Hello! Sorry about missing my "weekly" updating schedule. Things are starting to get insane, as we near the end of the semester. I am still fine tuning the third chapter, so I have created a small vignette (if you could even call it that) dealing with the liars. I think that most of my story will be from Paige's POV but it'll be interesting to throw a little background into the story, as far as what the other characters are up to. Bear with me, please, because I'm still trying to get a feel for where I am going with this. As always, please please please review (any input/criticisms are always welcome!), thanks for reading/reviewing/following/favoriting and I appreciate your patience :)
: Thank you so much! I'm trying to keep some things somewhat mysterious, but many of the elements I had in Dance in the Dark are definitely continued here. Hopefully you'll get your questions answered within the next chapter or two ;) Glorymania: It was strange how easy it was, writing Alison. It's looking like she won't show up too much any longer tho...definitely working on those Paily scenes, promise! Guest: Thanks! I will do my best to keep you interested!
Point of no return
Chapter 2.5
Emily opened her eyes.
She kept still, hands clasped on her stomach, as all of her senses shook off the last vestiges of sleep. Her ears picked up the subtle sounds of her sleeping friends but out of habit, she listened for one in particular. Not hearing what she expected, she turned her head slightly to the right to affirm what she already knew.
"Guys," she whispered, sitting up slowly in the pitch black room. One by one, they spoke.
"What is it?" Spencer said from her far right, her voice alert.
"What's going on?" Aria asked, from the same side of the room as Spencer.
"Where the hell am I?" Hanna asked groggily, at Emily's left side. Ignoring her, Emily addressed Spencer.
"Can you feel that?" she asked her, placing her hand over her own heart. She was looking directly into Spencer's eyes, a silent plea urging the other girl to answer.
"I can..." the other girl whispered quietly, placing her hand on her temple. Her eyebrows furrowed but her eyes widened slightly in confusion.
"Guys, what are you talking about?" Aria asked, watching their exchange with puzzlement.
"Yeah, and where is Allie?" Hanna added, finally sitting up. The words were barely out of her mouth before Emily leapt to her feet, flew up the stairs and threw the door open. She was out of the room before Hanna could form another question.
"What is it, Spence?" Aria asked, her doe-like eyes still trained on the door Emily had just disappeared through. Hanna was looking as well, her eyes filled with concern for her friend.
"You can't feel it?" Spencer asked the remaining two girls. Aria and Hanna turned to look at her, still not understanding what was happening.
"Oh my god…" Aria gasped, sucking in a deep breath reflexively. Hanna's eyebrows were so high they were in danger of receding into her hairline. "Allie…" she said weakly.
Each of the girls felt the same absence Emily had felt upon waking up. It was a dull ache that tugged at them from somewhere inside, affecting them in different ways. Spencer felt it almost like a headache, a persistent throbbing she couldn't ignore. Aria felt it like a sharp tingling, like how she used to feel when she got up from sitting cross-legged too long. For Hanna, it was like an ice-cold hand was squeezing her stomach. Each girl felt it, the loss of Alison resounded in not only themselves but in the physical awareness that she was nowhere to be seen.
But as they looked at each other, they could also see the effects of their loss manifest itself into one common emotion—relief.
