Simp

Chapter 14: Cut Me

The Skeleton inched towards Josh's sad sack of bones sprawled out in the middle of the long hallway leading to his children's bedrooms. He had the baseball bat armed in anticipation as though he would suddenly spring to life at any moment.

As he stood overtop to witness his labored breathing firsthand, he became certain he wasn't getting back up at all and feared he might never again.

"What a fuckin' waste," he huffed under his breath.

Lacy emerged from behind the corner at the other end of the hallway. She had the automatic pistol drawn defensively but ready to strike. As soon as he saw her, Pryze lowered his baseball bat and raised his hand.

She was soaked to the bone from blood and tears and panting heavily. They stood momentarily in shock before she redirected her aim at Josh on the floor. She fought to steady her breathing as she battled the decision to take his life.

As much as she wanted him to be gone, she couldn't seem to pull the trigger. No matter how hard she squeezed, her tendons—numbed from exhaustion—proved useless against the gun's weight.

"You do that," Pryze broke the silence. "You ain't no better," he warned her.

It made her want to do it even more. "What if I'm not?" she asked breathlessly.

"What if you are?" he emphasized. "There don't need to be any more loss today."

Lacy directed her attention to him, lips quivering. "I have no one left."

It hurt to hear. "You don't gotta do whatever you think you gotta do," he reasoned.

"What do you think I gotta do?" she sneered.

Pryze nodded. "Things got carried away. It's fucked up. I'm sorry."

Lacy frowned as tears poured from her eyes. She finally pulled the trigger, to both their dismay and, equally to their surprise, nothing happened.

She was out of ammunition. She looked at her accomplice in awe. "I guess I'm no better, after all," she lifelessly remarked.

They each caught their breaths for another moment.

"She'll have called the cops," Pryze reminded her.

Lacy trembled, realizing that this would be her life from now on. "How far is the Mexican border?" she asked determinedly.

"Two hours. Maybe three," Pryze said. "That'll get ya to Tijuana, but it'll be packin' too much heat. Your best bet is to take the ten west, then go south on ninety-five. Cross over at Los Algodones just before you hit Yuma. Adds two hours, but it's a safer bet."

Lacy didn't know what to say. "I want him to pay for what he's done."

Pryze nodded in agreement. "Maybe he will. But you're not gonna wanna stick around for it. Especially if his wife is forced to corroborate."

"What are you gonna do?" she asked tearfully.

"I'll take him somewhere that'll buy you some time," he said. "Then I'm gonna use the lab results. Fight the fucker in court. I promise you."

Lacy stewed on it. There was no way she could trust him. As soon as she was gone, he'd turn on her. It's what she'd do. It's what anyone in his position would do. She eyed Josh's revolver on the floor between them and wondered how many live rounds were left inside.

As soon as she dove for it, Pryze diverted her path by knocking the wind clean out of her chest with the swift swing of the baseball bat. She writhed in pain on the floor next to her biological father as Pryze quickly retrieved the .38.