Justice

Ch. 6

Ethan's death kept me up at night. And when I was able to sleep, it was interrupted by nightmares. The same nightmare, every time.

I saw Isabelle. Screaming. Crying. Begging me to stop killing her. Blood was everywhere. I wanted to stop, but my hands wouldn't. I felt trapped.

I woke up every time screaming and dripping with sweat. It's a good thing my mom had been working overtime lately.

I wanted to stay home from school to recover, but I couldn't convince my mother to let me. So I went, knowing that by now, the news had gotten out about the brutal murder of the school's star football player.

"Did you hear what happened?" Isabelle asked me as we walked to lunch.

I tried my best not to look suspicious.

"Yeah. It's sad."

"Sad? It's freaking terrifying. To know that someone out there, some monster, can go and just stab people to death. I hope they find this guy, before he can kill someone else."

She teared up.

"I mean, yeah, he was a dick, but he was still my ex-boyfriend. I never would've wished this upon him. Or anyone, for that matter. Who could do something like this?"

I could.

A monster.

That's what she thought of me.

I stopped walking dead in my tracks. She turned back, looking concerned. "Justice?"

"I have to go."

I walked briskly away before she could stop me. I rounded a corner, the only person walking in the other direction. I bursted through the double doors of the school building, letting the warm (now Spring) air blow over my body.

I ran. I ran all the way back to where it happened. A little ways between the park and my house.

Caution tape was strung up everywhere, and while the body was gone, a large pool of a blood stain remained on the sidewalk.

Shitty job of cleaning up.

I ran home then. My mother was home. "Justice?"

I just stared at her, eyes beginning to water. "Justice, what are you doing here?" I was now full-out crying in front of my mom.

She was so confused and concerned that she just made me tea and let me go to my room in peace. No questions.

I spent the rest of my day laying in bed, crying, and praying, despite knowing that even if God did, no one else would ever forgive me for all the things I'd done. My mother came to check on me one more time before leaving for work in the evening.

I got a call from Isabelle.

"You weren't here for the rest of the day. Are you okay, Justice?"

"Yeah, I'm... fine."

"What happened to you?"

"I just..." I sighed. "I'm sorry. I just got kind of emotional about Ethan and everything."

Her tone became less interrogative and more sympathetic. "Awe, Justice. I know even though you sort of hated him, it can be hard to accept the fact that he's gone. It's scary, this whole thing. This will all be over before you and I both know it. Alright?"