FEAR

17

•KÖNIG•

           
             Verena halted in front of Ghost and I. Something concerning in her expression when she turned around. She just got off a phone call. "Mateo." She breathed and without another word we turned around, getting inside and running up the stairs. I drew my gun out of my holster as we made our way up the stairs. When we got a couple of feet to his door it was ajar opened. I turned to look at Ghost. I strode in first pushing the door open and scanning the room until my eyes landed on Mateo.

Shocked I just stared. Blood was everywhere on the carpet. His cognac eyes were glassy and frightened. He was dead, throat sliced open, blood still oozed out of his neck. Before anyone could stop her Verena pushed past us and got to his side. I noticed Ghost who was standing there just as shocked. Keegan standing by the entrance just as horrified. She was starting to shake. Her hands moved to touch his curly hair off his face. Her tears now falling all over his face. "Ghost look around, I'll get her." He hesitated but then turned towards the bedroom.

"Verena," I grabbed into her shoulder. She nudged me off. "We need to leave, you're not safe here."

"He-" She stuttered through the sobs. My heart sank for her. I always wanted to see something other than anger from her but not like this. "He was all I had." She finally managed to say. Her wet eyes met mine.

I grabbed her shoulder and wrapped my arm around her waist, feeling as if this was going to hurt her more I pulled her away from him. "We have to go," I said softly. She cried even harder trying to fight me weakly. There was no fire left in her and that pained me more than I liked to admit. I swallowed hard and carried her out of the flat. She squirms starting to punch my shoulder I set her down in the hall grabbing her wrist and putting them together. "You can't die here," I said looking at her eyes, she looked down at our feet. I hugged her wishing I could do anything to get rid of her pain. She shuddered against me and I pulled away escorting her out.

•TWO DAYS LATER•

          With the help of Ghost's connections, we were able to get Mateo's body to be buried next to his parents and his grandma. The funeral was organized by Denise and I was genuinely surprised with the many people who came to pay their respects. Distance family members, friends, and even professors. Marcus, Valeria, Manuel, and even Sabastian all came to pay their respects as well. A lot of people tried talking to Verena but she stared blankly ahead, no words left her lips today or yesterday. She was wearing sunglasses but I know she had been crying and her eyes were still puffy. People stayed for hours, but not everyone could stay, slowly they all started to leave, Marcus and Valeria stayed but even then they had to deal with their obligation. Verena was left with Ghost, Keegan, and I. She watched as they buried him. My heart sank as she deeply exhaled and dropped a green gem in the dirt.

I couldn't leave her side. I don't think Keegan or Ghost could either. For the past two days, we would walk past her room just to make sure she was okay. I heard her scream and throw things. Today when we got back to her house she did just that. She took a bottle of tequila from a closet and walked upstairs to her room and after a couple of minutes, she trashed it all over again. This was the third time she did this but the first time she took a bottle. Whenever anyone would get close to her she would throw something or threaten to either kill them or fire them. So as long as she isn't hurting herself we didn't intervene. She needed a release and even though I could list a lot more better ones I had to let her grief on her.

"Tienen miedo de esa chiquita que hombres tan inútiles." (They are afraid of that girl, what useless men.) Esperanza walks over to me with her cane. She picks up the cane and wack me with it. I couldn't understand shit but I assuming she wants me to go check on Verena.