6

We got outside the bar, and Ethan, who was leading the way, stopped and turned around. “Are we still going for the smoothies? It could help you cool off, you know,” he said, his voice gentle, like he was trying to coax me back to normal. His eyes were searching mine, and I could tell he was worried, even if he was trying to play it cool.

I shook my head, my throat tight. “I need to go home,” I said, my voice quieter than I meant it to be. “I’ve had enough strange encounters for one day already.” The image of the guy with the claws, the way his eyes had locked onto mine, was still burned into my mind. I couldn’t shake it, no matter how much I wanted to. Those backwards words on the pillar—District 6—kept circling in my head too, like a puzzle I couldn’t solve.

Ethan and Olivia exchanged a quick look, and then they both nodded, their faces soft with understanding. “We’ll see you home then,” Ethan said, his tone firm, like he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I didn’t argue. I just started walking, my shopping bag bumping against my legs, feeling heavier than it should.

The walk home felt longer than usual, even though it was the same familiar street we’d taken to the mall earlier. My mind was a mess, replaying everything—the pillar, the guy who’d let us in, the sword, the man’s head hitting the floor. I kept telling myself it couldn’t be real, that I’d imagined it, but it felt so vivid, just like my dreams. Ethan and Olivia didn’t say much, and I was grateful for that. I didn’t think I could handle explaining myself right now, not when I didn’t even understand what was happening.

When we got to my house, it was already creeping toward mid-day. I stopped at the front door, turning to face them. “Can’t believe all of this is happening in just one morning,” I muttered, more to myself than to them. My head was still spinning, like the whole day had been one long, bad dream.

“You’ll be fine,” Olivia said, her voice soft but confident, like she was trying to convince both of us. She reached out and squeezed my hand, her fingers warm against mine. “Just take it easy, okay?”

“Yeah,” Ethan added, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Just give us a call if you change your mind and want to go for those smoothies later.” He gave me a small smile, the kind he always used to cheer me up when we were kids.

I nodded, my chest warming a little at their words. “I guess it’ll be tomorrow then,” I said. “I don’t want to go anywhere again today.” The thought of leaving the house again, of facing another weird moment like the one in the bar, made my stomach twist. I just wanted to hide in my room and forget everything.

“I’m sorry, you guys,” I said, realizing how much I’d messed up our day. “I ruined our fun.” They’d been so excited this morning, laughing and bickering like always, and I’d turned it into this mess with my freaking out and seeing things that weren’t there.

“Don’t mention it,” Olivia said, waving a hand like it was no big deal. But then she grinned, her eyes glinting with that playful spark she gets. “But if this gets worse or keeps up till tomorrow, I’m personally admitting you to the mental hospital.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped my mouth, even though it felt shaky. “Thanks for the support,” I said, rolling my eyes but feeling a little lighter. Olivia’s teasing always had a way of making things feel less heavy, even when I was a mess.

Ethan chuckled too, shaking his head. “Yeah, we’ll get you a nice padded room with a view,” he said, winking. “But seriously, Bella, just rest. We’ll check in later.”

We bid goodbye, and I watched them walk down the street, their shopping bags swinging as they went. Ethan said something to Olivia, probably something annoying, because she shoved his shoulder and laughed. I smiled, grateful for their friendship, even if I felt like I didn’t deserve it today. Then I turned and headed inside, the door creaking as I pushed it open.

The house was empty, quiet in a way that felt too still after the chaos of the morning. I spotted a note on the TV stand and picked it up. It was from Mom, written in her neat, loopy handwriting. She’d gone out to “take care of some stuff,” it said, with no details about what or where. Typical Mom, always vague when it came to her errands. “Some stuff,” I muttered, turning the note over in my hands. Just stuff, no name or clue as to what she was doing or where she’d gone. I didn’t ponder long on it—my brain was too fried to care. I just headed straight to my room, my legs feeling heavy as I climbed the stairs.

In my room, I kicked off my shoes and went to the bathroom for a shower. The hot water felt good, like it could wash away the weirdness of the day, but it didn’t. I stood under the spray for a long time, letting it run over my face, trying to clear my head. The image of that guy with the sword kept coming back, the way his eyes had met mine, cold and piercing. And those words—District 6—why had no one else seen them? Was I really losing it?

After the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and curled up in bed, pulling the blankets tight around me. I grabbed a book from my nightstand, some fantasy novel I’d been reading for school, but the words just blurred together. Nothing registered. I tried to focus, to lose myself in the story, but my mind kept drifting back to the bar, to the pillar. Frustrated, I tossed the book aside and picked up my phone, scrolling through random posts on the internet. I looked at funny videos, memes, anything to distract me, but nothing was interesting enough to hold my attention. My thoughts kept circling back to the day, to the things I’d seen that no one else had.

By evening, I was still restless, so I left my room to fix dinner. My parents still hadn’t come back, which was weird but not unheard of. Halfway down the stairs, my phone dinged, and I pulled it out to see a text from Mom. They were finally on their way home. “Finally,” I muttered, feeling a small wave of relief. I didn’t like being alone in the house right now, not with my head all messed up.

I ended up grabbing a yogurt and some leftover pizza from the fridge, not in the mood to cook anything fancy. I took it back to my room, sitting cross-legged on my bed as I ate. The pizza was cold, but I didn’t care. I kept checking my phone, half expecting a text from Ethan or Olivia, but it stayed quiet. I thought about calling them, maybe telling them more about what I’d seen, but I didn’t. How could I explain it when I didn’t even understand it myself?

After eating, I set the plate on my nightstand and curled back up under the blankets. I didn’t have the energy to wait for Mom and Dad to get home. The exhaustion from the day hit me all at once, like a wave pulling me under. My eyes felt heavy, and even though I was scared of what I might dream, sleep took over before I could fight it.