Page 12 of Say You'll Stay
“Did you…did you hear that?” I glance around warily, half-expecting the demons to materialize before my eyes.
Alex furrows their brow, scanning the room. “Hear what?”
I shake my head, a shiver racing down my spine. “Nothing, I guess. I’m just…on edge, that’s all.”
As if summoned by my unease, a sharp rap at the door makes me jump. Alex squeezes my hand reassuringly before rising to answer it. I hold my breath, heart pounding, as they return with a plain, unmarked envelope.
“This was just left on your doorstep,” they say, handing it to me with a concerned expression.
My fingers tremble as I tear it open, the weight of the paper sending a prickle of fear down my spine. A single sheet falls into my lap, the words scrawled in an untidy scrawl that sets my teeth on edge.
“You should be too busy to chase after boys. Won’t you be a good girl? Draw your little cartoons…or else.”
The threat hangs in the air, a physical presence that steals all rational thought. I glance up at Alex, seeing the dawning realization in their eyes.
“Cara, is this…?”
I nod mutely, the memory of a previous encounter flooding back. “A few weeks ago, I got another one. Vague, just like this. I tried to report it, but the police…” I let out a humorless laugh, “they didn’t take it seriously.”
Alex’s face hardens, their protective instincts flaring to life. “That’s it, we’re calling the cops. This isn’t a joke, Cara.”
I reach out, grasping their sleeve. “No, Alex, please. They won’t do anything. They’ll just tell me I’m overreacting, that there’s no real threat.”
“But Cara, you can’t just ignore this!” Their voice rises in frustration, laced with genuine concern.
I squeeze Alex’s hand, willing them to understand. “I know, but trust me, it’ll only make things worse. I…I don’t know what to do, but I can’t let the police get involved. Not yet—they’ll think I’m crazy.”
Alex searches my face, before looking away. I know my friend doesn’t like any of this, but what else can I do?
Finally, Alex nods, pulling me into another tight embrace. “Okay, Cara. Okay. But promise me you’ll tell me immediately if anything else happens, understand?”
I nod against their shoulder, the weight of the threat and my own helplessness threatening to crush me.
“I promise,” I whisper, even as a fresh wave of fear coils in the pit of my stomach.
We’re still holding each other and a part of me doesn’t want Alex to let go. It feels good…too good to be held like this. I want to drink in each heavenly moment of a warm body against mine, the intimacy of human contact.
As Alex pulls away, I find myself missing the warmth of their embrace. It’s a poor substitute for the comfort I once found in June’s arms - the way his voice would rumble against my ear, laced with a primal need that set my soul ablaze.
The memory of his touch, his kiss, his unwavering devotion, is a phantom limb, aching to be whole once more. I ache to be held by him, to lose myself in the security of his presence, even as I know it’s a path that can only lead to ruin.
Yet the ominous note in my hand is a harsh reminder that such luxuries are no longer mine to claim. The demons circle, sensing my vulnerability, their clawed fingers scraping against the fragile walls of my composure.
“He’s moved on,” they hiss, “cast you aside like the worthless thing you are. Why would he ever want damaged goods like you?”
I grit my teeth, willing the tears not to fall. I can’t afford the weakness, the loss of control. Not now, when there are unseen threats lurking in the shadows.
With a deep, steadying breath, I fold the note and tuck it away, out of sight but never out of mind. The demons may taunt, but I refuse to let them break me. I am Cara Briers - artist, sister, survivor. And I will face this new challenge with the same fierce determination that has seen me through every storm.
June may have forsaken me, but I will not let that break what I’ve rebuilt. Not when there are still battles to be fought, demons to vanquish. I will find a way to protect myself, to uncover the source of these threats, no matter the cost.
For now, I must be strong. I must be vigilant. And perhaps, in time, I will find the courage to open my heart again - to trust, to love, to heal. But that path is mine alone to navigate, free from the shadows that once consumed me.
Chapter six
The soft glow of my phone screen casts an eerie, almost sinister light in the dim room, the only illumination in this self-imposed fortress of solitude. I hunch over the device, my fingers trembling slightly with a mixture of desperation and anticipation as I navigate to the fake social media profile that has become my nightly refuge and torment.
It’s a far cry from the polished, refined image of June Deveaux that the world knows - the poised heir to a vast business empire.