“Cade…”she sobs. “Please.”
I mouth it over and over again as I fight my way to my feet.I love you, Bunny. They’re my final words as I put the gun in between my teeth. I tell myself I’m ready, but my finger shakes, unable to stay on the trigger long enough to pull. My chest cracks with every breath, but I pray it doesn’t hurt.
Look, mama. I still pray.
I no longer hear Bunny or Marone. It’s only me and all the things I never got to say—only flashes of dreams I’ll never get to have.
I was supposed to grow old and die with my love.
I was supposed to have Bunny, until the e?—
*Oh, Gemini- ROLE MODEL*
2024
EMMA BROOKES
“And welcome! Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Emma Brookes, the author ofUSA TODAY’s best-selling book,The Story of Us—the true tale behind the US’s infamous killers, Bunny and Cade.It delves into the chilling and horrific details of two teen murderers who shook the world. Emma, thank you so much for joining us today.”
I told myself I could do interviews—that speaking would be no issue. Yet, here I am, staring into one of three cameras, completely blanking on all the things I prepared to say. Off in the distance, beside the crew, my publicist, Grace, gapes in shock, her hands twisting in circular motions.“Say something!”forming on red lips.
The interviewer, Mara Fields, brings my attention back to her, eyes holding the same severity.
With more cheerfulness than intended, I shout, “Thank you for having me! I’m really excited to be here and talk about the book!”
“Okay!” Mara exclaims, laughing my nervous energy away like a pro. “Let's dive right in.The Story of Ushas already generated a lot of buzz. For those who haven’t read it yet, can you give us a quick glimpse into what this book is about?”
“Sure thing,” I breathe, slowly finding my rhythm. “The book explores the lives and crimes of two serial killers, Bernice ‘Bunny’ Walters and Cade Harris, whose story was not only ridiculed and glorified, but I believe also grossly misrepresented in the media. I wanted to take a different approach, not just focusing on their crimes but on understanding and sharing what shaped them.”
“Interesting, and what inspired you to take this approach?”
My mind flashes back to that cold, gray room and the vibrant woman who sat across from me. “My interview with Bunny.” I address the camera now, the one closest to my face, hoping to speak to the audience not just in front of me, but the ones behind the screens. “As many of you might be aware of now, I was able to interview Bunny Walters before her execution?—”
“Unsanctioned,” Mara interrupts, smile fixed in place. I can’t help the twitch in my eye as it starts to become a little clearer that she doesn’t agree with my stance.
Hm. I wonder whose pocket she’s trapped in.
“Yes, unsanctioned… Still, I was able to get a different side to the story we’ve all been told, and this new insight compelled me to share their story since they never would.”
Mara, along with the audience, nods in intrigue, a resounding “Ah,” echoing in the studio. A theatrical frown creases between her eyebrows as she states, “It sounds like you’re trying to get us to understand these killers, Emma. Perhaps, humanize them and their crimes, even.”
I am prepared for this.
I am prepared for this.
Still, my defenses rise, but I have to keep my composure, no matter how difficult it’s becoming. “Mmm, no. That’s not the way I’d put it, Mara. The purpose of writing this book isn’t to convince or pressure you to see them as anything other than monsters. Bunny made it very clear to me that that’s what they were. The purpose of this book is to get you to ask the question of whether they earned the right tobemonsters. If, after everything you learn, can you understand and even empathize with two teenagers who felt forced to kill to survive?”
Mara and the crowd seem to consider what I’m saying, a little more interested than before. In the back, Grace gives me two thumbs up.
“Was understanding your intention when that audio was leaked?”
Mara may be a professional, but malice is hard to hide when it’s staring you in the face. Her green eyes burn bright with annoyance and envy, though her smile couldn’t be nicer. Law enforcement has been trying to find who released that audio for years now, but they’re no closer today than they were then. I can thank my baby, Cyrus, for that.
So, fuck you, Mara Fields.
“I actually don’t know how that audio got out, but considering it contained very delicate and gruesome details pertaining to some very high-profile people, one could assume it was leaked by someone who had something to gain from it.”
Head tilting, Mara is listening to something in her ear. It lasts no more than three seconds before the topic changes from my book to the ongoing trial of Ignacio Marone.
