_________________________________

T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
_________________________________

When they'd eventually established that Angela was dead, they blanketed her body with a black plastic sheet and then moved her onto a stretcher. They walked off with her, and I instantly felt a pang of loneliness, as if the only person I ever knew had been ripped away from me.

I was about to bury my face in Jameson's chest when a stumbling figure in the distance made me come to a standstill.

"Sky!" He called and I immediately responded, ripping myself away from Jameson, accidentally pushing him into a doctor behind us. After cringing from the sudden heat loss, I pushed myself up from the floor weakly, and not being able to hold it back any longer, I rushed into his awaiting arms.

Carter stumbled back slightly at the impact of my body against his but quickly regained his balance as we both fell into the wall. Carter put a palm on the back of my head, his thumb caressing the side of my head gently, and pulled me in closer with his right hand on my back.

I didn't sob, I didn't even move. I just stood there, gazing off at the blank wall I was facing.

"It wasn't your fault, Sky." Carter murmured softly into my ear and my head twitched slightly as I disagreed with him.

"You weren't there." I accused, voice sounding hopeless. Carter didn't reply, but instead silenced me as he pulled me in closer. The hug was more tensed then I would've liked, and I felt myself becoming more agitated than calm, so you can imagine how grateful I was when a voice pierced through our tension.

"Sky, I've just had a call," It was Jameson's voice, and as Carter let me go, I saw him give Jameson an annoyed glance. I bit my lip to stop myself from saying anything and instead let it go. I glanced back at Jameson to see him gazing at me still, I signalled for him to continue.

"They want all guardians to take their Special Ones to the assembly hall, as protection. It'll be safe." The last part was more directed at Carter, and I took a look at him, hoping he'll stop being so Goddamn selfish. Wow, did I really just think that?

I nodded, my thoughts still in a muddle, and let Jameson drag me away from Carter.  Jameson stopped suddenly and clutched his stomach, a disgruntled groan falling from his lips as his legs buckled underneath him. I tried to catch him but I nearly got yanked down with him. After his hand had slipped through mine, I looked down to see him lying limp on the floor.

"Help!" I screamed as I fell to my knees and positioned Jameson so I could see his face. His eyes were closed.

"Jameson." I whispered painfully and ran my thumb gently over his left eyelid. His eyes snapped open as my fingers reached the tips of his hairline and I smiled at him. When Jameson's lips next parted, it wasn't to greet me, but instead another groan slipped from his lips. I began to search for the problem, but then I spotted blood. A whole puddle of it.

Just as I was about to scream for help again, I was roughly pulled up from my arm and away from Jameson. I was about to protest when I saw a doctor tending to Jameson in replacement of me. 

The stranger pulled me to the door and I scuffled uselessly behind them. Too in shock to even process any movements; I let the stranger guide me and didn't for once question who it was. We got to the hall and they guided me to a chair, demanding I sit down. I fell onto the chair, unsurprisingly exhausted from everything that just fell apart before my eyes.

"Forest?" I jumped and looked around.

"Where?" I inquired insanely and the stranger, I then met eyes with, frowned.

"You. Sky, right?" She asked as she tentatively sat down on the seat beside me. My mouth opened and closed for a while before I finally took in the surroundings. I was still in the hall, just, it was a little less packed than a few minutes ago.

"You've been sitting here for a while," The girl then informed me with a concerned frown before pausing. Huh? I looked around and when I found the clock I nearly jumped off my seat. It was ten at night. Bloody hell, where did the time go? Oh my God. I need to see if he's okay. Would he still be in hospital now?

"In fact, I think at some point you fell asleep." The girl continued to talk, unaware of the freaking out that was taking place right now. Was she trying to distract me? I didn't know that talking about sleep was a delaying tactic.

"Where's Jameson?" I asked and the girl seemed momentarily surprised at my sudden input.

"Uh–"

"Is he okay?" The girl only smiled. The smile wasn't big enough in my eyes. What did that mean? Was he severely injured? Was he on the road to recovery? Was he...
Was Jameson dead?

And somehow, that was the hardest thing to contemplate. To realise. But I didn't know what that meant. I didn't know if I was scared of losing him, because I was scared of being left unprotected, or because I–

Impossible.

Incredibly impossible.

I love Carter.

Carter has been my best friend for years, and now he's my boyfriend. And I couldn't be happier that the boy with that title knows all about me, as I know all about him.

So why is the art of mystery so enticing?So–

Attractive?

But it shouldn't be. It's not. Of course it's not.

Suddenly, someone ran into the hall. I jumped.

"Oh, sorry." The girl who ran in wore a pin straight skirt, with a blouse half tucked in, half falling out. She used her glasses as a hair band, and held a stack of papers.

"Guardian Fallows, are you free?" She asked, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment.

The stranger sitting next to me sighed. "Does it look like it?"

The girl at the door blushed. "Kate wants to know if you'll help with preparing the body–"

"Sheila!" The girl next to me shouted, voice as sharp as a blade. The girl jumped, nearly losing all her papers. She looked at me, her red face going redder, then, she ran off.

I turned around slowly. "What just happened?" I asked the stranger. She didn't look at me.

"What did she mean 'preparing the bo'–"

"Just leave it." Her sour tone had my blood boiling. I stared at her, narrowing my eyes at her.

She caved in, her shoulders sagging. "You were close to Angela, right?" Then my whole world fell apart. Again.

"Of course I know her," It was my fault she died, I felt like adding.

"Well," The stranger gave me an uneasy smile. "In case of any.. accidents–" Deaths. "Anyone who works here, or any Special Ones, get to choose if they want to be buried here, or in their hometown—like a will." I stared at her. What would Angela have chosen?

"She chose to be buried back where she grew up."

And so it was final. I wouldn't be able to go to Angela's funeral.

And finally it all hit me. So fast. So fast and so ferociously that it physically hurt.

I wouldn't be able to say sorry, over and over again, for what I did to her. She wouldn't be able to hear me, even if I did. I tried to push the emptiness, of where Angela used to be, out of my mind.

And, so, no, I don't care what it says about me, I just need to know one thing.

"Well," I pressed on, staring at the girl, "Is he?" She stared at me. "Is he okay?" Her blink seemed to last five hours. "Is Jameson okay?"

She didn't reply at first.

_________________________________

Who is this stranger and why ain't she talking like use your mouth

Okay so this part is shit I know I basically added a load of stuff at the end

But because of that

The next few chapters are really long

Like 2256 words long

I'm not lying

Aw, Sky wants to know if Jameson's okay

What could this mean?

Answer: that Sky wants to know if Jameson's okay

Lovely humans
Love human

___________
Next update: Monday Funday
___________

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO SPOILER:

Is Jameson okay?

Answers, not only to that question, but to other questions, are waiting for you.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

QUOTE OF THE CHAPTER:

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*