Aili's P.O.V
The rest of the ride to the house was made in silence as Sam led me in through the back since I wasn't ready to see the mess in the main hall. I wanted to see where it all started, with him kidnapping me in the closet and beating me into unconsciousness in the kitchen. The closet was still a mess from when I tried everything to get away from the intruder, I even tried screaming, but no one came.
"What kind of man was he," I asked Sam.
"What do you mean," she asked me in reply as she helped me pick up the clothes.
"I tried screaming, but Liz didn't hear it," I explained, "she only came back when I knocked over a vase downstairs. I tried to fight for my life in the kitchen, but he hit me on my temple, and I was out," I started.
"I don't know if he had any powers. Where was Liz when you screamed," Sam asked, and I pointed towards the bathroom.
"She was in there using the bathroom with the door closed. I think she was texting you and one of our friends because I wanted a normal day for once. I didn't think that this would happen," I cried.
"Let me see something," Sam said, walking to the bathroom. She closed the door, and then my phone buzz.
Sam: Scream as loud as you can; I soundproofed the room so no one outside of this room could hear you and come running.
I locked my phone with a sigh; I thought about the scream that I made as a man; it was still more of a feminine scream like someone was trying to kill me scream. I replicated that scream as best as possible to where my throat felt raw, just like the last time.
Sam came running out of the bathroom just as the waterfall of tears started once more. "There is no way that she couldn't have heard that without any wards," she said just as I heard knocking at the front door. I rushed down the stair covering the dried-up pool of blood that stained the hard floor that Liz fell on.
I opened the door and was welcomed with Tracy's worried face, "Hey Tracy," I said
"Are you okay," she asked, and I nodded, "that's weird. I thought I heard a scream from this area."
I bit my bottom lip, "You thought you heard a scream come from here," I asked, and she nodded. "What did it sound like," I asked as her face scrunched in thought
"It sounded like a scream for help, sort of like a scream that you could've made during the attack," she answered.
"That's because it was," Sam said from behind me, "Is this person trustworthy," she asked me, and I nodded. "How so," she asked, and I turned to Sam, making enough room to let Tracy in. Sam blocked her way in, "I would appreciate an answer before you let her in," she growled, and I glared at her.
"If you desire so much, then let me introduce you two," I said, "Tracy, this is Sam, Liz's and I's protector. Sam," I began turning to the person blocking the door from a close friend of both Liz and me. "This is Tracy, a close friend Liz introduced me to; Liz knew her when she started her freshman year of high school. Liz would hang out with her so much they could've been roommates even during the beginning of the quarantine. She is one of the people I would trust during this. She is also the same person that would've urged me to follow my crush on Liz if this soulmate thing didn't happen. I even went to her when I was starting to have feelings for Liz."
After I explained that, I stared the goddess down, and she finally stepped aside to let Tracy in, "Fine," she said with a huff as Tracy ran towards me with a hug.
"Are you okay," she asked, and I nodded, "can I see your wrist?"
I showed her my wrist. This is the first time I looked at it since I woke up; her name showed more clearly than last time. I grinned, "She's going to be okay," I said, and Tracy looked at me, stunned.
"What do you mean by that," she asked.
"When I woke up in the hospital today, her name was fading. It was barely legible when I first looked at it," I began. "Sam took me to see her once I started asking her questions. She was hooked up to every machine imaginable to keep her alive."
I told her the whole story from after we both woke up the second time to the present, "That's crazy," she said, "what Liz said was all right. I don't see why someone would hate on that," she asked me, and I shrugged. "I'll help you two with the mess and stay here if you need me to," she said, and I smiled.
"Thank you," I said to her, and she grinned back at me, "I don't know what I'd do without someone here."
With Tracy's appearance came both mine and Liz's mother came along with my fourteen-year-old sister, Petunia. They swarmed me with millions of questions, most of which asked what happened and if I was okay. Cliff also made an appearance after hearing what happened.
"Sorry about what happened to Liz," he said once he arrived, "because of this, I am funding any care that she needs. I feel terrible that someone who spoke at my address got hurt," he said. "She didn't need to say all of that," he added.
"She said what she wanted to, and it helped a lot of people. That man was only a sourpuss because his soulmate died before he got to them," Tracy said from behind me. "Tracy Mitchell, I'm Liz's and Aili's close friend," she added, introducing herself.
"Cliff Lee," he said, shaking the outstretched hand that Tracy had offered with one of his own gloved hands. "Is there any help that you need during this? I'm willing to help with anything," he asked me as my head ached.
A memory then came back, "Hang on a second, I need to check something," I said as Tracy's eyebrows knit in confusion. "There's a place that my head hit, which caused me to become unconscious," I explained. "I didn't remember it until now," I continued. "I want to check to see if I broke anything when I fell."
With a chuckle from both of them, they followed me into the kitchen to see any damage done to the surrounding area. There was a crack in one of the cupboards where my head was, but that was it.
Cliff was only with me for a few days before he had to get back home to his soulmate. Liz's mother didn't stay long either since she was an at-home essential worker and had to take care of the house. I had to convince my mother and my sister that I'd be fine.
"Trust me, Mrs. Ransom," Tracy said, "no harm will come to your daughter with me and protection here."
My mother sighed, "All right, but you have to keep me updated on the condition of Liz," she said, and I nodded. "I don't want you to come home crying out of nowhere because she died, and you didn't tell me beforehand."
When she finished, I gave her my word along with a hug. I hugged my sister as well and ushered them out of the house. I sighed once I closed the door behind them, "How do I ever get used to parents," I muttered as Tracy left. "Fair warning," I began, "I haven't had any alone time to myself to get emotional, and I haven't cried since I saw Liz in that hospital bed."
Tracy only nodded, "I'd understand," she said, "if you need me for anything, just tell me."
I nodded, "Will do, and thank you for being here," I said just as I felt writing on my arm. I checked my arm and my heart broke to see Liz's handwriting.
I'm alive, I'm fine, let your feelings take over. Tracy texted me that she was there, and she is a great shoulder to cry on. I love you, and I'll be home soon.
After reading that, my legs crumbled underneath me as my emotions finally took over as I kneeled by where she was shot. "What's wrong," Tracy asked, rushing to my side as I removed the towel that covered the soaking spot where her blood once was
After I was done looking at that, I covered it back up and showed Tracy my arm, "She's coming home," I cried. "She's going to survive," I said with tears of happiness streaming down my face. Tracy grinned and hugged me, her tears of joy wetting my shirt.