laconic ↦ luke hemmings {au}

eight: move

CHAPTER EIGHT:

| luke's pov |

I wrapped my arms around the doll, hugging it. I knew this was just some fucked up joke, but a part of me just missed Emma deeply. I still see her in my dreams at night, and that's the only time I feel like I'm okay.

A part of me was lost when she disappeared.

Every single day, the bits and pieces that are left of me fade away. Maybe this is the only solace I'll ever get besides sleep, so I'll give it a try.

I hugged it tight, like I was giving my all–hoping it would bring back Emma. As expected, nothing happened. The doll merely fell in my arms when I moved it away from the chair.

"What was I thinking?" I muttered, forcing a laugh as tears started to fall from my eyes again. "She's dead, and she won't come back."

I fixed the doll back on its chair through my blurry vision. I didn't even bother wiping the tears from my eyes because I know more and more would fall anyway. This place only ever brought me sorrow.

As I stroked the doll's cheek, probably for the last time, I think I saw it smile a little. My breath hitched in my throat and I withdrew my hand, wiping my eyes. But as I looked at it again, it was back to its normal, emotionless state.

I shook my head. "I'm going crazy here."

"You do mean that grandma, right?" Ash, who just closed the door, spoke up. He flashed me a wide grin and started to walk over to me. "Long time n–oh, what the fuck?" His eyes widened at the sight of the doll–at Emma.

"H-How?" I pointed to him and then motioned towards the house. I was at a loss for words because I never expected him to come back. Alive, at least.

He shrugged. "I promised I'd be back. You look like shit but better than the last time, I guess." Ash, then, proceeds to stare at Emma. "Who's this?"

I felt the urge to explain everything to him, but I stopped myself. I couldn't trust him just yet. "It's just... a doll Vicky made." I keep my reply short and nothing out of the ordinary, so he wouldn't press me for more information.

Making a disgusted expression, he whispered, "She's into this kind of thing? She's fucked up, Luke!" He fake-vomited and pulled me away from Emma. "Anyway, let's go. I said I'd keep an eye on you for that crazy grandma."

I made no attempt to respond whatsoever. For whatever reason Vicky agreed to, so Ash gets to work here, I'm sure she has something bad planned.

I allowed myself to be dragged outside of the room, but with a last glimpse to the chair where she sat, I could've sworn I saw her fingers move.