DESPERATE

33

The backdoor slammed shut with a loud bang, startling Cyrie and Kenzo, who were sitting on the couch. They looked up and saw Todd and Abbey burst into the living room, gasping for air. They looked scared and nervous, their faces covered with dirt and sweat. “Abbey thinks someone is lurking outside the house,” Todd said, talking fast. He rubbed his sweaty, dirty hands on his pants; which had blood stains from carrying the corpse.

"I can't just abandon everything here. I need to grab some things and change my clothes. I look like a mess." Cyrie argued.

"We don't have time for that. We have to go right now. When we reach my house, Abbey can share some clothes with you." Todd said, glancing at his girlfriend. "She has some fancy clothes that I got for her. They will fit her better than you anyway."

Abbey felt a lump in her throat and tears in her eyes. She felt hurt by Todd's words, but she couldn't say anything. He was the only one who loved her when she was alone and hopeless. A tear escaped her eye. She quickly lowered her head, hoping that Todd and Cyrie didn't see it.

Cyrie was flooded with anger and disgust as she watched Todd and Abbey. Todd was such a jerk. He had always been a selfish, manipulative liar. How could Abbey let him treat her like that? She deserved better than him. Cyrie wondered if Abbey ever regretted falling for a guy like him. A guy who had dragged her into a life of crime and violence. Cyrie's stomach churned with hunger and anxiety. She needed to eat something. She absentmindedly bit her nails, as if they could fill her empty belly. Kenzo, who was sitting next to her, gave her an odd look. He noticed her face had gone bright red. He wondered what was bothering her.

Randall hid behind a trash can and looked through the window. He felt a wave of relief when he saw Cyrie. She was safe and sound. Nothing terrible had happened to her. Yet. He saw a man and a woman fighting in the corner. They looked like Todd and Abbey. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could tell they were furious. He saw another guy standing beside Cyrie. He whispered something in her ear. She looked worried and nodded. She got up and followed him up the stairs. Randall felt a wave of panic. Something was wrong. Cyrie was in danger. He had to save her.

Abbey snapped at Todd. "If someone did really see us, they must have called the cops by now. We're screwed. How are we gonna get out of this mess? Everything is your fault." She blamed him for their predicament. They had killed two people and had to hide the bodies.

Todd glared at Abbey. "My fault? Nothing is ever my fault. It's yours. You were the one who took care of hiding the corpses. And you did a lousy job. It's possible someone spotted you." He raised his voice with every word. He refused to take any responsibility for their actions. He always shifted the blame to her.

Abbey was frustrated and furious. She couldn't stand Todd anymore. She hated him. She wanted him gone. She snatched the loaded gun from his hand. She pointed it at his chest.

A gunshot shattered the silence of the night. The neighbor next door snapped awake in bed. Fear gripped her as she stared at the ceiling, her ears ringing with the echo of the blast. She sat up quickly, breathing hard, her blood rushing in her ears, her heart pounding against her ribcage. The loud popping noises continued. She heard a woman screech in pain, and then total silence. She didn't know what to do - should she call the police or go see what happened? She thought of Ron, who was her best-paying customer, a regular visitor whenever he had a fight with his girlfriend. He always tipped well for her sensual massages. She reached for her phone on the nightstand and glanced at the clock. It was only four a.m. She groaned, rubbing her temples. She needed more sleep. Her phone buzzed. A text from her husband, a truck driver, popped up. It read, "Be home soon.”

Slipping out of bed, she made her way to the window. The street and the other houses were clearly visible from her vantage point. The neighborhood was quiet, not a soul was outside. However, something was strange. The gunshots had been really loud, yet no one else seemed to hear them.