Page 39 of Cage's Fall

I inhaled, seeing the headstones, seeing their names. It was a reminder. Family is everything. Material shit comes and goes, family, at the end of the day— is all you have.

I placed a kiss on my fingers and placed it on mom’s headstone and then did the same with dad’s.. “Days like today, I’m glad you guys aren’t alive, because…” my voice tightened, “because I’m failing.” And the wave of depression went through my body. I knew the signs. I knew what was happening. I was being swallowed by a monster you couldn’t see.

I couldn’t say it out loud. That I was failing at life. That the depression was back and it was strong. It had me lying crying for hours a night.

I walked towards Jacob, my hands in my pockets.

“Ready to go?” he asked looking up and again that coldness was in his voice. He was distant, he wasn’t my Jacob. I just nodded my head, getting on the back of his bike, wrapping my arms around him.

“Jacob?” I said before he started the bike up.

“Yeah Autumn?”

“I hope they can’t see us or see what’s becoming of us.”

His hand went to mine, which was wrapped around him, he squeezed my hand. “Yeah Autumn. I hope so too.” And then he started the bike. I didn’t know what had happened with Jacob. But I knew that whatever it was, it was a life changing moment.

Chapter Twenty Two

CAGE

The Church boardroom had never been so fucking quiet. No one knew what the fuck to say. My fist under the table was clenched, if I had nails, they’d be bringing out blood. My other hand was tapping my cigarette packet on the table.

“Well we have to do something.” I said, my eyes glued on the cigarette packet, because if I looked at one of the other boys in the eyes— I’d lose my fucking shit.

“Can’t kill him again, ” Jacob said coldly. He hadn’t been the same since he witnessed what I had done.

“Can’t bring the internet down either,” Vod said. “But we can report it to the police.”

The room went to silence again.

“Can’t.” Hawk sighed, running his hand over his head. “They’ll know that Neil’s disappearance will be linked to us.”

My eyes flickered off the cigarette pack to him. “I’d rather have the needle then let fucking sick cunts out there, masturbate over Autumn being raped.” There I said it. I said what everyone was afraid of saying. Rage flared through my body as I glared around the room.

“Because that’s the other option. This sick fuck, recorded it. Put it on the internet and we are just going to do nothing about it? Because ya afraid I might get the injection? FUCK THAT!” I tossed the cigarette packet across the room out of frustration. “Fucking let the cops investigate Neil’s death. I’d rather be on death row right now then have that video on the internet with it heading towards a million views!” Hawk stared at me blankly. A firm expression on his face.

“Not telling the cops.”

My glare got sharper on him. “Maybe we should see how Autumn feels about this video being online? How about you say those words, what you just said to her.” I hissed, and looked around the room. “Y'all ain’t seeing that this will affect her life. If one person recognizes her it will destroy her. But no. You all sit here and worry about losing a member, over her life being ruined.”

I forced the chair back, getting up. “This is all bullshit. Report it to the fucking cops.”

One glance at Hawk and I knew what was going to happen.

“Fuck you all. You all are gutless wonders.” I kicked the chair out of my view, and left the church boardroom heading for the bar. I needed to think of my options. I could hand myself in. Come clean on the murder. Then there would be nothing stopping the club from reporting the video of Autumn to the cops.

“Hey.”

I nearly jumped through the fucking roof. I looked her up and down. Her body was slowly healing, I could see that. But I knew the scars that were bleeding in her, weren’t close to healed— cause they couldn’t be seen.

“Autumn, how are you?” I tried to gather my shit together, and keep up a front like everyone else, that we weren’t dealing with a massive problem.

“Okay.” She frowned, following me to the bar. “Are you okay?” she said to my back.

“Fine.”

“Everyone is acting weird.”

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