by Leon Logos
Finding no reason to remain idle inside, she exited the cafeteria to step outside. It was fairly chilly at around 60° Fahrenheit. The first thing that caught her attention, however, was in the courtyard. She stopped in her tracks, narrowing her eyes with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. All five of the brothers occupied a table; they weren’t eating but appeared to be busy searching something. She walked towards them slowly, ascertaining what they were all doing together. The brothers were irrefutably close, but they were rarely in the same spot at school.
Serenity halted when she was only about a yard from them. They were searching a duffel bag, pulling out, and examining every item... This bag did not belong to them. Kyler, in particular, was scrupulously observing a pair of sneakers.
“Nice, I’ve wanted one of these!” Cackle exclaimed, picking up a black Juul and pocketing it.
“The hell…?” Agno muttered under his breath, inspecting what appeared to be a Ziploc bag of Goldfish crackers.
“Take what you want, but I see nothing,” Desmos scowled.
Serenity took a step forward, observing something that caught her eye. It was a golden pendant that sparkled alluringly in the sunlight.
She reached for it subconsciously but was stopped by Cackle, who smacked her hand away. He glared at her acidly.
“Hands off! You realize how much that can sell for?”
“What are you guys doing?” Serenity asked, baffled.
They all looked at her briefly and then turned away, disregarding her arrival. It was if she was a mere passerby. She looked around to clarify if anybody was watching this, particularly campus security. Desmos leapt down from the top of the table acrobatically.
“It’s none of your concern,” he said dismissively.
Am I not a part of this family? she thought, miffed. Yet another example of the brothers’ unwillingness in confiding in her.
“Oh, and by the way, you’re sitting with us from now on,” Desmos said casually, putting on his hood.
“What?” she said mystified. “Why?”
Normally, the brothers rebuffed her company and didn’t care where she was. They wanted nothing to do with her. Furthermore, Desmos’s order irked her because she did not want to comply; being forced to be with them, especially in school, was horrible to imagine. Plus, Amara was her seating partner, and she wanted it to stay that way.
“Because I say so,” Desmos said bossily, his face flinty.
She said no more. Learned from experience, any essay at changing Desmos’s mind was invariably futile. He was an adamant and unyielding person, not easy to convince. However, she at least wanted to know the reasoning. But Desmos did not want to elaborate. The others got to their feet and departed their separate ways, leaving the looted duffel bag on the table. Kyler exchanged looks with her before heading towards the main building. She stopped Desmos before he left.
“I thought you guys didn’t like me around, why the change?”
“There’s no change, I’ll tell you that much,” Desmos said coldly.
With that said, he left without another word. She watched him go, fuming on the inside with clenched fists.
Her ill-temper remained even through the last period of the day, which was P.E. She sat on the bench as the class was playing basketball. The captain of her team kept giving her angry looks for refusing to play. She had given him quite an attitude when he requested her to play for the third time. It was very unlike her character to do so, but her annoyance had consumed her.
Before dismissal, she changed into her regular clothing in the locker room like everybody else. And she did so quickly, as she didn’t want anybody to notice the numerous conspicuous scars throughout her body. The brunette girl that had approached her here on her first day, Lindsey, was ostentatiously causing a racket, showing off her extravagant and expensive clothing and boasting the price. Serenity disliked pompous people, and this brunette epitomized this aversion.
Serenity said nothing during the car ride back home. The stores, farmland, trees, and houses flickered past in a blur. Friday was supposed to be a day of joy as it marked the beginning of the weekend, but for her, Saturday was just another miserable, full day of training. Weekdays during school-season served as her rest days, as the weekends were training days. It was inconceivable what the feeling was like, being a normal high school student eagerly anticipating the weekend…
As she exited the van last, somebody tapped her shoulder. She turned around to face Kyler, who beckoned her to follow him. He had his Remington rifle strapped to his back.
“What?” she asked.
“Something I want to show you,” he said mysteriously.
CHAPTER SIX
At first glance, it seemed like Kyler was just walking aimlessly. He spontaneously changed direction and then would stop, look around for a moment, and then took the initial path again. Serenity had only walked through these woods once before. It was on the first week they had moved in; she dedicated the day to exploration. These woods distinctly smelled of damp earth combined with maple syrup; it was inexplicably unique. Each step they took, the leaves crackled under their feet, which wasn’t auspicious for stealth scenarios. Though nobody lived in the area for miles.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Serenity asked, after ten minutes of silence and walking.
“It’s just up ahead,” Kyler replied.
“What is?”
He did not respond. They crested a steep hill and then slid down a slippery slope when Kyler finally halted under a large oak tree. She warily scanned the area but could find nothing out of the ordinary—except a shovel stuck firmly into the ground; the whole blade of the shovel was obscured under the dirt. Kyler gripped the handle tightly and pulled out the shovel with minimal effort. Dirt cascaded down the blade of the shovel as it was wrenched out, like tiny beads of water dropping from the sky.
“You brought me out here to show me that?” Serenity said cluelessly.
“You were upset because of all the things you didn’t know,” Kyler recalled. “For starters, you’re going to see one thing we kept from you.”
“A dirty shovel?” she mumbled uninterested.
Kyler walked over to a certain spot next to a large rock and began digging fiercely. She got closer to him curiously, watching as Kyler began digging up a hole at an impressive rate. Up in the trees, there were birds perched on the branches, chirping melodic tunes and inquisitively gazing down upon Kyler. Serenity made sure none of the dirt he was shoveling out landed on her and kept her eyes locked on the hole. After about two more minutes of digging, Kyler finally dropped the shovel and reached into the rugged hole he created. Right arm outstretched, he fumbled around until he grasped onto something and took it out. It was a small chest, about the size of a volleyball.
“Treasure?” she quipped.
Kyler wordlessly handed it to her. Serenity took the chest, gazing down at it. She wasn’t very keen on opening it, expecting to find something comparable to a severed hand. She figured it could be another dirty prank, orchestrated by Cackle, and carried out by Kyler. She looked around the area cautiously; sure enough, she detected a flicker of movement uphill, accompanied by a rustling in the underbrush. However, it was clear Kyler noticed it too, and it wasn’t Cackle or any of the others. In an instant, Kyler aimed his rifle and fired.
The bang of the rifle was deafening and frightening, considering her close proximity to the weapon. The birds fled in terror, and the gunshot echoed throughout the woods.
Alarmed, Serenity jumped in fear, letting out a shriek and dropping the chest. Kyler immediately began sprinting uphill towards the person, as if he was in pursuit of a target. She watched him go, frozen.
“What are you doing?!” she yelled.
Kyler only ran a dozen meters when he came to a stop. He squinted into the distance from on top of the slope, his rifle aimed and ready to fire. She saw him swear under his breath and then tramp back down to her. Serenity continued to stare at
him speechlessly.
“Must’ve been a deer or something,” Kyler shrugged mundanely.
“You’re full of shit,” Serenity snapped. “Were you expecting someone? ‘Cause you scared the crap out of me!”
“Open the chest,” Kyler said sharply, changing the subject.
His tone was so likewise to Desmos that she complied. She grabbed the chest from the ground and held it securely. Before opening it, she looked at Kyler for reassurance. He simply nodded patiently. Without further delay, Serenity lifted the lid off the chest and peered inside. It looked like bones. As she took a closer look, she realized it was a skeleton. A pang of dread and hollowness infused her body; it was the skeleton of a cat. A kitten. Serenity looked up at Kyler, disillusioned.
“Is this my cat?” she murmured.
“Impressive observation,” Kyler nodded.
The first week that they had moved here, she had discovered a stray kitten in the property. Serenity adored animals; she had secretly taken the cat in and cared for it. She had kept this kitten hidden from Gunther, but the brothers had discovered it. Serenity had pleaded to Desmos to keep it a secret since Gunther detested animals and would surely dispose of it. Fortunately, Desmos agreed only because he found the matter to be of utmost triviality. However, only three days after she had discovered the kitten and formed a bond, it went missing, and she never saw it again. She suspected from the start that one of the brothers had done something.
“Y-you didn’t!” Serenity said, in disbelief. “Why?!”
“You’re right, I didn’t,” said Kyler. “Wasn’t me.”
“Then who…?”
“Figure it out, it’s not hard,” said Kyler, arms folded. He was absolutely right. One person came to mind instantly.
“Was it….Cack—”
“Bro, you didn’t tell us you were going hunting,” a particular voice said.
“That Remington of yours goes bang.”
Cackle came out of the underbrush and approached them. He had his crossbow with him, and his eyes were thirsty for blood. Nobody else was with him; therefore, Cackle must’ve followed them from the beginning.
“Plan failed,” Kyler said tersely. “Unsure if he showed up.”
“What do you mean—oh, yeah! Well, that’s a bummer. Have you spotted any game to hunt, at least?” Cackle said excitedly.
He noticed her glaring intensely at him. Cackle returned the glower but became stunned once the chest caught his attention. He gaped at the chest and then at Kyler, with a double-take. This reaction proved his guilt. The tension in the air amplified as there was a momentary period of silence.
“You stupid prick,” Cackle sighed at Kyler. “Why did you have to show her? How did you even know the spot in the first place!”
Serenity charged Cackle and grabbed him by his collar.
Cackle was too dumbstruck by her reaction to retaliate. He stared at her, astonished.
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?! IT WAS A KITTEN, YOU SICK FREAK!” she screamed. “WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO—”
Cackle came back to his senses. He grabbed her by her neck and slammed her to the ground, pinning her down as she yelped. Her back absorbed the impact painfully. She struggled but couldn’t move; his grip was too strong, and she was essentially trapped. Cackle’s hand would not budge, like a hefty stone, stubbornly solid.
“She has a right to be pissed, that’s unnecessary,” said Kyler casually.
“For once, I agree with you,” Cackle smirked.
Cackle released her, and then pulled her to her feet. She swung her right fist, but it was deflected easily. The same thing happened with the left, as she tried her genuine hardest to at least land a blow.
Cackle grabbed both of her shoulders violently and squeezed tightly, restricting her movement and rendering her immobile.
“Stop it!” he growled. “Unless you want me to knock you out.”
“Give me an explanation!” she cried. “What was the reason?!”
“You were too damn attached to that cat,” Cackle snarled. “I just thought it would be funny if I did you a favor and got rid of it. And besides, don’t act like such a crybaby. That was like four months ago, and you got over that little thing so damn quickly!”
“It’s still not right!” she rebuked. “You make it your life’s purpose to make mine so miserable!”
“Serenity—” Kyler began.
“What made you think I wanted to see this?!” Serenity groaned, turning to the other brother. “Surprisingly, some of the things you guys keep hidden from me should stay secret. This killed my mood as if it wasn’t bad enough! Thank you for this, Kyler.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied; she was uncertain whether Kyler detected the caustic sarcasm or not.
Serenity took deep breaths, trying to pacify herself. Cackle had released her again. It suddenly felt very hot as her body temperature rose; she wiped her brow of sweat and brushed the leaves and dirt off her back. Cackle grabbed the chest from her hands and threw it back into the hole. He then began quickly burying it up. Serenity did not protest or object; it strangely felt like a burial for the kitten, and she never wanted to see it again. Something occurred to her as she recalled the last two minutes.
“Wait a minute…what did you mean ‘plan failed’?”
“Ooops,” Cackle chortled, half-way finished through his task.
Serenity read Kyler’s face; it was clear that he had made a slight blunder. Still, he looked unfazed at letting something slip.
“Long story short, since you caught on, I had a hunch somebody was tailing us,” Kyler explained. “I brought us here to lure him in. Though, I’m not sure if that was him earlier.”
“Why get me involved, then? I’d get in your way, wouldn’t I?”
“I genuinely wanted to show you your deceased friend,” Kyler shrugged. “I randomly thought you’d like to know; I guess not.”
A million questions buzzed around her head. Who was tailing them? How long had he known? Since when? She didn’t believe Kyler one bit. There was something he was hiding. However, Kyler was so discreet all the time it was difficult to discern whether he was telling lies. In addition, Kyler wasn’t generally dishonest. Then, it hit her. And hit her hard.
“Wait…w-were you using me as bait?”
Cackle burst out in laughter. Kyler shook his head in exasperation.
“She got you, bro! She’s on a roll today!” Cackle howled.
“Don’t get offended. It was only for strategic purposes,” Kyler said indifferently.
As much as she was taken aback, this came as no shock. Ever since she could remember, she was always considered expendable by the family. This situation was a testament to that, a microcosm of her insignificance. How she survived this long with that mentality present in the brothers was beyond her cognizance. Besides, there was another thing that needed to be clarified.
“Who was this person? And why was I the bait?” she asked.
Before Kyler could respond, they were interrupted. Another gunshot pierced the air, and this one was familiar; the source was Desmos. He was signaling them to return home. Cackle had just finished with the hole when he plunged the shovel back into the dirt.
“Time to go,” Kyler nodded.
One thing was clear: Desmos and Kyler weren’t the only ones aware of this “plan.” Kyler had her follow him under the pretext of appeasing her through shedding light on a secret. Ironically, another secret had arisen already: the consensus to use her as bait to facilitate in a “plan” without her permission or approval. The underlying details were hidden, as well.
That evening, there was nothing to do around the house. She didn’t have the energy or motivation to be productive. Gunther had gone off somewhere already, and it had started raining outside heavily, so she couldn’t even take a stroll outside. Though, not even the torrential rainfall could stop the brothers from driving to the gym to lift weights.
They possessed weights and workout equipment in the house,
but Garen sought to challenge the local bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts in town, and the others tagged along. Fortunately, she wasn’t required to accompany them and capitalized on her time alone in the house. Though there wasn’t much to do. She didn’t have many pastimes.
The kitchen was in dire need of restocking, but there were sufficient ingredients for cooking something up for her dinner. The others would surely be eating somewhere outside, therefore preparing them dinner wasn’t necessary. After almost two hours, she was enjoying a plate of roast chicken, black beans, and rice. As she ate alone in the dining room, the sound of the rain pounding against the windows was audible. The sound of rain served as a better ambiance than the eerie silence that usually permeated the house.
After dinner, she retreated to her room after washing her plate and cleaning up the kitchen. The rain reduced in intensity and relented to a mere drizzle. She wanted to go to sleep but simply did not feel tired. As she checked the time at 11:20 PM, she began to wonder what was taking the brothers so long. Usually, they did not stay out too late because Desmos was always insistent on returning home early to get a good night’s rest due to training the following morning. Around the time, these thoughts preoccupied her mind, the front door opened. Her door was slightly ajar; from her bed, she peeked into the hallway as the brothers climbed up the stairs loudly. The first thing she noticed was Cackle being carried by Garen, with one arm; he was unconscious. Kyler and Agno followed, looking normal. Desmos did not show up, presumably doing something downstairs.
The next day, she was arisen by a banging on her locked door. It was 6:00 AM, which was the time to get up. She sat upright, rubbing her eyes lethargically. Training at dawn was brutal… Exhausted and drowsy, she was in no mood to get up. However, refusing to do so would only warrant an even worse consequence. The only time she could skip training was if she had a rational reason to do so; for instance, if she was ill. Faking illness wasn’t very wise, as Gunther or Desmos would verify first if the sickness were legitimate.