Page 4 of Requiem
He watches me for a long second. Then his gaze flicks toward the upper corner of the room. I follow it, noticing a small black camera. He gives the slightestnod.
The door unlocks behind him, and my entire body tenses like a terrified animal as it opens.
Adriana steps in carefully. She’s pale, shaken, butalive. “Hey, Jude.” She stops a few feet inside, arms wrapped tightly around herself. “I’m okay,” she says softly.
My vision blurs. “I—” I can’t finish when I see movement behind her.
Micah steps into view, also alive.
I shake my head, a broken whimper escaping me.
“You’re good,” Micah says, calmly raising his hands. “You’re out. You’re safe.”
I frantically glance between them. “I didn’t—” My voice cracks. “I didn’t hurt you, did I? Did I really hurt…” I swallow, still unable tosay her fucking name.
Adriana’s expression falters for a second. It’s enough to destroy me. I did. Ididfucking choke her. I’m not imagining that…
“Jude,” Micah cuts in, firm. “Look at me.”
I do. Barely holding it together. I feel so foreign inside my own body.
“You’re with us now. So isshe,okay?”
My hands start shaking again, harder now. It's withdrawal and fear and fucking shame consuming me.
Rafe steps slightly into my line of sight again. “That’s all you get for now,” he says evenly.
Micah opens the door, and Adriana hesitates before backing toward it.
“No, wait.” Panic surges, and I scramble forward, wincing at my injured leg. “Don’t—”
They slip through the door, leaving me alone with Rafe again.
“The medication will help with the opioids,” he continues without pause. “If you don’t take it, you’ll just have to detox on your own.”
“No,” I breathe, shaking my head. “No, no, no—fuckthat. You don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
I narrow my eyes. “I’m not staying in this fucking room—” My voice breaks. “I’m not doing thisalone.”
Something flickers across Rafe’s expression as he turns toward the door. “You’re not alone anymore, Jude.”
My stomach clenches at that. “Hey. Where the fuck areyougoing?”
He doesn’t answer.
“Don’t leave!” I shout, fighting against the restraints.“Please.”
The door closes, and the lock clicks.
They’re alive. They’re okay.
So why do I still want to die?
For a second, I just stare at the door, chest heaving. Then everything snaps. I yank forward with a scream, ripping against the restraints. Thesefuckingrestraints. A flash of white tears across my vision.
Herface. I want to seeher, too.
