Tribulation (Soulless Wanderers, #0)

by Drew Strickland

  The taste of iron was on Daniel’s tongue. The blood mixed between their lips and their tongues danced among it. Daniel had never felt more alive. He grabbed the back of Libby’s neck and held her as close as he could. It was as if Daniel never knew it before, but she was exactly what he needed. He hadn’t been the one to kill anyone, it was all her, and here he was, feeling freer than he ever had in his entire life. This was better than his first kill. She pushed him into the shower, his clothes still on. He watched her step inside with him, the water raining down on her body, the blood running into the tub, washing away any sins from before. He knew right then and there that this woman would forever change his life.

  12

  Daniel sipped on a glass of orange juice. With each sip, he chewed on the pulp. It was one of his favorite parts of drinking orange juice at a restaurant. For some reason, whenever he drank it at home, he bought pulp free. Something about pulp everyday just didn’t sit well with him. But at a restaurant, it was like a treat. It was something different. It reminded him that he was out of the daily grind he loathed so much. He looked around at the beige room, noticing there was nobody else in the place. Even though Chomp’s wasn’t busy the previous day, it was still strange to have the entire place to himself.

  Theresa walked up to the table. She had seemed a little more frazzled than the day before when she took his order but he thought nothing of it. “Ready to order?” she asked him, her pencil tip ready to scratch out his meal on the pad she held.

  “I’ll have two eggs, scrambled. Side of bacon. What kind of jelly do you have?” He smiled wide looking at her face. She really wasn’t the same person as yesterday, but then again, neither was he.

  “Strawberry,” she managed to eke out.

  “I’ll have white toast with the jelly then, please.” He took another sip of orange juice, feeling as if nothing could touch him in that moment.

  “I’ll get right on it. Won’t take long. If you couldn’t tell, we don’t have much business.”

  “I noticed that,” he said, waiting for the conversation to come. He could tell when people just wanted to say something, and Theresa was definitely jonesing to get something off her chest.

  “Did you hear what happened last night at Penny’s?”

  He scrunched his face in a question and looked at her, cocking his head to the side.

  “They found some guy in his car, dead. His throat was slit and he was stabbed multiple times.” She shuddered after saying it. “That’s just a few miles over from here. I think everyone’s a little spooked to come out, that’s why nobody is here.”

  Daniel nodded. He knew they would find the body, but what he didn’t know was if they knew who did it. “Any witnesses?”

  Theresa shook her head. “With how many people go there from neighboring towns, someone should have seen it. But nope.” She leaned in a little, her voice a little lower, not that there was anyone around to listen in. “But they say he was with some girl.”

  “Some girl? Did anyone see her, his friends?”

  “They asked everyone around, but nobody really knew who he was, so they didn’t think anything of him disappearing for a minute. Turns out, he goes to the university over there.” She pointed as if Daniel knew where she was referring to. “The people he was with he had just met. They just said he walked off with some blonde, but they were too drunk to get a good look.”

  Daniel sipped his juice, trying to hide his smile. They were in the clear. It probably was best if they get out of town, but still, nobody knew anything. “Wow, that’s rough. I’m sure it’s just a one-off thing. I can’t imagine a small place like this sees a lot of things like that.”

  She scoffed. “You would think so. But you know that girl from yesterday? The one with the sob story about her father’s funeral? She just up and skipped the bill. Said she was going to the bathroom and skipped out when nobody was looking. I’d have a mind to say she was the one that did it, but she didn’t fit the description. I tell you, this world is burning as we speak.”

  “That’s the truth,” Daniel said, his eyes locked onto hers.

  “Well, you let me know if you need anything else. I don’t have much else to do, so I’ll get your order on.”

  “Thanks.” Daniel nodded and went back to his juice. His feeling of being untouchable had just been confirmed. They were off the hook. He looked out the window. When he was done with his breakfast, he would go tell Libby.

  The booth rocked a little, and the table shifted. Daniel turned his head back to what was once the empty seat across from him. Greg’s smiling face met his instead. “I heard something happened last night. Know anything about it?”

  Daniel’s heart picked up its pace a little. “Did you want to order something? I just put it in, it would probably be ready about the same time. We could just flag down—”

  “No, I’m good.”

  “It isn’t what you think, Greg.”

  “Really? Because from what I understand, someone was found dead in a parking lot. There’s a lot of murmurs about a girl having taken him to the parking lot and killed him. What would I have anything to think about that?”

  Daniel sat silent for a moment. Finally, he gathered his thoughts and said it. “She isn’t what you think.”

  “She is exactly who I think. She’s too unpredictable. Hell man,” he leaned in close, “you didn’t think she was capable of murder, and neither did I. What does that tell you? The last thing you need is someone leading you off the path and getting caught because they had some passion. And I’ll tell you what, that is the last fucking thing that I need.”

  “I know. But she’s just like us. Like you. She just finesses it better, she has a different approach.”

  “Yeah, she lures you in with her tits and pussy, gets in your head, and now you’re taking the fall for her. You can’t stay objective here, Daniel.”

  “You’re not wrong. But you’re not right.”

  Greg’s face softened. “Look, Daniel, I get it. It’s tough to be so alone. I know that better than anyone.”

  “Then why is it so hard to believe she could be part of us?”

  “Because she isn’t. I don’t believe for a second she is who you or I think she is. She’s trouble, and she’s going to get you in trouble. Do you know how many people I met that I thought could be good for me? That could be a part of what I am? There’s plenty of people out there who think like you and me, but I had to put the rest of them in the ground. You were the only one I truly felt like I could let in. You and I are friends, and that’s something I can’t say about anyone else. Because of that, I’m going to give you the opportunity.”

  “To do what?”

  “You need to get rid of her,” Greg stood up just as Theresa came, holding a plate.

  “Is your friend gonna join you for breakfast?” she asked.

  “No, he was just leaving,” Daniel said.

  “If you don’t do it, then I will. You have the day,” Greg said. He turned around and left the building.

  “Everything okay here?” she asked Daniel as she slid the plate in front of him.

  He grabbed a piece of bacon and chewed a piece off. “Fine, thank you.” But everything was the opposite of fine. It registered funny to him how he could go from feeling untouchable to cornered in such a short amount of time. If he didn’t do something, he knew Greg would, and that would be worse for everyone.

  13

  Breakfast hadn’t been as pleasant as Daniel had wanted. All he could think about was Greg and Libby. Why couldn’t the two of them accept each other? He hadn’t really brought it up to Libby, but he knew where Greg stood on the issue. He understood where he was coming from, but it didn’t mean that Daniel had to like it. Greg wanted him to just do as he was told, but Daniel couldn’t do that. Greg knew him better than anyone else, and after all of the missteps Daniel had made against Greg, he would have to know he didn’t like it. Daniel looked outside. Was it possible he was watching him?

  T
he pit of his stomach ached as if he knew the answer. Greg would have to know that Daniel didn’t like the plan, so it was very likely he would be making sure the plan happened. Hell, Greg said it himself, if Daniel didn’t do it, then he would. But Daniel also knew Greg’s word was everything. He said he had the day. He needed to act on it before it was too late. He made his shoes slap the asphalt as fast as he could and made it to the motel where just the night before he thought he was saving Libby, but maybe she was saving him. Either way, he had to do something.

  The door opened when Daniel turned the handle. It was a little odd that she hadn’t locked the door when Daniel had left, but she also could handle herself pretty well. She was probably the most dangerous thing in this town after all. She sat in bed, scrolling through the television. A sheet was wrapped around her under her arms. In that moment, she looked incredibly beautiful to Daniel. She turned her attention to him. “Can you believe the shit people watch in the middle of the day? I mean, what the fuck?” She locked onto his face, and her smile dropped. “What’s wrong, Danny? What happened at breakfast?”

  He didn’t know how to explain it all. He didn’t even know if he could explain everything. He rushed to the bed and just opened his mouth. He felt like throwing up, but the words made their way out instead. “It’s Daniel. My name, it’s not Danny.”

  She still seemed confused, but the smile crept back onto her face. She seemed to be good at covering things up. “That’s not much of an alias, you know?”

  Daniel shook his head. He wasn’t in the mood for sarcasm or humor. “It’s not just that. It’s everything. Greg, he—”

  “You mean Gregory is actually Greg?” she feigned shock and surprise, but well over the top.

  “Will you just listen to me? This isn’t a time to joke,” he yelled. He was on the verge of tears and didn’t want to let the flood gates open.

  She turned her smile off. “Okay, go ahead.”

  “Greg doesn’t want you to be with me. He doesn’t think you’re good at all.”

  “Fuck that guy. He doesn’t get to tell you what to do.”

  “He kind of does. Before Greg, I was lost. I was nothing. If it wasn’t for him, I’d probably be dead, or even worse, in a jail cell, rotting away for the rest of my life.” Daniel could feel it all building up inside him. He’d never expressed these feelings, these emotions, from his past before. He actually wasn’t sure if they even existed. “If you didn’t know, I’m not what people consider normal.”

  She nodded her head. She opened her mouth but made sure there was no smile involved. “I had a feeling when you came in the bathroom with a knife last night.”

  He swallowed hard. “I didn’t know who you were. I just thought of you as—”

  “As a mark. Right? You were gonna kill me. That’s why you followed me from when I got off the bus. You have it inside you. The lust…for blood.”

  Greg was the only one able to explain it to him in a way that made sense. From the perspective of someone who had shared that same bloodlust. Until now, at least. “Yes.”

  “I understand. Just like I didn’t know you, either. What about Greg?”

  “He’s the same, but he’s…he’s calculated. It’s all numbers and data for him. There’s no passion, not anymore at least. It’s how he stays safe, stays hidden.”

  “It’s how he controls you.”

  Daniel paused for a moment and thought about it. “Maybe, but maybe I need to be controlled. Look, he owns this town. He owns whatever place he wants to. Trust me. I’ve seen you and I’ve seen him. You don’t want anything to do with him.”

  “But it’s okay for you?”

  “It’s okay because he’s my friend. He will take care of me. He teaches me.”

  She nodded and stood up, letting the sheet drop. Sex was the last thing on his mind, but revealing her body still got his heart rate increasing. She reached into her bag and pulled out some clothing. “So, what am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do?”

  “He told me if I don’t get rid of you, he will.”

  “So, you’re going to kill me? You think you can do that?”

  Daniel shook his head. “That’s not it. You need to leave. It’s the only way. I won’t kill you, I can’t, but he can. He will. That’s what I meant when I said you want nothing to do with him. Trust me, if he wants it, he will get rid of you.”

  “So, come with me then.”

  “I can’t. I won’t. It’s too much for me to go.”

  “So, what will you do?”

  “Greg and I have a place here. It’s in the woods down the trail from where I saw you. If you’re gone, he won’t question anything. You don’t seem like the type to stay in one place very long anyway.”

  She turned her head away from him, finally fully dressed. She pushed off what looked like a tear from her face. “I won’t be threatened. And I won’t be told what to do. But if that’s what you want me to do, then I will.”

  Daniel sniffled, trying to hold it all back still. It wasn’t what he wanted at all, but it is what he needed. “I’m sorry, Libby. It’s the best thing.”

  14

  Libby was gone. There was no way Greg was going to be able to get to her now. Daniel had made sure Libby packed everything up as quick as she could. He made sure she left the motel, and she had promised to head straight to the bus stop. He didn’t want to go with her. It would only be harder to see her leave. Besides, it was better if he could see Greg. If Daniel was with Greg, then he knew he wasn’t trying to hunt down Libby. It was a win for everyone. Libby got away, and Greg would be happy she was gone. But what about Daniel?

  Daniel stepped through the woods, crunching on any branch or pile of leaves in his way. He was not trying to be discreet. The more he thought about it, the louder he became. Who was Greg to tell Daniel what to do? Sure, Greg was very knowledgeable and had taught Daniel a lot about his lifestyle. Being a killer for the bloodlust wasn’t something you could just let someone know in casual conversation. It had taken a lot for Greg to let Daniel in, and he was grateful for it. But was it what Daniel needed now?

  Libby was who he needed. Why couldn’t Daniel go with her? Greg would give up if both of them were gone. Greg could continue on with the bunker and do as he pleased. He wasn’t really looking out for Daniel’s best interest. He was looking out for himself. Greg said it himself, he had been lonely for so long until he found Daniel. Was he just jealous that Daniel had quickly found someone else accepting of him? Even more than a friend, but someone he could spend the rest of his life with?

  Daniel knew he was in his head about all of it, and that Greg would tell him that he was overthinking it. So what? he thought. Libby could be a better future for him, and if Greg didn’t want to be a part of that, then so be it.

  Daniel quickly ran through the woods, coming up on the bunker. Except he wasn’t going to say anything to Greg. He needed the wheels if he was going to catch up to Libby in time. Greg always kept the keys in the vehicle like some clichéd movie. The keys dropped from the sun visor when Daniel brought it down. Daniel ignited the engine, listening to the roar. He looked at the top of the hill, knowing Greg was coming out. “Sorry, Greg, this is what’s best for me,” Daniel said, imagining Greg could hear him. He threw the Bronco down the trail and left a cloud of dust behind him.

  Daniel drove as fast as he could. He didn’t think Libby would make it to the bus station that quick, but he wanted to make sure there was no chance she was gone before he got there. He wasn’t sure where she would be heading, so if she was gone, there would be no way of following her. He had it all planned out. He would leave the car in the parking lot and jump on the bus with her. It would almost be like a romantic movie, except the love torn man was a serial killer and the jaded woman was a con artist with a lust for blood. He smiled at the thought.

  He pulled up to the bus station, having seen nobody walking the road. She had to be here. He hopped out of the Bronco and looked around. There wasn’t a soul in sig
ht. It was a very small bus station, with an outdoor waiting area and a single ticket booth. Daniel ran up to the man inside and met his eyes. He imagined they looked lost but determined. “Did a girl come through here? Maybe she had a purple streak—”

  “Son,” the old man started, his mustache grayer than his hair. “Nobody has been through here today, unless you count the drivers themselves.”

  “Nobody? But she wasn’t walking. Are you sure there wasn’t a girl?”

  “I’ve been the only one here, and I have sold a total of, let me check, ah yes, zero tickets.” He leaned against his arms. “I’m more than willing to go over it again with ya if you’d like. It’s not like anyone is waiting in line behind you.”

  Daniel shook his head. “Thanks.”

  If she hadn’t left, then where was she? She must be at the motel room still. He should have checked there first, but she had promised to leave immediately. If she was still there, and Greg knew he took the Bronco, that wouldn’t end well. Daniel quickly jumped into the vehicle and fired it back on. He took it to the road as fast as he could.

  At the motel, nothing had changed. He could still see the man watching whatever was on TV inside. He pushed the door open to the lobby and stormed in. “Did anyone checkout today?”

  The clerk looked away from his television. “What’s that?”

  “The girl. Did she checkout?”

  “Nobody checked out today.”

  Daniel turned around, leaving the clerk to his midday shows. He ran up the stairs, his mind racing every way it could. At this point, he didn’t care who was watching, if anyone was. He had to find her. He turned the handle but it was locked. He furiously knocked on the door. “Libby, open up. It’s me, Daniel.”

  No answer. He peeked inside the window next to the door. Everything was as they left it. The bag was on the bed and the sheets still a mess. Where was she? Daniel quickly looked around and saw nobody. He grabbed the handle and jiggled it furiously. The doors weren’t very sturdy at the motel, and with a little weight, he was sure he could take it down. It was a little trick Greg had taught him. He pushed his shoulder into the door while pulling up at the handle. The door gave in and splintered at the latch. He was in.