Page 102 of Letters to the Lost

“If she wasn’t, she is now,” Dominic says.

“What does that mean?”

“I disposed of the body; she wouldn’t survive being incinerated.”

“Thank you.”

My body feels heavier somehow, like the weight of taking a life now sits on my chest along with the other things I’ll never manage to be rid of.

I have no guilt over what I’ve done, she needed to die but I wish I wasn’t the one to do it even if that makes me selfish.

An itch on my face has me raising my hand to scratch at it but I stop when I see my hands coated in dried blood. The copper color stains my hands even as I desperately try to scrub it off.

“I’ve got her,” Tobias says, “Come on Babygirl, let’s get you washed.”

“Please,” I plead with him unable to take my eyes away from the blood, even when the vision before me turns blurry from tears.

He wraps his hands around me, lifting me into his arms, and walks out of the room not even sparing the others a glance as he leaves to take care of me.

I watch the silhouettes of the others follow, their refusal to leave me is expected and definitely not a surprise.

“Did one of you leave her a gift before we left?” Tobias asks the others, stopping in the doorway to my room.

A resounding ‘no’ comes from them all. Wiggling my body, I try to get down to see what it is, Parzival paces the room aggravated as he sniffs at the box that rests on my bed.

“Put me down,” I demand, wanting to check it out.

“Sunshine…” Sebastian starts but I hold up my hand to stop him.

“I need to see it. If it wasn’t from you, then it’s most likely from Charlie.”

“Are you sure?” Atlas asks, his muscles rippling from the strain of holding himself back.

“I guess so.”

Stepping towards the purple box on my bed, I gingerly pull at the bow, my body coiled tightly like I’m expecting him to jump out and attack me.

Lifting the lid, I’m greeted with a letter and a bouquet of freshly picked daisies. Dirt scattered across the base of the box, and small watermarks on the paper where the roots lay.

With shaky hands, I open the letter.

I never thought you’d do it, but you did.

Well done Little One.

One more obstacle for us gone, only a few more to go.

I can’t wait for you to be mine once more.

I’ll see you soon Autumn.

Be good.

Chapter 38

To my Chlo,

I killed her. I never thought I would be saying those words to you, but I guess I am.

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