What Lies Beneath

Chapter Sixty-Six: Reunion

"Joe!" Delphine shouted his name as her legs carried her over to him. Her arms winding themselves around his torso as she held on for dear life. She hadn't known him for very long, but he was like family to her now. Delphine hugged him so tight that she wouldn't be surprised if her embrace cut him into two separate pieces.

"I missed you too." Joe laid his head on top of her frizzy red hair, his eyes closed.

Karen's eyes whisked back and forth between Wyatt and Sophie as she tried to figure out who to run to first. Wyatt solve her dilemma by running over to Sophie. It was time for a group hug.

Wyatt reached Sophie a few seconds before Karen. They all stood staring at each other before breaking out into huge smiles and wrapping their arms around each other. It was a clumsy hug, but one that they all needed. The words 'I missed you' were not enough to describe the love that they had for one another. There could never be enough words in the human language to convey any of the emotions that they were feeling in that moment. It was a happy moment, one that could bury all the misfortunes of the past. That is if they weren't still trapped in a house intent on killing them.

Turning his head to the side, Wyatt got his first real glimpse at the two new players. It didn't take long for him to place the frizzy red hair, but the man was another story. He was sure that he'd never seen him before, but there was a sense of familiarity to him that he couldn't quite shake. Instead of focusing on it, he decided to turn all of his attention to the girl risen from the dead.

Pulling away from the hug, Wyatt walked over to the girl who was wrapped inside the embrace of the man. "Delphine?" Wyatt spoke her name like a question. It was like his mind couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him. Could it really be her?

Dropping her arms and turning, Delphine came face to face with the boy who tried to help her. "Hi. I suppose we were never properly introduced while I was bleeding out on the floor. My name is Delphine, which you obviously know." Delphine squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. If she had a pulse, she was sure that her face would be bright red.

"Wyatt." Delphine opened her eyes just in time to take his extended hand. It wasn't what she was expecting, then again, she didn't really know what to expect in a situation like this.

"Nice to meet you Wyatt." The handshake lingered as they both examined the other. It was a strange occurrence, to be able to get a second chance to know someone after death.

"I'm Joe." It was an awkward introduction, made worse by the waving hand motion as he stood behind Delphine.

Karen and Sophie watched from their corner as the scene progressed before them. Smiles cracked through the worry and exhaustion that had consumed their faces. Giggles bit at their tongues, with the threat of eruption.

Delphine and Wyatt dropped each other's hands at the sound of Joe's outburst. Things were strange enough without a handshake that went on too long followed by a spontaneous introduction. Wyatt's hand found itself rubbing the back of his neck while Delphine's clasped onto her other one in front of her body. Both found it hard to look at each other so they ended up staring off into the distance, or at the floor. The bashful response refueled all the embarrassment that they were feeling. Unable to hold it back any longer, Sophie and Karen's giggles burst over their mental dams.

"Well isn't this a cute picture?" All the laughter in their throats died upon the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Sophie's eyes scanned the grey fog that surrounded them to no avail. She couldn't see anyone and from the expressions on everyone else's faces, neither could they.

"Who's there?" Sophie shouted the words as she took a few steps away from Karen whose eyes were still searching the darkness.

Wicked laughter echoed off the vapors and crowded around them. "Is that the best you could come up with? Who's there?" The voice mimicked Sophie's voice adding a twinge of fear and shrill that didn't belong to her.