All Chapters of The Hawkins Blood: Chapter 11 - Chapter 14

After everything that had happened, the police had stationed a patrol around the old house. Day and night, a marked cruiser sat out front, ready to stop any curious teenagers from sneaking inside.But crouching in the bushes didn’t exactly feel like the most dignified thing to do—especially with two fully grown men beside me whispering like kids at a sleepover. I half considered charging out, guns blazing, and praying the patrol didn’t shoot first. Fortunately, a tiny part of my brain still valued survival more than dramatics.Alexandra, William, and I stayed low behind the thick brush. A cop passed close by, his flashlight sweeping dangerously near us. I held my breath as the beam inched closer—then veered away.“This should be fun,” I muttered, eyes on the dark treeline.“Guess the cops are sick of kids breaking in here,” Alexandra said quietly.“Yeah,” William muttered. “But we still have to get inside.”I was just trying

I’d retreated to my own room after the music store. I couldn’t stand being around William and Alexandra anymore—their concern was thick in the air, suffocating me. They knew something was off. I could see it in the way they looked at me, like I was going to fall apart any second. I didn’t want their comfort. I didn’t want their questions.When I shut the door behind me, it was the first time all day I felt like I could breathe. I owed William a silent thanks—booking separate motel rooms was probably the best idea he’d ever had. The instant solitude washed over me like a tide, and with it came the inevitable crash.Everything I’d been holding back—fear, confusion, exhaustion—hit me all at once. I wanted to scream or cry or punch the wall. My chest burned with emotion I couldn’t name. But I didn’t let it spill. I held it in until the burning passed and the lump in my throat loosened. My head was pounding and my legs were unsteady, but I didn’t fall apart. Not th