Page 143 of The Pact

Wes, Damian, and I don’t particularly enjoy this shit, however, we can somehow turn off the part of our brain that holds guilt.

Our feet crunching the sticks on the ground is the only noise for the next fifteen minutes. Then, the muffled grunts of the two men struggling against their restraints and gags chimes in. They’re exactly where we left them, laying beside their grave. And the best part is they’ll get to watch us dig it.

“Let’s get this done with. I don’t want to be out here all night,” Damian snaps at us. Gladly.

We sink our shovels into the soil. Then we do it again and again.

So much for not being out here all night. I’m wiping sweat from my brow two hours later, needing to take a break. Unzipping the duffle bag, I grab a water bottle and down the whole thing. The two men never take their eyes off of me. I pull another bottle out of the bag and walk to them.

I crouch down beside them, lifting my gaze to make sure my brothers aren’t paying attention. Tucking the bottle into the man’s pant’s pocket, I speak in a hushed tone, “A little something for the afterlife.” Then, I rejoin my brothers.

“This has to be deep enough. My arms are dead and I’m fucking tired,” Sutton protests. I agree. This grave will have to do, but ultimately, we give the final decision to Damian.

He examines the roughly six foot deep hole. “Fine. Let’s do this.”

Sutton and I grab the first guy under his arms and by his legs, hauling him to the hole.

“Mmphhff.” The man tries thrashing against us, but it’s useless. We toss him into the grave with a soft thunk. Then, we grab his friend, who puts up even more of a fight. We drop him a couple of times, although eventually get him in the hole too.

“It’s not as deep as it should be,” Damian worries. “Too late now, I guess.”

The three of us grab our shovels and throw the dirt on top of Thea’s attackers. Each scoop of soil makes my satisfaction grow. Knowing I can protect her from these men, so she won’t ever have to look over her shoulder, is a feeling unlike any other.

It’s another hour before we finish and head back to the car.

“Sutton, get the car detailed first thing. Cole, burn that bag,” Damian orders as we all undress and change into a new set of clothes and shoes. Stuffing our incriminating shit into the duffle.

The first rays of light hit the sky as we drive back down the dirt road. To the right, in the distance, I can make out the creek we spent so much time at growing up. This place holds so many of our secrets. Wolf Creek was the start of this and it’ll likely be the end of this, for all of us.

THEA

“Halos and Horns,” I announce. The name came to me in my sleep last night. I’m laying across the couch in the theater room, Cassie’s sprawled out on the other side, popping candy into her mouth.

She sits up a little. “That’s perfect!” Her eyes widen as her mind runs in a thousand directions.

We’ve been laying here for hours. She came as soon as I told her about what happened last night. Cass felt partially responsible for drinking too much and leaving me alone, but she also chastised me for not letting Anthony drive me to my truck. She’s right.

I’d told Damian that I wouldn’t go anywhere alone. Sure enough, the first time I did, something happened. I’m still unsure if it was a coincidence or if he has some sixth sense for trouble. Normally, I’d worry that he’d punish me for not listening, but I think he’s going to give me a free pass on this one. If he tries to bring it up, I’ll milk my sore ankle for all it’s worth.

After I told Cass all the details, she asked about the security camera footage. I watched it myself this morning and I don’t want her getting even a small glimpse of the attack. Seeing myself being dragged away, out of the camera’s view, only to come running back minutes later, was terrifying. The look of fear on my face as I tried to shove the key into the lock will never leave my memory. She doesn’t need that burned into her brain.

Damian only let me watch as far as the few seconds after I locked myself in the bathroom. Rob and Matt shaking and slapping at the glass cut off to a black screen. I asked him where the rest of the footage was, but he only said it was gone. I didn’t need to ask him why.

He got rid of anything that would incriminate them.

Sleep didn’t come easy, although when it did, so did the nightmares that woke me every hour. Wesley’s arms around me were a reminder that I was safe. I’d fall back asleep, only to wake again later.

I thought if I slept, my mind might process everything from last night. The attack and the actions of Damian, Sutton, and Cole. If anything, I’m more confused than ever.

They’d killed two people—well, they hadn’t directly admitted it, but I was pretty sure.

They dropped Wesley and me off before tearing out of the driveway. I tried staying up as long as possible, waiting to hear the front door open. I didn’t.

This morning I was nosy, checking the laundry room for the black outfits they were wearing last night, but I couldn’t find them. The only evidence that any of it was real is my memory of the events and my aching body.

Otherwise, I might dismiss all of it as some sort of fever dream.

I told Cass about everything except that. She, of course, asked about what happened to my attackers and if we called the police. I simply told her that the men were gone by the time the guys arrived and I didn’t want to cause a stir, knowing that the gossip would surely make me out to be the bad guy.

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