Rule 10 - Lumen

DON'T BE SHOCKED WHEN THINGS GO RIGHT SOMETIMES.

" W hat am I supposed to do?" I slid my boots on and started after Tobias.

"Get Ruby. I'm going to deal with Neve." He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a switchblade. He opened and slammed the front door just as I reached him. I touched the handle, turned, and froze. I couldn't pull it open. I turned and leaned against the door, slowly sinking down.

For the first time since I moved in, I didn't feel safe here. I felt... trapped. What was I supposed to do? A loud thunk came from my guest room. I wiped my tears and stood quickly. A moment later, Ruby appeared, her mask back on. She turned her head slightly, trying to intimidate me.

"How is someone like you so hard to kill?" She took a step closer, and I pressed my back to the door, reaching behind me for the door handle. My heart pounded in my ears as I tried to turn the handle. I couldn't. I closed my eyes again, but it was too late. The screams from the mall were deafening me.

You can't leave! It's not safe!

Beads of sweat dripped down my chest as I tried to shove down the dark fears. Ruby inched forward, knowing I was cornered and had nowhere to go. Finally, I spun around and gripped the handle. I pulled the door open, but froze. It was dark outside past the porch. I couldn't go out there. I'd be sucked into the darkness and at the mercy of whatever was out there.

Neve, Tobias, someone worse.

"What are you going to do, Lumen?" Ruby mocked.

I lifted my foot but placed it right back down. I couldn't. I stepped back to shut the door, but Ruby was close and I felt her hands on me right before she shoved me outside.

I fell to the porch, my hands stinging instantly from catching myself on the half-melted snow. She shut the door, following me out.

"Look at you, taking healthy steps. How long has it been since you've been this far out of your house?"

Terror squeezed my heart as I rushed to the door, only to find it locked.

"Not this time." Ruby clicked her tongue. "I saw what you did to Billy. You're next if you don't fight for it." She grabbed my hair and yanked me from the door. I fell to the porch again and screamed in anguish. She stood over me with her stupid mask. Without another thought, I lifted my legs and kicked her in the gut, sending her across the porch.

"You bitch!" she screamed as she scrambled up. I joined her. She had the advantage. Not only was she not terrified of every little thing, she was wearing full winter gear. All I had was the thin, torn pajamas and my boots. I was drenched in the slush that was passing for snow on my porch. Everything was half melted.

I looked around. All around, the various Christmas decorations were placed around the platform haphazardly. Billy had set up everything for me to see through the windows. I needed back inside. I couldn't fight her out here. She had the advantage. I was searching for a window to break when Ruby let out a scream, and I turned just in time to see her running at me with a large plastic reindeer over her head.

I ducked just as she reached me and swung down. I rolled and picked up a large, plastic candy cane. I smacked her calves with it and rolled again out of her reach. She continued her attack, swinging the giant decoration at me, landing a few hits. After realizing it didn't do much damage, she abandoned it and picked up a glass ornament. She threw back her mask.

"Catch," she ordered as she pitched the beach-ball sized ornament at me. I dropped to the ground and covered my head as it hit my back and shattered into a million pieces. Shards of glass stung my back through my clothes. I quickly stood and shook off the glass, then looked around for something to fight her off.

There was nothing but plastic animals and glass bulbs. Unless I wanted to step off the porch... I crept slowly to the stairs, but stopped short. I... I couldn't.

"You little chicken shit," Ruby mocked. "Neve told us about you. How even before the photoshoot, you were a mousy little thing. How your sisters had to sign you up because you were so scared of your shadow, they thought you'd never leave their house. Looks like they were right."

Flashes of my sisters went through my mind. They'd only wanted what was best for me, taking us to the mall that day. And what did it get them? Murdered. Murdered by Tobias. I spun around.

"Why did Tobias kill my family?" I blurted. "Do you know?"

"Why would I know?" Ruby laughed. "If I had it my way, we would have offed him before we did you. Neve has a soft spot for what he does and didn't want to leave all his animal rescues to starve."

I cocked my head.

"He saves dogs from dire situations, because of course he does." She rolled her eyes. I realized then that if I kept her talking, I could get her to relax, and I could make a run for it.

"What does that mean?" I inched away from the steps, keeping my eye on the closest window. It was locked, but I could break it and climb in.

"He's ridiculously hot, charming, and has a job that would send any woman to her knees. Even Neve wants him. That's why we're here, you know."

I shook my head, genuinely confused. Ruby kept going.

"Neve never loved Billy. She's been obsessed with Tobias since the photoshoot. She looks at your photos all the time. She tried to contact him. She asked his dad for his number, but his dad said he was taken. Some girl from a photoshoot had his heart. Neve doesn't want your money. She wants your man."

I blinked. My man?

"I haven't seen Tobias since that day."

Ruby snickered. "It doesn't matter. Once Neve wants something, she'll do whatever it takes to get it. Look at us." She motioned to the house and then at herself. "Billy's dead, and she told me to not bother coming back to her unless you're dead."

"Then why bother? She's not good for you."

"Love does crazy things. Sorry, you have to die." Her sad face turned determined. She jumped, hooking her hands on the gutter.

What was she doing? I wondered, but then watched as she yanked the lights down.

"Oh—" I started to warn her, but then stopped. She literally just told me I had to die. Why would I help her? I stood back and let her pull down the old, faulty lights.

"Ouch," she winced as she got shocked.

Just like Billy had.

Back on the porch, she turned and smiled wickedly. "I'm going to decorate you like a tree. Tobias is going to come back to the house to see you strangled with the lights around your neck."

My eyes went to the porch, where the snow was melted. I stepped back, and she stepped forward.

The electric lights were snapping and popping and let off a loud hum as she dragged more of them down. I continued to walk backward, watching her footsteps carefully. She stopped moving when she saw what I was watching.

"You think I'm stupid? These lights are old. I'm not getting electro?—"

I ran forward with my hands out and shoved her back, like she'd done to me to get me outside. She flew back into the puddle behind her, still holding tight to the faulty lights.

The lights let out a loud electric hum as her body lit up and then went stiff.

The bottom of my boots are rubber. They didn't conduct electricity. I stared at her limp body. Her mouth was frozen in shock, her eyes wide and gone. It all happened so fast, I wasn't sure how to feel. I felt... alive.

I was still alive.

I turned and looked around. I'd made it to the porch for the first time in months. And I survived. A slow smile slid over my face.

I survived.

I left my house and wasn't immediately murdered.

Ruby was. So was Billy.

But I was alive.

I inhaled the cold, fresh air as if it were the first time.

I was alive.

Good.

Now, for the last one.

Neve.