“All right, fine,” Amy said, taking a deep breath. “As you know, it all started when I snuck out of the house. And then, no offense, but it got worse when you showed up out of nowhere. They were furious, more than I’ve ever seen. They said I was grounded but that didn’t seem to lessen their anger. Then, in one of their frequent fights with each other, my dad got riled up and I was stupid enough to be around at the time. I had…just come out to get a drink of water. He hit me, hard, yelling at me about why I wasn’t in my room. Then Mom started yelling at him, because if I got a bruise I wouldn’t be able to go out in public for a while. That was the last I heard because I ran back to my room crying. My mom came in a few hours later to check my face and when she saw it was bruised she ran back out and started fighting with my dad again.”
“That’s awful. I’m so sorry. Did anything else happen?” Cole said.
“No, but…” Amy was getting choked up and she had to stop for a minute before she could continue. “That’s it. She didn’t even try to help or ask me if it hurt. And they said that if I told anyone I’d get it even worse and I’d never see you or this town ever again. They don’t give a crap about me. You have to help me. I can’t live here anymore. Please.” She threw her arms around him and burst into tears on his shoulder.
Cole looked down at the back of Amy’s head in surprise and then slowly put his arms around her. “They won’t be able to hurt you anymore. I’ll get you out of here. I promise.”
“Thank you,” Amy sobbed. “Thank you so much. You’re the greatest friend I ever had.” She pulled back and wiped her eyes. “What are you going to do?”
“I’ll just tell my mom to report it to the authorities. They’ll come here and take you away from them to where they can’t hurt you.”
“Cole, I’m scared,” Amy said. “What if my parents find out before I’m safe? And where will I go? Will I never see you again? Who will I live with? I don’t know…”
“Amy, look at me. You have to trust me. I won’t let them hurt you anymore. If they do somehow find out, come to my house. I’ll keep you safe. You have to do this. There’s no other way.”
“Okay, yeah, you’re right. Okay.” She hugged him tightly. “I can’t wait until I’m away from them. You can’t imagine what it’s like to live here.”
“It’ll be all right, soon. Listen there’s something else I need to do while I’m here.”
Amy sat up straight, blinking through her tears in confusion. “What do you mean? What do you need to do?”
“I need to sneak out to Travis’ place. He lives near here and I need to go over there.”
“Cole! Don’t do anything rash, anything you’re going to regret.”
“I just need to have a word with him,” Cole said. “Don’t worry.”
“Are you sure you’re not saying that so I won’t come?”
Cole smiled. “Absolutely not. But you’re right about one thing. I don’t want you to come. This is something I need to do by myself.”
Amy bit her lip. “All right, just promise me you won't hurt him. Even if you're positive he did it, that isn't something you can take into your own hands. You can get in a lot of trouble.”
“I won't. Just a word. I promise. So, any ideas how I can come and go unnoticed?”
“Well... you’re pretty lucky. I think my parents are heading out soon.”
“They leave you here alone? I mean I guess that makes sense but they trust me here alone? What if my mom were to call?”
“They really don’t care about anyone,” Amy said. “If anyone calls asking for them, I’m supposed to say they’re in the bathroom or something and they’ll call back. They never both leave long enough to blow their cover.”
“Wow, those heartless bastards. Well, until they leave, I’ve got some stuff to tell you about. You missed something interesting at school. It’s about your so-called friends.”
“Yeah? What’s that? I hope they didn’t give you any trouble.”
“Not quite.” He told her the story of Friday’s lunch period. By the time he finished, Amy was smiling.
“Huh, I didn’t realize those guys liked me so much. What do you think of all this? Do you want to hang out with them?”
“They didn’t really give me a choice but I’m sure it’ll be all right once you’re there.”
“Man, those guys,” Amy said, shaking her head. “You’re much cooler than them but I do feel kinda bad that –”
She was interrupted by a knock at the door.
“We’re going out,” Mr. Brown said gruffly through the door, followed by footsteps heading away.
“Sooner than I thought,” Amy said. “You better hurry back. They’ll be a while but I have no idea exactly how long.”
They crept to the bedroom door and waited for the sound of the front door closing.
“You should be good to go,” Amy said. She opened her door and listened to make sure there were no more noises in the house. “Come with me.”
She led Cole down the hallway and through the kitchen to the back door. “I’ll leave this open. When you get back, make sure you lock it and then come straight back to my room. And please don’t do anything dumb.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back before you know it.” He slipped out the back door, sliding it closed behind him. He checked around the front of the house to ensure Amy’s parents were gone and then took off at a fast jog toward Travis’. It was a difficult route since he had never traveled between these two houses, but with his good sense of direction he found his way without much difficulty. He did not wear a watch but he assumed it had taken a while to get there. He had no set plan, but whatever he did, it had to be quick.
Once on Travis’ block, Cole paused to catch his breath. Travis’ house loomed in front of him, taunting him, destroying the confidence and resolve that had brought him this far.
No. You have to do this. It’s for your own and your family’s safety. I didn’t choose this war but I have to end it. If only I had struck first…
For a few minutes he stood just out of sight of the house, measuring his options, figuring out the best entry point. Before he lost his nerve he set his jaw firm and walked along the side of the house to the backyard. There was a small rusted swing set as the centerpiece of the patch of grass, blowing gently in the breeze. Not a soul was around. He was considering his next course of action when a sound at the back door sent him ducking around the corner of the house. He peeked out for a moment to catch a glimpse of the back of a woman with shoulder length stringy blond hair and a dirty blue work shirt before scurrying back around the house.
He approached the front door, checking around to see if anyone was watching, and tried the knob. It was locked. He went around the other side of the house and, to his relief and apprehension, saw a first floor window open. Shutting off his brain, he grabbed the ledge and climbed inside.
He was standing in a small, dirty little kitchen, pots and pans scattered across the countertop. He gave it a brief glance and hurried through. He had no idea what Travis’ mother was doing but he had to be in and out before she came back inside.
He emerged in the living room, which was empty as well. It reminded him of his own living room, tattered curtains, a decrepit couch in the center and an old TV with rabbit ear antennae. He'd better be here. He has to be here. Cole checked his surroundings so as not to be caught off guard. There was a staircase going up to the second floor and a door presumably leading down into the basement. He chose the staircase and raced up into a short hallway with three doors, all of which were open. He crept quietly down the hall, making as little noise as possible and straining his ears for a sound. He peeked his head around the first door on the right, which was a vacant bathroom. At the end of the hall were two open doors opposite each other. He checked the one on the left. Dark and empty. Dammit. However, at that moment he noticed a small whispering in his head.
“What are you doing here?”
Cole spun at the sound of
the voice. Travis was sitting in a chair at his desk, swiveled around to face the door, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, his hand resting on a golf club.
At the sight of Travis, the fiery rage reared up, driving out rational thought. “You son of a bitch.” Cole’s eyes flashed with anger as he stalked into the room. “You think you can try to kill me and my mom and get away with it?” Blood coursed through his veins as the indecipherable whispers in his head grew angrier, more pronounced. His breath grew short and raspy, as his hands subconsciously closed into fists and his vision narrowed, seeing only Travis.
Travis tightened his grip on the club. “Stay back. I don’t know what you’re talking - ”
The whispering roared into a tidal wave of fury. “HOW DARE YOU?!!” Animalistic rage exploded within Cole and, before Travis could react, he charged, headfirst, crashing into him, overturning the chair and sending them both sprawling onto the floor. Travis curled up into the fetal position as Cole unleashed a fury of fists, lost in his hatred, yet strangely detached from his actions.
“Don’t mess with me!” he screamed. “I’m going to kill you!” Without realizing it, he had picked up Travis’ own club and beaten him senseless with it, until blood began to gush, splashing over his hands and spreading in a pool on the rug. He was so consumed by the rage that he did not notice that Travis had long since slipped from consciousness nor did he hear the pounding footsteps on the stairs. Not until he heard Travis’ name being screamed did he stop his mindless beating and return to reality.
He dropped the club, looking down in horror at his blood-soaked hands and Travis’ bleeding head, and then up in alarm at the footsteps racing down the hall. He was on his feet and at the window in an instant. He had no time to comprehend his actions; all he knew then was he had to escape and he had only seconds to do it. He yanked the window open and looked out in panic on the front yard, ten feet down.
A deafening explosion ripped a hole in the wall next to his head, knocking him back in shock. He turned around to catch a glimpse of a sleek, black revolver being leveled shakily at him before flinging himself out the window just as another gunshot blasted into the wall. He hit the ground hard, going into a roll, and coming up running. He did not even feel the pain until he had rounded the block, but nothing could stop him. His brain had long since shut off, his body running on automatic, and he stopped only once at a sprinkler to rinse off his hands. Propelled by an inhuman surge of adrenaline he full out sprinted the entire route back to Amy’s house.
17
As he reached Amy’s back door, he perceived shadows moving inside. Shit. I couldn’t have been gone that long. Why the hell are they back already? He stood immobile, in indecision, until a voice whispered behind him, “Hey, Cole. Follow me.”
Amy was at the corner of the house, beckoning him over.
“Amy, what are you doing outside?” he whispered as he followed her around the house.
She reached a window and pushed it up. “Just shut up and get inside,” she said as she hoisted herself through the window. She disappeared inside and Cole climbed in after her, landing clumsily on the floor.
“Shh,” Amy said as she closed the window. “They just pulled up a minute ago. I’m pretty sure they don’t know we left.”
“Did you come outside to get me?” Cole said.
Amy smirked. “If you really thought I wouldn’t follow you, you either don’t know me at all or you’re really slow.”
“What? You followed me? Oh God... Why? What did you see?” He dropped his face in his hands as the weight of his actions began to sink in. Did I kill him?
Amy’s smile was gone. “I didn’t trust you, and obviously for good reason. What happened in there? What the hell were you thinking? I just saw you sneak inside and then there was a loud bang and you came flying out a second story window…Was that a gunshot? My God. Is that blood on your shirt? Are you okay?”
Cole looked down at a small dark patch on the bottom of his gray shirt and began to tremble. “I think I'm all right. I’m not hurt so it can’t be mine.”
“I don’t know if that’s better or worse.” Amy laid a hand on his knee. “Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”
“I knew his mom wouldn’t let me in to talk to him so I snuck inside and we started arguing and we got in a fight and I didn’t even know what happened it was all so fast and then there was a gunshot and…”
“Cole, look at me. You’re okay. I just hope you didn’t hurt him too badly. Do you know what made him bleed? And what were you arguing about?”
“We – we just…” In this state it was impossible to think of any convincing lies and his mind was grasping at blanks. The images of Travis’ bloodied head and the bullet whizzing past his own head filled his brain to capacity.
“All right, this has gone too far. I’m not stupid. There’s something you’re not telling me. No more lies or half-truths. Tell me everything.”
For his entire life, this was the moment Cole had feared more than anything. He had always been afraid someone would catch on to his weird habits and realize they were more than tics, that they were conscious decisions. Now he had been caught in a way that was even worse than he could have imagined. This wasn’t something he could explain to a sane person and hope for any kind of understanding. He knew he’d be lucky if he didn’t end up in an institution, but for the life of him, he had no idea how he could keep the truth from Amy any longer.
While he was contemplating the drawbacks of full disclosure, a new thought popped into his mind that he had never considered before. He was tired of living with this secret, of never having anyone to confide in, of always being on his own to deal with the most terrifying parts of his life. The thought of having just that one person to talk to about his greatest fears and worst problems brought with it a new ray of hope. But how could he make anyone believe him?
“Cole? Are you there? Cole.”
“I’m sorry, I just can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?” Amy said. “You can’t tell me? Well I’m sorry but you don’t have a choice.”
Shit. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
She punched his arm. “I already think you’re crazy and that’s what I like about you.”
Shit. Shit. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Take your time,” Amy said.
Cole hid his face in his hands, struggling to find the right words, struggling against every instinct and defense he had built up over the years. “I might as well dive right in. I can... my actions can... dammit. I can control things in ways that should be impossible.”
“What are you trying to say? You’re very persuasive and influential?” Amy laughed. “I learned those words last week.”
Cole’s dead stare killed Amy’s levity.
“Just let me finish,” he said. “Ever since I can remember I have been playing this game in my head. I hear these instructions that I have to do something within certain restrictions and if I win there are positive consequences and if I lose there are negative ones. It used to be vague what the connection was between the game and the consequences but lately I’ve had a few agreements that had oddly specific results involved.”
Cole paused to gauge Amy’s reaction but her expression was blank, willing him on. He continued. “I’ve always felt that, as in most games, there was an opposing side competing against me, trying to win its own games and, in turn, make me lose. This was always more just a feeling, a suspicion, since I had no concrete proof, until I ran into that proof at the amusement park, Travis. I felt the connection with him the moment we were near each other. It was an indescribable feeling, but I could sense the games running through his head, hear the voices telling him what to do, and I knew he felt it too because he stared me down.
“The worst part about all this is that, since we’re competing over potentially life or death scenarios, there has to be a winner. We both know that eliminating the opponent means victory and that victory wil
l mean the end of the game. I can’t take being responsible for tragedies happening to other people anymore and I’m sure he feels the same way. This game has proved to be more a curse than anything and winning is the only option open to us. I think that’s about as concise as I can be.”
Now that he was finished with his speech, he began to sweat in anticipation of Amy’s response. She was silent for many seconds, seemingly lost in thought, contemplating what to say and choosing her words carefully. There’s a reason I never told anyone. What was I thinking? Of course she doesn’t believe me. I wouldn’t if I were her. It sounded even more insane out loud than in my head. What are you thinking about? Say something!
“What do you mean by ‘eliminating the opponent’?” she said at last. “That part scares me.”
“Anything that takes him out of the game permanently. I know you hate violence, and I do too, so if you can think of a non-violent solution, I’m open to anything.”
“Wait a second,” Amy said, her eyes narrowing. “Did you go over there to kill him?”
“I-I, uh-”
“Oh my God, you did!” Her eyes shot open in disbelief. Realizing she had just shouted she clapped her hand over her mouth and looked to the door to make sure no one heard. “What the hell is wrong with you? I don’t care if what you told me is true or not, you can’t kill someone. Oh my God…” She stared across the room, unable to look him in the eye. “Did you?” she whispered.
“Don’t worry, he’s fine. I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
“That’s not the point right now! Promise me you won’t try to kill him. I can’t believe I have to tell you that. What is wrong with you?”
“I didn’t go there with any intent but when I saw him… I don’t know what happened. I just got so angry I lost control. I’m sorry but what do you expect me to do? He tried to kill me first so what, should I just stand around and wait for him to try again?”
“You seriously can’t even promise me you won’t kill someone?” Amy said incredulously. “I don’t care what the circumstances are. You never, ever kill someone.”
Dark Mind (The Dark Mind Trilogy Book 1) Page 16