placid ↦ luke hemmings {au}

twenty: cold

CHAPTER TWENTY:

| emma’s pov |

My mother placed a glass of milk in front of me and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be going now, alright? I might be back by seven.” She opened the front door and called out, “Stay safe!”

The door closed, and my lips were pressed in a tight line. Another week has passed, which means, another week passed without seeing Luke.

Other than that and probably more alarming, the murderer killed three more. It wasn’t spontaneous; all the victims were friends with my neighbor. It was scaring the living daylights out of me.

What if I was next?

What if Luke was next?

I don’t think I can bear this any longer.

But then, what if… what if it was Luke? What if he was the one behind all of this?

“No, Emma. Stop it. He can’t do that,” I reprimanded myself, getting up. The milk on the table was left untouched; I’d just drink that later. Luke was more important than that.

I walked to his house and nervously knocked on the door. I just needed to know if he was okay. That's all I was going to do. Nothing else.

Liz opened the door and a relieved look washed over her earlier curious expression. “Emma!” She let out heavy sigh and pulled me inside their house. “Did you have an argument with Luke? I’m worried sick about him. Because we… we fought weeks back, and he… he got all these bruises. I don’t know what’s happening.” She sat on their couch and cried, making me feel sad, yet confused, as well.

“We didn’t fight,” I answered, taking a seat beside her and patting her back. I didn’t know how to comfort anyone. I failed with Luke. I would surely fail with Liz, too. So, I just stayed quiet after saying that, only listening to her apprehensions.

“I just don’t… want Luke to be next. I’m sure you’ve heard of these killings. I… I don’t know what I’d do without him. Luke’s my only son.” She took my hand in hers and squeezed them. “You have to… have to help me. Please, Emma, I’m begging you. Talk to him for me. Ask him what’s happening.”

My throat went dry, but I moved my head up and down, signaling that I would. “I’ll try my best, Liz.”

She hugged me tightly; her sadness seemed to go away. But her worries, I don’t think it would ever disappear if Luke continues acting like this. If Luke keeps secluding himself and facing his problems on his own.

I stood up and walked up their stairs, looking back at Liz, who supported me with a motherly smile. I inhaled sharply; I was uncertain with what I was about to do. He never opened up to me, who was I kidding? He surely wouldn’t open up to me now. Not ever.

Standing in front of his room, my hand shaking slightly as I was about to hold onto the doorknob.

My hand touched the knob, and my hand drew back. “What the hell?” I muttered; it was ice cold. This only made me more hesitant, but I told Liz I would talk to Luke, so I pushed the door wide open.

I gaped.

“What the hell?”