Chapter 33: Grand Finale

·Grace's POV·

It's eight in the evening. A couple of hours have passed since Scott's call. I keep telling myself that it was the best thing to do, telling him where to find me. This is our fight, no one should be dragged into this horrendous situation. How did he dared to threaten to hurt Katie and Toli? We were all best friends after all. Never in a million years would I have thought that he'd turn out to be like this. He needs some serious help, not just because of what he has done today, but because of that sick obsession he has with me.

The good thing is that my girls are safe and sound again, although I risked my own safety for it. Would I do it again if I had the chance?

In a heartbeat.

"Why would you do that?" Archer asked me for the thousandth time in four hours.

"I've already told you."

We were currently in the secret spot, just in case Scott decided to show up at any moment (and he will). Archer was leaning against a wall while I was sitting on an old-fashioned armchair, holding my knees to my chest.

"I know, but I still can't get it. They both told you they were going to be just fine. We all want you to be okay and I'm sure as hell that being chased by some dangerous psycho isn't the safest position."

"Wouldn't you have done the same for me?"

"That's a whole 'nother story and you know that."

"See? You would have. So don't try to teach me some life lessons and start to practice what you preach."

"I remind you that I'm not the bad guy here, love. There's a looney heading here at this very moment who wants you to escape with him and never come back. You should focus on that."

"I'm sorry, okay? But what do you think I've been doing for this couple of hours? I'm aware that Scott might arrive at any moment now and I need to end this once and for all."

"And I'll be there with you. You won't be alone."

"I know. It means the world to me." I stood up and crossed the room to hug him. If I could stop the time, I'd stop it right here. Being surrounded by Archer's arms makes me feel protected. However, my eyes began to shed rebel tears against my will. I don't know what Scott is capable of doing anymore, so I must finally come clean.

"Archer." I called him.

"Tell me."

He was still holding me, his chin on top of my head, not being face to face for the revelation. Who cared though? I hate it when people see me cry. Archer isn't the exception.

I sighed. Here it comes.

"I want to tell you something very important that I've been knowing for a while now. I guess now is the perfect time to confess, taking into account that we don't know what will happen in the near future."

"Grace, this isn't a goodbye. You don't have to-"

"But I want to. Let me finish."

"Yes ma'am."

"I love you. You may have changed your perspective after some months. Nonetheless, mine has always been the same. I was scared to admit it and here I am. Saying it out loud at last."

Archer put his hands on my cheeks lovingly and with a glint on his eyes, he said:

"About time."

He pulled me in once again and kissed me. Oh God. How much I've missed this. Our lips moved in perfect synchronization while our hands traveled freely around each other's bodies. This wasn't a goodbye according to Archer, but it sure felt like it. After the heat of the moment ceased, he started to kiss me sweetly, caressing my back.

And that's when we heard it. A loud thud from downstairs.

We both quickly went to the hiding spot's entrance.

"I'll go and check if everything's okay. You stay here, got it?" Archer asked me.

I simply nodded.

But as soon as he was gone, I opened the entrance and fled. I'll end all of this tonight.

As soon as I reached the main hall, I hid behind an enormous column. Few meters from where I was standing, Archer could be spotted next to the stairway. When he noticed my presence, he stared at me in disbelief and came to my side in a swift movement.

"I told you to stay upstairs." He whisper shouted at me, even though it was pointless.

"This is my fight too Archer."

Running a hand through his hair and sighing, he gave in.

"Fine, but-"

He was interrupted by another loud thud and footsteps.

Scott was here.

"Graaaace. There's no need to hide from me, I'll find you one way or another."

I simply put my palms over my mouth and controlled my intakes of breath.

The steps were more audible as the time passed, he was very close.

"Come on, G! You can't escape from me. Not even in your sleep..."

What did he mean? I do not dream about him at all.

Just as I was thinking about that, strong hands gripped my shoulders and pushed me away from my hiding place.

"Got you."

I ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction, freeing myself from the grasp, and headed to an area of the correctional I've never been before.

Scott was hot on my heels chasing me. When he was about to catch me, I opened the huge ornamented door which stood in my way and entered the room.

To my surprise, it wasn't an ordinary room. It was a very beautifully built, dark chapel.

But right now it wasn't the time to gawk at the architectural masterpiece.

My ex-friend stood a few meters away from me, at the end of the aisle.

"I'm right here Grace. Stay calm and don't piss him off. Your friends must have called the authorities by now." Archer said next to me.

"Some wise words you have said, Archer. Especially the 'don't piss him off' part. Brilliant." Scott answered.

Wait... How can Scott see Archer?!

"What? You can see and hear me?" He asked, as perplexed as I was.

"How could I not? I mean I've controlled your body in the past, haven't I?"

No way...

"The darkness." I stated.

"I guess you are not as dumb as I thought."

Of course! Now it all makes sense. I knew Scott wouldn't do anything to hurt neither our friends nor me. It was the darkness all along. It has possessed Scott too.

All I could mutter was a weak: "Why are you doing this?"

"Why? Oh sweet, innocent girl. I'm all what's bad in this world. I enjoy the simple pleasure of witnessing people suffer, and you were my next prey. I possessed your grandfather in the past, why wouldn't I possess you too? One fact you should know about me and how I function is that I feed on weak people's fears. If someone's going through a hard time, weakening him or her psychologically, I will be there in the blink of an eye - ready to wreak havoc. But you, stubborn brat, you were too damn strong."

"You've tried to possess me?!"

"Several time to be exact, for the last two years."

"That's why I've been having those nightmares... You want to weaken me."

"And I would have manage to achieve my goal if a greater power hadn't got in my way, adding your boyfriend to the equation."

"So I'm stuck between life and death because of you." Archer continued.

"Open your eyes kiddo!" Possessed Scott snapped his fingers in front of our faces. "I'm the reason all of this has happened. The nightmares, the fights, even your death. So yeah, you can blame me for still keeping you roaming the Earth too. Oops?"

"I'm going to kill you! You ruined everything!"

Archer was about to charge against him, when the darkness took out a gun out of Scott's pockets and pointed at me.

"One more step and she dies. Maybe you'll like it, that way you will be together forever." He laughed.

"Don't even think about it." Archer said, threatening him.

"Is there a way to safe Scott? You want me, keep him out of this please!"

"There's no way you can safe that boy. He is long gone. Broken beyond repair, my favorite kind."

My world crumbled beneath my feet when he said those words, making me fall to my knees. Scott, the loving, caring boy was gone. He was just a shell now, inhabited by a horrendous being.

Anger ran free through my veins, making me commit the most stupid action ever. The darkness has destroyed my friend, turning him into some kind of puppet. I want revenge, and I want it now.

Archer tried to hold me back. However, it was too late. I was standing up, ready to get rid of the darkness when I saw him raise his arm, pointing the gun at me once again.

"No! GRACE!" Archer yelled the same words he used to shout me in my nightmares when I'm about to take his hand.

Before I could do anything at all, I heard a loud bang and the world around me went completely black.

My nightmares have finally come true.

*****

A.N: The end is coming guys! So Scott was that sweet, broken boy after all. All that hate for nothing. I don't know how or when, but I started to care about that character. His background, his story, everything. We'll see how the next chapter turns out to be. And you'll discover what happened to Grace.

Love,

M³