Afterlife - Stephanie Hudson Page 0,75

seemed nice, was that Jack?” I knew it wouldn't take long so I sat down and joined her.

“Yes that was Jack and we’re just friends.” I knew she just wanted me to be happy, like she was with Frank. In her way she thought that if I could just meet someone nice then everything would work out.

“Oh... do your friends always kiss you?” I knew it! She’d been spying on me.

“Libby! What were you...” she cut me off.

“Toast” she pointed towards the smoke coming from the bread inside and I reacted with waving a tea towel about trying to get rid of the smoke. I removed the charred bread and changed the setting down from five to two. No wonder it had burnt.

“See, I'm not the only one who burns things,” she said in a smug tone.

“Well maybe if it wasn't on the highest setting then I would get toast instead of charcoal, and anyway don't change the subject, why were you spying on me?” I put the black squares in the bin and decided to give up on the toast idea and just settle for the tea. I poured the boiling water into the two mugs and let the teabags stew.

“I wasn't spying, jeez you’re so dramatic. I was just checking to see who it was and I saw him about to kiss you so I stopped. But man he's cute and tall, didn't think you went for blondes though? I always thought it was tall dark and handsome you liked?” I passed her tea and sat down giving her one of those looks.

“Libby, it's not like that, he's a friend.”

“Does he know that?” Ok, so she had me there but I really didn't want to talk about it so I changed the subject.

“Anyway, how's that new client going?” I knew this would work, she loved to talk about her job and when she got going it was as if she had entered a different world.

Libby chatted until Frank walked in and then I made my excuses and went upstairs to my room. It was finally nice to be alone. There were so many answers I needed to a never-ending stream of questions that I felt mentally exhausted. I started going through everything that had happened and it just made me more frustrated. I got ready for bed hoping that I would dream of him. I just wanted the image of him to comfort me. The Draven I knew, my own personal Draven who was everything I needed.

“NO!” I shouted at myself. It was getting out of hand and I needed to stop it all! I knew what Draven was and he was out of my reach. It was pointless to dream of something that wasn't real. I went back into the bathroom and filled a glass and grabbed my sleeping pills off the shelf. This was one night that I needed to myself.

Back in the club the band played but it was surprisingly empty for this time of night. Jerry came over to me with a tray in his hand looking flushed and his brother followed behind. It was the first time I had seen them both together but it was only Jerry that spoke.

“You're needed upstairs again but you need to be quick.” He handed me the tray but I shook my head at him.

“No, I turned down the job. I'm not working up there and you can't make me.” I finally said it and it felt good, unfortunately it was short lived.

“No but Draven can! So hurry up” This did scare me. I didn't want Draven to speak to me again, so I gave in. I took the tray and headed for the back staircase when Gary spoke in that creepy voice of his.

“Be careful not to bleed.” What the hell?!!! Why did he say that? I turned to demand what he meant but neither of them were there. What was with that dude? Did they teach “Creepy” at his school or was he just born weird. I mean I know that Mike had called him ‘Special’ but come on.

I went to the doors that led to the staircase I had used last time but something was different, there wasn't the usual muscle standing guard. I pushed the doors open and walked up the steps shivering with the cold. It was strange without the hum of people busy enjoying themselves down in the club. It made it more eerie.

The door at the top was open, unlike