Devils Roses 05 - Death

freezing.
    He shivers. "You guys okay here?"
    Ari nods and pulls her hood up. "Yeah. We just need to check on some shit. Thanks."
    I take his hand. "Don't say anything okay. I don’t want Oliver to know I'm out and about."
    He rolls his eyes. "Dad's a bit intense lately. See ya bitches."
    He's gone and we are standing on the cold wooden wharf.
    Ari points. "It's this way." We walk through the quaint town and I just can't see Aimee like one of these people. She is too classy and city to be a bumpkin like me.
    Ari doesn’t talk. I know she is devastated. She cries two more times on the walk. She dries her face when we reach the front door of a house with big windows in the front.
    She takes a deep breath and rolls her shoulders. She climbs the stairs and closes her eyes as she knocks.
    A sweet looking man, with a haunted look on his face, answers. He sounds stuffy, "Hello?"
    She smiles through her glassy eyes. "Hello Mr. James. My name is Ari."
    His eyes light up. "Aimee's Ari?"
    She nods. "Yeah. I was in town and thought I would stop in and say hello."
    He grabs her hand and pulls her inside. "Come in. Both of you. Please. Blake just arrived. He said some of Aimee's friends were coming over."
    I hate the frightened feeling in my guts as I climb the stairs. I can't help but look around the quiet neighborhood as I close the door and lock it.

    Aimee

    My head still feels funny. I kick a rock and circle the log house once more.
    "Aimee?" I look up hearing Aleks's voice in a panicked tone I have never heard before.
    He is running toward me panicked. He looks sick. My stomach is a tight ball. "What?"
    He flashes and scoops me up. He grips me to his chest.
    "I'll find you again. I swear I will."
    He presses his face into mine.
    I pull back. "What is your deal?"
    He swallows. "Ari. She just sent me this." He pulls out his cell and shows me the message. My eyes widen. "My dad."
    I wink but the world stops. Aleks's arms become sparkles in the air, gripping me. Everything moves slowly. His lips move in slow motion and the sounds are lost.
    I spin, trying desperately to grip onto him. His body passes through mine.
    I spin faster.
    O and Ari made me come to them so Ari could say goodbye. I thought the look in her eyes was sorrow for Sam. But I see now it was for me.
    I close my eyes and let the spinning take me. I don’t know where I will wake up when it stops. I don’t know what the world will look like.
    His voice breaks through the spinning world.
    "AIMEEEEEEEEE!" He screams.
    And then it's black and still and I am not sure if I'm gone. But I can't open my eyes. The darkness takes me.

Chapter Seven

    Before

    Port Mackenzie 2010

    Aimee

    My eyes fuzz out. I blink and try to focus on what I'm doing.
    "Aimes you going tonight? Hello?"
    I look at my mom and smile. "Yeah. I think so. Blake wants to go." Everything feels weird for a minute. I inhale through my nose and notice it right away. I can smell my mom. The mix of old perfume and laundry soap and her clothes makes my heart tug. I don’t know why.
    I get up from the computer and wrap my arms around her. I take a deep breath. The air around her makes me hungry.
    "Honey, are you okay?"
    I nod into her neck.
    "I think I had a bad dream last night," I mutter. Starvation almost cripples me. I clutch my stomach. "I need something to eat." I walk away from her embrace and stumble down the stairs to the kitchen. I pour a heaping glass of chocolate soymilk, but then finish the carton off.
    I lower it and burp. The hunger is burning my belly.
    "Gross. Jesus." I glance at Alise and grin.
    I pick up the glass and down it in fast chugs.
    I place it on the counter and rub my belly. Alise is almost gagging but the doorbell rings. She leaves to answer it and I open the fridge. I grab a block of cheese and pull off a hunk. I take a bite but it isn’t what I want. I toss the hunk of cheese I broke off and put the rest back in the fridge.
    I can't seem to quench my hunger.
    "Aimes, we're leaving now." I look at my reflection in the glass on the wall mount stove and nod. "Coming." Something is different. I just can't put a finger on it.
    I shake my head and leave the kitchen.
    Mom is standing at the bottom of the stairs, smiling. She touches my cheek. "You sure you want to do this?"
    I nod. "It's the last party of the year. I leave for Harvard in a few months. It's cool." Alise kisses our mom and walks out of the house.
    I shake my head at her strappy silver wedges and tiny silver