Chapter 40 Tobias
Tobias
I sprinkle the last bit from the canister in the kitchen. With this lake house being mostly wood, I’m afraid it won’t need much to catch on fire, which only makes my stomach twist even more.
The lake house. Our lake house. If it wasn’t for me and my twisted, fucked up baggage, this shit wouldn’t be happening.
“Alright. Perfect.” Derrick waltzes into the kitchen, flipping through documents in his hand. “Got our passports, birth certificates and—” he flicks the last folded document, giving me a wink. “The deed to the restaurant. Oh baby, that’ll be fun to sell.” He laughs, stuffing it into his pocket.
“What makes you think I’ll agree to doing that?”
Derrick stops in his tracks, turning to me. “What makes me think you won’t?” He asks, running his hand over his gun.
I bury my tongue under my lip and look away. This is so fucked.
Seeing that I have no answer, Derrick snickers, resuming his tasks. Whatever the hell he’s doing.
“Just need to find some matches and we’re good to go.” He shuffles around, looking through the cabinets.
My eyes flick over to the dining table, where I know for sure there’s a little matchbox.
I wait for him to turn his back before I reach out, quickly snagging the packet and stuffing it in my pants pocket.
I pick up the discarded canister and try to play off my movement by sprinkling little droplets of gasoline on the floor.
A chill runs down my spine when I realize Derrick has stopped moving. His head hangs low as he leans against the counter.
“You know…” he sighs deeply. “Every time I think we’re on the same page, you find a new way of disappointing me.” He shakes his head.
I swallow deeply. “What?”
In a swift moment, he marches over to me. I turn to try and push him away, but he catches my arm. Swinging it behind my back and pushing me forward until my chest hits the table, forcing all the wind out of my chest.
I struggle against him, but he only winds my arm up even further up my back, shooting pain up my arm and through my back.
I yelp out as he strains my arm even more, pressing into my waist. “Not so tough now, are you?” He pants in my ear.
“You’re lucky your little boy toy isn’t here to see what a little bitch you are.
” He starts patting me down as if I’m some sort of criminal.
He finds the packet of lights and throws it on the table in front of me.
I feel his cheek press against my temple, liquor fumes heavy on his breath. I try to turn my head to avoid inhaling the stench, my eyes watering from the sting.
“You know, now that I think of it—” He continues patting me, his hands unnecessarily patting and squeezing the back of my thighs. I struggle against him, but he keeps me pinned. “Maybe I did miss you.” His poisonous words, seeping into my ear.
That’s it. I dig my feet into the ground and push with all my might, launching us both backward. The force throws him off me.
He stumbles and lands on his ass, and I waste no time rushing over. Straddling his chest, I wrap my hands around his thick neck, feeling the veins pop as my fingers dig in.
I never thought of myself as a killer but I’ll do it. I’ll do it because he has given me no other choice.
His eyes start to strain and I pray he passes out. I close my eyes and hope that any second now, he’ll stop struggling and just accept it.
Suddenly, I feel a chilling poke to my ribs.
Fuck.
I open my eyes and see that same sinister grin on his face as he cocks the gun.
I don’t want to die. Not like this. Not without saying goodbye to Elijah.
I loosen my grip, feeling his chest heave underneath me. I slide off of him, feeling defeated and tired.
I tried, Elijah.
Derrick coughs and spits off to the side as he sits up, trying to compose himself.
“If you didn’t have that gun…you’d be dead.” I say softly.
Derrick’s eyebrows raise, a sick smile tugging on his lips. “Good thing I have it then.” He winks.
Motioning to the table with the gun, he tilts his chin at me. “You just earned yourself the honors.”
I cringe. “Please no.”
“Did I teach you to talk back to me!?” All the joking tone from his voice is gone as he snaps at me.
I clench my jaw.
I was so close.
“Get up. And do what you’re told.” He orders again.
I suck in a deep breath, standing to my feet.
So close.
Derrick gets to his feet and pushes past me. Slinging his duffle bag over his arm, he picks up the packet and slams it into my chest.
“Get. It. Done.” He snaps, heading for the back door.
I look down at the matches in my hand.
Following him to the door, I take one last look at the living room.
All the late nights playing video games, watching horror movies. Walking in with wet feet from the lake. The laughter we all shared blasting music in the kitchen. Elijah and I’s love story.
Gone.
I sniff, striking the match against the rough pad of paper, watching the angry flame wave in the wind.
I’m sorry
I flick the match into the living room and watch it catch, flames licking up from the carpet.
I go to close the door, but Derrick catches my arm.
“No. Don’t close it. Let it breathe.” He smiles, staring at it like it’s a work of art.
The pain of his happiness hits my chest so deeply.
The anger that boils under my skin is nowhere near the devastation of losing Elijah.
This is it. My whole world, slipping through my fingers.
I feel lost. Empty.
I feel like I’m already dead.
***
Derrick strides ahead, heading for his beater car.
“Come on, keep up.” He calls after me.
The windows of the car flicker orange. It’s been less than five minutes and the fire is already burning strong behind us. I drag my feet, not wanting to look back at the house. I can’t bring myself to do it.
“We’ve got to make it across provincial lines by dawn.” Derrick flings his duffle bag in the back seat.
As soon as the door snaps shut, I hear it.
Sirens in the distance start filling the air.
Hope.
It’s coming.
Fuck, the fire might’ve been a saving grace.
I see Derrick’s eyes widen as he takes in the sound. “Shit!” He barks out. His eyes dash from left to right frantically as he searches for his next move. “Okay, get in the car. Quick!” He shouts, waving his gun around.
I start to move forward but my eyes catch on the red and white lights getting closer in the distance.
“They’re fast.” I smirk.
“Shit, fuck!” Derrick shouts. “Okay, come on.” He grabs my wrist, twisting me back towards the house.
I avoid looking at the burning wood and follow behind him.
They’re coming. They’re coming. I keep repeating to myself.
Elijah’s on his way.
I let the warmth of that thought spread through me since I’m freezing cold as is. I have no coat or anything so the winter chill is biting at my skin under my clothes. I don’t care. Soon, Elijah will be here.
Derrick drags me to the backyard, pacing as he looks out onto the frozen lake.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to cross the ice. We can bunker down there until morning, and then come back for the car once the police leave.”
My eyebrows pinch as I look out onto the white sheet of ice. “You want to cross that? It’s only been below zero for a week. The lake can’t be ready yet.”
I know for a fact that this lake turns solid pretty quickly in the winter, but still. It’s only November. It has barely started snowing. Elijah and I don’t start skating out here until well into January.
He taps on the ice with his foot, feeling around for the strength. With confidence, he steps on, and motions for me to follow him.
“I don’t have all goddamn day. You move or you stay. Make your choice.” He raises the gun to my stomach.
I feel like I could call his bluff but as I look at his angry, frantic eyes darting around behind me, I see that it may not be a card I should play. He really does look out of sorts right now.
I cautiously step onto the ice and follow him as we take a few steps.
I look back behind me and see emergency lights at the house.
Thank God.
If anything they’re putting out the fire which gives me some peace.
“Tobias, if you don’t move faster, I’ll make the choice for you.” Derrick pulls me, making me stumble over my feet.
I feel the ice strain under me, bringing me to an immediate halt. My heart slams into my chest. “Woah.” I inhale sharply, trying to steady myself. “This ice isn’t hard yet.”
“You think I give a shit?! Move your fucking ass!” He pulls me again, making me stumble a few more steps.
“Fuck!” I yell out. “Don’t you see that it’s over!? It’s done. They’re here and you’ve been caught.” I wave my hands in the air.
Derrick’s eyes widen as he closes the space between us. “Keep your voice down or you’re going to regret it.”
This man…this monster hates me this much to see my entire world fall down.
What kind of life will I have if I leave with him? If I leave with him right now, I’m already dead.
But if I die here, fighting for my life, then at least I can say I died trying. Died while finally standing up for myself.
“What are you going to do, Derrick? Kill me? Then stop saying it and do it.” I huff.
Watching his jaw clench and his fingers tighten around his gun, I shake my head.
“You’re not going to do anything because you’re just as scared of being alone as I am.
Maybe even more than me.” I push him away from me.
Derrick slips on the ice, losing his balance, giving me the perfect opportunity to retrace my steps back to shore—and to Elijah. If I can move fast, I can make it just in time.
But before I can make a move, Derrick regains his footing and trudges over, closing the gap between us. He grabs the collar of my shirt, holding me tight.
“Hey, fuck off—”
His eyes are wide and scary as he holds me still. “You think this is the end? You think you’ll ever get away from me?” He grips my shirt even tighter so I stumble against him. “Your story started with me and it’ll end with me.”
“Get off of me,” I spit, pushing off of him. I turn to leave, calling it quits. He’s had his fun but it’s over now.
This is my life and I’m in control—
He snarls, his voice deep in a way that makes my blood turn cold.
“You’ve made your choice, so be it.” A loud crack shatters the air, deafening me as I clamp my hands over my ears. My breath whooshes out as I stumble, glancing down to see a bullet-sized hole piercing the ice between my feet.
My legs wobble as I look back at him. The gun points at my face and I suck in a breath.
He’s really going to kill me.
But if I’m going down, I might as well go down fighting.
With no hesitation, I lunge for him, tackling him onto the ice.
He hits hard, the gun skittering from his grip.
He tries to scramble toward it, but I kick it out of reach before dropping to my knees—my legs locking around his torso, pinning him down.
I drive a few blows into his jaw, his head snapping to the side as blood splatters across the ice.
I wince as a few wild jabs slam into my ribcage, his fists flailing in every direction, desperate to land whatever damage he can.
I groan as he flips me over, shoving me face-first into the ice again before he crawls to the gun.
This is it, this is my moment. Covered in snow and frost, I army crawl over to his leg, pulling him back away from the gun as much as I can before he kicks at my face. Dodging the blows, I scramble up his body until I can sit on him once again, locking him in with my legs.
I lay punch after punch as my knuckles crush against his face. He tries to block me, clearly tiring out, but I don’t let up.
Elijah isn’t here to pull me off, and this time, I don’t think I should stop.
Derrick needs to go one way or another. He won’t ever stop. He said it himself.
My eyes blur and my chest heaves as every punch covers me in even more of his blood.
I want to tell him how much I hate him. I want to tell him how much he deserves to die here.
But as every blow to his face continues, I can’t help but think how much he’d rather it be me.
How my own father would rather see me dead.
He was never my father. A father loves you and people who love you don’t hurt you.
Tears and blood run down my face as my fists start to slow.
He’s stopped moving now, his eyes closed as his body twitches beneath me.
I pick up my hand to deliver the last blow. But right as I do, I hear the one voice I thought I’d never get to hear again.
My savior. My heart. My soul.
My eyes connect with his across the ice and I finally feel at peace.
I finally feel…done.
For the first time, I’m not scared.
Just as this revelation hits, I feel the ice give out under me.
The first thing I feel is the ice cold impact, chilling me right to the bone. I immediately gasp, flailing my arms to reach for the edge of the ice. Reach for Elijah. Reach for anything that’ll help. But the weight of my clothes is heavy in the water as it drags me down.
And as much as I try to stretch out my arms, they feel hard and numb. The cold water is too much. It’s too cold to think. I can’t…do anything.
If I die here, at least I’ll die knowing Elijah’s here.
Derricks gone.
And it’s all over.