[This post is from Matt’s point of view.]
His steps pounded up the wooden staircase that wound up to the main level of the little house overlooking the water, his heart beating twice as fast as the tattoo of his steps on the boards.
Where are you?
Matt took a deep, shaky breath as he opened the door at the top of the stairs and found himself looking around an empty kitchen. His heart lodged in his throat. Had something happened? Had she needed to suddenly leave?
There has to be a logical explanation. There must have been a good reason.
He moved from the kitchen, toward the front of the house. The curtains were open in the living room to the view of the lake beyond the cliff and the grassy lawn that rolled toward its edge.
She sat out there, in the center of the lawn, her knees drawn up to her chest as she stared out at the water beyond the drop.
The tightness around Matt’s heart loosened. He could breathe again.
Hecate glanced back at the sound of the screen door’s creak and smiled a little as she saw him. Matt let the door fall shut behind him and stepped down from the porch, watching her even as she watched him.
Then she looked away, but patted a spot in the grass next to her. Matt sucked in another breath.
Even though everything seemed like it might be fine, he somehow knew it wasn’t.
He crossed the lawn and sat down next to her, following her gaze out toward the lake. Hecate leaned her shoulder into his and sighed.
“I worried you.”
“It’s all right,” Matt murmured, even though it probably wasn’t. He slid his arm around her and she rested her head against his chest, drawing her knees even more tightly against herself. “You’re just usually still asleep when I wake up. What’s going on?”
“I just needed to think, that’s all.”
About what, I wonder?
Matt pressed a kiss to her temple and waited. If he gave her time, she’d talk to him.
Somehow, he knew she would.
The scary part is that you could be lulled into thinking that she’s normal.