A Lunatic's Lament

24

My whole world fell from underneath me when the police officer told me Vic might still be alive. How was this even possible? I stabbed him in the stomach! I left him trapped inside a burning house! I saw the house collapse. There was no way he could have gotten out of that.

"You're wrong." I told them. I shook my head quickly in disbelief, "You're wrong, okay?"

"We're sure, Kellin. The body doesn't match Vic Fuentes'" The lady officer said. I didn't want to believe it. I don't know how I felt about it. I was terrified that Vic would come for me. He said that he would always find me. That was a promise I was sure he'd keep. So sure, I was terrified, but on the other hand I felt a sense of relief knowing that I hadn't murdered him. I wasn't a murderer anymore. The frightened feeling took over anything else though.

"But he said that he buried Rick. His body wasn't in the house." I argued.

"We had search team scan the area and found where we presume Rick was buried. It had been dug up. We think Vic faked his own death to distract us while he got away." She said. He was wounded and he still managed to do that? He managed to somehow get out of the house, dig up Rick's body and escape. He was unstoppable.

"W-well you can find him, right? You're looking?" I asked quickly.

"Of course we're looking, but until we find him you're going to have around the clock police supervision." She said. I couldn't believe this, or more, I didn't want to believe it. I thought that this whole ordeal was over, or at least as over as it could be.

"This can't be happening." I said, looking to Jack and Gabe. Both of them looked pale and shocked. They cared for me a lot so I knew they would be freaking out too.

"It's okay, Kellin," Jack said, being the supportive person he always was, "It's okay. The police will protect you. He's not going to get to you."

"You don't know him!" I practically shouted, "He won't stop until he finds me!"

People were beginning to look at us. Then again a lot of students already were when they saw me talking to the police. Jack had a really concerned look on his face. I bet he didn't even believe it was going to be okay.

"Kellin, we're going to take you home to your parents now." The male officer spoke instead.

"Do they know?" I asked them.

"That Vic is alive? Yes, they do. We told them before coming to get you." He said. They're probably worried sick. It had been a never ending nightmare for them too. It was hard on them having lost a son and they wouldn't be able to handle it if it happened again. I was standing there shaking. I felt sick to my stomach and couldn't breathe. I just want this torture to end.

I eventually went with the police officers though. Jack came with me for emotional support and when I got home I was met with my very emotional mother. My father was angry. He was ready to go out there and find Vic himself. I wouldn't allow him to join the search though. I just wanted me and my family to be safe from this monster.

—

The days went on in a blur. I didn't go to school. I locked myself in my bedroom and never left except when it was necessary. I was constantly scared, just waiting for him to come and take me away. I couldn't live my life anymore. It was on hold and would be until he's found. Vic managed to hide from the police for a year after he killed Dylan. He's a smart person, he'll be able to hide from them again.

I thought to myself that maybe he did die somewhere in the woods because of blood loss, but that still didn't sit well with me because what if they don't find the body? If they never find him I could be living in fear for my whole life. If he doesn't come after me I'll constantly be looking over my shoulder just waiting for him. I'll never be able to be alone again. I can't have police protection for my entire life. Sure, right now I felt kind of safe. There was a police car out the front and back of the house, just like they had been since we found out Vic wasn't dead. They were protecting us, but how long would that last? Would they disappear if the search gets called off?