Part 14 (1/2)

She was drawn to the spot and felt herself moving toward it. As she did so, she walked by the bonfire she remembered from the night of the party. It had appeared out of nowhere and lit up the area as if by magic. Jake was sitting on a log, nearby. He looked up at her as she pa.s.sed, looking upset, almost on the verge of tears. She felt bad for him, but knew she had to keep walking. She walked by Grey, who had the camera around his neck and was snapping pictures of both anyone and no one into the darkness. She finally came across the fateful steps that she knew would give her nightmares forever more and there was Lora Kelly, as if it was yesterday, lying on the sand at the bottom of them, with a knife stuck in her throat.

Chloe ran up the stairs, toward the house, just wanting to get away from the horrible scene on the beach. She couldn't take it. She ran into the house and pulled a random door open. Elizabeth Hill's b.l.o.o.d.y body fell on her. Chloe screamed and pushed Elizabeth off of her. Chloe ran for the stairs, heading deeper into the house, away from all the bodies. She opened another door and stepped into a bathroom, shutting the door behind her in the hopes of protecting herself from an unseen enemy she felt was lurking ominously in the shadows.

Chloe turned to walk to the bathroom sink and splash some cool water on her face, in the hopes that it would calm her rapidly hammering heart, when she saw him a his reddish brown hair was still spiky, but his skin was sallow and a shade of pale grey. Ted Kelly was hanging from the bathroom shower curtain rod, slowly swaying back and forth from some hidden breeze.

Chloe screamed and tried to flee back out the door she had come in from, but the door wouldn't budge. She fumbled with the lock, but she still couldn't unlock the door. There was another door on the other side of the bathroom. She'd have to run past Ted's body to get to it, but it was her only way out. She took a deep breath and darted past him, trying to push away the irrational fear that he was going to reach out toward her and pull her into a death grip.

She made it past him, racing for the door. It had a mirror attached to it and Chloe caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, causing her to freeze in shock. Her throat had been slit and blood was coursing down her s.h.i.+rt.

Chloe screamed with what vocal cords she had left.

Chapter 17: The Getting Too Close Girl.

Chloe's eyes snapped open and she couldn't be sure of where she was. She moved to get up quickly, almost b.u.mping heads with Grey.

”Chloe, are you okay?” Grey was looking at her, concerned. ”You started screaming and woke me up.”

Chloe took a moment to orient herself. It was all a dream. She was okay. She had fallen asleep at Grey's. It was all just a terrible, terrible nightmare. The room was bright, but the sky outside was pitch black. Chloe looked over at the alarm clock sitting on Grey's bedside table. It read two twenty-nine. It was two twenty-nine in the morning. Panic surged through her body. Jeanette and Jake were going to be in a panic about her.

”I have to go home,” Chloe said, jumping up and moving to put on her shoes. ”Everyone is going to be so worried about me.”

Grey got up, quickly, moving to put on his own shoes, ”Yeah, no problem. I'll get you home.”

As they walked through the house and out to the car, Chloe managed a glance at her cell phone. She had nine missed calls. They were all from Jake. Chloe cringed, wondering if she should call him back or just wait until she got home to take the heat. Neither way was going to be a good time. As they got into the car, Chloe decided to text him. Then, at least, he would be forewarned that she was on her way home.

I'm on my way home, she texted. Chloe hit send and almost immediately got back a response: Where are you? She put her cell phone back in her purse, trying to think of a story that she would be able to tell Jake without making him even angrier with her. She definitely couldn't tell him that she had just spent the night in Grey's bed, even though nothing had happened. That was about the worst thing she could tell him, next to her disappearing and never coming home.

”You okay?” Grey said, driving rapidly down the dark and deserted neighborhood streets leading to her house.

”Fine. I'm just worried about what Jake and Jeanette are going to say when I get home,” Chloe responded, just as her cell phone vibrated again. It was another text. Chloe ignored it.

”I don't suppose they're going to be thrilled if they find out you're with me,” Grey smirked.

”Not at all. Sorry,” Chloe said, regretfully.

Grey was silent. They were almost to the house.

Grey pulled up to the side of the street a few houses down, ”I'll let you out here. You should just say you were at a friend's.”

Chloe nodded, ”Thanks for everything, Grey. It was really helpful.”

”No problem,” he said, meeting her eyes.

For a moment, Chloe wondered if he was going to kiss her, but then he turned back toward the road, ”See you around.”

”Yeah,” Chloe, said, getting out of the car, feeling disappointed.

She slammed the door shut and watched Grey drive off slowly down the quiet street before she walked toward the house.

The house was dark when she entered. Where was everyone? She had expected an unpleasant welcoming committee when she got home, but the house was deathly silent.

Chloe walked as quietly as she could toward her room. There was a light on inside. She pushed the door open and found Jake sitting on her bed, waiting for her.

”Where have you been?” He asked, rising and walking past her to shut the door.

Chloe set her purse down and sat down on the bed. She was exhausted and didn't feel like having this conversation with Jake, ”I was at Emma's.”

Jake looked at her in disbelief, ”You were at Emma's?”

”Yes,” Chloe nodded, leaning back against her pillows. She just wanted to go back to sleep.

”Why were you there so late?” Jake inquired. Chloe knew Jake knew that she was lying, but she didn't care. She didn't owe him any explanations.

Chloe shrugged, ignoring the question. ”I'm tired. I just want to go to sleep.”

She shut her eyes, hoping that Jake would take a hint. He didn't and sat down on the edge of her bed, sighing, ”You were with Grey, weren't you? You owe me. I covered for you with my mom.”

Chloe opened her eyes, meeting his gaze and sighed, ”Yes, but it's not what you think. I'm almost positive he didn't kill Lora and Elizabeth.”

”Almost positive?” Jake's voice rose an octave, with incredulity.

Chloe ignored his sarcasm. ”I needed to talk to him about Ted.”

Jake's face turned to surprise, ”Who told you about Ted?”

”It's not like it's a secret,” Chloe said.

”True,” Jake said, ”It's just that people don't much talk about him since his suicide.”

”Are you sure it was a suicide?” Chloe asked.

Jake nodded, solemn, ”Yes, I'm sure that it was.”

”Why?” Chloe asked.

”I'm just sure,” Jake said, obviously wanting to end the conversation without revealing any reasons.