Simeon placed the remainder of his pizza on his plate. “Well, they’ve all struck now, so I should imagine they’ll go underground for a while. You will still be watched over, just not with the intensity of the last time.”
Frowning, I couldn’t fathom that. “Don’t you think that’s rather dangerous?”
Wiping his hands, Simeon leaned back, regarding me. “What do you mean?”
“Well, if they think that’s what you’ll do, won’t they think it will be the best time to strike? Now that all your guards are down?”
Michael looked at me with a smile. Turning his head to Simeon, you could tell he was eagerly awaiting his answer.
“I don’t think—”
“I’m not sure this has been thought through.”
Michael laughed heartily. Frowning, I looked at him. “What’s so bloody funny?”
“Nothing,” he said, almost choking on his pizza. “It’s just nice to watch you like this.”
Folding my good arm, I slunk back in my chair. “Like what, Michael?”
Now it was Simeon’s turn to smile. Throwing my good arm up, I said, through gritted teeth, “And what are you smiling at?”
I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me all of a sudden. I was never normally this confrontational, this argumentative.
Simeon waved his hands in front of him. “Nothing, Cassie. You’re perfectly right in what you ask. Maybe we should pay more attention.”
Exhaling with small sigh, I closed my eyes. I didn’t understand why I was so wound up. Maybe it was just the thought of Stephen.
“Don’t worry, Cassie. Just enjoy your pizza and concentrate on getting better. How about that?”
Looking over at Simeon, I had to wonder if it was that easy. I didn’t think it ever would be.
*****
Several hours had passed before Michael reluctantly said he had to go get ready for work. He was working nights, but he didn’t want to leave me so soon. I assured him I would be fine. Simeon offered to stay with me, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. I needed space to try and clear my thoughts. Even though they calmed me, being around them only masked what I was truly feeling.
As I slowly walked to bed, I heard my phone vibrating. Picking it up, I saw it was Simon. “I didn’t think I would hear from you so soon.”
“I made some calls and set everything up. It was easier arranging it than I thought.”
“Really? For when?”
I heard him hesitate, then sigh. “I had a window of opportunity tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I asked, shocked. I didn’t think it would be that soon.
“I know. It’s too soon. I’m sorry. Let me cancel it.”
“No! No, it’s fine. What time do I need to be there?”
“It’s set up for ten o’clock. I’ll come around for you at nine-thirty, if that’s okay.”
“That’s fine, Simon. Perfect.”
With a click of the button, the silence filled the room. I edged over to my bed so I could climb under the sheets. It was kind of awkward with my arm in a sling. It still hurt when I moved it, but the pain seemed more bearable now.
I lay back on my pillow, noticing it was only ten, but it felt like I had been up for days. I knew sleep would quickly find me because nothing compared to the feel of your own bed. And, with that notion in my head, my eyes grew heavy and my breathing shallow.
Chapter 5
There it was again. The sound of laughter filling the air. I turned towards it, only to see that bloody door again. Why couldn’t I open it? Why couldn’t I see through it? Why wouldn’t it just open and let me see who was laughing? I knew they were children. I could hear the childlike innocence fill the air. What I couldn’t understand was how important it all seemed to me. It felt like I was on the precipice of finding something major— something monumental.
I gripped my eyes shut and took some deep breaths. I had to try to break down that door. I had to find the answers to my questions.
I felt like the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. I was huffing and puffing, ready to blow the door down. The laughter was all around me, teasing me with its wonderful sounds of happiness—happiness I so desperately desired.
I was standing at the door. It was within arm’s reach. Closing my eyes, I counted down from ten. Once I got to zero, I slammed my shoulder into the door as hard as I could. Nothing moved, though. I became frantic, kicking and punching it with all my might. But nothing worked. Nothing I could do would open that door.
In my frenzied haze, I could hear another sound. It sounded like my alarm clock. Why was my alarm in my dream?
I turned and could see the door slipping away from me. I tried to reach out, tried to grab hold of anything I could, but I was being swept away by some unknown force.