Misery County

Chapter 11 - Part 5

The afternoon sun was illuminating the magical woods around the back of the house like some sort of fairy tale. Eric snickered at the thought. It wasn't far from the truth. Actual, real-life fairies did inhabit that forest. Or they did at the time. Where they were now was anyone's guess. He only hoped that they weren't around to witness the violence that had taken place inside the house he was leaning on. Eric wasn't ashamed of his actions – he only did what he had to do – but it was crass and vulgar nonetheless.

Footsteps approached from the driveway on the side of the house.

"You done crying yet?" Eric asked Cassie as she came into view, holding a bottle of water.

"I don't know. Are you done being an asswipe yet?"

"Look, heated words were said, but I hope you understand that tensions were high and that's just the kind of thing that happens when they are."

"Was that – was that some sort of attempt at an apology? You know what, it doesn't matter. I'm not here for you. I'm here for him," Cassie said, shaking the water bottle in her hand.

"Ooh, yeah, I don't think he'll be needing that anymore."

"You killed him? You fucking killed him, you unrepentant psycho?" Cassie yelled with what could only have been a mixture of shock and fear.

"He was no longer useful to me. Besides, what are you getting all high and mighty over? You killed that werewolf feller – what was his name? – you know the one I mean."

"Yeah, after he attacked me," Cassie retorted in disbelief. "I didn't just butcher him in cold blood while he was defenseless."

"You know, I don't like you much when you're playing the bleeding heart. Save that shit for beauty pageants or whatever, but it certainly don't belong anywhere in the monster hunting trade."

"Is the only criterion for being classified as a bleeding heart not murdering people now? Is that how you see the world? Eric and Pol Pot in one corner, and the rest of humanity in the other?"

"How have you made this about 'murdering people' when the only being that's bit the dust here is a monster?"

Cassie looked at him through tired eyes. "It doesn't have to be this way."

Maybe her innocence broke him, or maybe he just realized he'd spent much of the day being unnecessarily hostile and unreasonable. Whatever the reason was, Eric lowered his tone and adopted a more sympathetic demeanor. "Cassie, look, if I'd let him go, what do you think he would have done? He would have gone right back to his monster friends and told them that we know. Do you think that perhaps there would be some retaliation on their part? And if so, do you think they'd be as merciful toward us as you want to be toward them?"

Cassie looked over to the side, her arms crossed around her chest.

"You know I'm right in this, don't you?" Eric continued. "Bodies are dropping, and I sure as hell ain't talking about that freak in the house. People, Cassie – people are dying, being murdered by these unholy creatures. Have the lines gotten so blurred that you forgot that we're the good guys? This is war, but there ain't no Geneva Convention to keep things fair in this one."

"I – I guess so."

"It's OK. You were just having a moment – an off day, perhaps. I know you know all of this without me telling you. You're good at what we do, and you've seen the cost first hand. Maybe this all came at you too fast. We'll take the rest of the day off and follow up the new leads another time."

"New leads?" Cassie looked up from the ground with a sudden alertness.