Chapter 15 - Delilah
FIFTEEN
DELILAH
My cheek burned, aching from the smile plastered across my face.
I couldn’t help but be happy. My father was gone, Dale was gone, and I had Reef.
Everything was perfect. I stuck my key into the deadbolt of the door, turning it without any resistance.
That’s not normal. I hesitated before opening the door to our place, waiting as it swung open with a creak.
“Hello?” The house was dark, despite it being the middle of the day. “Cherri?” I stepped inside, looking around for any sign of her. “I’m home. I actually have pretty exciting news to share.” The door slammed shut, startling me as I turned, the room pitch black.
A light near the couch clicked on. “Hello, Delilah.” What the fuck?
Dale stood in front of me, Cherri pressed against his body, tears rolling down her cheeks as he held a gun to head. “Oh my God,” I shrieked. “Cherri, listen to me.” I tried to calm her as Dale watched. “Babe, it’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
“Don’t lie to her!” he snapped, causing us both to jolt. “I told the police everything, Delilah. They know who you are, what you’ve done though, what really set them off was when I told them how you murdered your father.” He leaned against Cherri’s head as she cried. “They’re coming for her.”
“W-w-what is h-he talking a-about-t, Delilah?” she stuttered.
“Please, don’t do this,” I cried. “Let her go. She’s innocent, Dale. Just let her go. Take me instead.”
“Oh, I will—after you watch me kill your friend. And when the police arrive, I’ll say it was self-defense. Who can argue when you’re the Angel of Death?”
“What's he talking about, Delilah?” she cried out, scared of what he said. My face crumbled as I stared back at her, my lip quivering as tears burned my cheeks. “No,” she sobbed. “No. Tell me it isn’t true.”
“Cherri—”
“No!” she screamed.
The sound of police sirens blared in the distance. “Ah.” Dale smiled, pushing the barrel of the gun closer to Cherri’s head. “Time’s up.” He pulled the trigger, her body slumping in his arms.
A high-pitched ringing filled my ears as I screamed her name, falling to my knees.
“Cherri!” My chest ached, my heart breaking as Dale dropped her body to the floor, her eyes frozen in fear as they stared through me.
I crawled to her, my hands trembling as I called out her name.
I cradled her lifeless body against my chest, squeezing her tight as I rocked her.
Dale scoffed, placing the gun down as he opened the front door, the sounds of the police sirens growing closer.
I glanced at the gun, the sound of my heartbeat echoing in my ears as everything turned red. I kissed Cherri’s cheek, sobbing as I placed her on the floor and quietly gripped the weapon, standing to my feet.
“You know, I don’t think things could’ve worked out any better. Do you?” He turned, his smug smile dropping as I pointed the gun in his direction.
“No.” I pulled the trigger, shooting him in the eye as he stumbled back through the door and fell onto his back. I stepped through the door, holding my arm firm as I fired again and again, the bullets landing in his chest. My arm shook as I breathed heavy. It’s over.
“Police!” I snapped my neck to see a squad car swerving into park as two officers rushed toward me. Shit. I dropped the gun and started running towards the beach.
The police followed me, chasing me through the town as other squad cars joined them. My feet burned from the hot pavement as I aimed for Reef’s cove, desperate to escape.
“Stop!” another officer yelled. “I will shoot you!” He pulled out his gun, firing it in my direction. I dodged the bullet, picking up speed as I turned and fell down the sand dunes, rolling onto the beach. I regained my balance quickly, racing towards the cove.
The officers chased me, quickly gaining as one appeared out of nowhere and tackled me to the sand.
“No!” I screamed as she pinned me between her legs, cuffing my arms behind my back.
“Let me go!” I cried, spotting a fin in the water.
“Reef!” I screamed. The woman stood, pulling me with her as she walked me towards the rest of the officers.
“We got you now, Angel of Death,” she snickered.
I glanced over my shoulder back at him. No, you don’t!
I shot my head back, slamming it into the woman’s nose as she cried out in pain, blood pouring down her face. She released me, grasping at her injury as I began to sprint towards the water. “Stop her!” the officers yelled as they followed me. “Don’t let her get away!”
The female officer fumbled with her gun as I neared the water’s edge, my feet splashing into the ocean as I trampled deeper. The woman fired her gun as my body fell forward and began to sink.
“What happened?” someone yelled. “Did you get her?”
The woman ran to the water, searching for my body. “I don’t see her!”
“Look out!” Someone pointed out at the ocean as not one, but two shark fins swam away. “Shark!”
The woman watched as a giant Great White shark swam away, followed by a smaller Tiger shark.