Diabolus: The Lethal Hunt

Chapter Six

KAI WOODS

A bowl of the porridge.
A package of the cheapest milk.
Ham and cheese sandwich. Probably, as dry as the skin of my hands after working so much, making car registration numbers,
You couldn't call it the best breakfast, but it is what it is.
It's been four days already, since I took a life away. No regrets. It had to be taken away. Honestly, now I consider myself as a teacher. And that was my lesson, to all the others that will try to prove me, or themselves, that I'm weak.

You annoy me - you die. You harm me - you die. But the best way to assure that I'm coming for you, is doing something, or even speaking about Her.

Family first. That's the rule that I've followed for my whole life, and have no intentions of changing that.
What seemed carefully choreographed, were actually completely improvised movements, honestly, it was all a part of my anger. I'm no longer human. Not in moments like that. Every choice had lead me here, to the side of the demons. And that doesn't bother me, at all. I did this to get another note. I did this, because Mark pissed me off. I did this, because my patience evaporated. It. Had. To. Be. Done.
That's the price of survival.
Four days. Four days of investigation. Gathering all the evidence, questioning all the witnesses. Even Brent, and Jesse; who were claiming it was self defense, telling the cops that Mark was teasing me, day by day. Well, one part of it is really true. But it definitely wasn't self defence.
It was a murder. A sweet, pleasant murder.

Hell, the police was fast. They must really hate me.

They've added five years to my penalty. Everytime I think about it, it makes me tip back my head and roar with laughter, at those times, I can't control myself. Like those five years would make a difference. I know, that my days here are counted, somewhere deep inside me, I have such a strong belief that I'm leaving this damned place, for good. Taking Beverly with me. Taking all of them with me; to meet our happily ever after.
I approach the grey steel table, holding the tray with food in my hands. With each step taken towards Brent, I see his smile getting wider; every white teeth of his are showing. His good vibrations calm my inner storm, to a soothing onshore breeze.

I'm so blessed to have a friend like Brent. He had a chance to stay free; yet he chose to leave his girl, and stay with me, even if it meant he could've died.

"Welcome back, partner." As I sit on the cold steel seat in front of him, I look Brent in the eyes, filled with kindness that seem so innocent and genuine, so endless: as big as the sea. It lights up the flame of joy inside me and, if only for a moment, makes me happy. "How was your little vacation?"
"Missed me much?" I shove a spoon, full of too watery oat porridge into my mouth. It dissolves inside my mouth before I can even feel the taste - hell, I would do anything for a medium cooked, juicy steak. "It was alright, though those handcuffs left bruises all over my wrists."
"Five more years, Kai. I told you, that was a bad idea." Brent shakes his head and takes a sip of apple juice from a wrinkled paper package. "That note messed up your mind, I'm telling you."
"They could've added more, if they wanted, I don't give a fuck." Another spoon of porridge reaches my mouth; I swallow the tasteless mass, looking at Brent. Very fast, the smile falls from his face, and his lips curl into a frown. "We're leaving. Soon."

I get it; he's worried about me, and somehow, he strongly believes that there's no way out. And I'm more than sure that he's wrong.

"Tell me, then, how are you planning to escape? Do you have a miraculous plan already?" From the tone of his voice, I know that that smile was only a sarcastic way to show how actually angry he is. That is my right hand, and after our whole life, being friends; this is the first time that I see him losing hope.
I will make sure he will have it back. I have to.
"You trust some goddamn asshole that's playing games with those notes, with you, Kai." Brent throws the package of apple juice on the table, so hard, that droplets of amber liquid cover the spot all around it. "You're going insane, I'm telling you. The prison is driving you insane."
"Relax, Brent. I did what I had to. Now, we will just have to wait for another note." I watch Brent's eyes, as if it was do or die; my pupils immobile, watching every single move on his bearded face. The wrinkles on his forehead, which pop up whenever he's frowning. His eyes, getting darker with anger.
"Damn it, Kai. Turn your fucking brains on. That's insanity." He draws his eyes away from me, as if he was avoiding the eye contact. He knows he crossed the line with his tone, with his words; though both of us know, he will never admit it.
"Are you sure? What else should we do then, if not wait for another note? Stay here for 29 years, and in my case, for 34 years?" I take a sip of the cold milk from the paper package, still watching Brent, when I feel the ball of flaming anger that starts to grow inside my chest, from a small thought of staying here. For almost forever. For three decades.