JUST POPPING IN TO SAY ITS MAY 31ST AND THE WRITER'S BLOCK IS IMMENSE WTF DOES ONE EVEN WRITTEEEEE

Jesus I swear if there's a fourth book I'll just be milking it

Bye x

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T h e H o l l o w s I n 
O U R F R E E D O M
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S K Y

I threw the last box into the bin with a sigh, before tying up the bag and replacing it with another. I exited the bathroom, watching the rain hail down as if it were the last day on earth to supply water.

It had been a week or so since my dad had died, and the house still rocked slightly. My mum and Alexi had been icy, not just with each other, but with everyone. I'd also seen Lexi lose her temper with Jace a few times, though I didn't know if that was out of guilt for making out with Jonah or because of the death list hanging over our heads. The makeout session was still a secret she did not know I held.

Despite it all, wounds were starting to close and scars were starting to appear; my mum is trying to ignore the pain and Lexi is beginning to calm down slightly. Slightly.

It was nearing mid-March now; the April shower season was fast approaching. It also meant the season of new life, ironically.

Someone knocked at my door suddenly, and so I pulled on my dressing gown quickly.

"Yes?" I called out, fixing the dressing gown across my front.

Jace walked in. I frowned at him, though flashed him a smile.

He smiled in response. "Hey, Sky, have you seen Lex?" He asked me.

I furrowed my eyebrows, shaking my head, "no, though she's probably outside in the rain like an absolute weirdo." Jace laughed in response, eyes finding the bag of rubbish by my feet.

"Did you want me to take that down for you?" He offered, making me frown down at the bag. I bit my lip, before reaching down to pick it up and pass it to him.

"Thank you," I told him, smiling. He left grinning, and when he was gone, I took the dressing gown off, as though I had finished pretending. I thought about my dad at that moment; I didn't know how much I appreciated him until he left, and suddenly it felt as if my heart was a little lighter—and not in a good way.

The monsters proceeded to leave us sinister messages—my mum said it was as though they were trying to chase us out of our home. My mum was usually a fighter, but she had since found us somewhere else to stay. It was bigger and farther away from trouble than this house. Although I knew that we would be safer, I'd miss it—I'd miss the feeling of living with my parents in their home.

I rifled through what was left of my clothes in my cupboard, the rest were packed up, and picked out a jumper dress to pull over my tank top and tights. It was loose and comfortable.

I brushed through my hair before leaving the room, pattering down the corridor and towards my mum's room. She had changed rooms after the loss of my dad. I didn't blame her.

I knocked on her door before making my appearance.

She was folding up clothes and turned when I entered. "Oh," she said, "hi, Sky."

I smiled over to her, shutting the door and walking to where she was seated on her bed. I sat down next to her. "You're not packing too much, are you?" I asked her, watching her suitcase pile up.

She sighed. "I probably am." She said, before reaching down into it. I stopped her, though, with a palm to her arm.

"It's fine, stop worrying," I told her. She smiled, though sighed again too.

"After...after Richard, and Sapphire, it's just hard to think of losing another." She told me.

I pulled her in for a hug, holding onto her tightly. She wrapped her arms around my body, and I closed my eyes to relish in the comfort that our embrace brought me. I had only known her for three months, but she had already become the mother I knew she had always wanted to be to me.

She pulled back suddenly, averting my eyes, "I'll miss this house." She told me, her voice sounding troubled.

I hummed. "I learnt a long time ago that home isn't a place, it's people. The people you love."

My mum turned to look over to me, eyes curious. "When did you get so smart?" She asked, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ear.

I beamed, though it was bittersweet, "Pain strengthens you, I guess." She smiled and then brought me back in for a hug—tighter this time.

"I'm sorry," she said into my hair, "I never said it, but I am, Sky. I'm sorry." I tightened my hold on her.

"There's nothing to forgive," I told her, feeling her relax slightly.

When we pulled away next, my mum looked down regretfully at her suitcase—which was becoming quite full.

She sighed, "I wish we could pack more." She said.

I stared. "We could have a moving van?" I suggested, the idea fresh.

She glanced between me and the suitcase. "Like I said, smart." I smiled, and we engaged in more small conversations before we left her room to go down for lunch.

"..and that's how he said sorry? Buying another dress?"

I laughed, leaning against the countertop in the kitchen. "No, well, I don't know," my mum chuckled, shaking her head, "maybe he just wanted to give me a present." I shrugged, though watched her raise her eyebrow at me.

She fell silent for a few moments, and then suddenly said, "I think I like him, Sky, he seems to care about you a lot."

"I think maybe that's because he does," I responded, pouring myself a glass of water.

I watched my mum roll her eyes. "You sound like Alexi—which isn't a good thing."

I scoffed. "Lies, you love Lexi."

My mum grinned to herself. "No, she's an idiot."

I burst out laughing, though agreed. Sorry, Lexi.

"Sky?" Someone called suddenly, making my mum and I fall silent.

"In here!" I shouted, before watching Jameson appear abruptly in the doorway.

The look on his face told us everything.

"Another message?" My mum asked, discarding the towel she was using to dry the dishes.

Jameson swallowed and then nodded.

We all vacated the room in a matter of seconds, making our way over to the commotion. We found everyone in the library, gawking at something on the wall.

Lexi turned, beckoning us over. "The list has changed." She told us, making my heart race.

Changed?

I pushed past the crowd as gently as I could, and then began to read the new list and message.

"Bert. X
Angela. X
Carter. X
Zac. X
Sapphire. X
Richard. X
Alexi.
Toby.
Avery.
Jackson.
Jonah.
Jimmy.
Jameson.
Kathleen.
Sky.
Any other accomplices.
Elle.

You asked for it."

'You asked for it?'

"'You asked for it'," my mum read, "that must be why I'm at the end—I asked for it because I ruined their order; I'm being punished by having to watch the whole team die." She said.

There were whispers in response to this.

"Well, I just want to know how I got important enough to be next on the list." I heard Lexi say, trying to bring humour to a very sinister situation. I didn't reply, I didn't even turn to throw her a weird look, I just kept reading the message. Over and over again.

"Maybe because Elle was moved up, so you got moved up." I heard Toby say in response.

"Okay, genius, then how comes you're dying after me and you weren't before?"

I tried to ignore them, and instead asked, "What similarities do you guys have?"

"We're both unbelievably sexy." I heard Toby say. I think he got hit for that.

"If I didn't agree I would actually pull you apart." I heard Lexi growl.

"I grant you permission."

"Stop flirting." I said, "I'm being serious."

"So am I." I turned to throw Toby an annoyed look, which shut him up.

"I guess...maybe we're both good with information? Like decoding it." Lexi suggested.

I pursed my lips, "Maybe, but that has nothing to do with Avery or Jace." I said, turning back to the list.

"They're both soppy." I heard Lexi say. I turned to frown at her. "I meant nice—that's what I meant."

I rolled my eyes, before turning back to the list.

"I want to know why Cassie and I have been taken off." I heard Bria say, noticing something that I hadn't.

"Oh yeah." I heard Clara say, then saw as she moved closer to us and the wall. "Jameson's also been added." She then said.

My heart stopped. "He wasn't on it before?" I asked.

I turned to Clara, who shrugged. Everyone had a similar response. I guess I had assumed that he would be.

"But why would Bria and Cassie be on the list on the first place?" Kim asked, frowning at the list.

"I guess to scare us," Avery said, eyes meeting mine briefly.

I frowned, "I don't know," I said, "I think maybe they changed their minds, or maybe this list is by someone else..."

"Look," my mum said suddenly, "it's signed this time," she said, pointing at a scribble beneath the next.

I bent down and read the letters aloud, "N.Y.A, from TP-MA."

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hi it's me

I did nothing today so I'm sad

also her life epilogue isn't going up today lmaooo

I tried

well I didn't

but still

-the end

FABULOUS SONGS

Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
Cola - Lana Del Rey
When It's All Over - RAIGN
Gone - Bebe Rexha
Make Up Your Mind - Florence + The Machine
Rival - Ruelle
Escape - Megan Nicole
Why Try - Ariana Grande
Where's My Love - SYML
Curbstomp - Meg Myers
Fear on Fire - Ruelle
Bullet - Ann Marr
Atlantis - Ellie Goulding

END OF FABULOUS SONGS

Date written:
31/05/18

(24/07/18
I was reading this chapter and it just completely ignores the last chapter??? Idk maybe in the midst of writing too fast for the deadline I just skipped past it all 😂
I just tried to fix it without writing a whole new chapter, I hope it's okay 😬)

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Next update: whenever since apparently all the dates I set I completely ignore so
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR SPOILER:

It doesn't take long for the enemies to come for who is next on the list.

Wait...who's next on the list?