Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Twenty-Six: "Earthquake"

Niall
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Devastation takes over the darkest parts of you when you're most prepared for it. It's like an earthquake, destroying everything. It hits like you weren't expecting it, despite the fact that you were. It hits you knowing how much damage it causes every moment it spreads. It hits you because in all truth, it can.

The cruelty of that truth is that there was no escaping it when it arrived. You knew all that would happen and yet your efforts to protect yourself fell short with great failure.

I'm not saying that I'm devastated at the moment. But I could feel it. I could feel the darkness that wanted to consume me. I could feel the devastation whispering my name.

Jon and Carly sat with Brielle, grieving. Both were deathly afraid to lose her, as all of us were. Although Jon had also mentioned that Judie hadn't come home since she left the last time we saw her. He said she kept extending her trip because things were coming up? Opportunities that she didn't want to pass up. I was outraged that she'd leave her family for something like this, yet I knew that the people in Brielle's family didn't see it that way like everyone else. Her version of a happy family was one that didn't kill each other. Literally. It was sick, yet so unbelievably real.

Claire and Harry left for food only ten minutes ago. They'd be back sometime soon, I'd expect. And in the meantime, I spent my time pacing in the waiting room.

I kept thinking about what Judie was up to, and what we could do to prevent her from getting to Brielle. She was getting closer without our knowing, despite only having found out about her agenda. And if we weren't more careful than we'd been, she would be too close to stop her.

Uriah and Charlotte knew of her movements, knew what she was trying to get at. They were working on keeping her away, and I desperately wanted to do the same, but the problem was that I didn't know exactly how I needed to be careful.

What could I do? What couldn't I? What shouldn't I? What did they want me to steer clear of?

If I didn't know what she was up to now, how was I supposed to be smart about my own movements? How could I keep her safe right here, with me? How was I supposed to do anything if I was blind to half of what was unfolding before us?

And it was then that the devastation attacked me, in that moment. When I realized that I felt hopeless, when I was beginning to unhinge because the reality that something worse than Brielle not waking up could truly attack at any moment, that was the devastation that overpowered me. It wasn't because Brielle's condition was permanent (thank God that it wasn't) or that Jon and Carly probably blamed me for this, but because of the harsh truth that Judie was ten steps ahead of us, and whenever we caught up, we fell back two of those steps.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when a soft voice came from behind me. I turned, frowning, to see that it was Crystal. Part of me instantly feared the fact that she was here, and part of me was angry about it.

What business did she have here? And why did she even bother coming? I didn't have time for her flirting or any time to listen to Brielle hate me because she was here, and there was much to say about why the hell she even dared to make any moves at all since the beginning.

I clenched my jaw. "Crystal."

"Hi," she smiled shyly, but I saw something behind that smile. It almost looked forced. "I heard a few days ago about the accident... I worked up the courage to come see how she was."

I refrained from a glare, but damn if it wasn't hard. "She's fine."

She nodded, wringing her hands together in front of her. Then she looked me in the eyes and offered another smile, though this one was less shy and a bit more of a grin.

"You look tired," she said, her eyes roaming over my face. "You should probably try to sleep for a bit. Rest up."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "No thanks, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" She stepped closer, keeping her eyes level with mine. "Really, you look like you'll fall out any minute."

"You know, maybe it's best if you leave," I countered, refusing to take the bait she'd laid out for me.

She giggled. "But I just want to check on her. Being a good friend, is all. Surely you understand?"

The sight of her sickly sweet smile and the sound of her laughter made me sick, as well as the feeling I got whenever I noticed she was around. She seemed like the obsessed stalker type that followed you when they liked you. I didn't like the vibe that came off her whenever she was around. It almost made my blood run cold.

"Please leave," I replied calmly, tightening my fists at my sides. She took notice, and her grin fell into a frown.

"Are you naturally this rude?"

"Please. Leave." I stared hard at her as I waited for her to turn and leave, and it seemed ages until she actually did. Her frown was deep, almost looking a little permanent. But then she broke out into another sickly sweet grin and winked at me.

I tensed.

"I'll let everyone know she's doing well," she chuckled, turning and leaving the hallway.

My chest fell in an exhale that I hadn't known I'd been holding as I slumped against the wall for support. My knees were weak, as well as my head. It was almost spinning, yet at the same time I was more aware than I'd been before.

Something was horribly wrong with her appearance. She didn't like Brielle, that much had been obvious since meeting her. She pretended she wasn't there half the time even when Brielle was sitting right next to me. And the way she smiled, the way she grinned... I did not trust her words, nor her "sincere" tone. I didn't trust her at all.

I was calling Harry before I could even register that they might've been around the corner.

"Hey, we'll be back in-"

"Crystal just showed up."

He paused, the line going silent, and then be cleared his throat. "Why?"

"She said she was checking on her but I don't believe her. I call bullshit."

"Are you sure?"

I nearly rolled my eyes before I remembered that he couldn't see me.

"Very. She didn't seem all that concerned, and she grinned at me. It was creepy, like I was missing something, and then there's the obvious fact that Crystal would probably be the one to bury Brielle herself."

The thought of Brielle losing this battle was enough to make me falter for a moment, and then I was back on track before I could hang too long on the empty thought.

"What else did she say?"

"She kept pointing out that I was tired... and she claimed to be a 'good friend' checking on her." I bit my lip as I tried to think of the reason she even showed up. Was it out of arrogance? "I don't feel right about this, Harry. It's not because Brielle pretty much hates her guts, but there's something sinister behind this."

I heard him sigh. "We'll be there in five minutes."

"Okay-"

Suddenly Jon began shouting, and Carly screamed. She was sobbing when I ran into the room, Jon trying to hold Brielle still. The horror in my eyes must've been too great to hide because when Carly looked to me for help, she only cried harder.

Brielle was convulsing, and the heart monitor was beeping erratically. Jon had tears running down his face, pure fear etched onto it. I was frozen in the doorway until doctors shoved passed me and lightly urged Jon out of the way.

All I could hear was the sound of loud voices and all I could see was the way Brielle's eyes were rolled to the back of her head... her violent shaking.

Nothing else seemed to register. Just my devastation.