ONE
August 2013
'Wait, so you're saying they let you go out on jobs alone?' Dexter cried.
I looked up, clicking the gun back into place. 'Yeah. I'm twenty seven now, why wouldn't they?'
'Dad never let me anywhere near this stuff.'
'Yeah, but you're four years younger then me, and a bit of a wimp.' I shrugged, smiling.
'You're kidding! Trixie, why are you here anyway?' He huffed.
I looked up at the streetlamps, the rain making their lights flicker, and up to all the dormitories of this University.
'So you finally made it here, huh? Anyway, that's why I'm here- Dad wants you back. Okay, I do. He took off again- I haven't heard anything from him in a few weeks now.'
'So? He's hunting again. Besides, I thought you were still on fairytales?' He laughed quietly, shaking his head.
'I am.' I snapped. 'And so what? You were there when I first- look, that doesn't matter, the point is- he went off on something big.'
'Dad used to disappear for days on end.'
Sighing, I slammed the trunk shut. 'Not for this long.'
Dexter shrugged. 'I'm sorry; I don't know what you want from me. I'm not going back with you.'
'Why not?' I asked, stashing the gun in my backpack. There were three other kinds in there, as well as some other...stuff.
'Because!' He laughed. 'I've got so much set up here! I'm in college, I'm going out with Ruby-'
'So you actually hit it off with her?'
'Yeah. Look, I have a life here- it's safe.'
'So?'
'So what?'
'Why won't you come? We've got to find Dad, and Mum wants to see you again anyway.' I smiled.
'I don't care. I'm not going back- you can do it yourself.'
'Yeah, OK.' I said robotically.
'Trixie?'
'Uh...I think your safe life just got more complicated.' I pointed as the fire started to spread dangerously through the window.
'Ruby!' Dexter yelled, and ran off to the door.
'Things just got interesting.' I muttered, dropping the bag and running after him.
'It's locked, I already checked. C'mon, up the fire escape.' I yelled, powering past him. He turned and ran on my heels, and we could hear the screams much higher above us.
'Ruby!' Dexter yelled. 'Get out of there!'
'Shut up! You want other people in on this?' I hissed, still bounding up the stairs. There was a crash, and one last cry, and sickening sounds. The fire roared once, then began to fade away.
'Ruby!'
I stopped, but Dexter kept going.
'Dude.' I said softly as he pulled against the window, trying to open it. I could see Ruby inside- parts of her, anyway- burnt and bleeding out on the carpet that would've cost both Dexter and Ruby a fortune to rent.
'Dexter...she's dead.'
'No!' He yelled, banging on the window, trying to break it.
'Dexter...there's nothing you can do, not anymore.' I whispered. 'I'm sorry, but-'
'This is your fault.' He spat, turning back to me, blue eyes flashing.
'I'm sorry, what?'
'If you hadn't broken in and dragged me out of there, then I could've stayed with Ruby.'
'And what, gotten killed with her?' I snapped, standing on another step higher. 'You could barely take me down, and that was after I dropped you twice. You would've been no help to anyone dead, Dexter, so don't blame me. You probably would've been tortured for her to watch- or as to my understanding, from what I'm hunting.' I shrugged.
'Was it following you?' He hissed, stepping down a step.
'I thought it was the other way around, but...'
'Then you brought it here! What's to say it isn't still here now? What's to say it won't kill anyone else, won't kill us? You're bad luck, Trix. Already you've started ruining my life again- just like when we were kids.'
'What?'
'Go away. I'm not going with you- don't come back. Find Dad on your own.'
'But Dexter-'
'Get out! Don't come back, don't ever speak to me again!' He roared, and I clenched my jaw.
'Fine. Next time your ass is on the line- like when I last saw you- I won't come back to help you.' I turned and trudged down the steps, turning once to throw him a bandana. 'Clean your prints off. You don't want to be a suspect in this.'
