Chapter Seven

Once my lecture was finished, I packed everything in my handbag, as I was walking out my phone started to ring. Rummaging through my bag spilling half its contents on the concrete before finding my phone, it was mum quickly answering it.

"Hi mum sorry I didn't answer earlier I was running late for class"

"That's ok honey, I just really need to speak to you can you come for tea tomorrow night?"

"Ok, why can't you tell me over the phone? I will still come for tea though"

"No, I have to speak to you in person it's important just make sure you come straight after classes finish tomorrow"

"Mum what's going on?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow I have to go a customer just came in"

She hung up the phone, I stared at the blank screen worried and confused.

As I started picking up my belongings another set of hands started passing things to me, I frantically snatched my pills out of his hand I knew who it was straight way. I recognised the leather jacket he had on in class. Aamon.

Quickly standing up and stepping away from him. He stared for a second at the pills, I was trying shove in my bag away from his sight.

"I was only trying to help"

"I don't need your help" I retorted

"Whoa calm down" He replied

"Sorry I'm just tired" I apologised

"That's ok do you want to get a coffee with me?"

"I can't I have to get back to my dorm to get my notes then I have another class" I explained

He nodded looking a bit disappointed. I suddenly felt bad for saying no, we both stood there awkwardly for a few minutes.

"OK maybe next time then" he said before walking away

I immediately walked back to my dorm and grabbed my chemistry notes and assignment before heading to class again. Chemistry was long and boring the time seemed to really drag out. By the end of class I was fighting to stay awake. When it was time to leave Becca met me in the quad and we decided to go get pizza for dinner. I relayed my conversation to her with my mother.

She looked as confused as I felt. "Weird how they went to a coven meeting and suddenly want to talk to you, I wonder if something happened while they were away" Becca said

"I don't know but something felt off, not just what she said I got a weird feeling like she was nervous about telling me whatever it is. I don't know maybe I'm reading too much into it"

"Yeah they probably feel bad for not being able to spend the break with you" Becca said trying to cheer me up.

Once we got home, we went for showers and decided to have an early night, I was exhausted, and Becca was still feeling the effects of partying the night before.

Sleep came easily for the first time in weeks as soon as my head hit the pillow exhaustion took over.

"Avery…. Avery Wake Up"

I awoke to Becca crying and screaming for me to wake up, she was clutching her phone in her hand tears running down her cheeks, she was shaking and trembling pulling on my shoulders. I jerked upright panicked.

"What Becca What?"

"Your parents the house is on fire" She said sobbing uncontrollably

I stopped listening. My hands started shaking. I got up desperately trying to find my car keys. I found Becca's first clutching them in my hand, I grabbed my jacket and ran out the door. I felt numb I needed to get home; I need to get to them. Becca was crying trying to talk to me, but I couldn't hear her, I could only here my heart beating in my ears, adrenaline pulsing through my body.

I couldn't focus, I couldn't understand what was going on. Becca kept following me, students started sticking their heads out their doors to see what the commotion was wondering why Becca was crying hysterically. I ran down the stairs skipping some in my haste until I reached the bottom floor. I start running towards the car park fumbling with keys I drop them. Picking them up I start hitting the buttons trying to make the car unlock.

Aamon and another supervisor come out chasing us, but I couldn't pay attention to what was being said. I had to get out of here. The head lights blinked the car unlocked; I threw the door open and jumped in, Becca sliding in the passenger side. Someone ripped open the back door and climbed in as I was reversing out of the parking space.

I sped off; I could vaguely hear Becca telling me to slow down while she was crying gripping the dash with her hands. The rear seat passenger kept trying to ask her what was going on, but she was a blubbering mess and I had gone numb and deaf to my surroundings. I could see her lips moving but nothing else. I came around the last corner on to my street screeching to a stop I mounted the curb.

I jumped out and ran towards my house it was completely engulfed in flames, feel the heat on my freezing cold skin. Becca's parent's grabbed me before I reached the stairs on the front porch pulling me away from the house I kept struggling "they are in there I need to help them" I yelled, fighting against them trying to get in screaming for them to let me go.

A strong set of arms wrapped around my waist pulling me away just as the roof caved in throwing flames and smoke everywhere.

I stared at what was once my home and is now just flaming rubble. Losing track of time, all I could do was watch and pray they weren't home, but at the same time I knew I was in denial my parents wouldn't be out at this hour, but there was still a chance. I don't know how much time went past but the flames were gone, and the fire fighters were trying to gain access through the back yard.

I was standing next to Audrey and George Parker, Becca's parents on the sidewalk. Audrey was rubbing my arm; someone’s arm was wrapped around my waist still; Becca was sobbing into her father’s chest his arms wrapped around her tightly. I just stared nothing made sense, I couldn't feel anything, nothing at all I could only watch.

After a while I saw movement coming from the back of the house down the driveway 4 fire fighters carried two body bags down the driveway placing them on the ground. Escaping the arms, I run towards them they tried to push me away, but I dropped to the ground and scrambled forward unzipping the first bag. I felt my blood leave my body, my hands shaking uncontrollably.

"NO, NO, NO" I shook my head gripping my hair I could feel my hair pulling from the roots, they can't be dead. I just spoke to her today. This was another nightmare; I would wake up from.

I peered down at my mother’s charred face nearly all her skin was gone and what remained was black as charcoal, I could smell her burnt hair and flesh. I fell backwards on my arse I could feel hands pulling me to stand up. I couldn't take my eyes off her lifeless burnt face. Becca stood in front of me pulling my face to look at hers; I looked into her teary eyes. Tears stained her cheeks.

"They're gone babe they're gone. Don't look don't remember her like that" I stared into her blue eyes understanding what she was saying. My legs suddenly felt like jelly. They were really gone. This wasn't some nightmare. I wasn't going to wake from. They were dead gone.

My body gave up, I dropped on my knees and screamed, it was loud and primal I couldn't recognise it as my own, I felt my heart sink into somewhere cold and dark it felt like someone was ripping it into shreds, I clutched at my chest trying to stop the pain that was ripping through every cell in my body, just as I was sure my heart was going to be crushed completely something burst from chest, it was cold, dark hopeless agonising, my soul shattering into a million pieces.

I could hear glass breaking and the streetlights started shattering and going out. The street was plunged into darkness and so was I, a man's voice whispering for me to calm down telling me it was all going to be ok. People were screaming, panicking I could hear the buzz of electricity zapping loudly. My body felt cold my veins like ice, so cold so empty. Darkness creepy in seeping into my bones, I welcomed the darkness anything to make it stop, anything to stop it from hurting, then I lost consciousness.

When I came to I was in Becca’s house on her lounge, Audrey and George were in the kitchen talking to the police and the fire brigade when they glanced in my direction Audrey immediately walked over putting a hot cup of coffee in my hands making me flinch when the heat burnt my skin, my hands were trembling. I was cold so cold. Becca came and wrapped a blanket around me before cuddling into me.

I looked in the directions of where everyone was gathered her mother smiled sadly to me, George was asking questions, I couldn't hear what they were saying though.

After everyone left George came and sat on the coffee table in front me taking my hands holding them and the cup between his, He looked up to me gently speaking.

"The police are investigating the circumstances around the fire they said they will be in contact with us when they know more"

"Why are they investigating do think it was deliberately lit" asked Becca confused

George stuttered his voice breaking. He starts taking deep breathes to calm himself.

"No, they know it was. He squeezed my hand gently your father He stutters when they found your father he had knife in his chest they found his body on the stairs next to your mothers, I'm so sorry Avery" George started to cry placing his head into his hands, Audrey came and placed a hand on his shoulder rubbing it gently.

Numb to his words I just stared. why would someone kill my parents? I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Then all of a sudden Overwhelming guilt took over me my dream came back to me; it wasn't a dream, it flooded into my memory. The pain the terror it was never mine it was her's. It was my mothers, that's why the room felt familiar it was theirs. I kept replaying the dream in my head feeling her pain while she tried to breathe, her fear and her sadness when she felt the knife and finally her death.

I dropped my cup the realisation hitting all at once. I could have saved them I could have warned them, if only I mentioned it at lunch that day instead of hiding it from them, if only I put the pieces together faster. If only I was here maybe I could have prevented their deaths.

Becca was picking up the broken glass I stared down at her shaking. The tears wouldn't stop rolling down my cheeks. What have I done? What have I done?

I look up and behind me when I felt a hand brush my shoulder, why is Aamon here? Becca notices my stare confusion must have taken over my face because she answered the question, I was thinking but hadn't said. "It’s ok Avery he jumped in the car as we left Campus"