✔Paint Me a Murder | Book 1

Chapter 25: Trick-or-Treat

Halloween arrived like an unwanted ghost.

Hank had been dead for over a month, yet the media wouldn't let his murder be forgotten. They continued painting Kazimir out to be their killer. The artist turned off the television he left on overnight that broadcast the news. He didn't want to hear the reporter, Milada Van, go on about how horrendous of a monster he was. They'd never leave him alone. Not until they caught the real culprit.

Sunlight poured into the dimly lit bedroom when he opened the curtains, viewing out beyond the parking lot of Sundown Apartments. Little witches, princesses, and superheros darted down the sidewalk of Hell's Hollow with their parents close at their sides. They clutched their trick-or-treat bags, brimming with all kinds of sweet treats, laughing and smiling as they went door to door.

It brought back memories for Kazimir of when his father took him trick-or-treating back in Edowick. His mom always had to work, so he took Kazimir out around the neighborhood until his bag got filled with candy. His favorite costume had been the dinosaur one, just because he loved them as a kid.

After Kazimir's dad died, his mom never took him trick-or-treating or handed out candy to the other kids. She sold all his dinosaur stuff online when he outgrew them and money got too tight. She got rid of a lot of his dad's belongings too, actually. Kazimir always wondered if she wanted to erase his memory from their house.

Reaching into his can of paintbrushes on the nightstand, Kazimir retrieved his daily dose of cocaine Emmett gave him. He opened the little baggie and carefully dumped the white powder out on the nightstand. He used his debit card to chop the coke up as fine as possible before fishing a straw out of his underwear drawer. He sucked the line of coke into his nose, wincing at the brief burning sensation before the head rush hit.

Serenity oozed through his body like warm syrup, numbing all the pain and anxiety. It never lasted very long, but he wished it could. No matter how much Kazimir took, the marvelous feeling always faded, like he'd awakened from a sweet dream.

Droplets of his blood mixed with the remnants of cocaine on the nightstand. A foul metallic fluid lingered on his lips as he scoured the room for something to clean it up with. The bleeding didn't concern him much anymore. It happened all the time. His poor nose suffered so much, but he didn't care. It could've rotted off his face and he'd still try to get high.

After controlling the bleeding with some paper towels, he went to change out of his clothes. Kazimir couldn't believe what the rebels expected him to wear today. He loved dressing up as a kid for Halloween, but as an adult? That seemed weird to him.

The costume Everly handpicked for him hung on his closet door. It was to hand out candy for the kids at the Wallflower, where he worked now. But why did she choose Batman, of all things, for him to wear? It even came with a stupid cape. How did she expect him to wear the mask with his glasses? Without them, he'd be as blind as a bat. At least it covered his face so nobody would recognize him.

He dreaded what the gang members would think about his ridiculous costume. Hopefully theirs were just as outrageous. Apparently, Everly picked everyone's costume out, despite not all the gang members attending the festivities at the diner.

After suiting up, Kazimir made his way outside to his motorcycle. It was a nice day to ride. He just wasn't looking forward to the ridicules from the Voiceless Rebels about his costume.

Only moments after he arrived at the hideout and came in from the back entrance, Rylee's voice echoed out into the hallway.

"What do you think Kaz is gonna be?" Rylee asked.

"I dunno. Maybe he'll be a painter," Charlie replied.

"He's already a painter, dipass. Everly isn't as unoriginal as you."