Part 38 (1/2)

”No!”

”I'm not f.u.c.king around, Leo. Go!”

”Luke!” someone shouts, but it's not the voice I want to hear. Garray charges toward me, his body slamming into mine. He grasps my shoulders, gets in my vision.

”Laney!” I roar.

”Luke!” He's pus.h.i.+ng me back, his body blocking me. ”Laney...” he huffs.

I can no longer see, blinded by fear. ”Where the f.u.c.k is she?”

He wipes his eyes against his arm. ”She's outside, Luke... you shouldn't go out-”

I push him away and run for the door.

Two seconds.

Seven steps.

My heart stops.

I drop to my knees.

”Laney!”

There's no more periwinkle purple, just crimson red.

Blood everywhere.

Those eyes, those eyes, they ruin me.

I pick her up off the ground.

Blood everywhere.

Her legs, her torso, her mouth.

Blood everywhere.

”No! Laney! Please please please.”

She coughs blood.

Once.

Twice.

I hear, ”I'm sorry, Lo! I didn't want this. I love you. f.u.c.k!”

Crimson red behind my eyes.

Rage.

Murder.

Cooper's pacing the sidewalk, his hands behind his head, gun still in his grasp.

I don't know how it happens.

How I rush toward him.

How I knock him to the ground.

Rage.

How I punch his face, over and over.

Kick him, over and over.

Murder.

Garray grips my arms, pulling me back.

Cooper doesn't move.

Not an inch.

I run back to Laney.

Sweet, naive, innocent Laney.

I drop to my knees again. ”Lane!”

Blood bubbles from her lips, tears form in her eyes. A single word: ”Help.”

I pick up her hand, search for a pulse.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Four.