The Crimson Chariot

10 | Confessions of a Sinner

Note - The following chapter contains mentions of sexual assault, rape, underage drinking and drug abuse. Reader discretion is advised. 

***

November 29, 2012
Thursday
8:35 p.m.

Dear Janet,

I finally called Amara's parents. I wasn't sure what they were gonna say or if they were even willing to help me out. Well, they can't help me out. Yet. Here's what happened by the way.

I told them my side of the story — how you changed after coming to Sacredmore, Ethan and his four friends, the videos I found on Thomas' phone, everything! They listened to everything I had to say and let me know that they can't help me until I give them solid evidence regarding my theories. However, they are willing to dig further and that's what counts, right?

They also suggested I infiltrate Ethan's friend group. My skin crawls at the thought of befriending that horde of vile, immoral human beings but I have to do everything to get the dirt on them. Evil fights evil, and to defeat them, I need to be twice as evil as they'll ever be. I need to keep my enemies closer and trust me, I've already started working on that.

The Annual Basketball Championship is in three days, and that will mark the beginning of their terror. They won't see it coming; I won't let them, and when they finally notice the threat, it'll be too late for them. I'll make things right Janet. Just trust me on this, okay?

I love you.

Your brother,
Jeremy

***

"You know who sent you this box, don't you?" I ask Archie as he sits across from Aiden and me. The box with presumably Thomas' severed hands in it has been sent to the lab for examination and identification. The fact that it's way past our shifts ended doesn't bother me. I need answers, and if I don't get them, I'll extract them from Archie however needed.

"Mister Gardner, just answer the question," Aiden follows. "Do you have any idea who could've done this?"

Archie swallows the lump in his throat and looks at Aiden and then at me. He is scared to look at me, perhaps because he recognizes me from Sacredmore High. Then he knows I'm not here for lies.

"Janet Holloway," he mutters, "I think she's behind this."

"Who's Janet Holloway?" Aiden asks just to lead him on.

Archie gulps before beginning the explanation. "Janet was dating Ethan back when we were juniors at Sacredmore High. She was friends with his three friends, one of which was me."

"Friends don't send each other dismembered body parts, do they?" Aiden says, raising an eyebrow, trying to force the truth out of Archie.

"No," Archie says, "but...things didn't end on good terms between Janet and the four of us before she took her life ten years ago."

"Janet didn't die by suicide," I raise my voice at him. "You killed her. The four of you killed her!" I was about to get up from my seat to yell further but right then, I felt Aiden's hand on my knee as he gave it a light squeeze. The expression on his face told me to calm down. He's the senior. He knows better, which is why I decide to control my anger...for now.

"You're right," Archie says quietly, "the four of us killed her."

Aiden lifted his hand from my knee and leaned into the conversation. "Mister Gardner, that seems like a confession."

"Because it is one!" Archie emphasizes. "I'm sick of pretending we had no role in Janet's death when we were the ones who caused it."

"Tell us everything," I order. Archie looks at me for a fleeting moment with an apologetic gaze which I'm still not sure is quite real, before finally beginning his tale.