Us Against the World

Chapter Eight- Seeing Double

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I ended up walking home, completely alone, despite the fact that it was midnight and sort of dangerous given what has happened. Honestly though, I hadn't thought of any repercussions. My mind was just overloaded, and driven by frustration I simply did as she wanted and went home as soon as possible. I guess I could've called Alec to come pick me up ─he would've come gotten me without a question─ but I'm already home now.

By now I've already showered, brushed my teeth, prepared my bag for school tomorrow, and gotten into bed. In theory, I'm ready to go to sleep. However, in reality I'm far from that. In fact, I'm a million miles away from that. I'll be lucky if I sleep an hour at this rate.

There's too much whirring in my mind. Not only that, but I have this nagging feeling I forgot something at Kaylee's house. I know for sure I left my lanyard and phone there, but I still feel like there's something else, something I'm missing. Panicked, my hands trail up to my neck, and I only relax when they close around my beloved white marble necklace given to me by my dad before he died. I almost never take it off so I won't lose it. If I would've lost it, I don't know what I'd do.

So if it isn't the necklace, what is it then?

Then, it hits me.

The book. The ragged journal looking thing I found at the library. It must've fell out of my pocket during the catastrophe earlier. Not that I'd need it anymore, being that Dustin's dead.

Dustin.

My heart sharply pangs with loss. Yeah, he might've been what people consider a bully. But still, he didn't deserve to die. Now, he's only a statistic on Peony Ridge's radar. One of the several, reoccuring murders.

Who knew that they're actually related to the supernatural. It was that thing, the Shifter, that killed him and tried to do the same to Kaylee.

Why?

It's the one word I can't get out of my head. Why is all of this happening? Why did the Shifter kill Dustin, and try to kill Kaylee? Why are Mason and Isaac hiding they're alive? Why did I cover for them?

I take in a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I really need to try and stop thinking about all of this. Put it all behind me. After all, as I wise man omce said USE QUOTE

So with that, I pull the covers all the way over my body, sheltering me in a blanket of darkness.

****

The next morning, the dreaded chime of my alarm sounds right next to ear, immediately jolting me awake. With a scowl, I turn it off. I'm not going to lie, I'm temptated to throw it across the room and go back to sleep, but I can't be late to school again, especially if I don't have work as an excuse.

Forcing my lethargic limbs out of the comforts of my bed, I pad down the steps and into the kitchen. As usual, my mom isn't home, so I don't have to worry about making noise as I get out a pan and start frying myself some eggs.

Just as I'm turning off the burner, a noise at the front door echoes throughout the hall. It takes me a second to realize it's the sound of keys, and they're wiggling into the lock.

I attempt to swallow down a rising lump of panic. I have no idea who that could be. My mom is at work, there's no way it can be her. It can't be Gretchen, my neighbor, either. She's probably still asleep. My mind immediately goes to a dark place. What if it's one of those Shifters, coming back for revenge?

I tell myself to calm down, and fighting the urge to abandon my eggs and run to the nearest closet, I slowly head toward the door. I desperately clutch a spatula in my hands, poised to swing at someone if needed.