32. You will burn
YOU WILL BURN
“Karter’s going to get himself killed.” Cole spoke from the driver’s seat as we watched him knock on the door.
“So what, I don’t care.” I shrugged, zipping up the coat I had on and tucking my hair into the hood.
“You didn’t mind him when you were in the hospital, and besides we all do shitty things in life.” He replied.
“Oh yeah your one to talk, news flash not everyone plans to rape a woman to trap them in a relationship. It’s not like I would have turned him down. He was nice… once.”
“Well we aren’t everyone little firefly, and besides look at what came out of that. You are carrying two beautiful baby girls who will absolutely love you.” He kissed the side of my head, and I crossed my arms.
“I would like my daughter back, perhaps instead of defending the psychotic doctor you fucking help.”
“You’re right,” he kissed my hair and then looked at his watch. “Time to go. Stay close.”
Our boots crunched across the snowy yard as we walked up to the house; in the window, a large Christmas tree glowed with reds, greens, and golds.
It was decorated with garlands made of silver, as glass ornaments hung from the branches.
Cole turned the door, and it opened silently as the warmth greeted us.
“Merry Christmas,” he muttered as we wiped our boots on the mat and snuck towards the voices in the house.
“What about the family?” I hissed, not sure if I could stomach killing them along with the judge.
“Let’s hope the doc has something for them, he did say give him five minutes.” He whispered back as we crept through the house, pistols raised.
There was a loud crash, and we crept towards the room. Cole stepped in front of me as we rounded the corner, and I rolled my eyes.
“What took you too so long?” Karter laughed as he secured a rope around the chair, his lip bloodied and the faint signs of bruising appearing. “The wife had one hell of a right hook.”
I looked over to see the wife and daughter hogtied and passed out on the opposite side of the room.
“Who are you people and what the hell are you doing in my house?” The judge asked, full of concern.
“Well Nathan, you don’t mind if I call you that right?” I spoke, waving the gun in the air, thinking out loud as I walked towards the man.
“I’ll pay you, just don’t hurt my family.” He urged.
“Hurt your family like you hurt mine?” Cole rumbled, coming to stand beside me.
Karter just sat on the couch watching and putting a cold pack to his face.
“He had it coming, talking about removing her eyes,” Nathan cried.
“Eyes, really man?” Cole asked with a confused look on his face.
“Guilty pleasure,” Karter chimed, rummaging through his bag.
“You paid someone to kill me” I tapped the pistol against his knees, once then twice. The trigger happened to bounce on my fingertips as a shot fired into his kneecap.
“Ahhhh!” he screamed as blood pooled from the wound.
“Are you done lying now or should we get down to brass tax.”
“You’ll end up in jail if I have anything to do with it.” He blubbered, and the noise was scratching against my mind. I didn’t hesitate before I blew his other kneecap off.
“Jesus,” he yelled.
“No, I am afraid you’ll have to make an appointment, he’s busy.” Cole chuckled while standing guard.
“How far up can I shoot him without killing him?” I asked no one in particular.
“Eh, you’ve got a bit more time if you want me to tourniquet it, but if you want the most information I would suggest the carving knife. They were having such a lovely dinner.” Karter spoke with a sigh, his eyes landing on the open dining table behind the judge.
“Ooh ham,” Cole said gleefully, already moving towards the knives in question.
Karter wordlessly applied tourniquets to the judge, which earned him a few curses, and Cole came back with a plate of food and the knives.
He offered me some cranberry sauce, and I swallowed the deliciousness before grabbing the large knife and stabbing the man in the leg again.
“Could have used some sugar,” I said as the man screamed again.
“Try the green bean casserole, it’s dripping with butter.” Cole held a fork to my lips, and I pulled the green food between my lips, a moan slipping out as I chewed and swallowed.
“That is good, perhaps the mashed potatoes next?” I asked withdrawing the knife as another set of curses flew from the old man. Cole spooned some mashed potatoes into my mouth as I raised the knife to my chin in thought, considering the flavors.
Hints of iron permeated the air, adding the perfect amount of flavor to the combination. I swallowed the mashed potatoes as blood dripped from the handle onto my hands.
“Superb,” Cole agreed, having finished his own bite.
The gunshot cracked before the word finished. Blood sprayed across us as the judge screamed. His right shoulder sported a new hole as blood bubbled up from the wound.
“Jesus, I said I’d talk!”
Cole didn’t look at him. “Then stop wasting time.” There was a pause as the judge swallowed. “Keep talking.”
I glanced at Cole, not sure if that was a step we needed to take, but I didn’t voice it. Something felt off, but I couldn’t name it. The judge swallowed a cry as he stuttered.
“I-it w-was Mat—“
Cole’s gun snapped his head back, a sickening hole between his eyes. A deafening sound echoed around the room as I stared at the dead judge and the name of the man who hired him, barely spoken.
He didn’t even let him finish.
The house burned bright against the snow; the smoke drifted past into clouds towards the city.
I thought I would feel something. Anything but numbness settled over me as I watched the judge’s body disappear into the flames.
He was going to be dead anyway; that ticker of his couldn’t handle all the alcohol he’d been consuming.
That’s what I used to justify it. Killing a defenseless old man in cold blood.
My mind kept tripping over the name he was uttering before Cole executed him.
Cole threw the gas can into the flames. It popped and hissed before melting along with the rest of the house.
Karter just danced on his toes to my left, giving me a side glance every few seconds.
He was waiting for me to talk to him, but I wasn’t going to talk to him.
How does one even talk to a friend turned rapist?
I should have killed him when I found out.
In fact, I would have killed him if not for the deal I made with Lucas.
Stupid deal if you asked me, but as much as Dr. Avery claimed to hate blondes, he sure seemed to like Karter.
It probably had to do with Karter’s lack of pain, but who was I to judge?
Pain, no pain, it didn’t make a difference to me.
We are all a different brand of fucked up.
God, it seemed like yesterday, but as I glanced down at my stomach, I knew yesterday was months ago.
That I was a woman still clinging to the idea of a perfect family…
losing my mind more times than I could count.
Midas really did a number on me. When I found Gabriella, he would be my next target.
The judge’s family stirred, a few groans filtering from them, and Karter bent down to check their pulse. I already had my gun in hand. There should have been a line drawn, but I was in no shape to draw it. The shots fired one after another. Quick. Clean. Decisive.
He messed with my family. I had no mercy left.