An Eye For An Eye

•Chapter 11•

I first noticed Casey when he shook me. He had taken both my arms in his hands, gripping them hard, just like Maks had.

I ripped myself out of his grasp, "Don't touch me!"

"Lola... Jesus Christ, Lola..." Casey panted, trying to gather me back into his arms.

Behind him, I heard Beck let out a long breath, "Oh, God..."

Casey's hand smoothed my damp hair back over my head and out of my eyes. His hands shook almost more than mine. "Lola, what did you do?"

"Ca-Casey--" I hiccuped, "H-He tried to... He was going to hurt me... He did hurt me..."

I let Casey pull me out of the tub and onto the floor. He hugged me close to his chest, holding me tight like he was afraid to let go. He was crying. "I'm so sorry."

"Casey--" I heard Beck's uneasy voice in the background. "Casey, we have to... We have to..." He couldn't finish his sentence.

I let Casey squeeze me tighter as he rocked me back and forth. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left, I should've said something, I'm so sorry, Lola, I'm so sorry..."

"Casey," I whispered into the crook of his arm, "it's okay. Everything is okay, I'm okay. You're okay. I thought he'd gotten you and Chief, but you're okay. I got him, Casey. I got him."

Casey's rocking motion halted. The only sound in the bathroom was the drip of water and Casey's ragged breathing.

"Lola..." Casey's voice was strained, "What do you mean?"

"He attacked me, Case." I sobbed into his soaking wet shirt. "You were gone, he attacked me. I got away though, Case, he didn't get me. I knocked all the lights out. He couldn't see. I made him not able to see, just like I can't see. I got him."

Casey's grip on me loosened slightly.

Beck took a sharp breath, "Casey--"

"I know." Casey cut him off. A moment later, he rested his head on top of mine. "I know."

I frowned. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm going to make it all better."

"Casey, why are you crying?"

"I'm going to fix this, Lola."

Beck's shadowy form shifted in the doorway. "Casey, I don't think she--"

I wriggled out of Casey's grasp.

Both boys yelled at me at the same time, "Lola, wait, don't--"

I crawled over to where Maks laid half in and half out of the tub. I ran my hands over his body until I found his neck.

There was no pulse.

"Lola, come here--"

"Casey," Beck urged, "we need to get her out of here. We need to get him out of here."

I ran my hands over Maks' face, and my entire body went cold.

It was scratchy. Stubbly.

"Lola, let's go--" an arm curled around my waist.

"No." I batted whoever it was away.

I slid my hands down Maks' chest. Underneath his shirt he had never taken off, and over his sternum. Over his smooth, unscarred skin.

Unshaven.

No scar.

My mouth didn't taste like blood anymore.

The bath water was still warm.

More hands pulled me away from the tub. One pair wrapped me in a towel while the others guided me towards the hallway. The brightly lit hallway. Casey and Beck spoke in quick, urgent tones, but I couldn't hear them over the rush of blood roaring in my ears.

"What time is it?" I breathed. "What time is it?"

Before they could push me out the door, I spun on my heels and lunged for where I'd left my phone. I slapped the counter with open palms, desperately searching for its sleek surface.

And just as my fingers wrapped around my phone, the alarm went off.