Page 4 of Make Them Bleed
Later, after he leaves, the emptiness returns instantly, swallowing me whole. I open my laptop again, pulse racing as I see a new message from my mysterious contact:
"Ready to catch your sister's killers? Meet me tonight at midnight."
My breath catches. This is dangerous. Reckless. But my desperation outweighs any caution. "I'll be there," I reply quickly.
Glancing at Arrow's empty spot beside me, guilt stings my throat. If he knew what I'm planning, he'd stop me. Maybe I secretly hope he will. But I can't let Arby's death remain unavenged. The ache of her absence is unbearable; it shadows every waking moment. I owe it to her to find closure, even if it costs me everything.
With shaky resolve, I close my laptop. Tomorrow, everything might change. Tonight, though, the familiar loneliness is all I have.
2
Arrow
I walk into my apartment and toss my keys on the cluttered entryway table, narrowly avoiding knocking over a precarious tower of mail and pizza coupons. My roommate, Gage, sprawls across our couch, staring intensely at his video game. The glow from the TV reflects off his glasses, and the room is filled with the sound of explosions and robotic taunts.
"You're home early," Gage observes, without taking his eyes from the screen.
"Yeah, pizza and Netflix didn't run too late tonight," I reply, sinking into the armchair across from him.
Gage finally pauses his game, turning his full attention to me. "How's Juno doing? Any better?"
I rub my temples, the worry for Juno still gnawing at my gut. "Not really. She’s putting up a brave front, but I can tell she's struggling. Losing Arby...it's destroyed her."
Gage gives me a sympathetic look, his voice softer. "Have you finally told her yet?"
I frown, feigning ignorance even though I know exactly what he's getting at. "Told her what?"
"Come on, man." Gage tosses the controller aside and leans forward. "Have you admitted to her that you're head over heels in love with her yet?"
My face flushes hot, and I glance away. Gage has known about my feelings for Juno since freshman year, probably longer than I have myself. Gage and I met on the first day of high school, and he knows Juno well. We were inseparable. But this isn’t the time. It can’t be. "Now isn't exactly the moment for that conversation. She just lost her sister, Gage."
He sighs. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But seriously, how long are you going to wait? You've loved her since you were practically kids. Eventually, you've gotta say something."
"Eventually, yeah," I admit softly, running my hand through my hair. "But right now, she needs a friend more than anything. And I need to keep her safe."
Gage's brows furrow in concern. "You really think she's in danger? I mean, hopefully, the police will catch whoever did this soon."
I snort dismissively, frustration tightening my chest. "Juno doesn’t think the police are any help. And who knows, maybe she’s right. The cops have no leads, no suspects. It's like they're just waiting for people to forget Arby existed. But Juno isn't going to forget, and she's spiraling."
Gage frowns, crossing his arms. "I wish there was something we could do. This whole situation sucks. Arby didn't deserve this."
"No, she didn’t," I mutter, leaning back and closing my eyes briefly, the images of Arby's livestream haunting me again. The helplessness and anger I felt watching it unfold are fresh wounds that refuse to heal. "Gage. I did something stupid—something desperate."
Gage eyes me cautiously. "How stupid?"
"I installed spyware on Juno's computer," I admit quietly, shame coloring my voice. "I've been monitoring her emails, her searches. She doesn't know."
"Jesus, Arrow! That's creepy, even for you," Gage exclaims, sitting up straight. "What if she finds out?"
"She won't," I say with more confidence than I feel. "But it's how I discovered that she's been on the dark web, trying to find vigilantes to track down Arby's killers."
Gage’s eyes widen in alarm, his voice rising an octave. "That's insane! Does she want to get herself killed?"
"I know," I say, my fists clenching. "That's why I stepped in. She thinks she found someone to help her, but she really just found me."
Gage blinks, confused. "Wait—what? You’re pretending to be a dark web vigilante?"
I nod slowly, the weight of my decision pressing down on me. "Tonight, I'm supposed to meet her. I'm going to pose as this vigilante expert she thinks she found. I can't let her meet some stranger who might actually hurt her."
