laconic ↦ luke hemmings {au}

ten: paper [last]

CHAPTER TEN:

| luke's pov |

"That's what you think," Vicky replied, an ever-present smirk on her face. She turned back and started walking on the way to her room.

I watched her leave. If she looked back now, she would see how confused I was. I didn't know how to take her words.

The creak of her door stops abruptly before she spoke, "Just kidding!" The door was shut then locked.

I refrained from running after her and banging on her door to ask what she meant. Did she really mean it as a joke? But she's always been sly, so I don't want to step any closer to her room and whatever her trap is.

My feet trudged forward, going up the stairs. I walked past many paintings, some new collection Vicky goes on about, and I feel like I'm being watched.

Nonetheless, I walked until I reached the room I was brought in before. I stared at the door long and hard, thinking if I should open it to meet eyes with that doll again.

From having a staring contest, I was thinking that maybe I'll find out the truth of what "that's what you think" seems to be implying.

"Crazy," I muttered, referring to both Vicky and myself. She was crazy for making some doll with the exact same features as Emma, but I was crazy too for believing that somewhere inside that lifeless toy, the person I needed and wanted the most lived.

I closed my eyes. Now's not the time to ponder on some make-believe shit. I saw her dead body with my own two eyes, and I was there when they were cremating her. It couldn't have been the same with... her.

"Tabitha..." I whispered, feeling a cool breeze lightly hit me. There were no windows opened in the hallway, and I could only rationally guess that I was drugged this whole time.

It couldn't have been Tabitha.

I opened my eyes, looking from right to left. No one was there. Vicky usually stayed in her room majority of the days lately, so she couldn't have been playing with me.

Then, I looked down at my feet and found myself stepping on a piece of paper. I was sure, though, that the floors were spotless in this place. Not even a trace of ripped pieces of paper were in this house.

I stepped away and picked it up. There was something handwritten on it, black and bold.

"STAY AWAY."

And everything felt like it was happening all over again.