Murderville - Audrey Jensen

Chapter 41- Betrayal

(Warnings : mentions of death, suicidal thoughts
Word Count : 1282
Song : Unworthy, Vancouver Sleep Clinic)

Betrayal is an unpleasant thing. It's the feeling when you are walking down the stairs at night and you think there's one more step than there really is. And your foot hangs in mid air for a while before you go tumbling.

Betrayed was exactly how Vicki felt. And repulsed. The one thing she had grown to love, the one person she cared for a bit too much. And it was all a lie, a trick to make her feel safe and protected.

It was like her uncle all over again.

Vicki was curled up on her cousin's bed, tears dribbling down her cheeks. It wasn't true. It wasn't true. She was only half listening to the podcast, holding Audrey's phone in her hands as she stared at the messages.

She watched the GIF over and over again, hoping that the next time it would change. But it never did.

Audrey was crouched over Jake's dead body.

Audrey was a killer.

"It's been one day since Jake Fitzgerald's body was found, and the grizzly reality of how he died is settling in. That sort of grief is a tricky thing. You don't know what to feel. Should you be furious? Should you be frightened? Should you be sad? It can swallow you up or weigh you down or ignite a fire inside you. When murder hits this close to home...it makes you see the world in a new way. People too. Even the ones you trust start to look a little different. Because, when everyone's a suspect, there is no innocence"

He stopped recording, moving so he could stand at his new and improved murder board, with the brand new Prime Suspect.

Audrey Jensen.

"Tell me it isn't true" Vicki whispered, her voice thick "Tell me she didn't...Noah please"

"It's not for certain" Noah tried to comfort her "This could be a big misunderstanding"

"God, I hope you're right"

Three loud knocks on the door made them both jump.

"Hey, Noah" Emma called from behind the door "It's me. Open up"

"Uh, hold on" He ran towards the board and covered it quickly with a blanket "Just a second"

Vicki wiped away any evidence of her breakdown, slipping the phone out of sight just as Noah opened the door.

"Hey! Was that locked? That's weird. Sorry" the boy moved to let her in "Uh, what's up? What's going on?"

"Um, I have something I need to tell you guys" She confessed, closing the door behind her "The last thing that Piper said to me was that she had one more surprise. I think that surprise just killed Jake and is now terrorising all of us"

"You mean Piper's accomplice"

"Yes. I know" Emma nodded "You've been saying it all along, but now I'm ready to know the truth. I need to see your board"

"The board? No, no, no!" he tried to stop her, Vicki getting up form the bed with nervous energy "It's uh-It's under construction. It's not ready. You're not ready. Nobody's ready"