Bury a Friend | Hemlock Grove |

Chapter 28 | The Wolves (Act I And II) |

There's a sound. BANG at the door. It's so loud it makes Emma jump in her chair. BANG BANG BANG. She creeps down the stairs almost falling a few times, afraid to alert whoever is at the door that there is someone home. "Emma!" She takes a deep breath of relief when she hears Peters voice. "Emma! I know you're there!" She opens the door, Peter looks crazed.

"Hi?" She looks him over. His clothing is disheveled and his hair is a bit wilder than norman.

"Roman's awake, we need you. I need you." She squeezes her eyes closed trying to not break apart.

"Roman's awake?"

"Yeah, he's waiting in the car," he motions towards the Jag where Roman offers her a small wave. The sight of him all better and happy makes her sick. This was his dream come true, the chance to be a hero. A warrior. "C'mon."

"I can't do this, Peter."

"Emma, this is more important than whatever is going on. People are going to die." Emma knows he's right but she can't. She just can't do it.

"You don't need me. You're better without me."

"Emma, you know why you have to be there. You won't even tell me what happened so I don't particularly take it that seriously."

"Fuck you!" She tries to shut the door but he holds it open. "You're right, you don't know what happened. It's because I don't want you to know what happened. I don't want anyone to know what happened, because it's none of your goddamn business."

"I'm not leaving until you go with me," she tries to close the door but he pushes his way in. "Emma, it's going to get dark soon, really soon. This isn't a game! We can stop it, you just need to be there."

"I don't want to," she seems to shrink. "I don't want to go."

"You have to," Peter sounds desperate."This is it. You wanted to change your future. Want Destiny to be wrong? This is it, this is the time to prove it."

Emma takes her seat in the middle of the car. Peter is driving and she pushes herself almost laughably close to him. Anytime Roman so much as twitches in her direction she scoots closer to Peter. This is lost on none of them.

Peter drives the Jag as if he's never driven a car before. For a boy like him, he knows nothing about driving a stick. After the car dies twice on the way, Emma and Peter trade spots for her to finish the drive.

The two boys hop out to open the gate so she can pull through to the mill. Peter seems to check on Roman every few minutes, asking if he feels okay, if his head hurts. Roman shakes off his doting and tells him he's fine.

Parked in the middle of the decay, the trio leans back, enjoying a last smoke before the sunsets. They stand their together, soaking in the silence and the fear they all feel. For a moment she sees it. Shining in bright daylight, reflecting straight into her line of vision.

"Where all things are made right. Where there is salvation for all. Where there is unity. Where there is Trinity. Where there is real truth. Where there is divine virtue"

"What?" Peter asks.

"That's what it said, right there," she points to the bare place on the wall. "In my dream, that's what it said. I just remembered it. It's like it was there..."

Peter approaches the spot she had pointed to and runs his hand along the rough brick. There's nothing there. He looks back over his shoulder to check the sun's location, it's grazing along the horizon and shining into his hair. "It's almost time."

Emma stands back while Peter changes. Roman has seen it happen every month but he's still amazed by it. He stands closer every time for a better look. He crouches over and watches the skin fall from Peter's new form. It's beautiful.