The Candles Will Protect You

Chapter 19

Walking past my worried-looking parents, I went back to my room to search for clues.

They were either freaking good at acting, or they were telling the truth. I intended on finding that out.

Closing the door behind myself, I stepped to my window but wasn't surprised. It was locked.

I remembered that little candle holder my mom gave me, but it wasn't where I left it.

Knowing that Drake took almost all of my clothes, I opened my closet, but it was full. I grabbed a few items but didn't remember any of them, though they didn't seem new.

Starting to get frustrated, I threw them on the floor, walking inside the bathroom.

Already feeling victorious, I took a look at myself in the mirror, then my eyes widened, tears starting to form in them.

My mark... It wasn't there.

I put my hand over my mouth as a sob broke out of me. Feeling defeated, I sat down on the cold bathroom floor, hugging my knees.

I made it all up. I was truly insane.

Was I that lonely, that I had to create a whole world I could live in? I actually felt sorry for myself. How pathetic was I?

And just when things started looking out for me, I get dragged back into reality.

Tears were streaming down my face and I could hardly breathe anymore.

To be honest, I wanted to die.

What was even left for me in that world? Nothing. I was alone and crazy.

Maybe my parents weren't real either, maybe I would wake up the next day and find myself in an asylum, where they would tell me I didn't even have parents.

After I got tired of crying, I got up from the floor and washed my face. I walked out of my room, finding my parents in the living room.

"When is my appointment?" I asked quietly.

Dad looked at his watch, then he offered me a light smile.

"Well, if you want to go, we should get going any minute now."

"Let's go, then," I nodded.

As soon as we were out the door, I took off.

I started sprinting towards the woods, my father hot on my tail.

My legs started burning, and I gave it my all, but it still wasn't enough. I fell to the ground and he pinned me down, trying to stop me from moving.

"ARES!" I screamed desperately. "Ares, help me!"

"Shh, Rhea," dad whispered soothingly. "It's okay."

"Please, help me," I started crying again, my voice turning to a whisper. "I'm not crazy..."

My father managed to get me up from the ground and put me in the backseat of his car. He put my seatbelt on, then after getting in, he locked the doors and we took off.

I stared out the window, but I didn't actually pay attention to anything, I was completely zoned out.

When I heard him turn off the engine, I made myself look at him.

"We're here," he smiled gently.

Putting his arm around my shoulder, we walked inside the big building.

He talked to some people, then we sat down in a waiting room. A few minutes later my name was called.

I followed the young looking, blonde woman inside the room, then I sat down on the couch, while she took her place in front of me.

She started talking to me, asking questions, but I didn't pay any attention to her. Instead, I was staring out the big window that looked out to the city.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She tried again, after looking out the window herself.

I scoffed. "No."

"And why not? Why do you think that?"

I didn't answer.

I guess my time was up because after a while I had to get out of the room.

Dr Sara spoke with my dad, then we went back to his car.

"So, how about that ice cream?"

I remained silent.

He pressed his lips together, then after sighing, he turned the engine on and we started making our way back home.

I went straight to my bedroom.

My mother tried getting me to come out and eat multiple times, but I wasn't hungry. I felt empty, lost.

Even my room didn't feel like my room anymore. I spent so much time in there before, I loved it, but now I felt like the walls were crushing me. I only stayed in there to avoid my parents, life, everything.

I just wanted Ares back... If he was even real.

Please, let him be real.