"Emily? Who said that? Remember Shane its Louise Grey from high school!"
I can physically see the colour drain out of Shane's face, something happened here- or well she happened here. Shifting uncomfortably in the corner Eve's bubbly personality has dimmed; knawing at her nail beds… something she knows too.
Why in this place does everything have history?
"Ok, guys? What's going on, something is? What don't I know?" The air is thick with silence, only being broken with singular breaths from Emily or well apparently Louise. Glancing from face to face, I know. Something here, something I don't know- is resurfacing in everyone's memory… well except mine. "Guys explain!" Panic is tangible from my voice; who is this girl?
"CB it's not what you think; it happened years ago, we were different people." Voice tight with unshed tears, a face set now in anger I know this isn't my friend talking this is the girl- the girl who knows the 'stranger', Michael wants to say something. His mouth bobbing like a goldfish, empty of words; Shane's just blank unreadable… trying to hide something.
"Why are you different people? Eve?" She's just blank, her own outburst has shocked her; her palm flat to her mouth as if holding in a tumble of words, tears prickle down her cheeks.
"Michael?" Again another blank face. "Shane! Answer me! What don't I know?"
Heaving a breath like an athlete after a marathon, he looks me straight in the eyes; trying to show his emotion through a singular look- anger, sorrow… regret. All I can think is what have they done?
He takes my small hand in his large one, subconsciously drawing circles in my palm, then taking another deep breath "Claire… Ok Claire it was high school. Michael was popular with all the girls, Eve was a cute kid... and well I was a jerk. Alyssa had just died and well before Sam gave us our one way ticket out of here, I went back to school- a change of scenery… I don't know what I was thinking." Oh god. I've heard the stories… Monica, the fire, his sister and his blame; always his blame.
"They killed a vamp!" Emily's (or is it Louise's?) arrogant tone makes me double take. Has she? She can't have. They wouldn't have; they had protection. "He got in their way and well next thing he was dead… the end."
Eve's sobs chill my bones, for once this isn't something we can fix; death is final it can't be reversed- even in Morganville. "You… you killed a vampire?" The high pitched tone says it all my friends… they wouldn't have.
"No!" The house radiates Michael's anger; the floor quivering under our feet, breathing deeply he settles till the floor once again stands still. "We didn't, she only want to believe… she doesn't get it. They did it Louise. We never killed him… we never touched him… all we did was give an address."
"You might as well have! What did I have left? You all could go home… I had nothing!"
"You had nothing?" Through gritted teeth Shane's voice is rough and laced with anger. "I'd lost my sister, lost everything… I didn't have parents after the fire; I had the shells of them!"
"So you know what burning's like? Well why did you let them take the blame? When it was you three." Her snarl is that of an animal, rough and territorial.
"Because he did! We never touched him" Eve's sobs wrench from her throat, but her words are clear. "Why would three teenagers go after a vampire?"
Ok I've had enough. I'm confused. "Ok, wait a minute. Who killed a vamp and why are you getting the blame?
It's Shane who answers. "Her dad, her brother and her Uncle; they asked us to get him … we didn't have a choice. They burned for it… I think I speak for us all when I say I still hear their pleas, smell the burning flesh… and remember its Morganville."
What on earth have a just heard.