Page 13 of Fiend
I look over at Leo. His entire shirt is soaked since he’s level with the bucket, but he doesn’t seem to care. He’s glaring at Trey, a dark gleam in his eyes.
I yank up on his hair again, waiting about twenty seconds before I slam my blade into the soft flesh just below his clavicle. He lets out a piercing scream. With a swift pull of the knife, I yank it out of his flesh and shove it into his mouth. Not all of the way, but enough for the blade to rest along his tongue, immediately getting his attention.
His eyes dart to mine, watery and dull, and I smile. “Remember my question? The one I asked if you remembered anything stupid you’ve done recently?”
“Nngh, nngh.”
I sigh and pull the blade out from between his lips. “What was that?”
“No, no! I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he sobs hysterically, snot and tears rolling down his face through the caked-on grime. I roll my eyes.
“Hmm,” I let out a breath and tap the tip of the blade against his forehead. “That’s a shame. Let’s see if we can refresh your memory.” I trail the blade down his nose, piercing the apex of it with the tip as I drag it down.
“You don’t remember taking a car to a repair shop? The very car you picked up todayfromsaid shop and drove back here? Let me ask you,” I grab the shell of his ear and shove the knife through it. The skin splays open as I work the knife through the outer layer of skin, peeling it from his body. As soon as the flesh is detached, I grab the back of his neck once more and shove his face in the water, his scream quickly changing to a gurgling noise as he sucks water into his lungs.
Leo grunts as Trey’s face smacks against the side, almost knocking it over. “Fucking Christ.”
“Having fun yet?” I ask with a smile in my voice.
“Loads, actually. I forgot how much of a sick bitch you are.”
“I’m fun, aren’t I?”
“He’s going to drown if you keep him in there.”
I glance down and notice Trey is barely moving. “Ah, shit.” I yank his head up and smack him a few times to bring him back to the now. “Not yet, bud. I’ve still got some time with you.
“Please,” he mumbles pathetically. “Please let me go. I didn’t—I didn’t do anything.”
“Yeah, that’s what they all say. So, you’re telling me you didn’t crash into a car over two years ago just outside of Le Grande? You’re telling me you didn’t fuckingdrive awayfrom the goddamn scene and leavemy baby doll to fucking die?! You’re fucking telling me you didn’t fucking do that?!”I’m screaming, spit flying from my lips and mixing with the blood, tears, and snot on his face.
He gapes at me like a fucking fish, absorbing my words. But I can see when it finally fucking hits him. When he realizes why I’m here. What he fuckingdid.
His already bloodless face turns a ghastly shade of white. He stammers, but I shut him up by giving him another dunk in the now red-tinged water.
“Well, at least now we know it was definitely him.”
“Hmm,” I scoff. “Still would have killed him even if it wasn’t.”
“I know.”
I let go of his head and let him resurface on his own. With a nod at Leo, he pulls the bucket from Trey’s mangled lap and places it on the floor at his feet. “Can you go get the gas cans?” I ask. Leo doesn’t answer, but I hear the rickety front door close with a scrape of metal on metal, giving me my answer.
I glare down at the babbling, pathetic mess that is Trey fucking Conley. The piece of shit that left my baby doll and her sister to die. That’s the fucking reason my goddamn baby is dead—
I suck in a breath through my teeth, the sting of it still as raw as the day I found out.
This is for my baby doll. But this is for me, too.
I need it.
It’s fucking time.
My grip on the handle of the knife tightens significantly as the anger for all of this shit rushes through me. For my lies. My treachery. The fucking damage I did because of it all.
I harshly swallow the bile rushing up my throat, and without a second thought, I step forward and bring the tip of the blade to his eye. With my free hand, I grip his scraggly hair, holding him as still as I can with his head whipping back and forth.
He whimpers, begging me for his life. “Please don’t do this. I’m sorry! I’m sorry, please, ple—” I smile when I sense the dark wave of death looming just above as I shove the knife into this eye socket—the exact same way I killed Essa’s parents.
