Vacancy Signs

Chapter 8: Realizations

Hell.

Theo thinks he's in Hell.

Liam whines low in his throat as the little O drags herself back up to her feet and hobbles towards them. Theo isn't budging, eyes riveted on the tiny walking corpse. Liam doesn't know what to do, tugging Theo isn't working, but Liam doesn't know if he has the strength to carry Theo.

Fuck.

"Theo, please," Liam begs him. "Come on!"

He wraps his hands around Theo from behind and drags the chimera across the ground. Liam's too hungry and tired and scared, he doesn't have enough strength to carry them both and they tumble to the ground. A cloud of dirt rushes up and chokes him. Liam growls in frustration and scurries out from beneath Theo's dead weight. Liam staggers upright to his feet, claws extending from his fingertips, and steps defensively in front of the terrified boy.

Liam's lost track of how many O's he's gotten rid of, he's never had to put down such a little one. Bile rises up in the back of his throat. Guilt sits heavily on his chest, making breathing difficult.

"I'm sorry," Liam whispers as dead eyes rove across him, unfocused and hungry. He rushes in before he lets himself really think about it and drives his claws into the soft spot at the nape of its neck. The O stops moving; its reaching hands falling to its sides lifelessly.

Liam pulls away quickly, lets the body drop to the ground at his feet "I'm sorry," He whispers again as he takes a staggering step away, stomach rolling with nausea.

He stumbles backward, falls heavily to his ass on the cold ground. He turns he head back to look at Theo. The chimera is just behind him, eyes open wide and shiny with unshed tears. "Tara?"

Liam frowns at the quiet utterance of the name. It pulls at thoughts in the back of his head. He knows that name.

Tara...Theo's dead sister?

Liam wipes his bloody hand off onto the lower part of his jeans, nose wrinkling at the dark smear of red it leaves behind on his already dirty and worn out jeans. He rolls over onto his knees and crawls towards Theo. Liam reaches for the boy, slow and cautious, trying not to startle him.

Theo flinches back and Liam freezes, hand in midair. Liam swallows loudly, nervous, and moves closer, his hands gripping onto the bottom of Theo's sweater.

Liam doesn't know what Theo's Hell was like. He does remember Theo's face though when Liam had first brought him back. He also remembers Theo's face in the hospital when he thought he was somewhere else. Theo's wearing that same haunted expression right now as he stares at the O.

"It's not her, Theo," Liam whispers, trying to catch Theo's eyes with his own. "This isn't Hell, Theo." Liam tries not to wince at his own words because it kind of is.

"But..." Theo says, mouth trembling.

The lost and broken expression on Theo's face breaks something in Liam's chest; makes him want to hold tight to Theo and protect him from the world.

"I—" Liam doesn't know what to say, doesn't know how to make Theo believe him when he barely believes himself.

"She wants it back," Theo whispers, the chimera's heart is like thunder in his chest. Liam has no idea what Theo is talking about, but fear and guilt cling to Theo's scent. Liam tightens his hold on Theo's sweater, he tries to ground himself, but his hands are trembling.

"I'm wearing a pink beanie," Liam says a little helplessly like that alone explains everything Theo needs to know. "Why would I be wearing a pink beanie in your hell? Why would I even be in your hell? Are you trying to say I'm so annoying that I'd bother you in Hell, because that's kind of rude, Theo?"