Back to Me

Don't Leave

Hope was surrounded by darkness. Endless and consuming. Yet she was comfortable in her warm cocoon.

Chink

She lifted her head. The darkness rippling with a glossy sheen. Water. And her, sitting on a bed floating aimlessly.

Chink

Her reflection stared back at her. Eyes darker than midnight. Her smile maliciously sharp. She reached out, compelled to touch it.

Chink

The flow increased, pulling her away from her reflection. Ahead, the endless ocean caved in on itself. An icy gust blew down her neck. Hope fell, arms flailing to hold onto something, anything. Catching nothing but air.

The first thing Hope noticed when she woke up was her thundering heart. The sensation of free-falling etched into her muscles. 

She peeled one eye open, watching raindrops cascade against the window. The quiet Chink of rain against wood a calming melody.

She turned on her side, yearning for the warmth of another body. She stretched her arms out, disconcerted by the sheer size of the bed.

The space next to her was empty.

She sat up, her eyes flashing amber to adjust to the darkness quickly.

Josie froze at the end of the bed like a deer caught in headlights. She was so still Hope started to doubt if she was even breathing.

"You're leaving?" Sleep seeped into Hope's voice, giving her a childlike quality.

"Yeah," Josie breathed, running a hand through her hair, "Lizzie will wake up soon and I don't wanna have to explain why I didn't sleep in my room."

Hope wrenched the sheets in her hand. She didn't expect to feel so... rejected.

"It's still dark outside," She said.

Josie shook her head, avoiding Hope's amber gaze, "I have class, Hope."

Urgency rose in Hope as the witch crossed the room. She had a terrible feeling that if Josie left the room, their fragile relationship would collapse. This was their safe haven, the only place where no one could ever disturb them.

That's why the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them, "I thought I could bring peace to my father."

Josie stopped, her hand on the doorknob. 

Hope took in a shaky breath, "That's why I fell into the Necromancer's trap the first time... I wanted to see my dad." She said, "Being inside Malivore I got a glimpse of the miserable afterlife he has. I was there a few months and I barely hung on to my sanity-- he's been there years."

It pained Josie to hear the desperation in Hope's voice. Maybe it was because she had just woken up, but her indifference mask was off, allowing every emotion to reflect on her face. There was sorrow, hurt, and anger all laid bare for Josie to see.

Although there was still a part that didn't click yet. A detail that squeezed Josie's heart whenever she thought about it.

"But why go alone? I understand your family would've never let you go, but you don't have to hide it from MG, Kaleb, Lizzie... your friends. You don't have to hide it from me."

Hope shook her head, pulling the sheets tighter around her exposed chest, "I do."

"Why?" Josie pressed, "Why do you have this incessant need to push others away?"