Chp. 33

What is he doing?

Josh…What are you doing?

Why are you going there?

Why would you go somewhere like that all alone?

My heart is thudding with anxiety as I quietly follow him.

Why are you so suspicious?

Maybe he has his own reasons?

Maybe he just wants to…

What?

What would he want to do?

Shut up, Lukas. Just shut up!

I clasp my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath. I need to clear my mind. I need to calm myself and make a reasonable explanation for this.

I slowly open them, the evening view much less of a blur now. Peaceful.

I take a few steps forward in the night, looking around. Not a single person in sight. Is it really that late? Though I can see a few cars shining their lights down at the square. But no one decided to take a walk home today huh?

I squint my eyes to see Josh entering the park. I want to do the same but before I could, he pauses and looks behind, checking if anyone's looking at him. Fortunately, I hide behind a lamppost just in time, so there's no way he saw me.

Can he get more skeptical?

No, Lukas. You're just thinking to much. He told you a while back that he goes the park often. You should leave.

"I'll just check," I tell myself, "It won't hurt to check, right?"

I get moving, walking as quietly as possible.

Something tells me I shouldn't just walk up to him. I'll hide behind the trees. So, instead of entering from the gate, I climb the metal fence and sink in with the murky shadows.

Should I tell Sophie? Should I text her or something?

But I'm not even sure yet.

I shake my head. Get a hold of yourself!

Stop being so superstitious.

Josh is your friend.

A very good friend.

And even though he wasn't there to support me when Jessie died, I still consider him someone to trust. Someone who…who can't betray me.

…

I wish I thought I bit about this. I wish I didn't come here even.

Because as soon as I assure myself, I watch Josh slip his hand in his pants' pocket, and taking out something that hits me like a rock.

That hits the mirror of my trust for him, shattering it.

My heart stops beating, and I'm confused how I'm even living. I wonder why I haven't died on the spot.

The thing he has in his hand, stroking it, makes me want to scream.

He's holding the thing I lost.

The thing he stole!

**************

* "Here," She told me, handing me a roughly wrapped present.

I stared at it. Not taking it. I frowned at Jessie.

"What?" She mirrored my expression.

"Is this a prank?" I asked, "Don't tell me it's one of your birthday pranks. I don't want a bag of dead crickets like before."

She grinned, "Don't worry. This time, I didn't have the time to do that."

Gingerly, I took the gift from her, feeling it in my hands, "Soft for any bugs." I mumbled.

"Yeah, well, why don't you open it?" She said, impatiently.

"Alright." I replied, hesitant.

I tear the newspaper, closing my eyes.

"Please don't tell me it's something that will make me barf." I squirmed in the dark.

"Not really." Jessie sighed.

Slowly, I blinked my eyes open, looking at what rested in my hands.

"It's…your hat-thing." I sounded disappointed.

"Surprise!" Jessie shouted, "Happy fourteenth Birthday, Luke!"

I looked at her, half-angry, "But it's just your stupid hat!"

She rolled her eyes, "It's called a beanie, you idiot."

"Whatever!" I spluttered, "I can't believe you didn't buy me a proper present! After all those gifts I got you with my savings on your birthday!"

She bit her lip, "Sorry, man. I didn't have the time. But look, now you have something cool to wear, right? You can wear it and everyone will think that!"

I glared, raging, "That's wrong in three ways."

"And I'm so excited to hear them out." She said, sarcastically.

"One," I announce, "No one's dumb enough to think that. Two, I can't wear it because it's got your initials on it. And three, How the hell do you expect me to where a beanie in the burning summer?!"

"You'll just have to get used to it then." She replied tartly, getting up to leave the room.

"Just you wait, Jessie!" I called out, "I'll get you a worse birthday present than this!" *

*** **********

Jessie's beanie.

My sister's damn possession that he knew was dear to me.

Million questions arise in my mind:

How did he find it?

When did he steal it?

Was…was he the one who came to my house the other day?

The person who made me unconscious?

Was he the one stalking Sophie and I?

But the question I kept refusing to ask finally arises.

"How could you do this?" I whisper, broken.

If I had any left, tears would be flowing rom my eyes. But the pain didn't give me a chance.

I stare within the trees, wanting to grab hold of Josh. Wanting to hit him over and over.

But the energy has drained from my body.

He stands there for a while. Enough time to make me think.

Is he the one who killed or does he know the one who killed?

Whatever it is, I'm not going to forgive him. I'm going to the police.

But I need more solid proof.

I grab my phone and start recording.

But he isn't doing anything.

Just standing. Making me hate how he's still holding the beanie tightly in his hand.

He's waiting for someone.

"Josh."

The voice. I know this voice.

"Josh, it's time." The voice says.

Josh looks towards the dark direction, and through it, emerges a figure.

I know this voice. Who is this?

"Y-yes." Josh speaks, but he sounds scared.

"And are the others ready?" the black shadow asks.

"I-I think so, yes."

The man steps into a brighter area, the moon reflecting in his eyes.

I see his face.

I see another person I trusted, betray me.

"Good." Mr. Walker smiles, menacingly. "That's very good."

And it feels like someone is pressing the daggers deeper in my body.

"W-when will we all start?" Josh asks.

We 'all'?

So there're more. How many, exactly?

"Tonight." Mr. Walker replies, looking at the sky. "When no one is awake."

"Not even them?" Josh questions.

" Of course."

Start what? I wish I could understand what they mean.

The phone keeps shaking in my shivering hands.

I'm nervous, hurt, scared. I feel mixed emotions. And I hate this.

I want to leave. But the urge of revenge makes me stay put.

"I'll tell the others to start immediately." Josh breathes out, "Do you want them to go to Lukas's house first?"

What do they mean?

Why would they come to me?

I…

"No need." Walker smirks. "Just get the rest."

Josh frowns, "But you said getting Lukas was our main priority."

What the hell…

What the bloody hell…

At that moment, multiple things happen.

Mr. Walker meets my eyes, as if he knew that I was crouching there the whole time. The phone drops from my hands. And hands of unknown grab me by the arms, lifting me in the air.

I don't know how to react. Shouting and kicking my legs desperately trying to wriggle from their robust grasp. I don't even know who's holding me.

"Let go! Let me the hell go!" I keep yelling, until a hand clasps my mouth.

No, no. no. Shit, I'm caught!

What's gonna happen to me?

Will they kill me?

What are they going to do to me?

I don't deserve this.

The two people – whose faces I still haven't seen – drop me on the ground, my hands behind my back, as if I'm the guilty one.

Josh looks at me, I could sense him being shocked and ashamed at the same time.

Mr. Walker, however seems to be enjoying all this.

He leans close to my face, smiling, "Hello, Lukas."

Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!

My head keeps shouting.

But the hand on my mouth, only allows me to et out muffled cries for help.

"How did you like my surprise?" Mr. Walker says, "A shocker, right?"

I stare at him with detest, trying my best not to show the fear in my heart.

"Still going to play the brave boy, huh?" He says, ruffling at my hair, forcing me to jerk my head away from him.

"Ae you upset, Luke?" He looks at me, pretending to look sad, "I can see that you're upset."

I ignore him, my eyes shifting at Josh, who immediately looks away.

Pathetic.

He's bloody pathetic.

"Ohh, so you're surprised that Josh is here." Walker smirks, "That must hurt considering that he was your friend."

And suddenly, I can take it anymore.

I bite the hand with all my might.

The owner of it, jolts back, screaming with agony.

My ears prick up. God damn it, I know who this person is.

Walker, unmoved, "You're not supposed to assault a police officer like that."

Rickson.

Why am I not surprised?

It explains how he disagreed with what happened that night. I should have felt relieved that I'm not crazy but now's not the time.

"How could you do this?" I hiss, "You killed those girls. You killed them, didn't you?"

Walker doesn't reply, frowning a warning at Rickson behind me, who's breathing noisily, trying to stop the blood from coming out.

"You won't get away with this." I glare at Josh, "I won't let you!"

Walker still doesn't seem shaken, chuckling, "Some nerve you have!"

"You brat!" Rickson shouts, gripping at my hair, "I swear I'll-"

"Calm down officer." Walker warns, "All in a good time, now."

I swear at them. As loudly and rudely as I could, trying to loosening the grasp of the stranger behind me.

Walker looks disappointed, "It's a wonder how you're not scared."

I don't know that either. Maybe, it's because I trusted them so much, that the idea of them being this, is something my brain can't dissolve.

"You know," He whispers in my ear, "Jessie was very scared. But you won't believe me, would you? I guess I'm the one who really knows how she used to feel in the inside."

"I... hate you. I hate you!" I scream.

As soon as I say that, I'm hit hard at the back of my head, So hard that I have to gasp to gulp in air. Then comes the pain of it. It doesn't hurt. Just makes me feel like I'm sinking. Drowning deep, with no way out.

I feel dizzy, my vision blurring before me, until I keep blackening out.

My head falls on the grass, but I try to crawl away. In my head.

Blood. I feel blood leaking from my head. Shit…No…

"Don't worry, Luke." Walker says, "Your friends will be joining you soon…"

Jessie…

I'm sorry…