Scream

Adriano Santiago

Call Enzo? I called just about Reyna's entire contact list...which doesn't say a lot. This girl has like, two friends. She seriously needs some connections. I've got like, five phonebooks in my cell. It's actually pretty funny. One time, my friend was going through my phone and –

No, Adriano. Focus on the task at hand. 

 Okay: Enzo, got it. I dial the number, wondering who the hell would pick the phone up at this hour. It takes three rings before a raspy voice answers. "Reyna, are you okay?"

I look around the basement, where Kellin engages in a crowbar/lightsaber duel with a one-armed Reyna. "Um, for now, Reyna's okay. But in like, ten minutes, I don't think she will be."

 "Who the hell is this? Why do you have Reyna's phone?"  "She told me to call you," I defend. "She needs you. She's at 4512. People are fighting with crowbars and I'm not one to usually say something gets out of hand, buuuuut this shit is crazy."

 "On my way. Also, whoever the hell this is, call Maren and Makai and Ozzy." 

 "Alright," I follow. "What about Aero?"

 "He's dead," Enzo snaps. "Get to making the goddamn calls or you might as well shove the phone up your ass for all it's worth." 

 The phone clicks, letting me know that Enzo has hung up. Someone's saucy...

 I dial for Maren. "Maren, Reyna needs help. She's at 4512 and is having a crowbar dual. Don't ask questions, just come down ASAP." 

 Next, I dial Makai. I reach his voicemail. I try again. "Reyna, what...the hell...do youwant?"

 "Reyna wants to not die," I answer. 

 "Adriano?" 

 "Yes, this is Adriano the Epic. What's up? Wait, what the hell am I doing? Oh, yeah...Reyna needs help she's at 4512. Come down. Now." I hang up before he can continue. I just wasted time explaining my title.

Now, I call Ozzy. The phone hardly even rings once before he answers eagerly. "Hello?"

"Dude, do you lurk on your cellphone? That was super quick..."

"Who is this?" Ozzy asks, voice hoarse and annoyed over the phone.

"Adriano the Epic. Look, Reyna needs help and she's at 4512. Come down. Now."

Hanging up, I watch the fight. Man, it's a nail-biter. Kellin brings the crowbar down on Reyna, who deflects it by raising her tool. Kellin goes at her again with a side swing and Reyna jumps to the side. This would be so much more interesting if Reyna fought back. But instead, she's all defence.

I don't know who to root for. The girl I like, who had her heartbroken after her ex-boyfriend died? Or the victim who killed that ex and is fighting to move on? It's not necessarily good VS evil, or right VS wrong. It's more like two victims of two different crimes. 

Kellin hits Reyna's crowbar at such an angle that it flies out of her hand as if it has a mind of its own. This doesn't stop Kell, though. Advancing on Reyna, she brings the bar down again. With no object to defend herself with, Reyna reaches for it and grabs the bar. Her left arm buckles a bit and she cries out in pain. I heard the crack her arm made when Kellin first hit her. I'm sure the vigour of Kellin's hit intensified the fracture Reynaprobably has. 

 "Okay, Adriano the Epic. Time to intervene."

 As Kellin rears her bar back, unaware of my approaching her from behind, I take her bar and rip it from her grip and toss it aside. "What are you doing?" she screeches, still unstable. Grabbing her wrists, I put them behind her back and shove her against the wall."Let me go! Let me finish what she started." 

 "Kellin, stop it," I whisper while she buckles. "Kell, it's fine. It's okay. Calm down, I'm here."

 Reyna collects her breath and walks over. "I know I said to stay out of this, but thanks. You really helped me out." Backing away from Kellin, Reyna adds, "Also, where was that ten minutes ago?"

 I chuckle as Kellin slowly calms down, though she still seethes with fury. "Look, there's something that you should know. Aero... he –" 

 "He's dead," Reyna finishes, nodding and holding back tears. "Yeah, I know." 

 "I'm sorry," I gratify, feeling sympathy for Reyna. This is victim number seven of the Solari's killer and Reyna were close with almost all of them. 

 "I think we should be done with sorry's," Reyna suggests. "Kellin was right about that. How about 'it happens,' or 'we'll find out who did this?'" She sniffles, getting emotional."...even, 'shit, I might be next,' kind of works now." 

 "We won't be next," I assure with a shrug. "Epics don't die. Duh." 

"How do you go about life with such... humour? With this great, magnetic spirit? Before all of this, I walked around like a ghost; floating between people and being just out of understanding. Now...well, I'm still a ghost...just with a target on its pasty back." 

 "The only thing that gives anyone or anything authority over ourselves is our own minds. That includes people," I nod to Kellin. "Things," I nod to the crowbar. "Concepts, "I nod to the dead body of Freddie. "Fear. Live without people having authority over you. Live without the killer having authority over you." 

 Comprehensively, she nods. Her eyes look between Kellin, who has gathered her wits for now, and myself. "You guys are good for each other," she assures. 

 "Thanks," I gratify. "Oh, and I also called Ozzy, your brother, and Maren." 

 Reyna nods. 

 "How is it? Knowing that you're related to someone who's been around you for four years?"

 Tipping her head back, I see her blink away tears. "I mean, it's weird, obviously. We always acted like brother and sister, so there wasn't a big shift in how we interacted. I guess our bonds just got deeper; our trust got deeper. I guess the things we're willing to do to keep each other safe extended. We're family now."

 "How have you been handling your mom's passing?" I ask, letting go of Kellin, who has stopped struggling against my hold. Still, I stand in the way between her and Reyna. I don't need another crowbar cat-fight. 

"It ruined my dad. Enzo hasn't told me because I think he's trying to protect me, but I'm pretty sure my dad's been using drugs. He doesn't even look at me anymore or act like a father. For me, I've been dealing with her death fairly well. I was torn up at first, but now I'm becoming okay with her death. I just have to realize she's dead and there's no return from that. Once your heart stops, there's no starting back up." 

Surprisingly, Kellin speaks. In an eerie tone, she says, "Death has enlightened you." 

 "I guess," Reyna sceptically answers, eyeing Kellin who might pounce at any minute. "I just wish it happened sooner. I wish I handled death this well when Allister or Della died." 

 There's a silence in the room that falls heavy on all of our shoulders. "Let's go outside, "I suggest. "It smells in here and it's making it really hard to take a deep breath."