Page 72 of Scorching Lies

The last door on the right has a small orange glow coming from the bottom of the door. The only room in the house that hasn’t been checked. Beer bottles and joints litter the floors of the house. Brown hardwood floors and grey walls stretch out ahead of me. Fear consumes me like a fire spreading. Growing until it takes over everything in its path. My legs are shaking. Opening the door my mouth falls open to release a silent scream.

I don’t see anything but him. My eyes zero in on Cole. I see his face and the way his eyes bore into mine. My hands tremble, my knees slamming into the floor, I see nothing but Cole.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

RYKER

Shoving past Kenna who is now on the floor I see my little brother. The baby of the family. Cole’s crystal blue eyes look past me with utter fear reflecting in them. Jumping into action I shout for West to help me. I’m screaming for Cole but he isn’t hearing me. His body is still. Too fucking still. Looking past me, his eyes forward, stuck on Kenna. Forever looking into my girl’s eyes. I use my right shoulder to lift him above me, using every ounce of sheer strength I can find. West fumbles with the cord, releasing Cole, letting his weight drop on top of me once he’s free.

“G!” I shout.

G and Ally bust through the door at the same time. Ally screams, the sound hollow and empty. A harrowing scream that comes from soul deep pain. Her small frame begins to tremble, her voice ringing through the room, echoing against the walls. That sound breaks Kenna from the darkness but I can’t see them. All I can see is Cole.

“Rye.” West calls out. His words are a plea.

Once we have Cole free from the strand of cords hanging from the ceiling we lower him to the floor. I don’t need to say anything else, G already has his phone out, and is calling 911. G is dragging a screaming Ally on his way out.

“Get her the fuck out of here before I kill her!” Kenna wails, her sobs rattling her entire body.

Kneeling next to Cole I check for a pulse but my head falls to his chest when I don’t find one. West rests his forehead on my shoulder, pressing his palm into Cole's chest, Kenna joins us on the floor.

“Do something!” She cries.

The bruising around his neck is deep and looks like it damages his windpipe. West presses his palm into his chest again and again now using both hands. Wrapping my hand around the back of his neck I drag Cole to my chest. My baby brother.

Kenna crawls over me to press her mouth to his, West working his chest, me holding his head. We work in tandem pleading with each other to fight harder. Begging him to stay with us. West pushes air into his lungs, Kenna breathes for him, and I support him.

“Don’t leave me.” I whisper.

Kenna sobs into his neck on the last breath. Her entire body is shaking with the force of her sorrow. West punches the floor near Coles' head, his own tears falling to the ground. I hold him closer. Pulling him up against me I whisper pleas to him praying that he can hear me somehow.

“They’re here!” G yells, running into the room.

Laying him down on his back I beg him to wake up.

“Come back to us. We need you.”

“I can’t do this without you.” West says, his head resting on Cole's chest.

“Kenna keep blowing air in his mouth.” She’s almost moving on instinct, each move timed, she’s completely numb to the noise around her. It’s only a few seconds later when people start to fill the room. My hands pull Kenna back but she shoves me off moving back to keep going.

“They need to help him, Kenna.” I say.

“No. No. I can’t leave him. He needs me. He needs us!” She yells.

Spinning she shoves me in the chest, her face red and swollen, her fist slams into me.

“We can’t leave him! I won’t leave him. Please don’t let him leave us.”

She falls into my chest, my arms engulf her. I sit there and hold her while she breaks. Two EMT workers lift Cole’s body onto a board but I can see it in their faces. No matter how much air she gave him he isn’t coming back.

“Rye.” West looks at me. Completely lost and shattered.

Cole’s hand falls from the stretcher, his fingers limp. West stands to lift Kenna from my lap so I can get up. Grabbing her from him, we follow them outside to the truck. Leaving the extension cord hanging from the ceiling as we walk out. G is holding Ally to the side of the house, keeping her away from us, but she manages to break free. Sprinting to the ambulance she grabs the hand that’s hanging off the side and brings it to her face. Bending down she says something in his ear but I’m too farto hear. Kenna drenches my shirt with her tears but I set her to her feet anyway.

“I need to be with my brother.” Lifting her chin I wait for her grey eyes to meet mine. “I need you to be strong for me, Killer.”

Nodding she swipes at the wetness on her face.

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