The Killer Secret

21.

It was like slow motion.

The loud bang. The flash as the bullet soared through the air. Travis's eyes going from scared to lifeless in just one second. His body falling to the cold concrete floor. Me screaming as I rushed to his body.

It was surreal.

There was blood everywhere, taking me back to the night I found Axel.

Axel...

Everything clicked into place now. Liam showing up out of the blue, him bringing the file that led me to Axel's body, him distracting me from my investigation every chance he got...it was all a ploy to get me off his scent.

I looked up at Liam. The hate that I was feeling couldn't be tamed but I needed to be smart about how I play this or I would end up like Travis.

Rising slowly, I swallowed before speaking. "You will pay for this."

He pointed the gun at me and I raised my hands. Liam looked unfazed by what he had just done which made me a little nervous about my plan.

"Where's Bethany?"

"Your story...from earlier," I started, darting my eyes back and forth between him and the barrel of the gun. "Her name was Emma, right?"

Liam's seethed at the name and I knew I had hit a nerve. "Don't. Talk about her." His hands shook as he held the gun higher, aiming for my forehead.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, not for talking about Emma but for what had happened that night. From the look he gave me, he knew it too. "You want revenge, right? I was the one who convinced Tammy to go to that party-"

The cold barrel of the gun pressed against my forehead and I lost my train of thought. I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath. This was it. This was how I was going to die.

"It's okay," I said, opening my eyes. Streams of sweat rolled down the sides of his face as he focused on Travis. Tears welled up in his eyes and I knew it was now or never. "An eye for an eye."

When I was sure he was distracted enough, I kicked his shin, making him drop the gun as he cradled the aching spot. I grabbed the gun as quickly as I could but he shoved me backwards, making the gun slide to the corner.

We both stared at the direction where it stopped and raced towards it. He was ahead of me and I tripped him over, watching as he fell to the ground. Shuffling over him, I grabbed the gun and pointed it at him just in time, before he could do anything else.

He froze. His body going stiff as I rose to my feet slowly. "Told you you would pay," I said smugly, holding the gun with both hands.

"Do it then! Shoot me!" He yelled. He looked defeated and tired as he slumped to his knees.

Flashes of Axel and Travis dead filled my head as I shakily pointed the gun at him. But, then Emma came to my mind and I swallowed hard. This was all my fault, to begin with. My actions set off a chain reaction of bad outcomes for me and my friends.

"Give me your phone."

- - - - - - - -

I groaned as my eyes fluttered opened. My brain was pounding against my temple as I tried to move but my hands were stuck. Panicking, I tried to free my hand, pulling against my restraints as they made a metal banging sound.

"Hey, It's okay. I'm here." Taylor appeared over me. She looked so exhausted like she hadn't slept in two weeks as she smoothed my hair.

"Taylor?" I cried, not believing that I made it out alive. "Oh my gosh, he killed Travis! He killed..."

She looked pained by my outbursts but I needed her to know what happened. Taylor backed away and ran her hands through her hair.

"Kayla, what's the last thing you remembered?" She asked slowly and I looked at her in confusion, trying to answer her question.

"Liam killing Travis," I said simply, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.

She looked like she was punch in the gut and I tried to sit up but my hands were still restraint and that was when I looked down at them. Both my wrists were in leather holds attached to the side bars of my bed.

"Taylor?" I looked up at her as tears rolled down her cheeks. "What's going on? Where am I?"

Taylor shook her head like she couldn't be here anymore and I struggled against my hold again. She ran out the room just as I was becoming more and more determined to get out.

"Taylor! Taylor! Get me out! Taylor!"

Male nurses stormed my room, pinning me down as I yelled for my sister. She stood by the door frame crying in the shoulders of someone.

I gulped as the person turned around to face me. A chilly smirk etched on his features that made my stomach churn.

"Get away from her! Get away from her!" I kicked and screamed but it was useless. A small pain erupted on my upper arm and I began to feel calmer.

I could smell his perfume. It lingered in the air even after the nurses had left. I was too out of it to focus on the lone figure standing beside me but when he spoke, I knew that I was doomed.

"An eye for an eye," he whispered in my ear and kissed my cheek. Tears rolled down my cheek as he became more and more out of focus.

He pinned it all on me. He made me out to be the bad guy and now my sister couldn't even look at me. I tired to speak but nothing came out as the room around me became more and more distant.

"She killed your friends. She belongs here." Was the last thing I heard him say before darkness enveloped my subconscious.

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Soundtrack 35 = Barely Hanging On (Hostage) by Kris Orlowski ft Sarah Siskind

Soundtrack 36 = I Don't Want To Lose You by Luca Fogale