Page 70 of Unspoken Words
“But you shouldn’t. It’s … it’s not right.”
“Baby—”
“Please stop, Connor. I can’t … I can’t do this right—”
“Yes, you can.”
“NO, I CAN’T! Not with you like this.” She stepped back as if I were a disease.
“Like what?” The car beside me seemed to move, so I grabbed it to stop it from getting away.
“Like that. Look at you. You can’t even stand straight.”
She turned around and started to head back to the venue.
“Fuck this shit. Give me my keys. I’m leaving.”
“In your dreams. You’re not driving. You’re drunk.”
“Ellie, I’m not fucking kidding. Give me my keys.”
The little red fire ant stopped, wrenched her arm back, and threw them into the darkness.
“WHAT THE FUCK?”
“YOU’RE WELCOME,” she shouted.
“Yeah, that’s right, just leave and abandon me. You’re good at that.”
“I ABANDON YOU?”
“That’s what I said.”
Ellie closed her eyes and sucked in a few short breaths before she opened her eyes, turned around, and kept walking until I could no longer see the lick of flame I’d been playing with all night.
And that’s when it suddenly turned dark, cold and silent, and I realised I was alone.
Again.
Chapter Eighteen
Connor
“Connor! Connor, wake up.”
The shrill of an unusual sounding bird unhinged my thoughts, but I couldn’t see it where I sat by the river, fishing rod in hand. And I couldn’t understand how it knew my name let alone speak it.
“Connor! For the love of God, wake up. It’s cold out here.”
The bird was really weird. It wasn’t cold; the sun was shining, the fish were biting—Ouch! Fuck. One bit me.
“CONNOR! WAKE UP!”
Prying my lead-weight eyelids apart, I soon realised I wasn’t fishing by the river, instead under the attack of Lilah, her taloned fingers connecting with my cheek.
“What the fuck?” I raised my hand in defence. “Stop that.”
“Where’re the keys?”
