Scream

Adriano Santiago

It's Thursday – so two days until my epic party. I go about the day like usual. My parents have left for their vacation and I've nobly sat this one out to house sit. There is already a psychopath on the loose; we don't want this town to fall victim to a robbery, too. 

 I wake up late in the afternoon. Like, 3:00 PM. I make coffee, snack on some pizza, contemplate where to drop the next "Enzo chokes Hanzo" picture, binge watch some shows on Netflix, and act like I'm busy when my friends text me. 

 Yes. I did say what you think I said. I am eating pizza. I mean, you'd have never guessed it! I'm in such great shape that I could never eat such junk food. But honestly, pizza is life. 

 Oh, you were talking about the other thing? The picture I have? Well, that's not as cool as pizza, but I can explain that one. After the lockdown, all I heard from Makai was how much he hated Enzo and why. I mean, I've been a fan of SolarisPsychos.com and I didn't need Makai to tell me about Enzo's psychopathy or Kai's own experience with him. But I listened anyway. 

Makai Keanu is my #1; my main; my home dog. I can't let Enzo bitch him around like that and then hook up with my best friend's sister; making him untouchable. That'smessed up. So Reyna was sent to the hospital after what happened at the church and Makat asked me to check up on her. I did this through the cameras, using the skills that Makaitaught me. It turns out, someone shut all the security systems off, but from the outside. I was suspicious, so I tapped into their connection to see what they were seeing. Hence, the image of Enzo choking Hanzo out. Only one man with a name ending in -zo can live, I guess. But Enzo is definitely not epic.

 So messing with the mind-messer-upper has become a hobby of mine. I've planted a picture in his mailbox, but I don't know if he lives at his own house anymore. Whoever got the mail that day must've been pretty freaked out.

But I wonder why no one ever turned him in once they saw the picture. Maybe Enzodid gets it, after all. Or maybe someone else did and they're using it against him...that would be interesting.

My phone vibrates beside me and I wipe my greasy fingers off on my pantaloons. Kellin's calling. I clear my voice and think of some smooth way to say hello. "Hello, m'lady," I try out. No, that's too weird. "KK, whaddup?" No, that's even weirder. 

 Lifting my phone to answer, I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflection: perfect hair, awesome teeth, a charming smile. And behind it all, a killer. No, I'm not being deep and contemplative and admitting I'm the killer. There's literally a guy in a mask brandishing his knife behind me!

"Hey!" I shout before having my throat slashed from behind. Standing up, I try to hold the gash to keep blood from pouring out, but the bastard sliced my jugular. "Dick," I manage, before falling to the ground.

The killer, with a white mask and black cloak, takes off the mask and eats a slice of my pizza while watching me die.

"It's you, Enzo?" I question.

He shakes his head and swallows. "If I don't kill you, they kill Reyna. But you fit my motive: the comic relief always dies."

"Your birth was a comic relief, you fucker."

Enzo scoffs and licks the food off his fingers. "Famous last words." 

"Epics never die..." I whisper before tunnelling down a never-ending abyss. I'm falling, but instead of hitting the ground wherever I am, I'm engulfed in light. And in the light, I think I smile. I can't tell, because I'm always smiling. But I do feel happy. For the first time in a very long time, I do indeed feel happy. The guilt of death at one of my lake parties has absolved and now I feel...free. 

Finally, I am free.