Tyed

chapter thirty three

There's a moment of silence before Colby says, "... I'm not sure I am a good person, Tyler."

Tyler stares at him. "What do you mean?"

Colby takes a long, deep breath. "You've mentioned something you feared telling me because it would drive me away. You still haven't told me, but I think there's something I could possibly tell you that would drive you away. And I guess... now's as good a time as ever to tell you."

Tyler's anticipation locks up every muscle in his body. "Oh," he says, raising an eyebrow. He's not sure there is a single thing Colby could say that would divert him from the path he seems destined to go down at this rate. "...what's that?"

Colby sighs, taking a deep breath. "Please listen until the end."

Tyler nods, and Colby sits up a little straighter, so Tyler has to sit up himself to meet his eyes.

"Remember how I said that I left her there with Altan that night, and I drove?"

"I do," Tyler concurs, wringing the sheets in his hands. Despite what Colby could possibly say, Tyler doesn't find himself feeling too worried. Some part of him knows it's going to be okay.

"I shouldn't have, because I was still under the influence, but I felt I'd be okay. I went across the city."

"Did you hit someone?" Tyler finds himself asking before he can stop himself. When he's met with a cold look, he slaps a hand over his mouth. "Sorry."

"I didn't," Colby says. "Listen until the end, please."

"Sorry. Go on."

Colby looks away, gazing out the window at the dark street. "I went to Paul's house. He actually lived near Gem Varily, so for all I know, you might've already heard what happened. It was this huge modern house, four bedrooms and a pool, all this fancy... shit."

There was, in fact, a house near Gem Varily that sounded similar that Tyler was picturing, although it couldn't possibly have been the same one. Colby continued. "It was dark when I got there, and while all his lights were off I could hear voices inside. I snuck around the back, through the garage, and used the spare key Scarlett had- because I took it from the house, and I knew what I was doing. Paul was this thin runt of a man, and I knew I could take him. I just didn't know how far I would go. I want you to understand how awful what I was willing to do was. I saw it as a way of ensuring that my son would grow up with both of his parents together- how stupid was that, in hindsight? He died because of my actions that day. Not Paul. I always thought it was karma, afterwards. I was willing to kill Paul, and for it, Altan died."

"Did you go there with the intent to kill him?" Tyler clarifies, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He feels kind of ill. Would he accept Colby the murderer? Was it possible?

After all Tyler had done, it might just make them even. Maybe.

"Not necessarily," Colby says, "and I don't think I really would have. But I had it in my heart that I could have. I wanted to find him. That's all I felt at that moment."

"And did you?"

"Well, interestingly enough, no. I came in through the back, through his garage. I went into the living room where I'd heard voices, but it was pitch black. Nothing. The only light on in the entire house was his bedroom, which was a mess, but he wasn't in there. I checked."

A memory triggers in the back of Tyler's mind, and an idea that feels impossible begins to form. "And then... I know what happened next."

"Do you?" Colby's head tilts. "You heard it on the news? Then you know what I did."