The Campus Killings {#LGBTQ #HORROR #FRIGHT}

Chapter Thirty Five

Jake wasn't sure exactly how long he sat there, staring at the body before him — his cries had tapered off into trembling whimpers as he looked at him, terrified he'd jump up and grab him.   Petrović wasn't quite dead, still twitching every now and then as his chest rose and fell with laboured breaths, each one filling Jake with an insurmountable amount of dread.

What was he to do?

Was he to take the knife from the man's chest and slash his throat, put him out of his suffering? Or would he wait for some help that would never come?

Either way, there was blood on his hands and despite himself, he couldn't help but feel a little bad.

Petrović was a monster — a pedophile and a murderer who deserved to die but as Jake watched the man rasp for air, he felt a slight twinge of guilt, if only for the violent act he'd committed.

This wasn't who he was, he wasn't some hero or vigilante, he was just someone who did what he had to survive, and now, the consequences of that was the pit in his stomach.

Petrović was unconscious, probably due to blood loss and yet, all Jake could do was watch him — everything he loved was gone, so what else was there to do?

Then, to his surprise, Willa came bursting through the door, dripping wet and shaking — a shrill gasp escaped her as she took in the sight before her.

"Oh, my God." she wandered over to the two men, cupping a hand over her mouth, "What happened?"

Jake stared at her, amazed by her very presence as he struggled to explain, "It was self-defence, I— I had to!" shame dripped from his words, his eyes stinging with tears, "I thought he was going to kill me."

The dam broke — tears came flooding down Jake's face and he bowled over, sobs wracking his form. They were painful, downright animalistic wails, harder than he'd ever cried in his entire life.

Willa's arms gently enveloped him, hushing him, "Shh, it's okay. It'll all be okay."

"No, no, it won't!" Jake shook his head, choking on his hysterical breath, "He... Raleigh... he killed Raleigh!"

The words were like poison, difficult to swallow but even worse to spit out — he hadn't quite accepted what he'd seen at the window yet but saying those words aloud made it all so terribly real.

Willa broke the hug, her own expression crumpling as she cupped Jake's face tenderly, "A— Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Jake spat out at her, a little more venomously than intended, then feeling instantly regretful, "I'm sorry. He's your friend too, I shouldn't..." another harsh sob wracked him.

Beside them, Petrović took a gurgling breath, startling them both and making Jake cling to Willa more.

"He isn't..." Willa pushed to her feet, "You didn't kill him?"

Jake pulled himself up on shaking legs, putting the gun on the desk, "I— I stabbed him, but I didn't... I— I don't—"

"We should finish him off." Willa cut him off, her voice suddenly very flat.

Jake's stomach twisted, "Wh— What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that the cops are on their way, we ought to put him out of his misery before they get here." she suggested pragmatically. 

Jake looked at her in utter disbelief, "You can't be suggesting—"

"I am." she replied, "Look how many people he's killed. What if, when they get here, he's able to pin it on one of us?"