Jared's eyes were bright in the darkness, his gaze unwavering, as he hovered in the shadows across the road from Leah's old house in the world of the dead. He shouldn't have been here. This place was tainted with people best kept buried and memories he shouldn't reawaken. And yet he'd come anyway.

It was the same tonight as it'd been for the last week. No Leah, no clues, just Brenton's doppelganger, swaying up the front porch at 12 on the dot every night, his movements jerky and uncertain. Every time Jared saw him, his nose crinkled in disgust. Brenton had never revealed to him who, or what, this man actually was, and Jared was too scared to draw his own conclusions.

But that wasn't why he came back every night, and it wasn't because he thought Leah would miraculously turn up either. No, it was the woman, the one who always sat by the open window after dinner, reading a book or staring out at the night. Every time Jared saw her, he felt Leah's letter burning a hole in his pocket, her words clattering around his head.

Go to my house in Narra. Your mum lives there. She'll be able to tell you everything.

He'd spent every night this week standing here, eyes fixed on the house with equal amounts of hope and horror. He knew, with a dreadful certainty, that this woman was who Leah said she was. And he didn't know how to handle that. Not when Leah had said other things that would rip his entire world apart if they were true.

It was just reaching 10, and Jared was trying to bring himself to finally knock on the door, when there was a quick movement from down the end of the street and he noticed a girl hurrying along it, her gaze darting around nervously. It was the girl that'd been with Leah the first night he'd come for her. She was dressed inconspicuously; her black clothes and dark skin almost indistinguishable in the shadows thrown from the street lights.

Jared couldn't help but edge a bit closer when it became obvious which house she was heading for. He slunk amongst the shadows, reaching a gumtree only a couple meters from Leah's old front door when she knocked on it. Her shoulders were hunched over, as if trying to make herself as small as possible.

There was a creak and a sliver of light lit up the porch.

"Zarah, what's wrong?"

The voice was surprised and soft, and Jared sucked in a breath. It stirred long forgotten memories, flickers of a face hovering over him and smiling, strengthening that bittersweet ache he couldn't seem to smother.

Zarah shifted, glancing behind her once more.

"Is Brenton home?"

"No, he's at the pub."

Zarah moved further into the light, her voice a frightened whisper. "I need to talk to you about Leah."

There was an intake of breath.

"Come in."

Zarah moved inside and the door shut behind her with a thud. Jared swore under his breath and glanced around the house, trying to locate an open window. The mention of Leah's name felt like ice water thrown down his back, he hated it, he didn't want it; and yet instantly adrenaline was coursing through him, instantly his heart was pounding.

His eyes landed on a second story window. The latch was cracked open, the curtains fluttering with a light breeze. Before he could second guess it, he jogged over and jumped. His fingers caught the frame and he launched himself through, landing softly on the carpet.

Jared straightened, taking in the room. There was a single bed in the corner and a vanity table next to the door. It was dusty and gave off an aura of disuse. The photos sitting on the vanity were splattered with Leah's face, confirming what he'd already suspected. Of course, of all the rooms he could've chosen, he'd ended up in hers.

Trying to ignore her familiar scent of sun-baked sand and mint, he crept to the door and cracked it open, padding down the stairs until the voices from below were intelligible. He crouched down, keeping out of sight and listened.

"Have you seen the news?"

The voice was Zarah's, soft with worry. Jared crawled closer until he could see their shadows.

"Yes. Almost everyone on the south coast felt it. But as long as she doesn't do it again, it should –"

"She already has."

There was a crack, as if a cup had been slammed down on a table.

"What?"

Zarah's shadow drew back.

"It happened yesterday. She drew me there somehow. I was trying to tell her to stop, but she couldn't hear me. And Alice, I felt – I felt everything. It was like I was alive again."

Zarah's voice was filled with wonder, but also horror, and a strained silence followed.

"This is bad," Alice said softly. "She can't keep doing this. Someone's going to figure out how to use her."

Jared tried to convince himself that the worry those words ignited inside him was simply a reflex, some leftover concern from when he'd needed to care about Leah.

"You knew what she was when she was down here," Zarah said. "Surely you know some way of contacting her? We need to warn her."

Alice shifted, leaning against the counter. "That was different. I don't know how to communicate with someone who isn't in this world."

"Would Brenton?"

"You can't ask Brenton," Alice said, her voice heavy. "He doesn't have her best interests at heart."

Jared shifted, pins and needles running up his legs, as Alice started pacing, her shadow travelling up and down the floor.

"How do you think she's doing it?" she asked eventually.

"I don't know," Zarah said. "I think it's happening when she gets emotional. The second time I got pulled there she was having a panic attack. I could feel it. The closer I got to her, the stronger it became."

Alice sighed. "She must be going through so much."

There was a silence, and Alice sniffed, a clogged, drawn out sound.

"I miss her," she whispered.

Alice's words blew through Jared's mind like a hurricane, cracking the lid off everything he'd been supressing.

I miss her. I miss her. I miss her.

He wasn't sure where Alice's words ended and his thoughts began.

Panic clenched so tightly around Jared's lungs he found it hard to breath, and he crept back up the stairs and out the window before he could hear more, darting into the trees.

He was so tired of the sleepless nights, of the nausea and guilt. They'd become constants in his life ever since he'd let Leah go. Slowly but surely, she was tipping him towards insanity, and he needed to stop it while he still could. He needed to remove her once and for all.

The only problem was she'd polluted his mind so effectively he didn't even know what to cut out to get rid of her.

He hated her for that. He really did.

He wasn't sure how long he'd stood there, a half-formed plan taking shape in his mind, before the door open again and Zarah emerged from the house. She moved down the street and Jared slunk after her, waiting until she was out of sight before he grabbed her, dragging her into the trees. She let out a screech and he slammed a hand over her mouth, pressing his knife against her throat and pushing her back against a trunk.

Her eyes widened, and when she stopped struggling he lowered his hand.

"J – Jared," she stuttered, staring at him in shock. "What are you doing here?"

An unhinged madness was racing through his veins, and he was sure she could see it.

"This connection you have with Leah, do you think it works both ways?"

Zarah was silent, her eyes wide with horror. "How do you –"

"Let's test it."

Jared pressed the knife harder against her throat, drawing a string of blood and brought his free hand up to grab her chin. Zarah made a gurgling sound and Jared tried to fight down the guilt it ignited.

"Now," he said softly. "I need you to start screaming."  

...

Oh noooooo, Jared's going crazy. 

What do we think is going to happen in the next chapter? (Hint: Leah and Zarah's connection does work both ways hehe)

This chapter is dedicated to @LMN2RX ! Thank you for all your votes <3 

Next update in two weeks!

- Skylar xx