Escape the Covenant || Shawmila [Completed]

Chapter 15

My chest tightens as memories of what happened keep on flooding my mind. I've never meant to upset him, to make him angry. I was only trying to help him... kind of. I know my methods were a little drastic, but I've been caught up in the moment and just followed my instinct, and now I'm left all alone.

Loneliness was never a problem for me, until I knew what it means to have a friend, to have someone you can't wait to meet up with, someone who can make you smile and be free. I spoke with Shawn for the first time merely a week ago, but he has already messed up my world. How is it even possible? I've spent eighteen years of my life with the only companionship of my grandmother, and now I can't survive a day without him.

Every time I eye that stupid voodoo doll, I feel the need of ripping it in a half and just end the pathetic life of Pete Mendes, but then I also recognize the ferocity of my thoughts and Shawn's words echo in my head. Maybe he's right, maybe his grandfather is right. I'm dangerous and I'm wicked. I shouldn't spend my time with other people if I'll end up hurting them. Rewinding my previous actions, I don't recognize myself.

I've lived in seclusion for my entire life with the only purpose of protecting the rest of the world from my curse, and I ended up hurting a man intentionally. I'm not like that. I'm not evil and vindictive. I am a good person, and I have to start acting like one.

I know it's late and I also know that I'm probably not welcomed by the Mendes', but I won't lay in bed guessing the hypothetical outcomes of this situation. I have to do something. I grab the puppet and head toward the end of the street. The lights of his house are all out, that means that nobody's awake. This time I aim directly to Shawn's bedroom, jumping in from the window. I land graciously on the floor, my presence barely audible, but he still manages to sense me. Before he gets the chance to scream for help or try to send me away, I start to talk.

«Please, just hear me out. I promise that if you still don't want anything to do with me after that, I'll go away». I beg whispering. «Firstly, I'm sorry. I've never acted that way and I don't know why I decided to change that. I know hurting people is bad, but now that I made that huge mistake, I won't never try it again. Early, when you asked if I would hurt someone who isn't you, I hesitated because I have never even thought about it. That doesn't mean I would do it. Secondly, I'm very sorry for your dad. I still hate him, but I shouldn't have hurt him. It was a stupid and an unnecessarily dangerous move, and I'll never do it again. I won't even think about it. I promise. I brought here this». I show him the doll and I give it to him.

He takes it rapidly and inspect every detail of it. I continue to talk. «It's a voodoo doll. You have to be extremely careful, because every little thing you do to that puppet, it's like you're doing it to your father. If you want the spell to break, you have to give it to your dad. I don't know, maybe you can drop it on his bed, or hide it in his nightstand». He moves his sight on me but doesn't say a word.

I guess is time for me to leave and make peace with the idea of losing him. «Again, I'm sorry. I understand that you're mad at me and you have every right to be». I turn, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.

«Already leaving? » he asks calmly. Every trace of rage completely forgotten. «And you don't have to whisper, nobody's home».

«I – I don't know if I should stay»

«Something tells me that it's not the first time you sneak in, so... come on». He tilts his head towards the bed, intimating me to sit on it.

I take off my shoes and sit beside him with my back leaning on the headboard. Our shoulder brush and I'm a little uncomfortable. «How is your dad now? »

«He's at the hospital, but he's good. The pain stopped after I talked to you, but he insisted on being visited by a doctor. My grandad told him it was some sort of spell, and that medicine couldn't do anything, but sometimes with him it's like talking to a wall. He never listens. He got pretty scared when his eyes started to bleed». I cringed at his words. I definitely got too far with that damned doll. «How did you do it? » he asks.

«I dropped some water on the doll's face while reciting a short refrain»

«That's cool. Absolutely terrifying if I think about it, but pretty cool too» he admits.

I look at him with big eyes. I'm not sure of how things between us are now. «Are you still mad at me? »

He shakes his head. «No, I'm not. Maybe a little disappointed, but I'm not mad anymore. And I shouldn't have screamed at your face earlier today».

«You don't have to apologize. I was the one in the wrong. Still, I want you to know I was really doing it for you. I was trying to revenge you in some sort of twisted way»

«Yeah, I know». He breath out. «Maybe next time, just tell me about it before, okay? If it's nothing too extreme, I'd like to take part» he tells me with a half smirk.

My jaw drops. «I told you I'm not doing it again»

He smiles, proud of what I just said. «Good».

After a short moment of silence, I speak awkwardly. «Can I ask you something? ». He nods. «Did he cry? Please, tell me that he cried»

He snorts out a laugh. «Yeah, just like a baby. When he was vomiting that slimy substance, he went hysterical. If I wasn't worried for him, I would have made a video» I nudge his shoulder, but giggle nonetheless. I stand up and put on my shoes. «You're going? » he asks disappointingly.

«It's the middle of the night, Shawn. I thought you would sleep»

«You can stay here if you want, I don't mind it». The room is completely dark, but I swear I see his cheeks blushing a bit. My heart starts racing, and I know that I shouldn't stay, but I'm not strong enough to decline his offer.

«Okay». I shily lay beside him, forced to touch his body since the bed is not big enough for two. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and I spontaneously rest my head on his covered chest. I can hear his heart beating as fast as mine and it only worsen the situation. Eventually, I calm down and just enjoy the moment. As I'm feeling myself slipping into a calm sleep, I mumble what I was thinking since the moment he told me to stay. «Thank you for forgiving me».