Page 51 of Psycho Killers

As we approach our bikes, the tension in the air thickens, palpable and electric. I can feel it buzzing under my skin—a familiar adrenaline rush. This is what we were made for—taking risks, facing down the darkness head-on. I rev my engine, and the roar of the bike drowns out all my lingering doubts; in that moment, I feel fucking invincible.

Dominic climbs onto his bike, gripping the handlebars as if they might save him from the abyss. “Remember, we stick together. No heroics. If we’re caught?—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I cut him off. “We bail. I'm not looking for a fight. I just want to find Calista and make sure she’s okay.”

Five nods in agreement, his expression serious behind the mask. “Let’s hit the road then. The sooner we check the house, the better.”

With a swift twist of the throttle, the engines roar to life, and I take off, leading the way out of the garage. The night air rushes past me, cool and refreshing, as I navigate the familiar routes toward Calista’s parents’ home, every inch of me hyperaware of the stakes. We’re not just riding for ourselves anymore; we’re riding for her—for her newfound freedom, her chance to reclaim what was taken from her. I grip the handlebars tighter, the thought of her facing that hideous reality fueling my fucking resolve.

The streets are alive with the hum of nightlife, but they’re a world away from us right now. We weave through traffic effortlessly, a coordinated dance, united in purpose. Occasionally, I glance back at Dominic and Five, their silhouettes framed by the city’s lights. We're a force to fucking be reckoned with.

As we approachthe bar near their house, the atmosphere shifts; the energy feels wrong. I see Cali and Killian’s bikes they left on, and I instantly become worried, noticing they're parked in the back and there's no sight of them. The air grows thicker, charged with unease. I spot the house tucked away, barely visible through the trees. The facade seems even more sinister in the dim light. A sense of foreboding settles in my gut as we park our bikes a block over and dismount.

“Stick close,” I whisper, scanning the surroundings for any signs of life—the faint glimmer of a light in a window, the rustle of leaves, anything that might indicate we’re not alone. “We don’t know what we’ll find.”

Dominic nods, his fingers twitching near his weapon. Five’s gaze hardens, all traces of the gentle soul replaced by the predator lurking within. Together, we creep toward the house, movement synchronized as we paint a picture of silent threat.

My heart races as we step closer, creeping through the freshly cut yard. Shadows flicker against the windows, and then—there it is. A muffled scream shatters the stillness. It punctures the night and sends ice coursing through my veins. Calista?

I make eye contact with Five, the words unspoken. We need to get in there, now. Adrenaline courses through me, sharpening my senses. With no hesitation, I push the door open, its creaking resonance echoing through my bones.

The interior is cold and dark, eerie as fuck, the silence almost deafening. We fan out, footsteps barely making a sound on the old hardwood floors. I can feel the thrum of danger coursingthrough me, giving me purpose as I move through the shadows. I head toward the source of the scream, following the sound that gnaws at my insides.

“Calista!” I call softly, my voice barely above a whisper but filled with urgency. “We’re here, baby!”

Dominic and Five sweep through adjoining rooms, searching for any sign of her. I stop, straining to listen. The house feels like it has a heartbeat of its own, and I’m hyperaware that we are not alone. There’s a lingering presence—something dark lurks in the corners, watching, waiting, ready to strike at any given moment.

Anther muffled cry echoes down the hallway, and I almost lose it. I burst through a door and find myself faced with a dingy basement, a single light bulb flickering above, casting eerie shadows everywhere. It's definitely not the one where her mother held the "parties," so I shut the door and try to shake off the unease creeping up my spine. The heavyness in my chest accelerates. “Calista!”

This time, the scream quakes through the air, raw and full of fear. My instincts kick in as I dash up the staircase to the second floor, plunging into the dark abyss. The sound of footsteps echoes behind me; Dominic and Five are right on my tail, ready to back me up. And then I see her, her mother, her father, and some old man bound and terrified at the far end of the room.

“Calista!” I hiss, rushing forward, the raw intensity erupting within me as I see her standing beside Killian, both of them deadlocked on the three monsters in front of them.

They both turn to look at us, shock-absorbing the features on their stone-like faces as they take in the masks concealing our identities and try to grasp the fact that we're here. But just as I reach her, a loud crash interrupts the air, and the door slams shut behind us, plunging the room into darkness.

“Shit!” Dominic growls, scanning the shadows for the threat closing in. “Get ready!”

But who would dare to challenge us in this place of horrors? I can feel it—the predator lurking in the dark, lurking just out of sight. And I realize, with a chilling certainty, this is more than just an unwanted trip down memory lane; this is a trap, a reckoning we had of course prepared for.

“Who else is fucking here?” I shout as I spin around, readying my weapon, and the night suddenly ignites into chaos.

"There's one motherfucker who managed to avoid being captured," Killian grunts, rolling his eyes as if he's annoyed by the question. "He's fucking playing games and thinks we're scared of his ass."

All of a sudden I hear a gunshot, the pop ringing in my ears as a loud thud shakes the floor beneath our feet, and a man drops dead just behind me. Five lowers his gun, winking at me through the eye holes of his mask.

"There's still one more lurking," Cali smirks, ignoring her mother's whimpers and her father's threats, knowing she has the upper hand for once in her life.

The monsters we once chased are now fully awake, and they're tangled in our web, watching us battle not just for Calista but for our own freedom from the ghosts of our past.

I turn back, adrenaline surging through me like wildfire. The atmosphere thickens—the air crackling, electric with the promise of violence. Under the bright light bulb, I see the faces of Calista’s parents, their expressions a chaotic mix of terror and disbelief. This, I realize, is the culmination of our collective nightmares—the moment where everything converges.

“Focus, everyone!” I bark, snapping my gaze around the room.

The echoes of the gunshot linger in the air, and I know we are not just battling their demons; we’re dismantling each other's pasts, forcing the reckoning at every corner.

“Listen," Killian speaks, keeping his gun pressed against Calista’s father’s temple as he turns around to face the three of us. "We need to secure the area and find the last motherfucker.”

Just then, I spot him—a large figure lurking in the shadows, the last of Calista’s parents only hope, his silhouette barely illuminated by the light. I swallow the hatred boiling inside me and try to rein in my instincts.

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