Hope

Chapter Twenty Seven

I slowly close the door behind me, so as to not attract any attention to my return. I managed to get past Rob after convincing him that me being locked up in this place is more dangerous than me seeking more information about myself. I walk to the kitchen to drink some water, hoping it would wash down the heavy rock that has settled on my throat and threatens to seize my breathing.

The words from the article keep repeating in my head.

Jeffery killed by unknown attackers... Are these attackers planning another kill now? Or was Jeff their only target?

But that can't be. Jeff would've done anything to keep peace amongst people, there couldn't have been a score that needed settling. If it was the Acutus, I would've known that I was perhaps their target and that arrow was aimed at me. I welcomed the guilt with open arms, used it as a distraction from the agony and pain that burned in my chest. But now that I'm not sure, I can feel the agony threatening to return and bury me once again.

But all in all, it had to be my fault. I'm 'highly sought after' as Rioleo had put it. In a way, it was my fault. If I didn't possess this power, that seemed to have magically materialized in my family, Jeff would be alive today.

It's my fault.

But who was it? If it wasn't the Acutus- that I was so sure of- that who?

“Where did you come from?” Nick's voice startles me out of my reverie and I almost drop the glass tumbler.

“Well, you see, mommy and daddy loved each other very much-”

“I'm serious, Kathryn. Where were you?” I turn around to face him and his face is hard and his lips are pressed in a thin line. Like me, he has lost a lot of weight in these past months. His sharp cheek bones appear sharper and his eyes look a little sunken.

“I was around.”

“You were not in the in the mansion,” he states.

“No.”

“Then where were you?”

“Do you know people are predicting a war, Nick?” I shoot at him.

His face pales slightly but his grim expression doesn't change. “That doesn't answer my question.”

I ignore that. “When were you planning to tell me?” My voice rises slightly.

“It was for your own protection-”

I chuckle without humor. “My own protection? Right, because the words will jump out of the paper and attack me in my sleep. Hiding things from me doesn't protect, Nick. I thought that was proven more than once!” I throw my hand in the air in frustration.

“You were unstable!” he yells back. “We didn't know how it would've affected you.”

I don't miss the plural. “By 'we' do you mean you and Magnolia? I didn't realize you two became bff's during my mental absence.”

“I mean,” he says, “everyone here.”

I sigh and run my hand down my face. “I thought we agreed that hiding things from me will only cause more harm.”

His face softens. “I know.” He sighs. “I was only looking out for you.”

That's the only thing he does, I realize. He looks out for me and tends to forget to look out for himself. And I also realize that what affects me affects him too, as if we're bound in someway. Perhaps we're bound emotionally- Nick has become such a big part of my life that I can't imagine a world without him. He keeps me together when I begin to fall apart. But right now it wouldn't be so hard to lose him...

“Maybe you should start looking out for yourself,” I say, resting my palm on his cheek.

“I've been doing that for the past nineteen years, basically ever since I was born. It wouldn't hurt being selfless for a while.” He attempts a grin but it doesn't reach his eyes.

He wraps his hand around mine that's on his cheek. “There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Kathryn. No matter how much it hurts.”

-

I dream that I'm falling down a steep slope. My body collides with rocks that dig into and cut my skin. Finally, I hit even ground and I attempt to stand up. Surprisingly, I didn't break anything. I look around. Before me is an empty field, though I can't be sure for it is too dark. I take a step forward but the ground below me breaks like ice under a heavy object. I hastily step back and trip, falling on a wet substance that smells foul and metallic- like blood.

I glance back to see blood dripping off several people, including Magnolia, Melissa, Peter and Nick.

And above them, with a bow and arrow that flickers with dim light, is Harry.

A loud wail startles me awake and I hastily sit up. The wail is accompanied by a ringing noise.

I realize it as the warning bell Magnolia installed after Jeff's death. It magically senses danger or an intruder, in case the guards have been injured or killed.

I kick that blankets off of me and run to the door, only to crash into Peter.

“Kathryn, what's going on?” he asks, worry in his high-pitched voice.

“I don't know, Peter. But I suggest you go back into your room, for safety's sake. Yeah?” I hope my voice doesn't betray the panic that's rising in my chest. I can here doors slamming and people shouting down stairs, although I can't make out the words.

“No,” he says stubbornly. “I'm not a child. I can take care of myself.”

“No, you can't. Peter, go back into your room. It's what everyone will tell you anyway.”

He opens his mouth to speak but is cut off when someone screams.

I bolt downstairs, not knowing what I'm getting myself into but ready to protect. I slip a few times. Finally I reach the last floor, where all the commotion is.

“What are you doing here?!” Magnolia's shriek sends a chill down my spine. I can't see what's going on yet, for Nick, Melissa and Marg are blocking my view, their bodies crouched, as though ready to attack

Nick turns around when he hears my approach.

“Kathryn, don't come in here!” he hisses. I ignore him and craned my neck look on the other side of his crouched body, to see Rob's arm up in apparent defense.

My confusion grows before I realize that he's protecting a small body.

For a moment I think it's a toddler before I realize, when Rob steps closer to Magnolia, that it is a bloodied figure on his knees. Oh no, I think, another person hurt because of me.

But Rob moves again and I'm granted with a full view of the bloodied figure.

The air rushes out of my lungs, as though someone has punched me in the gut.

Harry.

A/N Guess who's back back back

back again

Harold's back back back

Tell a friend (That would be cool though, the telling a friend part about this story and stuff :))