Locked Away - Book 1

Chapter 45

"Hey. Sorry for being so la..." I walk back through the door and immediately see Kinsey and Tyler asleep on his bed.

I walk over to myself and take the key out. After placing the key on the dresser I walk up to the bed. Damn, he's cute. I slip a blanket over him and Kinsey. But then Tyler's eyes open.

"Hey."

"Hey." He yawns as he smiles at seeing me. "What time is it?"

"Almost one." I look at my phone, surprised by how late it is. "Sorry. Time goes weirdly in there."

"It's fine. Everything okay?" He lips out of bed and we walk slightly away from the bed.

"Yeah. Everything's... interesting."

"So he spoke? Any idea how to kill him?"

"He spoke for sure, but I'm not sure there's anything there to help kill him."

"Well tell me everything. Maybe you just need another set of ears on it."

"Maybe in the morning. I'm tired and we have a busy day tomorrow."

"Yeah. Of course." He looks back at Kinsey. "She's out of it. Living room's empty though."

"Anywhere sounds good right now." He puts his arm around me and we grab a few pillows and a blanket before heading downstairs.

We make ourselves a little bed on the ground and lay down. I wrap my arms around him. He grabs my arms and kisses them.

"Do you think people are born evil?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"Eliot..." He turns around to face me. "What's going on?"

"It's just something that it said."

"What'd it say?"

"It's really nothing. I'm just in my head." I put on a smile.

"Don't do that. If something's wrong, then tell me. I can help. You're not alone here." He brushes his fingers across my cheek.

"It turns out my entire existence is surrounded by a lot of death and darkness."

"Whatever that thing told you easily could've been a lie."

"I don't think so." I look him in the eyes. "I can feel it. I think I always have. That something in me is evil."

"It's just that thing. It'll be gone soon."

"But it's not just it. I'm made from him." I can see the sudden look in Tyler's eyes. "From his blood. Doesn't that make me evil?"

"It doesn't matter where your blood comes from." He grabs my hands. "It matters what you want to do. Your strength of character. Your ability to fight your nature. And If anyone is strong enough to fight their own blood, it's you."

"Thanks." I'm holding back a lot of tears.

"Don't thank me. It's true." He sits up a little. "You are the strongest person I have and ever will know. Not only will you make it through this, but you'll come out of it better than ever. You'll come out stronger." Now he's tearing up.

"Thank you for believing in me." I sit up as well. "If we make it through tomorrow I promise to be the best I can be for you."

"That's all I ask... and... we will make it through tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that..." I kiss him.

"Thanks." We kiss again and lay back down. "We should go somewhere after all of this," I whisper as I cuddle with him again.

"Yeah. A road trip."

"Yeah. Across the country."

"Right after graduation?"

"Perfect."

"Perfect."

I hold him tight until we both fall asleep, the darkness quickly overwhelming my entire body.