Dust ✔️

Chapter Nineteen: Asphyxiated

*You may not have noticed but in case you did: I have decided to change the tenses of the book. The previous chapters will be slowly updated to past tense such as this one.*

Chapter Nineteen -- Asphyxiated

The house was dim. It wasn't a surprise to me though, it was two in the morning and surely everyone would be sleeping by now. A flash of familiarity flowed through my mind of multiple breaks ins I once did. This was the perfect scenario.

"Eli?" A small voice echoed across the room.

I frowned, knowing this voice didn't match those who lived here.

I walked further into the house, a slow step in each walk. When the light shone a portion of her face, my suspicions were confirmed. "Zoey?"

"I had a fight with Margaret," She murmured. "I didn't want to stay there tonight so I thought..."

It came as a shock to me that Margaret would be argumentative with anyone.

"Tyler and Lacey said I should leave you alone. They think I'll only make things worse," she stared up at me while I approached the kitchen island where she was.

I set my keys down on the island where she was sitting. "No," I assured her. "I'm just surprised you're here is all."

"Does that bother you?" She fidgeted with her brown, curly hair. She was nervous.

"Not at all," I sighed but plastered on a fixated smile. "You're up late."

Zoey matched my position by leaning her elbows on the counter top. "So are you."

"Hm. I thought it'd help me if I went on a drive," I lied.

She squinted her eyes in disbelief. "Did it?"

I smiled. "A little."

It probably wouldn't be wise to tell her that I had thoughts of tracking down a large sum of people and skinning them alive. No, definitely not.

"Tyler told me about what happened with your friend." She had a jaded expression, attempting to push her real emotions to the side and match mine.

A smile fell off my face slowly at her words. Then, confusion. I never told Tyler about what happened.

"He told me not to bring it up if I ran into you."

I raised an eyebrow. "And yet..."

Her weight shifted to one side, a clear sign she was second guessing her words. "I just thought..."

"It's okay to be curious, Zoe," I assured her once again. A sigh fell out of my mouth. "Ty is just trying to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"From horrifying things that happen in the world, the truth of it all." I shrugged.

"But you won't do that." She accused.

"Nah." I said. "It's better to be prepared than to be sheltered."

Zoeys eyes glinted for a moment. "How'd he do it?"

I paused, taking in her curiosity. I rummaged through my memories of the conversation I had with Colson's mother before I blacked it out. "Hung himself." I muttered.

Zoey reached below her and pulled out a half full bottle of bourbon. She proceeded to pour it in the mug in front of her, then poured the same amount in a different glass. "I figure you may want this," She slid the glass to me.