Psycho Love

Chapter 3

Trey finally comes out with a big bag slung over his shoulder, "it's about time. Let's go."

Trey throws his bag in the back and slides into the passenger seat of his crappy, old Toyota Hilux while I wait impatiently behind the wheel.

"So... where are we going?"

"Away from here. My parents once owned a little cabin up in the Sunshine Coast for whenever we went on vacation, it's the only place I can think of that could be safe enough."

He nods his head. "A safe place sounds great right about now." He let's put a half chuckle half cough, and winces again from the pain that must be enveloping his body. I look at him for a second then back to the road, "I'll head to the hospital first, get you checked out."

"NO!" He exclaims, a little too quickly, "don't you think it's safer if you just fix me up. What if we get to the hospital and people are waiting for us? or if the hospital gets in touch with the police and they start asking questions about why I have the initials of one of the worlds deadliest gangs carved onto my arm?"

"s**t. I guess you are right. Just hold this rag on your arm until we get there. We won't be long." I steal a glance at Trey as he sighs in relief and adjusts the cap on his head. I feel like there is something he isn't telling me... but I could be overthinking it he did just get beaten to a pulp and branded so he is probably just terrified.

About 30 minutes into the drive I decide to pull over at a small cafe to grab something to eat because Trey's once olive skin has stared looking a disgusting shade of white. As we get out of the car, I grab the first aid kit to patch up Treys arm.

"You got something to bite on?"

"Umm... would a shirt work?" He answers, after looking through his bag.

"I'm sure it'll work fine," I unscrew the top off the bottle of rubbing alcohol, "now this is probably going to hurt like a b***h, you ready?" He forces out a nervous chuckle and nods putting the shirt he has in his mouth, "alright then, on 3;

1...

2..." as I finish saying two I pour the alcohol onto his arm and he grunts in pain.

"Bloody hell! What the f**k happened to three?" He yells as he spits the rolled up shirt out of his mouth.

Smiling I use a clean cloth to wipe away the dried blood on his arm and the carefully put a bandage over the brand. "Don't be such a p***y, Trey."

"You owe me so big for that." His voice sounds angry but a small smirk spreads across his face.

After wrapping his with an old t-shirt we head inside the café. It is an old retro café, the tiles on the floor are black and white and there is an absurd amount of pink everywhere, the walls are pink, the waitresses uniforms are pink and even the fluorescent lights have a pink tint to them. I remember coming here with my parents often. We walk over to a booth in the far corner and open up the menus.

"G'day, what can I get for ya?" A voice with a absurdly country accent comes from the right, I look up and stare straight at the waitress that has come to take our order. She is an older lady probably in her late fifties, wearing a pink uniform - which seems about two sizes too small, her white hair is pulled up into a tight bun.

"Pancakes!" I chirp. The waitress giggles, "what about you young man?"

"The eggs and a cappuccino, thanks."

"I'll be right back with your food" she says before walking away.

I glance over to the booth near the entrance where I used to sit when I came on this trip with my parents. We would come up at the end of each year and stay at the cabin. It was small but it was ours and this café was our favourite watering ground. We would travel forty-five minutes every morning to come and eat breakfast here. It feels like a million years ago now.

"Earth to Ember!" Trey's voice breaks through my thoughts.

"Sorry what?"

"I asked who was that at the house?" He repeats.

"It was the Black Wolves. I don't know why they came after me, and why they think that my father would have had something of theirs. He wasn't involved in anything like that. He was a good person plus he was just an accountant at some shitty firm. They must have gotten me confused with someone else."

"The Black wolves are the most dangerous gang around, haven't you watched the news? They have murdered hundreds of people and yet the cops can pin them to any of it and you think that they would make a mistake and go rough up some complete random for no reason? I don't know what's going on but your dad must have been lying to you because they wouldn't have done this to me unless they were sure." His voice comes out rough and strained like he is trying not to get upset, as he points to the t-shirt covering his arm.

He's right of course. They wouldn't make a stupid mistake like that. "You're right, okay. I just don't want to think about all of this. We need to figure out what the hell they are after."

"So what's the plan? I mean they weren't very specific about what this 'file' is and what it has in it but do you know? Do you think we can find it?" Our food comes as he asks.

Fuck! I have to think of something. To be honest I'm been making this up as we are gone along. I was so sure that no one would ever be able to find me - anyone meaning him - that now I don't have any clue what to do. "You want me to sugar coat it?"

"Don't bother, sugar coating things has never been your strong suit." Trey replies with a smirk. "Okay then. We are absolutely f****d. I have no f*****g plan on how to deal with the most deadly gang in the country and if we don't give them what they want they will definitely kill us." To add insult to injury we also have my psychotic stalker after us, especially after what I did there is no way he will let either of us live... I think; I feel my voice catch in my throat but I cover it with a cough, "let's just hurry up and finish eating so we can get to the cabin. I feel too exposed out here."

After we have finally finished we make the forty-five minute drive to the cabin. Trey falls asleep during the drive with his good arm draped across his head, making sure his cap stays on his head. What is it with him and that damn hat, I think. Pulling up into the driveway bring back memories of all the times I came up here with my parent. I can see me swinging on the tire swing to the left of the cabin while mum would be gardening and dad would be cooking - or shall I say burning - our lunch on the barbecue; he never was a good cook.

"Trey, wake up we are here."

He shoots up straight, "What's happening? Where are we?" He shouts obviously shocked.

"Calm down! We are here." I say pulling up hand brake and switching off the car.

He sighs in relief and relaxes back into the chair, "looks like a dump," he says evidently unimpressed with where I have dragged him,

"Shut the hell up and get your bloody ass out of the car. I'm going to quickly check everything is safe. So stay close to the car." I snap before stomping off. Goddamn i***t. We aren't on vacation here. We are running for our lives, some of us for the second time, and he is worried that it isn't a five state hotel. MORON! I grab my gun from the waistband of my pants and flip the safety off, slowly starting to make my way around the property.

It takes twenty minutes of walking around to make me satisfied that no one is here. I look per through the forest and there is no movement.

Snap! Snap!

Two twigs snap from behind me and I spin around gun raised.

"Who is it? Show yourself!" I shout. When no one answers, I slowly start making my way toward the noise. The noise comes from just past the line of trees that act as a border around the small property. It's probably just Trey messing with me, there is no way someone else is here. I remind myself. A minute goes by and there is no sign on anyone, so i lower my gun and force myself to take a deep breath.

"What are you doing?" Someone asks from behind me. I spin around quickly and pull the trigger on my 9mm.

"f*****g hell! You could have f*****g killed me! What is your goddamn problem?" Trey swears.

"You should know not to f*****g sneak up on me Trey!...

Hold on... if you are there what was that noise?"

As I come closer I notice that there is something stuck to the trunk of a tree. Hesitantly I grab it.

I gasp. It's a photo of me standing in front of Zander and Chloe's bodies. I turn it over, and scream dropping the picture.

The picture falls to the ground face down, showing the words written on the back in red:

Did you miss me babydoll?