The Beast within

Chapter 8 going back

Casey's P.O.V 

  We drove up the driveway and I immediately felt like crying, there was still police tape everywhere, even though we had been granted access to the house. Kacey told me that the police had phoned and told her the crime scene had been released back to me. Crime scene, that's how everyone would see my home now, as a crime scene.

  "Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Katherine asked me, I was in that much of a daze looking at my house that I didn't even realise the truck had stopped.

  "Hmm? Yeah...I'm sure. Sorry it's just a bit surreal being back here, I know it's only been two days, but my whole life changed the last time we were here." I said, still looking at my house.

  "It's okay, just take your time and if you change your mind then we'll leave. I'm here for you and I'll help you any way I can." Katherine said, gently squeezing my hand. 

  "Thank you, I really appreciate you being here, it helps a lot." I replied, we sat in the truck for a few minutes while I tried to build up the nerve to get out and go into my home.

  "Come on, it's now or never." I said, Katherine nodded and we got out of the truck. Katherine held my hand the whole way up to the front door, I got my keys out and reached up to unlock it, but I froze and just stood staring at the crime scene tape that covered the door. Katherine squeezed my hand and took the keys from me, unlocking the door and ripping the tape off. 

  "Thank you, it just distracted me." I said, Katherine nodded in understanding and held my hand tighter as we walked into my home. The stench of blood hit us as soon as we walked in, it smelt metallic like copper. My heart was beating so fast that I was sure it was going to either explode or burst out of my chest, every single memory I ever had in this house came rushing back to me and it made me smile, until it came to my last memory. Tears started streaming down my face and I was finding it hard to breath, as I stood in front of the family room. The door was shut, which I was glad of, but I already knew what was there and I couldn't go in there yet, that was the last room my parents were in. I walked upstairs and went straight to my room, with Katherine following closely behind me. I stood in the middle of my room and looked round it, but this didn't feel like my room anymore, in fact the whole house didn't feel like my home any more. The whole house felt as though it had been tainted by that one day, I had so many happy memories here, but it felt like that last memory had tarnished all of them. I wanted to start in my room, because it would be the easiest room to do.

  "Right, let's get started. I think there are some bags and boxes downstairs could you get them for me while I start sorting through things?" I said, Katherine nodded and headed back downstairs while I went to my dresser, emptying everything out of it and sorting it into piles. I moved on to my closet next, doing the same emptying it all out and sorting it into piles. 

  "I found the boxes and bags, how many do you think we will need?" Katherine said, her arms piled high with boxes. I took them off her and put them on the floor.

  "I'm not sure to be honest, I suppose it all depends on how much I want to keep and how much I want to donate." I replied, sitting on the bed and taking another look around, Katherine and I began to pack my clothes away into bags.

  "Could you start in the bathroom please? The only things I want to keep are the shampoo, conditioner, body wash and my blue fluffy towel." I asked, Katherine nodded, grabbed a bag and headed to the bathroom, while I made a start on my vanity table and night stand. I packed away my laptop, tablet and all the stuffed animals that my mom and dad gave me, but threw away everything else that I didn't want to keep. I was going to keep my night stand, as I didn't have one in my new room. We were finally finished in my room and it only took an hour and half, Katherine had been going up and down the stairs, taking the things I was keeping and putting them in her truck. I sat down on the bed, taking one last look around to make sure I hadn't missed or forgotten anything, just as Katherine came back upstairs. 

  "Okay, so two rooms down. Which room do you want to do next?" Katherine asked, even though she had been running up and down the stairs she wasn't out of breath. She was a lot fitter than I thought and a lot fitter than me. I thought for a moment and then decided it was best to do my parents room next.

  "Mom and dad's room, might as well face it head on." I replied, slightly unsure if I was ready to do it, but it had to be done. I got up and walked out of my room to my parents room. I was standing in front of the door to their room, when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  "Are you sure you want to do this now?" Katherine asked me and in all honesty I didn't know. I paused for a few seconds, bracing myself to go in.

  "If I don't people will come and take things." I replied, Katherine nodded and I gripped the doorknob, turning it slowly and opening the door. I walked inside and saw that the bed was still unmade, the laundry was still unwashed and there was just a hint of my mother's perfume lingering in the room. There was a photo on the dresser of mom and dad on their wedding day, they were standing by their wedding cake and they looked so happy. I stood there looking around the room and my tears were flowing now, as I sat down on the bed.