Page 23 of Stitches

“So then, like, French vanilla?” she pressed.

He scoffed. “Red velvet.”

“Why?”

“Easy. It’s the color of blood.”

She wrinkled her nose at his remark. I focused on him, wondering if he was serious. I knew how dark he was though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he was sincere.

“That’s right. Rumor has it you’re out in the woods like a barbarian carving up the forest critters.”

He said nothing while he rubbed my feet, his focus on the task. Ashes tilted my head so he could kiss me again. He’d been silent the entire time, holding me tightly.

“Is it true? Do you cut up animals in the woods?” Cady sat forward.

“Yes.”

“What do you do with them once you kill them?”

“Eat them. Stuff them. Sometimes I just do it to watch them die. Something about seeing the last breath leave a body does something to me.” He turned his focus directly on her, his words hollow and without emotion.

I shivered against Ashes who was quick to give me a gentle squeeze. Church’s words frightened me.

“Cold, heaven?” Ashes murmured.

I nodded, and he shifted to grab a throw blanket and drape it over me. Church continued rubbing my feet, nothing about his words seeming to bother him.

“That’s fucked up.” Cady sat back in her seat. “You’re a real weirdo.”

“Look at the pot calling the kettle black,” Church shot back.

“What?” She scoffed. “I’m not the one running around gutting the wildlife,Dante.”

“No. Just setting cars on fire with people inside.”

“He had it coming,” she said, giving him an indignant look. “Plus, it got me here with Rina. I regret nothing.”

“Maybe you and Ashes should team up since you like fire,” Church continued. “He could teach you a thing or two.”

I looked from Church to Cady who nodded.

“We go out on Fridays,” Ashes said. “For me to set fires. If you want to come, you can.”

She shrugged. “Maybe. If it’s the best thing to do here on a Friday night then I might be interested. Will we set houses on fire? Or people?”

“Barrels,” Ashes said. I could hear the smile in his voice. He’d been kind to Cady. I liked that he was. It made me happy to know he was trying. She and Church tore at each other like they were siblings who couldn’t stand one another.

“Lame.” Cady sighed.

“It is. I’d much rather set houses on fire, but I’m trying to quit,” Ashes said. “Same with people.”

Cady snorted at that and got to her feet. “Well, I have to go. Rina, I brought a nail kit with me. I think we should paint our nails. I’ll do yours and you do mine.” There was a hopeful note in her voice. When we were kids, we’d paint each other’s nails while gabbing about school and our friends. That was before everything went to hell and Asylum tried to kill me. Cady continued to do my nails while I sat mute staring at a wall.

“Rina?” she called out, her voice hesitant. “Do you think we could?”

I swallowed, wanting to tell her yes.

Nod your damn head. Do something.

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