Page 75 of Into The Darkness

“Ember, what body part is important to writers?” Rain interrupted, holding a knife.

“Hands.” Ash crept closer to Rain.

They grabbed Dr. Connolly, who screamed.

Ash held down his hands.

“Turn around,” Pico said, grabbing my shoulders.

“No,” I demanded, staring into Ash’s emerald eyes. “Do it.”

Rain’s knife sliced through the air onto Dr. Connolly’s pinky finger, then Dr. Connolly let out a string of expletives.

“You fucking assholes. I will tell the dean on all of you.”

Rain brought his knife over the next one before Ash stopped him.

“No, you won’t. You are going to quit, take a sabbatical or whatever the fuck you gotta do, but unless you want worse, you aren’t telling anyone,” Ash stated. “We will be your living, walking nightmare.”

“Fine.” Dr. Connolly looked defeated, and for a moment, I felt bad for him, but only for the briefest moment.

Pico threw over some tape and bandage to Dr. Connolly and started to clean up the blood all over his desk.

“I have to go to the dean and explain to them that I had a family emergency come up . . . I should go.” He grabbed a towel and his briefcase, then, with his head hung low, he walked to the exit.

“Wait,” Ash yelled just as Dr. Connolly approached the door at the top of the classroom. “You have something to say to Ember.”

“Oh, right—” Dr. Connolly coughed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to . . . I just . . . fuck . . . I’m so sorry.”

“You should see someone. Get some help” was the only response I could muster.

I was mentally frozen. Physically, I knew I could get up and walk away from this, but being okay was a different story. Like, sure, I knew he was creepy, but I supposed I was too naïve to think that was all he was capable of. I thought he would’ve just said some weird shit, not force me to try and do something vile to him.

“I just want to go home,” I whispered in Ash’s direction.

Pico and Rain rushed to clean up while Ash came up next to me.

“How did you know I was here?” I asked.

“The text.” Oh right. I had forgotten I texted him before class. In fact, I had forgotten this was the first time I had laid eyes on him since our blow up.

“Come, let’s go.” I nodded and grabbed my backpack, still shaken up. Ash said bye to Rain and Pico, and I offered them my thanks before heading out of class.

We were walking to the parking lot when the rain started to come down.

“What do you think is going to happen with class?” I asked.

“They will find a new teacher.”

“I guess that means you are off the hook, then, and you can drop it,” I told him.

“Yeah . . . I guess it does.” Ash offered me a half smile. “Are you hungry?”

I paused, the rain pelting my jacket.

“Ash . . . I don’t know if we should,” I whispered.

“Please.” His hands cupped my cheeks, pulling me close to him. “I saw what you did to Connolly. I am so proud of you, mi sol.”

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