hell-maze was not included in my daily criteria. I still don't quite understand what happened. Curtis said they found us both unconscious, so if you didn't escape, how did she?"

"I guess I channelled my inner witch a little too much." I shrug and look down. "I cast a spell and it was strong enough to hurt her, but also strong enough to almost kill me."

"Must have been one hell of a spell," she mutters, making the doubt in her voice clear.

"Yeah," I agree.

"Knocked you out until today too, didn't it? Surely Sam has to let you practise after this, if he doesn't then-"

"Theresa."

The voice comes loud and sharp directly in my eardrum. I stand from the chair immediately, turning my head around the room in a panic.

"Did you hear that?" I say.

"Hear what?" Sophia demands. "What's going on?"

"I have to go," I say. "I'll come see you tomorrow, I promise."

"Wait, Theresa-"

I leave Sophia's bedroom and I fall against the wall of the hallway. My hands cover my face as I learn to breathe again. As I look towards the end window, I see my mother. As clear as day, I see her. Her dark curls, her wise blue eyes, her cream, wool cardigan that she hardly ever took off. She looks right at me, and when I blink, she doesn't disappear.

"It's not possible," I say, slowly approaching her.

"It is," she says.

"You died. You're dead."

"Yes," she says, placing her hands on my shoulders. I stare at her touch. I can feel it. I can feel her. "And you will be next if you don't follow their orders."

"Kill Sam?" I whisper.

She nods. "You have to do it, Theresa. Or they will torment us both for eternity."

I shake her hands off of me, stepping backwards. "If you're dead then how can I feel you? Ghosts can't touch us."

Her smile drops, twisting into a dark and terrifying grin. "Do what they say, kill the Malachi."

"No."

"You don't have a choice!"

She grabs my shoulders again and turns me around, running me towards the window. I scream as my body collides with the glass, as my spine snaps in two, as my whole body shatters and enforces pain that I have never experienced. I fall through the sky; my voice becomes lost as my head smacks into the pavement. I feel every moment of it, it's as real as her touch against my shoulders. I feel my death, my agonizing and horrifying death, until I open my eyes and I am standing in the hallway against the window.