RED: Welcome To Fayetteville | Complete ✔️

Chapter 7: The Rat

Derrick was letting his anger get the best of him. He started swerving between cars and through the one strip in town. The light at the high school turned red, but he hit the gas. To the right, a blue car was pulling out of the new fast food restaurant. Derrick didn't care... his anger was boiling to new levels. He couldn't stop thinking about it. The driver of the blue car hit the horn as Derrick sped by. They swerved back onto the side of the road to avoid him. The smell of burnt rubber seeped from the road as Derrick slammed on his brakes and skid into the next lane. He looked back, shocked that he let that happen... but once he realized nobody was hurt, he turned back to the gas pedal and steering wheel.

Zach could hear him. He slid in the driveway shooting gravel out from below his tires. Zach jumped up from the couch and ran to the window.

"What the heck?" he thought.

Derrick slammed on his brakes and stomped to the front door. His arms were swinging by his sides. He slammed his hands on the door as hard as he could. Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Zach! Hey!" Derrick growled.

Zach slid from the window to the front door.

"What is it?" he asked after opening the loud, squeaking door.

Derrick leaned into Zach, making him move backward into the house. Derrick's bushy eyebrows were tilted in, intimidating Zach. This was a new feeling for him... he had never been in a serious confrontation. He bumped into the loveseat and leaned back onto the arm of the chair. He looked like a pitiful, cornered animal.

Derrick and Zach had the same thing happening on the inside. Adrenaline was pumping through their veins. Their heart was pounding in their throats. Time was almost in slow motion with a red filter. One was anger. One was panic.

"You really have some balls, don't you?" Derrick snarled.

"What is wrong with you, Derrick!? You really need to chill," Zach tried to resolve the situation even though his hands were shaking.

"I need to chill!?" Derrick rose his index finger to Zach's face, "You're the only one that needs to chill here. You run that mouth..."

"What are you talking about?" Zach's eyes were wide.

"Stay away from me. Stay away from Natalie. Stay away from Kathrine... actually, no. You can have Kathrine. That's probably why you did it anyways."

"Did what, Derrick?" Zach finally had a sternness to his voice.

Derrick pushed Zach in his chest, knocking him back into the loveseat, "You don't know when to stop, do you?"

"Get out of my house," Zach said, trying to keep his cool.

Evelyn emerged from the hallway. "Boys, what in God's name is going on in here?"

"Get out!" Zach yelled.

Derrick gave Zach an offensive hand gesture and walked to the door. He wanted to leave the door open to show he didn't care about them, but his anger wanted him to do something else. He slammed the door so hard the new family picture fell off the wall. The glass didn't shatter but the frame was broken.

"What is going on, Zach?" Evelyn asked.

"Derrick has lost it. He thinks I ratted him out."

"Whom does this involve?"

"Kathrine. Natalie." Zach grabbed his phone and typed in Kathrine's name.

"What are you doing? I don't think you should call the police..."

"I'm not. I'm calling Kathrine."

"What's she going to do?"

"She knows more than I do..."

"Well... be careful out there. I don't know how safe it is anymore..."

***If you liked this chapter, please hit the star! This would really help me out. Thanks!