CHAPTER 32

Bang.

Her breath hitched as she looked down at her hands, blood covering her palms. A cry left her mouth as his body fell to the floor. It wasn't her blood, it was his. She'd shot him.

"Oh my god.." she whispered. Her feet began moving faster than she could comprehend what had happened. Matilda began running down the street, tears streaming down her face.

People looked at her as if she was insane. But she looked insane, running with a tear stained face and blood covering her shirt and hands.

Matilda didn't run to her home. She found herself outside of Ada's door.

"Ada," Tilly cried out, banging on the door with her fist. "For crying out loud," Ada said from the other side, unlocking the door. Her face dropped when she saw the blonde stood before her. "What.."

Before Ada could finish her sentence, Tilly barged past her. "Tilly," Ada said quickly, grabbing her arms. "Tilly talk to me,"

Tilly muttered quiet words as Ada held her still. "Matilda, sweetheart you have to talk to me so that I can help you." Ada whispered.

"I killed him,"

"Killed who?"

"I don't know. This man, said Angel sent him- he pulled a gun on me and I..shot him. It was an accident i swear, i'd never do something like that," she rambled, the blood on her hands turning a dark red colour.

"Oh Matilda," Ada whispered, looking down at her hands. "Come on," she urged, walking her to the kitchen to wash her hands.

Tilly's hands were shaking as Ada ran the warm tap, waiting for it to heat up. "I didn't mean it, Ada." She repeated.

"I know, it's okay. Nobody's angry with you. Is there anybody you want me to call, do you want me to get David to come get you?"

She shook her head quickly. "I don't want David to know. He cannot know about this." She said in a panic. Ada frowned but didn't question the decision. "Have you taken your medication today?"

Tilly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No, i haven't. I didn't get time to."

"You promise me that when you get home, you take your medication."

Ada was extremely worried because she knew that,considering the events of that day, if Tilly didn't take her pills, she'd spiral out of control. And with Tilly's mental state, that wouldn't be good at all.

"Matilda, promise me." Ada said sternly.

"Fine, i promise." Tilly groaned, wiping underneath her eyes and sniffing. She looked up at the ceiling, trying not to let her mood drop any more than it had.

-

"You're home," David spoke from his desk. Tilly closed the door behind her and took a deep breath, "yeah, sorry i'm so late. There was a hold up at the doctors office." She lied, dropping her jacket to the floor.

"That's okay, i've left your dinner in the kitchen. It might be cold though," he didn't look up from the papers he was signing. Tilly hummed and walked through to the kitchen, digging through the cupboards for vodka or whiskey.

Nothing. How did they have nothing. "David!" she shouted.

"Yeah?" He shouted back, remaining in the office. "Liquor, do we have any?" She asked. He was silent for a moment whilst he thought. "I think there's a bottle of rum in the drawing room,"

She sighed in relief and quickly went the retrieve the bottle. "Is there a reason you wanted a drink, a special occasion?"

Tilly shook her head and sat on the couch opposite the fire, pouring a glass. "Nope, no occasion. No reason."

"That reminds me," he spoke again. "Tonight i'll be getting the last train over to Liverpool for a meeting i have tomorrow morning. It completely slipped my mind so I apologise for that."

"That's fine." Matilda assured him, her eyes fixed on the orange flames.

It wasn't fine. She didn't want to be alone. Not tonight. Not after what had happened. If Angel found out she'd killed one of his men, it'd make him come after her himself. The idea petrified her. She knew that the second David walked out of the door, her paranoia would get the better of her.

And when David did leave to get the train, she didn't move from her seat. Not even when her fears began consuming her.

There's somebody in the house.

"No there isn't," she mumbled, taking the bottle of rum and swigging it.

They're coming after you.

"Fuck off." Tilly refused to listen. But the voice carried on and it got too much. She stood to her feet, standing in the centre of the room. Her head began spinning as the voice overlapped itself, saying different things. "Shut up!" she covered her ears.

She'd had enough.

Tilly quickly dialled the number of Polly's home in Birmingham, hoping somebody was there. "Hello?" John answered. "John..John, is Polly there?" She asked quickly.

"Til, it's fucking..twelve in the morning," he checked his timepiece.

"I know, I know. But I need Finn or Polly..just someone." She begged. John looked around the empty room. "Pol!" He called out. "Til, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Where's David?"

She shook her head. "He's went to Liverpool. Where's Polly?"

"Im here," Polly snatched the phone from his hands. "What's happened, love?" Polly asked in a comforting tone. "I can't breathe, Polly. My head is spinning and I swear if this carries on im going to end up killing myself!" Tilly shouted, angry tears forming in her eyes.

Of course she didn't literally mean she was going to kill herself. She had stressed herself out and let her mental issues get the better of her. Joking or not, no member of the Shelby family would've let her end that call without ensuring she was okay.

"If what carried on?" Polly questioned. "The voices, Pol."

"All right, Tilly, I'm calling Ada." Polly told her. Tilly shook her head, "No dont send her over." She begged, crying as if she were a small child who'd just been told off by her mother.

But she wasn't a small child. She was nineteen and her mother was dead.

"Matilda, I'm not having you go the same way your mother did. Have you taken your medication?" Polly questioned, sending John to call Ada from the other phone. Tilly let out a frustrated breath. "Fuck off about my medication." She said angrily.

"You watch how you talk to me young lady!" Polly said seriously. "If you don't take them, I'll call the doctors and have you sent away." She threatened.

"You wouldn't." Tilly argued.

Finn stepped into the room, his soaked coat in his hand. He placed it over the chair, wiping his forehead. "Who's that?"

"No one, Finn, go away." Polly waved him off. "Finn?" Tilly said quietly. John looked over at his younger brother. "Ya girlfriends gone on a mad one, Finn."

"John, do not joke about this." Polly pointed a finger at him. Finn looked between them both and reached forward, trying to grab the phone. Polly turned away. "What has happened? Let me talk to her!"

Polly turned her back to him. "Tilly, love, are you still there?"

"Yeah," she sniffled, "is Finn there?"

Polly glanced at her nephew, sighing. "Whats she saying?" He asked eagerly. "Yes, he is." Polly said quietly. Before any of them could continue talking, he snatched the phone out of his Aunt's hand and held it to his ear. "Til?"

"Finn," she breathed.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" Finn asked in a panic. Tilly remained quiet. "It's bad tonight, Finn. I don't know what happened, I don't know what has caused this. Finn he said he's going to kill me! He sent someone after me." She said in a panicked way.

"Who did? Who said he will kill you, Tilly talk to me."

Polly's eyes widened and John looked over. "The fuck are you going on about?" John walked over, trying to listen in.

"The trains, are they still striking?" Finn asked quickly.

"No, why? What the fuck does trains have to do with any of this?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, sitting on the floor with her knees up to her chest.

He passed the phone back to Polly and grabbed his coat once more. "What're you doing now?" John groaned, standing straight. "Im getting the next train to London."

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