Ghosts

Chapter 23

The smoke in the surrounding area was so dense, a passerby would have no idea that there was an entire village hidden within. By the time Nayeli arrived, there was hardly anything left. She felt sick that she had initially thought of leaving New Eden to fend for themselves. After all, it was their leader who orchestrated the death of her mother, the loss of her figure Whitehorse, the girl she knew as Rachel. So many lost so they could have their paradise. She could not stoop down to such a level though. They willingly allied themselves with Prosperity to fight against the Highwaymen, now betrayed by one of their own. They had come here to help, but it appeared the Twins were once again one step ahead of them.

As she stepped through the village path, she saw the bodies of woman and child, man and elder. Her stomach churned as she neared the hut at the highest point of the village. Stepping inside, she saw a body lying at the foot of Joseph's portrait. She ran over, for a moment mistaking them for the man himself. As she turned them over though, she saw the markings of the Chosen adorned on their face. She swallowed anxiously, still being torn apart by her own feelings and internal rage she harbored for the man known as Joseph Seed. Even now she felt his eyes penetrating her, even in his absence. She looked up, meeting the eyes of his portrait. Nayeli stared at the portrait a bit too long, seemingly oblivious to the pair who had just entered the burning hut with her.

"Well isn't this an unwelcome surprise."

Nayeli turned around, met with the ugly sight of the Twins standing near the entrance of the hut. Lou stood at the forefront, Mickey standing behind her, lazily hanging her arm around her neck.

"Last I remember your brains were decorating the floor of that old fertilizer plant." Mickey snarled, "Must've ingested some of that sacred fruit, huh."

"Probably means the rabbit is still kicking." remarked Lou, "You all just don't know how to die. So fucking stubborn."

"We can be stubborn too." Mickey smirked, "We told the rabbit we coulda been on the same side. Coulda' been something." Mickey made a tsk noise with her tongue, "Guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Nayeli listened eagerly, wondering if they were going to continue yabbering. In the distance, atop another burning rooftop, a red light caught her eye. For a brief moment, she was called back to another time. A time when she saw the same red dot hovering over Faith before her final demise. Nayeli looked back to the twins with a sardonic smile.

"You burned my home down. You tortured my daughter and my husband. Hurt countless others." Nayeli responded, "You burned that bridge long ago."

"Man fuck this." Lou, seeming to have lost her patience raised her gun up, ready to unload into the former deputy.

She was a second too late though, as a deafening boom rang out. Mickey ducked down while Lou jerked slightly, trying to pin point the origin of the sound. Mickey clutched to her weapon as she looked in the distance, her eyes narrowing.

"Mickey." Lou spoke casually, drawing her sister's attention.

Mickey looked as if she were gonna snap at Lou but both Twin's were fixated on the quarter-sized whole centered on Lou's chest piece, her undershirt beginning to soak with a red liquid. The result of one carefully aimed bullet.

Mickey watched as her sister stumbled forward, "I ain't feeling too good."

"Lou!" Mickey cried as she tried to catch her sister.

Mickey laid Lou down on the ground, her face infuriated, as she looked up at Nayeli, "You're going to pay for that."

"I highly doubt that." another voice interceded. Mickey turned slightly to see Jacob standing behind her, "First lesson I'm going to teach you girls," Jacob spoke mockingly, "Always be aware of your surroundings."