Beneath The Blackwood Sky | ✓

Chapter Thirty-One: The Key

THE FLICKERING FLAME MELTED THE WAX. SHAY watched as the wax dripped down the candle, onto the surface of Will's bedside table. The window was open, occasionally sending a spray of water onto her. Raindrops slid down the closed windows. Shay loved rain. Usually, she would be rejoicing the sound, smell and the feel of rain, but worry for Rose has clouded her brain.

Shay bit her nails anxiously, her feet tapping the floor which produced sounds. She grasped Jade's hand, who gave it a long, reassuring squeeze. When she had first glanced at Rose's picture, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. Throwing up cleaned her system. And now, Shay felt numb. Numb with worry.

She couldn't feel her thoughts or her emotions. It's like she's gone on autopilot mode, her body taking control over her emotions. A sudden crash echoed through the house, and she stood up in alarm. She heard Will coughing.

Everyone sensed what Shay was going to do before her thoughts were formed. Kai took hold of her wrist as she darted towards the closed door, his grey eyes were wide. "Shay, it might be something else. If we go down right now, we might lose both Will and Rose."

Another sound echoed through the house, this time it was the sound of glass breaking and raining down. They looked at each other in alarm, and Shay broke free of Kai's grip. She threw the door open and rushed downstairs, skipping two stairs at a time. The living hall seemed undisturbed, so she ran towards the back door and the kitchen.

Shay gasped at the mess on the floor, shards of a mirror were lying on the floor along with fat drops of blood. Shay followed those blood drops to the kitchen, her pace increasing. She found Will standing by the granite countertop. "Will," Shay said.

That was when she saw the knife against his wrist. "Will?" Shay screeched in alarm. Will looked at her, his beautiful green eyes widened. Shay stumbled towards him, "Will, please put that knife down, and we can talk. Please," she begged. Will backed away, but still held the knife. "Shay, I'm warning you," he said, waving the knife slightly. "Don't come closer, or I'll kill myself. I was about to do that anyway. I don't deserve to live," he shook his head at her.

"No. Please put that knife away. We can talk," Shay took another step towards him but that proved to be a wrong step. Will pressed the knife against his writs with force, and blood welled up. It wasn't too deep to kill but was deep enough.

Tears stung her eyes. It was the aero suicide solution. It had to be. Will wouldn't do this. He hung on for two years, he wouldn't do this now. It was stupid of Shay to believe those lies. Will glanced behind Shay, "Don't come towards me, any of you." His voice wavered.

"Will," Shay heard the others plead, but the rest of what they were saying was lost. There was a loud, ringing and buzzing sound in her ears. She couldn't hear anything except for that loud, persistent buzzing.

"... I don't understand how you guys stand me. I murdered my mother," Shay strained to hear the last part. She shook her head, stalling for time as she said, "You are in no way responsible for your mother's death. I know you blame yourself, but it isn't because of you."

"You don't understand! I yelled at her, the way I never did before! I dodged her attempt to hug me, banged the door in her face instead! I'm sure she kept thinking about it and didn't have time to steer the car away when the other car speeded towards her!" Will was shouting at her now, at the top of his lungs. Shay flinched, she couldn't help it. Will never yelled at her like that.

Her attempt at hiding the flinch was futile, Will saw it. His eyes widened as he registered her flinch and realized he shouted at her, and he flushed, more red added to the red on his cheeks. "God, Shay..." He trailed away, his eyes begging her to forgive him. "I'm sorry," he said finally and looked at his wrist again. "Look, this is what I was saying. I killed my mother, now I'm hurting the people I love."