“He’s going to be fine, trust me” I say reassuring Riven who seems to be very concerned about Nico. “But he was missing Serene so much. He has been crying for the past week, you know that?” he throws back at me. With a sigh I reply, “I know...but I can’t tell him where Serene is now, can I?”

  “Why the hell not?”

  “Because Nico needs to heal too, Riven. You won’t understand. After knowing serene is in the special care until don’t you think Nico will try to reach out, try to help her? But that’s what I don’t want. I don’t want him to latch onto Serene’s pain while he is drowning in his own. Nico deserves to heal too...”

  Realisation dawns in his eyes as we walk down the stairs “Oh...Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” I shrug in response “I thought you understood but I just realised you’re too dumb to get it” At that, I earn a playful yet hard shove on my shoulder making me almost trip down the stairs. But if that happens, he will catch me. I know he will...just like he always pulls me together.

  Descending the stairs, I notice the light bulb flicker. Before I could make a move, there’s a loud bang from somewhere and we are plunged into darkness.

  Fuck… No…

  I hate the dark…

  I look around for Riven but all I see is nothing. Panic claws its way up my chest, and I’m frozen on the spot unable to move or speak. Ironic, isn’t it? The person who has taken lives without flinching is afraid of the dark. I would almost laugh at it if it wasn’t for the night engulfing me. But here’s the truth, I’m scared of the dark because I’ve performed every horrific act of mine in the dark.

  Killing my best friend, killing the doctors, running away from my own house, drugging my teacher.

  All of it.

  All of the acts which make me Mara…

  A firm grip on my wrist jolts me out of my thoughts. Panicked, I try to pull away but the grip remains unyielding. Just then, a familiar yet voice speaks “Inez, calm down, it’s me.”

  I visibly relax moving slightly closer to Riven. To my relief, he pulls out his phone and turns on the flashlight “is the hospital getting raided or what?”

  Trying to pull myself together, I reply “no dumbass, just a power outage it seems.”

  I can’t stay calm

  I’m losing it…

  I walk robotically back up the stairs as Riven leads me and suddenly I’m grateful for the darkness surrounding us so that Riven doesn’t see the distress written all over my face.

  My hands are cold, my body is numb and my brain can’t think straight. “I didn’t do it…” I whisper to the darkness “I didn’t do any of it. It wasn’t me, it was her…”

  Riven looks at me, and the flashlight is bright enough for me to see how confused yet mildly suspicious he is. My hands clutch desperately at him.

  “please, you have to believe me. I- I don’t know what came over me and-”

  “darling…easy there” his words cut me off and I’m thankful because if I had said anything further… he would know.

  His expression further deepens into a frown as he looks at me. “You’re scared of the dark aren’t you? Let’s get you upstairs.”

  One of his hands hold the flashlight while the other is clasped tightly in mine. He would drop my wrist instantly if he knew whose hand he’s holding. But I never warn him to let go. So, I’ll do everything in my power to keep this little secret from him.

  I’m still trembling as we go upstairs to the main hall. There, a staff agent us.

  “Ma’am there has been some technical issues in the power wires. The electricians are saying that it’ll take around two weeks to fix it and so, Mr. Fenton has ordered all the doctors and patients to temporarily move to another hospital, we will start moving in three to four hours.” she announces.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Which hospital are we going to?” I ask somehow managing to keep the tremor out of my voice.

  “I don’t know ma’am. You can ask Mr. Fenton” and with that she walks off.

  I’m still shaking slightly but it has lessened significantly. “Are you okay Inez?” his concern has my heart swelling but I catch myself before stupid thoughts take root in my head. I give him a small reassuring smile “Yes, I am just scotophobic.”

  “You were muttering something back in there you know.”

  That makes me stiffen though I don’t let it show. “Was I?” I’m going to play the fool here “I don’t remember anything of what I might have said.” Oh I remember all too well.

  Riven seems to want to say more but looking at my shaken state, he decides against it.

  As we walk back to his room I mutter out a small “thank you” which earns me a playful whistle from him. “Would you look at that? The doctor who was threatening to kill me the other day is now saying a pretty little thank you TO ME? Should I consider it a win darling?”

  I give Riven an annoyed eye roll “don’t push your luck. You’re still a dumbass so yeah.”

  “Calm enough to finally roll your eyes at me aren’t you?”

  “Yeah and also calm enough to stab you with a pen” I click the pen in my hand playfully for emphasis at which he raises his hands in mock surrender that stupid grin still on his face.

  I find myself looking at how the flashlight illuminates the left half of his face giving him a brooding look. The white shirt which he’s wearing is slightly wrinkled at the right. Probably from when I leaned on him. His ash black hair beautifully contrasted with his shirt falls in messy strands on his face and I think I just realized something. This bastard is dangerously attractive when he isn’t being an ass.

  I shake my head, physically trying to shake off these thoughts as we enter his room but more keep coming. And suddenly I’m reminded of that night.

  Lights out, the cool evening wind hitting us.

  Our clothes on the floor.

  Instantly my mind is filled with image and memories and I’m afraid to admit that none of them are appropriate. Gods, I’m acting like a hormonal teenager.

  It was just a moment of weakness…right?

  In Riven’s room I almost naturally start helping him to pack up. Going through his stuff, I find a rather small but heavy diary with things peeking out from the bottom as if they’re stuck to the paper. Before I could get a better look at it Riven instantly snatches it away. Unable to contain my curiosity, I ask “Do you write a diary?”

  “No, I don’t particularly write in it”

  “Then what do you use it for?”

  At that, he rumbles out a low chuckle “Leave it for now Inez. I’ll tell you about it someday. I might even show it to you.”

  He slings the bag over his shoulder. “Now go and get your bag. I’ll be waiting outside.”

  The diary still claws at the back of my mind, but I shove it down. I don’t have time to unravel another mystery today.

  Reaching the bus, I see riven and Mr. Fenton standing nearby

  “Which hospital are we moving to?” I ask.

  Mr. Fenton turns, says the name.

  Everything inside me goes still.

  Haven’t I had enough panic-stricken encounters for the day?

  A faint ringing fills my ears, drowning out the rest of his explanation. My hands go numb.

  Of all the hospitals we could have moved to…

  Why that one?

  Not there...

  Not where I buried my secret five years ago...

  Not where I killed her...