𝖛𝖎𝖈𝖎𝖔𝖚𝖘 ↠ sweet pea [2]

|| THIRTY-SIX ||

Lauryn peered through the drawn curtains of the trailer, her eyes panning over the enemies gathering right outside, not that they were quiet enough to go unnoticed. Lauryn knew there was no going back, this had to be done.

With her friends following, she stepped outside, being greeted by Penny and Malachai metres from the trailer surrounded by a fair amount of Ghoulies.

"So, the time finally comes," Penny beamed in insanity, and Malachai rubbed his hands together. "Have you been a little detective for me?"

"Sure have, Penny," Lauryn replied smugly, positioning herself around ten feet from Penny with her hands clutching the teeth of the denim jacket she had strung on. "You're gonna love this."

"Suspense," Penny purred, licking her top teeth. "Go on, who took away our precious little Skye?"

Glancing back at her friends, Lauryn read the alarm on all of their faces, but the most horrifying of all was her own. She looked confident, proud, even.

"Lauryn, think about this," Fangs piped up, Sweet Pea and Katie holding him back. "Once you give them their name, they're dead."

"Not that it's your problem," Malachai spoke, jerking his head to the side. "Seeing as none of you have anything to do with it, right?"

"We don't know shit," Sweet Pea replied, his voice drawing a straight line. "Lauryn and Rich have been doing all the digging."

"Enough of this bullshit," Penny demanded, groaning. "Who is it, Laurie?"

Lauryn licked her lips, locking her eyes with Penny's before she finally felt compelled to speak. "Katherine Miller-Fogarty."

"Oh, this is great!" Malachai jeered as the first to react, his voice echoing around them. "Mommy-daughter drama."

"Your own mom..." Penny pondered loudly, nodding in approval as her usually widened eyes somewhat drew near closed. "You're cold shit, Lauryn Fogarty. Turning her in."

"There. I gave you the name," Lauryn declared simply. "Do with that as you will. Now, you can leave us alone."

"Don't worry, we won't outstay our welcome," Penny surrendered. "Are you not worried, perhaps? I mean, this is your mom we're talking about."

Lauryn shrugged, pouting her lips carelessly. "No harm done, I mean, she didn't have a great track record in parenting."

"Fine," Penny smiled. "Thanks. That'll be all, seeing as Jones is not around. Pleasure doing business with you."

They all stood still until the Ghoulies had fully fled their camp, Lauryn letting out a hard breath as soon as she remembered who might have been lurking in the shadows. Without another word, she rushed herself back inside.

"Katherine?!" Sweet Pea questioned, being the last inside to close the door. "She's dead though... it's only a matter of--"

"Time," Lauryn finished. "That's what we need. We can't deal with Rich and the Ghoulies at once. We need to deal with the former first."

"Smart," Fangs nodded, crossing his arms. "What happens when they call bullshit?"

"Maybe they won't," Katie spoke. "That is if Rich doesn't go looking for them right now and tell them it was Lauryn."

"He won't," Sweet Pea said, and he was certain, for once. "He's not going far."

"What makes you say that?" Lauryn asked, and Sweet Pea's face hardened.

"He wants you, and I doubt he's done fighting for you just yet."

Lauryn felt her nostrils tingle, and her eyes starting to well up. She sniffled hard, sitting down on the couch as the dreadful flashbacks from earlier came flooding back to her head. Sweet Pea took it as his cue, placing himself down next to her. "What exactly did he do to you?"