Lily

Chapter 15: Hannah

Sitting in the cafe, both me and Jake looked at the empty seat next to us.

"I guess Sarah didn't want to join us," sighed Jake.

"She told me she was job searching."

"Even so, she could still have come, even for a second. All she does it stay at home now and I'm sure that's not healthy or helpful."

"No. It's understandable though. Her whole world has been destroyed."

"But we're still here. That should account for something, right?"

I couldn't respond. We all tried to support Sarah. Heaven knows we tried. Unfortunately, this is something that only Sarah can get herself through.

"How's work?" I know I gave Jack a mental whiplash with the sudden change in topic.

"Umm.. as good as it's probably ever going to get. It's just..."

"What?"

"Lily's acting a little strange."

Please don't be the 'strange' I had to grow up with.

"What d'you mean by strange?"

"I was sharing the information I found about the Wandering Woe when she suddenly started yelling at me."

"Is that the serial killer that murdered, what, half the population already?"

"Yep."

Uh oh.

"Well, what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything wrong. At least, I don't think I did."

Trying to keep the desperation out of my voice, I asked, "Tell me exactly what it is you said."

"I said a lot of things. I don't really remember-" I looked at him with daggers in my eye. "Okay, let's see. I said that they were a piece of filth and that they deserved to die. I talked about how they raped one of their victims. I think that's when she lost her marbles."

"Well, what did she say?"

"Well, she absolutely hated the idea that the killer was capable of rape, or perhaps it was the necrophiliac part she didn't like. It any case, she insisted that the rape must have been done by a different person."

I knew Lily very well. This didn't sound very good.

"Can you remember anything else?"

He thought silently for a moment.

"He."

"He?"

"He. I referred to the killer as 'he' since that's what the police think and she yelled at me saying that it could just as well have been a woman."

I had all the answers I needed. I bet Jake hasn't put two and two together.

"And don't you think that's a bit strange?"

"No. It was my fault really. She's right, it could have been a woman. It's not right to assume." He nonchalantly took a huge sip of his Americano.

Oh, Jake, you are just too pure for this world.