“Declan?”
“Here, Dad! Love is here!-”
“No problems?” Max appears from behind a tree like a real-life monster.
“What did he do Declan?” I whisper to Declan, trying to see if the person I knew is still there.
“Tried to show your mother her poor love choices. Seems like Declan needs to clear your head as well. You got the blood of the devil,” the blood of the devil. I heard him say that once to my mother about Josh. That Josh was different because he had the blood of the devil. Is he referring to my father?
“Do you have any problems with Vance? He gotsomething you don’t? A wife that does not fear him but loves him perhaps?” I ask, and Max’s blue eyes darken. I got it right.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about-”
“You’re right. I don’t. But the way I see it, you’re jealous my father managed to have a ruthless status and still have a family that stands by him, not only by fear or respect, but because they love him. As I see it, only Declan loves you. You’re lucky, I thought you’d be on your own!” I exclaim. Yes, I want to live. But no, I won’t let any of them touch me or try to brainwash me.
“She’s just like her mother,” he says and tries to caress my cheek but I open his head with the screwdriver.
“What the fuck, Love?” Declan asks and I hit his father a second time. This time, he falls flat on the ground. After he passes out, I point the screwdriver at Declan.
“Don’t come closer!” I warn Declan but he isn’t there, as he looks at his father, brain exposed on the ground, the monster in him comes alive.
My mind says, “Run.” Run away before Declan is out of the trance, looking at Max.
And so I run.
I go to the woods. The woods my family used to hunt in and I go into the thicker part of it looking for the cliff and the deer stands in the trees. There might be someone there. Or perhaps a lost gun.
I don’t listen to my leg muscles burning like hell, I keep running. Trying to control my breathing but failing. My vision blurs for a few seconds, and I trip, but I get back up and keep running to the last deer stand before thecliff.
I can hear Declan’s steps behind me, nearer and nearer, about to catch up with mine.
As I climb up to the tree stand, I feel Declan’s hand grasp my leg. I don’t calculate well what I’m about to do, I stab Declan’s hand with the screwdriver. He grunts, refusing to scream despite the injuries.
I keep climbing until I reach the wooden doors, and I open and lock them behind me. Declan can still reach me. And probably will, that’s why I have a plan B. It isn’t what I want but it is what will happen. Declan had everything planned with his dad. I screwed up his plan, no pun intended. Now he’s acting by instinct. And that is more dangerous than any plan he might’ve had.
“Love,” someone screams from a distance. Josh screams. He’s alone on the other side of the creek; he looks like an ant from here. I check Declan and see him trying to climb the tree and failing. He’s too heavy or too unprepared. The more seconds pass by, the angrier he gets.
“Josh, stay there,” I scream when Declan changes plans. He takes his gun from his belt and points it at Josh. “He has a gun”
“So do I. Duck!” Josh yells back and I gasp, staying as low as I can in the tree stand. His words don’t calm me, they only assure me one of them is getting out of here in a casket.
Weapons firing starts, one of them hits the tree next to me, by then I’m too aware that it could’ve been me.
Shots start coming from below. I unlock the doors and jump down purposely on top of Declan. My feet to hishead.
I fall and probably sprain my ankle but that’s the least of my problems. I kick his face and get up from his lap, and run for the cliff. I stop four steps from the edge.
The sun begins to set and I know in a while I won’t be able to tell how far I am from falling to my death. New Year’s Eve is proving itself to be as painful as Christmas Eve and the timing doesn’t seem like a coincidence. Someone got out of their way to top Kane’s power and try to rise with our crumbling. I’d bet my life it was Max Denfell, I’d fear say with Declan’s help.
Trying not to faint I breathe in deeply as both Declan and Josh approach. I hear footsteps on my right but can’t spot anyone.
“Declan, shoot me, not Josh!” I scream when Declan corners my brother against a tree.
“But that’s no fun, Love,” he says, smiling at Josh. I know he has seconds to live, so I ask desperately.
“Take me, we’ll leave, you and me. But you need to let Josh go,” Declan seems to weigh what I just said. I’m not even sure what I just said myself. The darker it gets, the harder it is to see anyone, so I step towards Declan and Josh.
“Don’t move. There’s only one way I’m leaving here with you,” he says and knocks Josh out with a blow on his head with his gun. He didn’t fire, but my body acts as if he did. My palms sweat even while I’m freezing. I shake and it’s not just cold. The adrenaline is telling me to go, to run again, but Josh would end up killed. And I keep my word.
