Psycho Love

8

The worst possible outcome pops into my head as I reach the door of the old shed, and I grab out my 9mm from the waist bands of my black leggings. As I lift the gun up into position I flick the safety off and step through the door, keeping the gun at eye level as I do so; but no one is here. I race to the open hatch in the floor and jump down, landing hard on my heels, which sends a jerk of pain through my body causing me to stumble backward, smashing my back against the ladder. Fuck! You idiot! I silently scold myself. I bring my gun up again – thank god it didn't go off when I jumped - and point the muzzle of the gun around the room, while placing my shaky finger over the trigger.

Cautiously I make my way to the open vault door... but as I get closer, I can hear a muffled noise. It almost sounds like breathing but I can't quite tell, 'pick up the pace Ember," I think to myself, I don't want to go in there because I don't know what I will find, but what if something has happened to Trey? Could someone have followed us here? Pushing myself forward I gingerly step into the open space of the vault.

That's when I spot Trey. He is kneeling on the ground with his back to me, then all of a sudden, legs start to kick out from underneath him... I bolt towards him. "Trey! Stop!" I start to scream, but its too late, I hear the horrifying sound of the stranger's neck snapping. My step faulters as I reach him, making me stagger forward, landing on my knees right next the now dead man. "Ember..." Trey's voice comes out low and childish. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping and praying that this is just a bad dream and that I fell asleep on my walk in the woods or that I'll wake up laying on the bed in my family's old cabin... But no such luck.

When I open my eyes I am staring straight into the blank eyes of the man my roommate just murdered. Suddenly I am pulled to my feet and spun around so that the body is behind me.

"What did you do?" my voice comes out cold and emotionless, which surprises me, and I hit Trey's hands away from me and turn back to the body, "tell me everything." Trey obliges, walking so he is standing beside me and starts his story. "Okay, so after you left I figured I would have a look around, see what else your dad has stashed down here, you know. I heard footsteps but I figured it was just you... I mean we are out in the middle of nowhere, who else would be out here, right?" He pauses and lifts his eyebrow, almost as if he is waiting for me to respond or agree, when I don't, he shrugs slighty and continues. "I turned around and this dude was standing behind me with his gun pointed at my head – I swear if I get one more gun pointed at my head, I'm going to flip – so instinctively I jumped behind these crates to hide and as I did he let off a few shots. The rest was such a blur all I remember is that he came at me and somehow, I got the upper hand and wrapped my hands around his neck. I heard you behind me just as I saw him trying to reach for something in his pocket - probably a knife or gun or something – I didn't have a choice so I broke his neck," He says so coldly that I cant even look him in the eyes. Instead I look at the body and instinctively I grab my locket; There is a tattoo pocking out from under the sleeve of his black T-Shirt. Pulling up the sleeve exposes the wolf tattoo that is wrapped around his upper arm and bicep.

The Black Wolves!

As if a light bulb goes off in my brain, I realize that Caden the man that I met at gym who seemed so decent is part of a ruthless gang...

The gang that was involved in my parent's death.

Great! As if my life isn't complicated enough already. My mind is spinning. How did I not notice that Caden's tattoo was the symbol of the Black Wolves? What happens now that Trey has killed one of their members?If they weren't coming after me before then they sure as fuck will now. Trey is standing quietly beside me, he readjusts his Lakers cap and stares at me,waiting to see what I do next. It takes all my might not to scream and slap him across the face, instead I turn to face him. But his face is so cold so void of emotion that something inside me snaps and I slam my palms against his chest, "Do you realize what you have just done?" I rage, "They didn't want us dead before but now they will be coming with full force! You don't just kill one of the Black Wolves and live to tell the tale!" My voice comes out in a shriek as I keep shoving my palms against his chest until eventually he stumbles backwards and falls flat on his ass. "You make it sound like I had a choice! He was going to kill me! To kill you!" He starts to yell and I get a shiver down my spine at the anger in his voice. I know that he is right but my rage is still too strong that I don't care. "You didn't have to kill him! He is still a person. You didn't think! You just acted and that is what will get us killed Trey!" My voice catches in my throat slightly, god I hope he didn't notice that. I quickly spin around, hoping he doesn't see the single tear that slides down my check. I quickly wipe it away, making it look like I was just bringing my hand up to run it through my hair. I know I wasn't crying because I was sad, the man was probably a killer - I mean he did just try to kill Trey – and it wasn't because I had seen a dead body and because I was in shock – unfortunately I've seen my fair share, including the body of the man I killed - or thought I had killed; but still I was tearing up. It is because you are angry, and you have been through too much to have to deal him being so thoughtless as to kill someone like that, my subconscious reminds me. The tears that built up in my eyes were fighting their way to escape but I lift my head to the ceiling, staring at the square pattern and blink a few times, forcing the tears to go away. I am strong, I am safe, I am not afraid, I say these 3 lines over and over again to myself until I start to feel the tears settle and finally, after probably 2 minutes, I look back at Trey. "Take care of your fucking mess." My voice comes out steady and cold, shocking me, but I don't let the shock appear on my face. My words must have shocked him as well because his bushy, black eyebrows shoot up as his dark brown – almost black eyes stayed glued on mine. "Em... I-" He starts but I cut him off, "just get it out of here,"I say as I turn and walk away, back to the bank of computers that line the left wall.