CHAPTER XL
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Hey!!!
As for the last chapter, I apologise in arrears to you all for not leaving a warning of physical and mental abuse, especially to those who may find it triggering and traumatising.
I love you all
~~~
SOPHIA’S EYES SLOWLY opened, and she found herself in a dimly lit room, tied with a chain to a bedpost. She tried to struggle free, but the chains weren’t budging one bit. She got tired, gave up and laid down back on the hard mattress as tears trailed down her cheeks.
When she closed her eyes, all she saw was the bloodied bodies of her three friends, then the mental sting of the scar below her shoulder blade.
“Soph,”
Her eyes snapped open and she sat up immediately when she heard a very familiar voice. Just that, it wasn’t as cheerful and happy as it used to be. It was cold, laced with hatred and malice for no one but her.
But then, the owner of the voice was meant to be dead, right? Sophia was sure she was dead. She had seen her body with her own eyes. She had seen her blood all over her hair. Why then would she be calling out to her. “A-Alecia,”
She was greeted with silence. No one answered her. Alecia didn’t. Instead, another familiar voice called out.
“Soph,” Just like Alecia’s, that voice lacked its warmth and gentleness. That caring tone to it was gone and replaced with loathing and malevolence, again towards Sophia.
“M-Maya,”
“Sophia Bennett Agosti,” and the last voice came from beside her. It was so full of spite, abhorrence, spite, animosity, and hostility, no doubt directed to her.
Sophia’s head snapped to look at the empty space beside her. “Ro-Roman,”
“You’re the cause of all this!” Alecia’s voice came again.
“I-I’m sorry,” She cried. “I-I can’t see any of you. I-I’m sorry,”
“You can’t be sorry now, Soph,” Maya called out again. “It’s too late to be sorry. You’re too late because our families are suffering here just like we are. We are not resting! None of us have the peace we deserve over here! It’s all because of you!”
Maya was never that spiteful. She must have been hurt badly by Chase’s actions. “I-I mean my words, Maya,” She couldn’t see them, but she could still plead with them, right?” I-I didn’t know this would happen. I didn’t know he would -”
“Then join us,” Roman’s voice called from beside her again. “Join us. You’re the reason we were all sent over here, right? Come with us. Come and be with us,”
Sophia whispered out. “N-no,”
“No?” Alecia’s voice rang out again. “You won’t join us even after being the reason we and our families are here?”
“You-you guys aren’t like this. You won’t ever wish death upon anyone, so why do you want me to die?” Sophia cried.
“We are no more what we used to be,” Maya said, her voice quivering a bit. “We aren’t in peace anywhere. We can’t find peace in this world, and we want you with us! You’re holding on to our peace, Sophia. Give us back our peace and come to us!”
“No. I-,”Sophia mumbled.” I pray for all of you, I swear. I pray to the Lord to give you peace,”
“The Lord doesn’t accept the prayers of a sinner,” Roman whispered.
“I’m not a sinner,” Sophia managed to hug her knees. “I’m not a sinner,”
“You were born a sinner, Sophia,” Alecia said again. “Chase told that to you. He did! Your parents were sinners! The man who kills for you is a sinner! The world you were born into is that of sinners! Everyone around you are sinners! That makes you a sinner!”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“Please stop it,” Sophia covered her ears and placed her forehead on her knees. “I’m not a sinner. It doesn’t mean I’m a sinner,”
“We hate you,” They all chorused out.
Sophia’s head snapped up as if to see them, and she shook her head vigorously. “You-you don’t hate meowed are all friends. You-I-I’m sorry. Please go away. Please stop. I-I’m very sorry. I-I didn’t -”
Maya cut her off. “Come with us,”
Roman’s voice came as a whisper against her ear. “She’s right. Prove to us how sorry you are and come with us,”
Sophia shook her head and dropped back her forehead on her knees, her palms not leaving her ear. “I-I can’t. My-My-Nana will be all alone in this world. I can’t leave her,”
Alecia’s voice came again. “If we all figure out a way to take your Nana’s life, will you come with us?”
Sophia shook her head. “N-No. I-I want a good future. I-I want to become a nurse. You all know that,”
“You’re so selfish!,” Maya spat. “You caused all this. You’re just as fucked up as Chase Romano is!,”
“No,” Sophia cried. “Don’t say that,”
“Yes you are selfish,”
“Come with us,”
“Grant us our peace,”
Sophia pressed her palms tightly against her ear to block out the three echoing voices but they seemed to be getting louder.
“Come with us,”
“You’re not as innocent as you look,”
“Give us peace,”
“We are restless,”
“We need peace,”
~~~
“No!”
Sophia sat up with a jerk as her breathing grew heavier. She could feel the cold sweat trickling down her forehead as her hair stuck all over her face.
“It’s -“She pressed the tip of her fingers against her aching head. “It’s just a nightmare. They-they will stop,” She whispered to herself in a convincing way. “They-they’ll stop appearing if I keep on praying for them. They don’t hate me. They are my best friends. They can’t hate me,”
Sophia slowly got down from her bed and walked to the bathroom in slow strides. She then turned on the tap, cupped her palms, and filled them with water before splashing it all over her face.
Once she was done, Sophia picked up the towel on the towel hanger and wiped her face. As she did that, her hands froze when she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
She had eye bags underneath her eyes. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying herself to sleep every night.
A sigh left her lips.
It had been a complete month ever since that taunting night, and those three consecutive ones after it when Chase had made her stay alone in a room with Maya, Alecia, and Roman’s bodies.