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sorry im a haunted house - Savage Ga$p, KAMAARA

We don’t go home. Riley is completely silent at our next stop. She makes me wait in the car, but I hand her the gloves and my medical mask. She takes them without a word.

I’m exhausted and overstimulated, so I sit there, staring at the dash.

Riley protected me. She got in the way of a blow that was meant for me. And damn if that didn’t make my whole entire body feel warm. For the first time since I was a kid, I felt…safe.

I swallow around the lump in my throat.

When Riley comes back, I don’t even question it when she dumps a limp body in the back of the truck.

We drive back in silence. I don’t miss the fact that Riley has brought the skull up to the front seat.

“I’ll clean that for you.”

Riley just nods.

“You know that’s not a dog…right?” Am I missing something?

Riley just gives me a look. She looks off, and I stiffen.

She goes back to looking at the road.

Oh fuck. I overstepped.

As I stew in the silence, I realize that Riley and Manson had the conversation I’ve been needing them to have the whole time. I can tell they’re going to work things out. It’ll take a bit, but they’ll work things out.

Which, I realize with horrifying clarity, makes me obsolete.

They don’t need me anymore.