The update is finally here! I wanted to apologize for the time and for what you are about to read, I haven't read the Hush, Hush series in awhile and have been having trouble with trying to carry on the characters we all loved so much. So this chapter will definitely not be the best, luckily however, I have found all of my books and I'm hoping to finish them and start writing awesome chapters, hopefully before the Spring, no promises though. Also, a big thanks to every person who took time to comment and make my day brighter every time I'm hard on myself while trying my best to please while writing this. They all truly helped. Never forget, if anyone has any ideas or comments on how they think the story should go, some moments they would like to have coming their way, tips, twists, anything, please feel free to message me! I'm absolutely shocked with the amount of readers and comments this is getting. So thank you everyone, and again, sorry for the short chapter!
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"It's about damn time you called me! You literally seemed to drop off the edge of the earth!" I smiled at Vee's ranting. I talked to her a week or two ago, but the distance isn't only hard on me, but for her as well. So we always try to call each other at least twice a week, Skype once or twice every other week. I just don't want to distract her or keep her busy from her life as a wife, she has a lot going on now and I always feel as if I'm keeping her from things much more important than talking to me. However when she spoke in this way, it made me smile and miss her terribly, but also fill with guilt. It makes me feel as if I've actually abandoned her. Because even though I say in my mind I didn't want to distract her from her life, in my heart I know I've been too distracted with Patch to pick up the phone. Pushing those thoughts away, i sluggishly plopped down on the large, dark chocolate colored couch in mine and Patch's living, sighing with a bright smile stuck on my face.
"You know Vee, even though you sound like you are two seconds from reaching in the phone and strangling me to death with a scarf, it's still awesome to hear your voice right about now," I said honestly. Things like this brought me back to normalcy, and that's what I needed most right now with all the new troubles resurfacing. Just my luck, right? Vee stayed silent a moment, and I knew she was battling her inner self on just forgiving me and carrying on a different topic of conversation. However, this was Vee we are talking about and she surely wouldn't let it go that quickly.
"Yeah, it's grade A to hear yours too, babe. That doesn't make me any less mad! I've been worried sick about you and upset that I'm not cool enough to hear all the juicy details about you and Patch's new city live," her rant started to continue back up, oddly enough though, Vee tamed it.
I'm impressed.
My fingers picked at the loose thread hangings from my jean jacket as I stayed quiet a moment and contemplated how to answer the question she hadn't really asked yet.
"I know," was the only thing I could come up with. Which was a lame response and surely wouldn't get her off of my back.
"Well, you called now, so I guess it's better than never. Spill the beans, babe," My smile grew back at her words and I could no longer keep my mouth shut. It felt absolutely amazing to be able to vent to someone that would understand. I mean, the only people I really talk to are Patch, Vee and my mother. Patch wasn't discussing this, and my mom would never in a million years understand everything. Vee always came through for me, even if in weird ways at times.
Eventually, we bid our goodbyes. I left the conversation with the same lost feeling as I began it with, sadly. Vee took Patch's side with all of it. Her words kept ringing in my head.
It's a good thing he's keeping this secret. You'll just worry to much about it and it could possibly turn into something so much worse from you doing so. Let him take care of it and relax! He's the man, that's what he's there for. Plus he is totally just trying to keep you safe and that is A-ok with me.
In some ways, I couldn't help but agree with Vee. My mind and curiosity tended to pose as a threat to myself at times. If I gave it that power, I'd just continue to live in this paranoia. If it was something serious that he couldn't handle, he'd let me know. Right?
Trying to exit the thoughts in my head, I decided to spend the rest of my day snuggled up with an old book I found in my dad's old stuff while I was packing. I had brought it with me, but kept forgetting about it and never gotten the chance to pick it up.
My eyes followed along with each word, trying to decipher the meaning behind them. I only found myself at a complete lost, skimming completely dumbfounded. About halfway through the eighth chapter, my eyes grew heavy and I found that the battle to keep them opened, was a losing one. Even the loud thud of the book hitting the wooden floors couldn't shake the slumber, it consumed me.
The sound of the door shutting awoke me softly. Pushing the dusty book to the side, a megawatt smile plastered itself on my face, threatening to spilt it in half. Patch, my mind shouted out to me. I stood quickly, something in me begging to see his face. However, with every corner I turned, he was nowhere to be found.
"Patch?" I called out, my smile fading as it becomes evident that he was gone. Footsteps rung through the air, coming from the bedroom. I followed them, laughing slightly even though there was fear sparking in my gut.
"Patch, this isn't funny." It was anything but. I came to the bedroom door, seeing that someone had to have shut it because I just opened it on my search for him. The spark of fear became a pounding, radiating to my chest where it began to throb painfully. Gently turning the knob, the door flung open from the other side, yanking my hand away. Bringing my head up, I came face to face with a man. Although, this man wasn't the one I was looking for. Though, their eyes were nearly identical. This man, had a red ring around his iris, where as Patch's were all black. The stranger who faced me had high cheekbones, a sharp jawline and a mischievous smirk that put Patch's to shame. His dark brown hair fell to his shoulders, that were covered by his black button up. He tilted his head sideways, whispering my name. The fear was about to explode within me. Closing my eyes to try and get control over it. I open them with a jolt, ready to get my answers on where Patch was. When I opened them, the scene had changed. We were no longer in my bedroom, there was no longer even a 'we'. Flames licked up the walls in a dingy cave. Not being able to fight my curiosity, my feet began to walk. Taking me somewhere they seemed to have been, but my mind hasn't. I came to a gate, which I immediately pushed past. What I saw next, I wish I hadn't. People were chained up along the walls where the flames rose. Some begged for mercy, others weren't doing anything, just staring ahead or bowing their heads. Suddenly, I came across familiar faces. I walked past Rixon who simply looked at me and spat my way, and then came Scott who smiled at me sadly. My feet wouldn't let me stop to take them in. They were leading me somewhere. The pain became unbearable so I kept my head down, not being able to look at anyone this way. Until eventually, my legs stopped moving and I realized we were at our destination. Dragging my head up, my heart was ripped out of my chest at the sight before me. The man I had seen in my room was with the man I had been looking for. He had him chained up like a dog, acting as if he were training him. To do what, I had no idea. But when those all black eyes moved to see mine, I saw nothing but sadness and hurt. Abruptly, they changed. To anger and hatred... All for me. Patch snarled at me, using his strength to rip off the chains as if they were nothing but straggled pieces of string handing from a shirt, the stranger smiled with pride as he examined the scene himself. The love of my life started to stalk over to me, as if I were his prey. Something told me to get away as fast as I could, so I began to run in the opposite direction. My legs started to throb and breathing was nearly out of the question, but I kept going.
Making it out of the gate, I turned around to see if he was still following me. To my surprise, he was right there. Licking his lips as if he were containing himself in killing me fast. My heart sank further, but I refused to give up.
Turning to run again, I ran into someone's chest.
It was Patch again. There were two of him. This one grabbed my hand and started running with him, telling me everything was gonna be okay. Soon, his hand slipped away from mine as the bad Patch caught him, and started to slaughter him right before my eyes. No matter how much I screamed, he wouldn't stop. Someone put their hand on my shoulder, and confusion filled me as I saw the girl with the bright red hair from the bar.
"Nora, wake up." She demanded quickly. And as if they were the magic words, my mind started to leave my nightmare behind.
I awoke again, for real this time, startled. Coming face to face with a worried Patch. The real one. The one who loved me. Pulling him into the biggest hug I have ever gave anyone, I held him until my breath became steady once more. I didn't know what the dream had meant, or if it meant anything at all. All I knew was, that it had horrible timing to strike fear in me.
