Becoming a DeMarlo

15: "You kill people."

Chapter 15: "You kill people."

"Elijah DeMarlo."

I stared at Tyler, wondering if I had heard him right.

"What?"

"Elijah De-Wait, do you know him?" Tyler asked, after getting a second to look at my face.

I didn't know what to say.

"No, I-uh....I've heard of him," I lied, a knot forming in my throat as I watched Tyler's eyes fill with hatred.

"Yeah? Well people around here think he's some big hotshot, but he's nothing but an asshole," Tyler spat. "An evil, fucking asshole."

I bit my lip, thanking the lords above that I had chosen to introduce myself as Maya Fitzpatrick to everyone.

"W-Why? What'd he do?"

"He's just a bastard, Maya. The entire family is evil. They get away with murder and-and crimes and all sort of wicked stuff. Nothing but a bunch of assholes."

I could feel my throat closing up and my heart pound faster. 

I thought about the crime reports. And my bloodied "father", who Elijah was supposedly still torturing. And the gunshot I had heard in the woods.

"Just please tell me, Tyler. What did he do?"

It seemed that Tyler sensed the urgency in my tone, for he finally began answering my question.

"It's a really gruesome story, Maya. To sum it up, Elijah DeMarlo killed my uncle."

I swallowed real hard, feeling like I might almost choke on the thickening atmosphere in the room. 

"What?"

"He's killed hundreds-no, probably thousands of people, for fun. His whole family does stuff like that, Maya. And my uncle was one of the people they killed," Tyler sighed, shaking his head. "My dad barely got away, that's how I know the story. Elijah fucking beheaded my uncle and a bunch of other men, just for fun."

Just. For. Fun.

I found it harder and harder to breathe as Tyler droned on about how he had spotted Elijah at the school this morning, and how he would have "sliced Elijah's head off" if he was given the chance. 

"He's a cold-blooded murderer, Maya. And everyone just lets him and his family get away with everything because they have money."

I tried to act like I was engaged in Tyler's conversation, but it seemed like I was stuck in some horrible dream.

When the bell for dismissal rang, I let Tyler kiss me goodbye and managed to give him a shaky smile. 

I had barely made it outside of the school when my stomach began turning.

There was just no way I could face my older brothers ever again. 

I thought quick, making sure I was out of Rick's sight, before walking back into the school. I kept my head down as I left through the back exits. 

I wasn't too familiar with the town, but I knew I had to go somewhere — anywhere. I decided that I could spend a few hours at the nearby public library, and then figure out what to do with my messy life. 

I didn't know how long I could realistically stay away from home, but I knew I couldn't look at my brothers the same way after everything I had uncovered today. I didn't want to belong to the "evil family". 

After five minutes of walking, Rick began calling my phone and texting.

I ignored him.

Five more minutes passed, and Charlie began calling.