Hollow Grace

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴛᴡᴏ - ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ

Warning! This text contains scenes of violence, inappropriate content and situations. The author does not share the characters' actions and opinions. The author tells a story that may not always be pretty

It took several minutes to internalize the notion of the impending actions. No one spoke. No one objected to the idea voiced by Raine. Although glimpses of a conscience torn between honor and temptation flickered in their eyes, no moral deliberations ensued. To kill a man who had so aggressively and despicably invaded another's home was not so much a temptation as an act of self-defense with an unfortunate outcome, a narrative which, after Evan's impulsive actions, hardly anyone would believe. No one regretted Holden's demise. The true temptation lay in the decision to keep it a secret.

All three ingested a sedative to relegate their feelings and emotions to the background and reflect on the matter later. Evan was compelled to take a double dose to quell his trembling hands and regain his breath. Nova and Raine distanced him from the body so he could compose himself and avoid making further mistakes, while they themselves deliberated on where to conceal the corpse.

"How much time do you think we have?" Nova inquired.

"If Billy notified all the neighbors that he was here, we shouldn't be concerned about time," Raine responded. "But rather about how many people saw him heading in our direction."

"Drunken Holden is nothing new."

"Agreed."

"Where do we put him now? Maybe the cemetery? Who would look for a body in a graveyard?"

"Not the worst option, were it not for Halloween," Raine chuckled wryly. "It's swarming with oddballs right now, taking pictures in front of graves..."

Evan was assuaging himself by washing his hands. In the same manner as Raine, with soap and bleach. Lathering, dousing with bleach, rinsing with water. He repeated the process, mesmerized, several times to ensure nothing remained. Not a single speck of blood. Not even a trace of his father...

Nova halted him on the fifteenth repetition. Turning off the water, she cautiously embraced Evan and steered him away from the sink.

"That's enough, Evan. You don't need to be so zealous, you'll damage your skin," the girl pressed paper towels into Evan's palms. "It's all clean, see..."

"You'll still have time for a bath later," Raine said. "We'll all need it. But first, I need you both to compose and listen to me attentively, alright? Focus."

"Yeah..." Evan rubbed his face with his hands, chapped from the bleach, and sat down at the table. All his anxieties were to be postponed until they were safe. He would grapple with them later, but first, he needed all his concentration.

Nova sat down beside him, offering silent support. Raine leaned both hands on the table and, looking at both of them, continued.

"Let's assume I know how to dispose of the body. I know this is difficult, but try not to panic or act on emotion. Otherwise, all our efforts could be nullified."

"What's the plan?" Nova asked.

"Evan. You'll take the workshop keys now and head there. You'll take the ultraviolet lamp from the storage, the keys to that old Buick, and quietly drive it to the courtyard."

"The one we're supposed to scrap?"

"Precisely. Without turning on the headlights, slowly drive into the backyard and park it there, understood?"

"Understood," Evan nodded.

"I'll take care of Billy. Nova... you're on cleanup. Everything that got blood on it needs to be washed, at least superficially, as quickly as possible."