Page 86 of The Initial Insult

Chapter 84

Felicity

Shadow. Shadow and light. Something in the dark. Something on my chest. Something is near me. Something is here.

Chapter 85

Cat

Another girl

different now

almost gone

her blood has spilled

mixed with my girl’s

together they are

Fel—Tress—icity / FEL—TRESS—ICITY

Chapter 86

Felicity

My hair it floats tangles with Annabelle’s we float bubbles from her mouth bubbles from Lee’s nose eyes flat and dead and fish take a nibble there is a weight on my chest, half of a heart. I am pulled angry words (no don’t can’t shouldn’t won’t LISTEN TO ME!). Hair dangles swinging with my hair and the heart it tangles I am carried out of the water I am carried onto the bank I am carried I am dripping I am wet I am

carry me take care of me

not the raven flashing tattoo black it is an angry Z red slash of skin not healed stitches like small mouths held tightly shut hands on my face hands wanting me to be okay this boy always wanting to help always wanting to make it better always wanting to make up for the thing that was so wrong Oh Tress oh Tress oh Tress they are dead and I knew but I didn’t know that I knew and he KNOWS he KNOWS—not me. Oh Tress you are in danger and you will not stop I know you and you will know and I cannot help you I am going I am going I am going

Chapter 87

Felicity

I am gone.

Chapter 88

Tress

I am helpless, and there is no one to help me. I will do it myself, like always. I grit my teeth, spit, come to my feet. Behind me, a shadow, some movement. I turn in time to see a black tail slip out the front door.

“Run,” I tell it. “Go far.”

Back to the kitchen, I unscrew a light bulb, propping myself against the table for a second to catch my breath, watching as a glimmer of sunlight reaches through the grime on the window.

“I’m coming, Felicity,” I say, making my way to the door.

The steps are hard, my good hand clutching the light bulb, my bad one holding the rail as best it can. I follow the glow of my phone, find the empty socket, screw in the light bulb.

“I’m back,” I tell Felicity.

She doesn’t hear me.

Felicity is dead.