Burying the Hatchet (COMPLETED)

Iceberg

That’s suicide nonetheless a trap might be waiting for you.

It was Fray’s initial reaction upon hearing her so called “stupid” plan as he puts it. You can’t blame him though because Eli is dead set on her intention to go back home. After learning the cause, no one in their right mind would allow her even just be seen around the vicinity. How much more get inside the crime scene? The stakes are too high. Who knows what will happen to them there or who might catch them?

On the other side Eli killed her pride in order to ask for that favor. Taking her chances because he looked really concerned when she told him the backstory. Besides he is not going in with her, he’ll just be a lookout. But as she gets to her proposition, his brows furrowed bearing that are-you-insane-look.

She never did it in so long-relying on others and yet she was rejected. The main reason she avoided interactions outside her family for years. She’s on her own now as she always have been for the past four months. It’s excruciating.

If you can’t trust the people closest to you to understand, how much more for a mere stranger?

She repeated it to herself many times before inserting her hands in a pair of silicon gloves.

“Shine,” after saying that she rummaged the rocks in a plant box outside their door. Gladly, the cops didn’t know about the spare key. In the dawn of technology no one would look under a rock-literally. “Even if they did, they wouldn’t find it anyway. They focus on what they want to see, slipping right under their noses is easy.” She beams with confidence and picks a key card in another stained-glass design with an engraved sunflower. “It’s voice-activated morons!”

Holding out the frosted card misted her eyes a bit. Remembering back in the day how Sol sneaks out at night, that’s why she made a spare for her sister. Both their parents were not a fan of technology that much. Only her and Sol are fond of it. She does the tinkering through programming and design while her sister enjoys the benefits- she spoils her that much. Sol returns the favor by making her meals, she loves so much.

Though after a week their mom found out about it. She never imagined that in a blink of an eye, those simple joys would be robbed from her. One moment she was celebrating her birthday next thing she sees are their bloody corpses on the floor, with a knife on her hand. Wailing ambulance sirens drowning her, grudgingly fighting the urge to cry and look like a victim.

I’ll play the villain so that I could expose who did this to you. I will pay it with my life, wait for me ‘til then.

Swiping the card, the light sensor turned green then the door clicks. All cameras and sensors were taken cared of. She programmed it so, there would be no evidence Sol stayed out until morning then. Their mother is one hell of a detective- it scares her sometimes. Now it works in her advantage. Even to their death she’s protected by her lies.

The deafening silence of the night was her favorite time back then. She can play games all night without interruption. Then wake up at noon to start here online classes. But now it’s the curse that keeps her awake in most nights. Everytime she closes her eyes, she sees their dead faces.

As she steps further, reality reminded her of the nightmare that led her to where she is at the moment. It was once a radiant living room but tonight it’s nothing but a pile of disarrayed furnitures, broken vases and table. She vividly remembers how they spend the weekends binge watching their favorite crime series. The irony though, now she’s the one on the run. It felt more real when she saw her mom’s mittens, covered in dirt and dried blood.

Even though she was not her biological mother, she lacked at nothing showing her love and affection as she would do for Sol . So is her father, playing online games with her on his day-offs. A jewelry business was an honest way of living, how come it has to end in a tragedy?

Everywhere she looks she’s haunted by their memories, it’s like it just happened yesterday. It took her a while to visit each of their rooms. Staying there is pure masochism. She came back there for one thing and one thing only-evidence.

***

Eli was about to open a secret compartment when she heard subtle noises.

The cops.

She grabs her father’s golf club by instinct and slide under his bed. Seeing a pair of boots nearing the bed, her heart was beating like a drum---it’s deafening. Right before she scoot further a pair of hands uprooted her out. Squeezing her eyes shut she crouches covering her face awaiting her impending doom.

The latter then pulled the golf club off her hand and threw it away.

Grabbing her by the collar then whispered, “Didn’t I tell you this is suicide? Nonetheless a trap might be waiting for you.”

“What on earth? How did you find me?”

Then Fray hugged her. “This one. Right after our kiss.” Dangling a sticker thin tracker in front of her. “You’re born a thousand years early to fool me kid.”

She then pushes him away infuriated. “You abandoned me. I don’t expect anything from anyone. Especially from a tease like you but I lay down my pride for this. It’s my most precious possession and my family is a bigger part of that,” poking his chest hard enough for him to flinch.

Fray was disoriented seeing her rummage and push buttons on the drawer only to see what she went back for. “A coaster? You came all the way back in this hell hole for a freaking coffee coaster?”

“Yes, I’m that sentimental what is it to you? Whatever!”

He throws his arms in surrender and utter disappointment, “This is just beyond stupid kid. I even hanged my life on the line too.”

“I can take care of myself just fine. I was on my way out when you came.”

Now he’s crossing his arms in disbelief. “Yeah I saw that. How you’re so naive to waltz in here unarmed?”

She lost the will to argue any further, it’s pointless anyway. Getting what she came for is way more important. A few steps before she makes it to the entrance, Zane was already waiting for them outside.

“Looks like wherever you lead, trouble follows,” he snidely comments while putting his hands on his back pockets.

“As a dog does to his master. Though he should be careful, rabid ones bite the hands who feed them.” Then walks by casually.

“Your point?” He stops her on her tracks as he pulls her closer pinning her against the wall. With one hand and the other caressing her right cheek.

“Just that, now I know where Fray gets his cheap tricks. Though your breaths tell the difference.” She did not falter and look at him straight in the eye, gaging him.

Triggered Zane forcefully claimed her lips and she does nothing to resist nor enjoying it the slightest.

She bits her lower lip, “I’ll give you credits for the fan service,” insinuating that he’s beneath her still.

“Someday I’ll pull you down your high horse,” scanning her from head to toe, disgust written all over his face.

“Hey what did I miss?” Fray trying to act clueless though he saw the entire thing from his vantage point.

Both replied, “nothing.” Which truly means something he can’t put a name to.

All the way back both were silent. Only Fray keeps talking to the point it has become a nuisance. But both are still stern feeding their egos. They didn’t bother stopping him. Fray is well aware that Zane is not one for apologizing. When he despises someone, he does it with accurate subtlety. In fact he feels more threathened when he smiles heartily-it’s more sinister that way. Making the prey defenseless for his next attack.

He saw it once when they were kids. One of their playmates stole a card from the gaming deck he saved up for. He played dumbed for a week. Even proposed that they should come up with a secret base, where they would keep their treasured toys. That same boy agreed too. The next morning all were shocked to see their belongings torn and burnt. Not a single exemption. Fray witness what lengths Zane takes to get even at an early age. They were just twelve then. Though his face seemed devastated, his eyes lit up with pure remorse while a lighter clinks at the back of hand.

He fears to what even more the adult Zane can do now, when someone gets in his way. He’s close by to make sure it never happens anytime soon, considering his sparks with Eli. Her life would be hanging by the weight of her own words.