"No. But I don’t appreciate being lied to.”
I stood up and stormed into the kitchen. Out of reflex, I picked up the tea kettle off the stove and filled it. I set it back to heat, and while I waited, I stared blankly out the window. My backyard was just as it always had been. Since before any of this crazy stuff started happening. It was odd to think that just three weeks ago, things had been so different. I was just a content creator, my bat flowers had just bloomed, and twelve people were still alive. In another month, would I still be? Footsteps came from behind me and I turned to offer Kansas an exhausted smile.
“I’m sorry. This all really fucking sucks. I thought eventually it would stop, you know?”
“What would?” He came toward me, pulling me into his chest and wrapping his thick arms around me.
“The terror. I spent half of my childhood locked away, not sure if I’d die one day over the next. Then, we got out, muddled through, tried to be normal, and now, ten years later, it feels like I’m one step away from being trapped again.”
“The problem is you stayed in Shelley Vale. You were expecting gold to come from shit. When everything is said and done, we should leave. Sell this place and never look back.”I blinked. Constantine had said the same thing. Could I leave this place? I wasn’t sure I had much of a choice anymore.
“Maybe. Although I doubt anyone is looking to buy in Shelley Vale these days.”
“Then just leave. Who cares?” His breath was warm on my neck and it sent shivers down my back. His hands began to roam under my hoodie, but then the whistle on my kettle went off and I pulled away.
I hurried to take it off the heat and turned toward my cabinets to grab a teacups and balls to steep leaves in. I picked a jar of my harvest blend that hadn’t been destroyed and scooped it into the metal balls and placed them in the ceramic pot.
“It’ll cool some in here and we can take it to the living room,” I explained as I started to travel the kitchen.I stumbled and the pretty plum-colored round teapot went flying out of my hands, crashing to the ground. I gasped at the sharp explosion of sound as it instantly became a hundred pieces.
“No!” I cried out. I loved that teapot. I had so little of them left! Tears exploded, like my teapot had, and ran down my face in large hot drops.Kansas hurried over and crouched down.
“Are you okay?”
I sat up and cried again. This was the icing on a horrible cake.
“I’m fine. I just want today to be over with.” I brought my knees up and shoved my head down to cry without him staring.
“It’s going to be fine. Look, I’ll get it cleaned up.” The tinkle of him lifting some of the pieces brought me strength enough to lift my head and suck it up to help. I began picking up larger pieces with him and then one slipped out of his hand and he winced.
“Ah,” he gasped and let the piece drop. My eyes went to his hand, where a deep gash was exploding blood from his palm.In a flash, I was up trying to find a towel.He’d have to get stitches.I spun back around with a towel in my hand and froze. Right in front of my eyes, Kansas’s wound sealed itself back up. Slowly, his head lifted and we made eye contact. His eyes went wide, his mouth fell open, and I stepped away from him.
What the fuck?
Rule 67 - Constantine
Don’t get caught.
Istared at my phone, eyeing all the missed calls. She should have known better than to tell me what those rich fucks called her.A quick text from Kansas told me he was keeping her company, which worked well, as I’d be busy for a while.
I knew where the fucker lived and drove right over. I was on his block when I saw him sitting on his porch, smoking a joint with Rem. They were laughing and relaxing as if they didn’t just break Eisley’s spirit an hour ago.
The freezing spell worked after all, but that only meant her friends were showing their true colors. For their entire friendship, they’d been lying to her. Now, she knew how they felt.
And they’d fucking pay for it.
I drove right past Micah’s place and waited. I parked a block away where I could clearly see his house.
As I sat and watched the stoner’s house, I grew more and more angry. He was the selfish prick who had me taken in because of his mushrooms. He had no intention of admitting they were his to get me out, and when he finally did, they slapped him on the wrist and sent him home.
Every one of Eisley’s friends had a similar situation happen at least once in their past. They were all born into families with money and connections. They could do whatever they wanted in Shelley Vale and no one would bat an eye.
But no more.
Toward evening, Micah stepped off his porch and got in his car alone. I waited for him to drive the other way to start my car and slowly follow him. We drove about twenty minutes, toward the outskirts of town, and ended up at a two-story brick building. The parking lot was full, so I parked as he got out, slipped on a white button shirt over his tee, and plopped a… security hat? On his head and walked inside.
He worked here. Then I saw the name on the building. It was his dad’s place. I snickered and drove around the back. Some people were smoking and sitting on boxes but didn’t even turn to look my way.
The sun went down shortly after and I watched from the back of the parking lot as patrons left and within a half hour, the daytime employees did as well. The lights all went out, and the cars disappeared, and I joined them, parking a half mile away.
