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H o l l o w s I n
T I M E
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"When I said I'd see you here, I meant to like converse, not to carry your life's work in parcels." I complained, heaving through the next lot of boxes Toby was forcing me to carry.

"Hey, I can't carry the boxes if I'm adding confetti to the tables, can I?" A girl beside us laughed.

It was a spectacle, actually; the hot player sprinkled decorations like some mystical fairy, whilst I lugged around boxes half my weight.

"Okay, unbox that big one." He instructed.

I peered at the boxes and inwardly groaned. "They're all big," I said, deadpanned. "Which is why I've had a hard time collecting them." I retorted.

Toby sighed, leaning over to open the first box that I had brought over to him. He pulled out some sort of scary gimmick.

I scoffed. "Seriously? So what was weighing the box down so much then?" I asked.

Toby raised an eyebrow. "Here," he said, "hold it." He dropped it into my hands. And I swear they nearly detached from my body.

Toby quickly placed his hands under mine, catching whatever the hell I was holding before it shattered. The girl beside us saw everything. I expected there'd be dating rumours by tomorrow.

The girl wasn't the only person who saw.

"OTP!" Someone yelled. I turned around to see the girls watching us. Cassie shouted it, obviously.

But behind them was another spectator. Jameson.

His eyes were narrowed as he assessed our transaction of a stupid decoration as if he was preparing for battle—planning everything out by the second and inch.

I left Toby and walked over to the girls, making sure that they didn't start rumours about the non-existent relationship that Toby and I had.

But a blur in the corner of the room startled me. I nearly kicked myself when it turned out just to be a stupid fake ghost.

I had blanked out of the girls conversation as a sudden wave of anxiety whelmed me. I didn't know if it was the fake ghosts, or the dark room, or the blinding anticipation that I would be attending an actual event tonight that caused it. For, the last event that I had attended was the ball.

And that led to many bad things that shouldn't have happened.

I turned back to the girls. But it was Jameson's face that I saw. He frowned, sensing that was something was wrong. He moved out from behind the girls, moving towards me.

He was about a metre away when the opposite side of the hall set alight.

"Sam!" A girl shrieked, as the curtain beside her set on fire.

And everyone started screaming.

The chaos drove me away from everyone.

I stared at the fire, tears running down my face.

It was my fault.

They screamed and screamed, but all I could do was watch.

I was weak. And I hated that.

For some reason, it all appeared to me like a horror film; I wasn't there in the moment. Who would want to be?

I couldn't feel the fire on my skin, but their screams bit at me.

I let out a strangled sob.

And then I ran.

Because that's what weak people do.

"Sky!" Someone yelled.

I was on the ground. But completely separated from my body. Curled up, holding my limbs to my chest as if someone would try to take them away from me.

And I was shivering.

The fire did not scald my skin this time either, yet the room was still scorching hot.

And I was shivering.

"Sky!" My name was screamed again.

Then suddenly someone had their hands on me.

I clutched onto them, needing the warmth of a person—not of a blistering fire.

They hauled me into their arms and picked me up.

From over their shoulder, I saw the fire flickering, the flames licking at the decorations that had been so beautifully arranged.

Now they were dead.

Just like those people.

I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned my head on the chest of the person who was carrying me.

But I couldn't rid myself of the memories.

There were people coughing around me. But I suddenly wasn't present in this time. I was sprinting, trying to get away.

Truth is, I wasn't running for my life. I was running from myself. From my mistakes.

There was only one problem—I had never outrun them. In fact, I had done a full circle back to them.

There will be no rest for the wicked.

I opened my eyes. And, suddenly, I wasn't there anymore. But it still hurt. It burned me, it torched my skin.

It also torched any and all good memories I had made. Those memories would've saved me. They could've always saved me. In that house, in that cage. They would've saved me. But, yet, I always shut them out. And I no long had access to their prison.

"Is she okay?" Someone asked. I heard a gruff response, but I couldn't pick out actual words.

"Move out!" Someone yelled, "everyone move out!" I cringed, wishing that someone would drown all the sounds out, as well as the fire.

The person who held me cupped my head and held it to their chest. And then ran.

Different lights from different corridors flashed across my vision. Doors upon doors were sent flying into walls as the person dispatched of them as if they were threats.

Finally, everything slowed.

And my body was placed onto a mattress of some sort. And then I was wheeled off. I didn't know who had carried me here, and I couldn't see them now, but as I descended into the unknown, I felt a string snap as distance was placed between us. As if we were tied but the separation made the knot collapse.

And then, slowly, slowly, slowly—I was out.

I was awake. But I didn't want to wake up. Because I knew what laid ahead when I did. Regret. Pain. Anguish.

And it consumed me. I had never known a feeling much worse than knowing that you destroyed someone's whole world.

"Hey," someone shook my arm. "I know you're awake." I opened my eyes. I was in my room. I turned to see Jameson sitting beside me.

He looked happy. Relieved. Did he know who I was?

I sat up slowly with Jameson's guidance. Then I curled back up into that fetal position. But it wasn't myself that I was trying to protect. It was everyone else.

"Sky," Jameson placed his palm on my arm. "What's–"

"What do you see when you look at me?" I asked, teary eyed as I glanced up at Jameson. He didn't know it, but he was crowned in light.

The question must've startled him, because he seemed to take a few seconds to think about his response. His eyes flitted over my facial features.

He didn't understand what was happening, but he replied anyway. "Complete and utter goodness. There's light within your heart, and sometimes it shines outwards." He told me, brushing a lock of hair out of my eyes.

I shook my head. "No." He frowned. "You don't know who I am. You don't know what I've done." I was shaking now.

"What you've–" Jameson broke himself off, visually too confused to continue. "Sky, I have never met such a compassionate person in my life–"

I laughed with spite instead of humour. "–You don't even know what you're talking about." I told him.

A flame of anger flashed in his eyes, but was away with a blink. "I know exactly what I'm talking about."

I jumped off my bed. "No you don't!" I screeched. "I don't even know who I am anymore!" I yelled, sobs wracking my body.

Jameson slowly got off the bed. "Sky, it's going to be okay. Let me help you." He outstretched his hand, offering me his guidance once more.

I backed away, choking on my tears. I shook my head viciously, "No, you can't. I couldn't help them." I sobbed.

It hurt too much. Everything in me was screaming.

"'Them'? Sky, what are you talking about?" He asked.

"The people!" I yelled. "The people that I couldn't help!" I shrieked.

I fell to the floor, murmuring one incoherent word after another.

Jameson kneeled beside me. "Sky..." He looked truly broken. As if all his world just crashed in front of him, and he didn't know how to fix any of it.

"Jameson." I was numb. Tears fell from my eyes, but I wasn't sure that they were mine.

I looked into his eyes. I saw his everlasting trust in me—trust he never should've had. He admired me in the best of times and saved me in the worst of times.

I realised a million things in that moment.

But there was only one thing I could say.

"I killed someone."

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what

um

Sky

crap

um

Okay guys yeah we don't need to section her we need to arrest her

Can I please get some backup

-no, I hurt people I couldn't help so no

-great

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Next update: Wednesday (aka, have fun waiting)
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CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE SPOILER:

It's the end of the sixties, and the end of a facade for our antagonist.

With secrets to cure your intrigue, and answers to follow up the mega cliffhanger at the end of this chapter, we're looking at a powerful end to an era.

But you can never release one secret without there being another.

Watch out, for something wicked this way comes.