* * *
The sound of the water running from the bathroom is audible through the walls. With every drop of water that falls, my rage boils over as I can imagine the blood seeping down the drain.
Her phone taunts me as it sits on the couch.
It’s as if clarity hits me all at once.
Reaching for it, thinking about it for a moment, punching in her birthday backwards.
The numbers shake and reset.
“Shit,” I mumble to myself and try to focus in on what it could be. People use numbers with an impactful meaning.
Hoping it’s not correct as I punch in the day her life changed — the day her parents died. Her home screen comes up.
“Sketch…” I whisper quietly. Knowing how dark it has to be every time she inputs it, as if it’s a constant reminder.
Scrolling through the encrypted messages, pausing as I listen, making sure the water’s still on.
The most recent thread is with Kyle. Tapping it quickly, I scan over the thread, making sure it’s what I’m looking for. I know who Kyle is, and I know he’s the type who would pull some shit like this. I also know why he’d target her. We went to school together. He was a freshman when we were seniors, hot shit athlete. We had some run-ins with him, not particularly a fan of ours. And by that, I mean, we may have had an altercation or 12.
Quickly, I close the app, putting it down as I hear the shower turn off.
Making my way back into my bedroom. I open the dresser and grab some of my clothes for her.
She steps out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her.
“Uh.” Clearing my throat as I look at her. “I got these for you.”
“Thank you.” She whispers, reaching for them.
She’s asleep before I’m locking the door and head to my truck.
Is it a risk to leave the house with her alone there? Yes, but as she laid there, I could see the purple bruise from the hallway light, and even if I had already decided what I was going to do, my blood started boiling again.
I finally find him leaving the bar, following behind him, and flagging him down on a stretch of desolate road.
He bolts from the driver’s seat, coming back towards me with his arms outstretched.
“Who the fuck are you?” He shouts. “Get out here, you pussy.” He points the small revolver in my direction.
Exiting the truck, leaving it running so he’s standing in the bright light, squinting at me. Gripping the metal bar in my hand.
He still has the gun pointed at me as I move toward him. His face contorting trying to figure out who I am, and it relaxes as soon as he does.
“Eli, what the fuck are you doing?”
“We need to talk.” Is all I say.
“What the fuck do we have to talk about?” He laughs before nodding his head as if he figures it out, but mistakenly letting his guard down. “You can’t be upset that I tagged his sister.”
The ground thuds in front of me before I realize I’ve swung thecrowbar at him.
I glance around, making sure no one saw me, reaching over and grabbing his gun, tucking it into the back of my waistband.
Rushing to the driver’s door of his car, I pop the trunk. Noticing the zip ties, instantly validating any assumptions I’ve had in the past about this prick. Pushing past the image of the plans he had for Drew, for now, I heave him into it before closing the lid.
I’m in my truck, speeding down the small lane before slamming it into park and running the distance back to the road.
