Page 6 of Demise

I’m not sure what came over me. Loyalty to Bones, maybe? Undoubtedly, a habit of having his back. I’m not certain. Surely a moment of weakness on my part, but then again, I didn’t want them to freeze overnight, which is why I offered the firewood as well.

It wasn’t that I cared, I was simply buying time. I still needed to seize his family—unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. I let out a soft sigh.

Eyes still on the girl Bones just can’t fucking shake, I think about the evenings I sat at home, watching the two on my computer screen, appearing uncomfortable. Tiptoeing, so to speak, around one another at first.

I’ve never understood the man’s obsession. Bexley is average. A simple woman. And she married his brother. What kind of bitch does that? What kind of man marries his brother’s girl? The little cocksucker deserved to get hit.

I’m shocked Bones wasn’t the one to do it. He’s not as heartless as one would think. He did a bad thing running his mouth about what he saw when he was a boy. He should have kept quiet. It’s because of him Moretti took a hit out on my goddamn family. Terrible mistake on his part, because unlike him, Iamheartless.

I’m the evil lurking in the dark corner of your closet. Standing motionless, I’m the dark figure at the end of the hall. When you lie down at night, I’m the one hovering over your sleeping body.

It’s me.

And one way or another, I’ll get what I want. Maybe not today as planned, but soon.

Recognizing it’s Sweep, I back away slowly as the car pulls in. And then I turn and head for my car, which is parked near our old hunting stand in the woods.

Chapter Seven

Bexley

Floating through an orange sea of rubber gel, I smile up at the sky, wondering how long I’ve been here.Beep, beep. I twist my head, looking for the sound. Murmuring fills my ears as the beep grows louder. I look back to the sky, frowning when I see it’s black.Beep, beep.

“What is that?” I say.

“Bexley?” The voice calling my name sounds familiar. Like family.

“The beeping?” I say.

“It’s your heart monitor. Nothing to be alarmed about.”

My mom’s brother. Uncle Hale? That’s who the voice belongs to.

“Don’t hover over her.” A second voice. I try to move my arms, but they must weigh a hundred pounds each. My legs, too.

I feel the blood rush in my neck and the pounding of my pulse against my skin. “Danny.”

I jump awake, squinting. Through a big window, the sun filters in, covering my room with a golden hue.

“Blinds,” I mutter.

“I’ll shut them.”

Trinity, Uncle Hale’s wife, walks over and I sigh when she shuts the sun out.

“How’s Danny?” I ask. “Where is he?”

No one says anything. Uncle Hale frowns, a stress line between his brow. Trinity shuffles her feet.

“Will one of you tell me how he is?” I ask, looking between the two, feeling the thick bandage on my hand. I look down at it, running my fingers over the spot I know the cut resides. They cleaned his blood off.

“Speak, now. Please!”

“Danny is fine,” Trinity says, her voice a higher octave than what is natural.

Hale scoffs. My eyes go to him.

“This is all because of him, isn’t it?” he says.

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