Dead To Me- Book 2

~2~

Lizzie

I watched as Shelby levitated Joel's lifeless body away from the coastline. Once full of life, now a cold stone of body parts.

I looked at his arms, hanging down in a grotesque manner. The same arms that gave the 'worlds biggest hugs', or so he claimed.

His legs, the legs that had run around with Hermes on her lawn for hours on end, never once getting tired.

Finally, I looked at his chest. His heart. I remembered how much he loved his family.

I forced myself to look away.

"Are you okay Lizzie?" False asked, coming up beside me.

I just stared at her, not really seeing anything.

"Lizzie?"

I shrugged.

"Lizzie, you need to talk about it."

I shrugged again. There was no point in talking.

"Lizzie-"

"And what would you know about losing someone." I snapped. My voice came out wobbly and strained, and I immediately wished I hadn't spoken.

False stared at me with such intensity that I had to look away.

"How dare you say that," she said, almost in tears. "I lost my best friend. He's still here."

She gestured to Pix, who was sitting on a rock staring off into space.

"But he isn't. Not truly. And honestly? I think that's worse."

I was stunned. I hadn't realised Pix's condition was that bad, or that it had affected False so deeply.

"At least Joel is in a happy place." She said, a single tear rolling down her face. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry. You've just lost someone, and here I am crying. What is wrong with me!"

I smiled. Despite everything, I smiled.

"You're allowed to cry. Everyone is allowed to cry."

She smiled back, tentatively at first, and then genuinely.

"Thank you."

"WHEN YOU GUYS ARE DONE OVER THERE, I COULD USE- SOME- HELP-" Shelby exclaimed, straining under the effort of keeping Joel afloat.

We ran to her, lifting Joel up ourselves, aided by Shelby's magic. Pix stood and wandered over, helping us carry him into the jungle.

~~~

Shelby sat down at Jimmy's old desk, petting a sleeping Norman. I stayed at the window, peeking in.

Even in mourning, I loved a good spying session.

"It's okay Norman...he'll be back." She lied.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO JOEL!!!" Sausage yelled, bursting through the door.

Shelby blinked. "No one invited you in! Also, how do you know? I haven't released the official statement yet!"

"Lizzie came home crying in False's arms. Joel was nowhere to be found. I'm an optimist, not an idiot." He said, sinking gratefully into the chair opposite and leaning on the desk.

"No one invited you to sit down either." Shelby said, gesturing for him to stand with her wand. He quickly jumped up.

"Anyway," She said, making a point of brushing invisible germs off the desk where Sausage's arms had been moments before. "He's been murdered."

Sausage looked down in disbelief. After a few moments, he looked back up, tears shining in his eyes.

"No he hasn't. He isn't gone. He's a god! No mortal can slay a god, and Santa Perla would never do such a thing!"

I twitched my foot, inwardly groaning at the loud noise it made. Shelby glanced towards the window suspiciously. After a second she turned back, still slightly on edge.

"Sausage, I need to get as much information as I can about this saint you worship."

Sausage looked affronted. "Are you suggesting that Santa Perla is behind this?!"

Shelby sighed. "I'm suggesting that we need to be safe. Give me information, or I take you in."

I shifted again, this time much louder. Shelby definitely heard, however completely ignored it. I looked back over at Sausage, who seemed really upset.

"Shelby...I though we were friends."

She looked suddenly sympathetic. "I'm sorry Sausage..."

He walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

I jumped through the window, letting out a low whistle. "Drama, am I right?"

She sighed, sorting through paperwork. "Not right now, Lizzie."

I plopped down on the edge of the desk, wincing when sat on my tail.

"OW!"

Shelby glanced up. "You good?"

I sighed. "Yeah, just my tail."

She nodded and went back to work.

I silently paced around the room, pausing at a photo of Jimmy and Joey on the bookshelf. I grabbed it and stared, tears beginning to stream down my face like evening rain. I leaned against the wall, my legs unable to support me anymore.

"Lizzie? Oh...you found it." I heard Shelby say.

I nodded through my tears.

"I'm sorry, I can throw it out." She said, rising from her chair.

"No." I managed to choke out. "I want to keep it."

She walked over and gave me a tentative hug. I leaned in, the smells of the Evermoore engulfing me, destroying my sobs as they left my throat. After a while, my tears stopped.

"Are you okay now?" She whispered in my ear.

I nodded.

"You'll find them, won't you?" I asked her.

She smiled. "Of course I will."

A thought crossed my mind.

I wanted to deal with the cruel being that took my family from me. Not Shelby, not Sausage. Me. I wanted to tear them apart until there was nothing left.

I stepped out of the hug, feeling angry. "Shelby, let me kill them. You can find them, you can hurt them, but let me deliver the final blow."

She looked shocked for a moment, but immediately recovered.

"Of course."

They would pay for doing this to me. A once fearless mayor of Critter City, now more alone in the world than I had ever been.

And I only had one person to blame.

Them.

Thanks you guys for being patient pumpkins!

Also...what on earth did I just say-

-minimushr00m