(  hey guys, just wanted to pop in and say some stuff. this book is coming to an end pretty soon. by the looks of it, there will probably be up until a tenth chapter (or an eleventh!), and if you want, i can put bonus chapters. but i'm really looking forward to writing the epilogue! if you haven't already, please check out my beverly marsh fic Sweet Tarts!
here's today's chapter 👇  )

CARA COULDN'T HELP but smile in satisfaction as she watched Sophia's body disappear under the dirt that she so willingly dug out. Her shovel dug through the pile of dirt and threw the shovelful in the grave, Sophia's shirt now being covered in dirt and with small bugs in the mix.

But deep down, Cara knew this wasn't like herself. It felt like the two had switched roles. I mean, wasn't Amanda supposed to be the fearless one? Wasn't Cara supposed to be the shy and fearful girl? Everyone had their role picked out in their movie, but I guess they had a slight disagreement with the director.

"Just stop," Cara told herself. But it felt like she was a machine, digging her shovel back in the dirt and filling the grave up.
It didn't feel like she was a machine to Cara.
She is a machine.

"I said stop," she said as she looked down at her hands as they dived the shovel back into the pile of dirt and filled up the grave even more.
"Stop!" Cara yelled. When she looked down, she noticed that her hands, or the shovel, weren't moving and she was back in control.
Not that she even was in the first place.

Cara fell to the ground, tears cascading down like snow melting off a mountain.

"How am I supposed to be in control when I don't know what being in control is?"

The truth was; it was all an act. The smiles, the laughs, the tears. All an act. The tears right now? An act. She was acting for her whole life. But you know who didn't notice? Amanda. Sophia knew, but she still fucked with them; look where that got her.

The only thing that Cara wanted was to be alone. But she couldn't be alone with Amanda following her every move like a puppy.

So the only 'reasonable' option Cara had left was to take the shovel with her.

By the end of the night, Amanda was going to be next.

AMANDA LOOKED OUT the car window, seeing if Cara was coming anytime soon. But her glossy hair was no where to be seen. She wiped her eyes, not wanting the cold air to attract to her eyes right as she stepped out of the car.

Amanda got out of the car, tightly wrapping her black jacket around her body, not wanting to be cold. But it was impossible with the weather they were having in the small town. Especially at this time of night.

Her shoes made an unpleasant sound as she walked on the thick gravel. But the ringing in her ears, an outcome after crying, was the only noise she could be bothered by hearing.

"Why me?" Amanda asked herself as she walked on the green grass of the cemetery, not seeing where the gave stones were and almost tripping over a few.
"Where are you?" Amanda asked as she turned in a circle slowly, trying to see if she missed Cara. You referring to Cara if you didn't tell already, and some of herself but we're not talking about that.

"How long did you think it was going to last?" Cara asked as she slowly walked towards Amanda, the shovel raised and ready to kill someone like the unfaithful hammer. "You know, your existence. Someone was going to end it sooner or later. Either it being you or me. Pick and choose Amanda."

But Amanda didn't fear the threatening words. The ringing in her ears were too loud for her to hear, other than her heartbeat.

Cara took a step forward, a branch crunching under her foot. The noise made Amanda swiftly turn her head to see Cara, but one thing was for sure, if Amanda saw the shovel raised, she would've ran.
But she stepped towards Cara.

"Cara?"

Quickly, Cara put the shovel down and acted innocent; like she wasn't just going to commit another murder.

"Amanda? Why aren't you in the car?" Cara sounded worried.
Fake worry.

Cara has no emotions. The laughs, tears, fear, it was all fake.
I mean, I think you can guess what it was that made her that way.

"You were taking too long, I thought something happened. Are you okay?" Even though the lighting wasn't the best, Amanda could still see the way Cara's head moved, signaling that she nodded her head. Amanda pulled Cara in for a hug, not noticing how cold and fake Cara's fingertips felt against Amanda's back.

"Come on, we need to go to my house. I have a stack of cash and clothes we can change into-"
"Money? W-why do we need that?"
"To runaway. Amanda, we killed and buried our friend. We'll go to prison if they catch us."

Amanda nodded, taking note about how Cara added her into the mix. How she killed Sophia. How she buried the body.

Sooner than ever, the two were back in the car. The smell hitting Amanda again like it was harsh alcohol mixed with apple juice. But anyone could see the satisfaction and thrill brought to Cara's eyes, her blue eyes lighting up without a second thought. But Amanda hadn't noticed, for she feared to look in Cara's eyes again, scared to see the stranger she was letting push her around like a toy in daycare.

"How long?"
Cara hummed, a response of 'repeat it again, please.'
"Until we get to your house?"

"About five minutes."

Amanda slightly nodded for like the thousandth time. It was all she could think of doing. Nodding? A gesture that says less than actual words.

Cara pushed on the gas pedal harshly, staying at the intense speed she wanted to go at.

"Cara? Can you please slow down? I don't want to get in a car accident."

But Cara didn't listen to Amanda, giving her the opposite of her request. Slowly, Cara's foot pushed against the gas pedal more, making the fast vehicle roar in the night.

"Cara!"

But Cara kept driving at the immense speed, wanting to get in a car accident. Cara slammed on the gas pedal, swerving off the road towards a tree.

Amanda reached over to the steering wheel, trying to swerve the car before it hit a tree.
But she wasn't fast enough.

It all happened in a blink of an eye. Like a bolt of lightning.

BOOM

Amanda braced for the impact, but she was tense. Her screams were the only thing she could hear as Cara kept her foot on the gas pedal.

And then, the car hit the tree, throwing the girls forward. But one thing they forgot was the seatbelts.
Right before Amanda's head could ram through the glass, she jolted up in her bed, sweat dripping down her forehead.

"Dream, Amanda, it was a dream."

She got off her bed, her legs weak, in result she fell to the floor with a loud thud. She couldn't get off the floor, feeling so weak she couldn't even lift her head. She laid on her rug, out of breath, bringing her knees up to her chest as much as possible.

Was it really a dream? Amanda asked herself. It felt so real.

But she closed her eyes, hoping that the terrible dream wouldn't come back. And it didn't.

For now.