Those That Slither | ON HOLD

Twenty One

"I, killed her. And do you know what I did after? Nothing. I stood there, even after my brother saw and went for help, I stood there and didn't move until they were carrying her away..."

In a crucial state of shock, Leah bit the hardest she could on her lip and shivered. She had just spilled her darkest secret out before two men she barely knew. Whether Simon had known some of it or not, she still felt like the confession would alter the relationship she had with both of them.

Her heart tugged and she forced herself to turn to face the table, "Now you know."

Simon kept his eyes straight for a moment before he began to move some things around on the table top. Though he was calm, it was still uneasy to watch. She hated feeling like she was being ignored.

Her eyes scanned across to Daniel who was sitting still, eyes locked on his hands. Neither of them had anything to say. Once again, this is exactly why you live alone.

Leah scrunched her face together and decided she'd had enough. Without giving them a second look, she quickly stumbled down the hall. Pouring tears down her face, her eyes burned like she'd put pure fire into her sockets. She whimpered pathetically and slammed her door shut.

As she sloppily dragged her feet to her bed, she heard the click behind her. It was a familiar click- her door was locked now.

Face leaking, she turned around.

"Do you know how much that costs?!"

No, it couldn't be. There was no way in hell Mia Edenwood was in her room, angry as she had been the last time she was seen. Hey idiot, you are in hell.

Leah parted her lips, "Mom?"

Vintage red painted lips pulled back as she snarled at her, "You little brat!" With a furious face and matching green eyes, she charged at her.

It happened so fast, just like the first time. Next thing she knew she was on the ground, while her mother began to choke her. Unbelievable. Ghosts couldn't grab her neck the way Mia was. Maybe she wasn't a ghost, but something more fierce. Fierce enough to break the barriers of life and death and take a hold of her daughter once again.

Leah tried to scream but her neck felt like it was going to snap in half. Her eyes blurred up before even more tears escaped. Looking up and seeing the same eyes glaring down at her was the scariest thing she'd experienced yet. Thrashing her arms in desperation to breathe, she tried to fight back but it did nothing.

Mia squeezed tighter and began to pound her head against the floor. Each persistent bang sent her brain rushing from one side to the other. It was almost as if she could feel the blood preparing to burst.

Another one came, then another. Leah grabbed at her mother's arms and tried to push her away but it only made her angrier. Her head went down onto the hardwood floor once more. This time, her ears began to ring and she felt her body go numb.

Suddenly they weren't in her new home, but in the house it had occurred in many years before. White walls around them, expensive bottles of perfume staring down as they struggled; the death stricken house watched the show. Goosebumps traveled across her skin as she fought for control of her body.

But it was no use.

Her leg rose up, kneeing her mother until her hands were no longer wrapped around her throat. A gush of air filled her lungs and she watched it happen again.

Mia tumbled backwards in the most elegant fashion until she crashed to the floor and hit her head violently. Once again she was still.

She was dead.

Leah screamed and scoot back until she was blocked by her bed. She turned to find herself back in her room before returning to see her mother's beautiful body lifeless on the floor. Her scream echoed loudly until the bedroom door clicked. It was unlocked.

She looked up as it slowly opened, revealing another familiar face. Her brother Derek stood still, a horrifying look on his young face,  "W-what did you do?"

She couldnt answer. How was she supposed to? His dark brown eyes struck hers like lightning after she didn't reply, "Leah! What did you do?!"

Once again, her mouth was as still as her mother's body. Leah looked at her brother as he backed up into the doorway. His eyes were glistening with sadness but his brows were low. He shook his head before running off.

As his apparition disappeared, another one came rushing into her doorway.

Daniel flew in, same old face of concern dropping down to her level. He held her arms with the warmest hands, "What happened?"

She squeezed what she hoped, but knew probably wouldn't be the last of her tears and looked up to reply. But even then, the mind games didn't seem to be over.

Behind Daniel's shoulder, the hooded figure of her brother from the dreams stood still, pointing a finger at them. She geared up another scream as he slashed his finger across his throat and gave her the scariest grin.

Leah waved her limbs around frantically before she finally was able to climb onto her feet. With Daniel in front of her she scuttled to the side but stopped when she saw Derek was gone. Heart slamming against her rib cage, sweat pouring down her face, she felt her stomach heaving.

"What the hell, Leah? What's wrong?"

She turned to him with the fear tattooed on her face, "They were here..."

"Who?"

"My mom... my brother..."

"No," he wiped her hair back, "No, it was just a part of the craft. Nobody is here."

She shook, "It happened again!"

"What do you mean?"

"I killed her all over again!" Her legs snapped and she collapsed, grabbing a hold of his shirt to keep from a nasty fall. Like mother like daughter? Daniel knelt down and pulled her into him. "it's not your fault," he whispered.

Sobbing into his chest, Leah turned her head to the side, peering at the doorway, "How do you know?"

It was soon occupied with Simon, hands holding the soul map tightly in his grasp. He looked down at her with sympathetic balls of brown. "This is how," his voice stiffened, "Leah, it's time to go back."

"W-what do you mean?"

"You need to go back home."