The song for this chapter is The Kills - Doing It To Death
I backed away from him. "What are you doing?"
He raised a cautious hand as he neared me. "Brooke, it's not what it looks like."
I circled the room with the mask in my hand. "Not what it looks like?" I demanded. I threw the mask at him. "Are you fucking kidding me, Stavo?"
He tried to near me, but I warned him off.
"It looks like you're the killer." I let out a half crazed chuckle. If I was about to die I wanted answers. "What was your plan? To lure me up here and just off me?"
He scratched the back of his head, then rubbed his hands over his face.
I inched towards the door. Even though I wouldn't outrun him I had to try.
His eyes fell on me and narrowed. "No, that's not what I was planning to do." He turned to his desk and began rifling through papers.
Now or never.
I jerked open the door then dashed down the hall.
"Brooke!" He yelled.
My feet took the stairs two at a time, but ultimately tripping me up so that I tumbled down the last few and landed on my back with a thud. My head throbbed from hitting the wood floor. I groaned in pain.
"Brooke, are you okay?" Stavo stood at the top of the stair case.
"Stay away from me!" I cried. "I trusted you." Tears filled my eyes.
"Let me call an ambulance." He reached for his phone. "It's not what you think, I promise."
I rose on shaky legs, prepared to run for the exit when something black caught my attention.
There was a man in the hallway dressed in the same black cape Piper had and a Brandon James mask.
Stavo put his phone to his ear.
"Oh my God," I panicked. "Stavo, look out!" I yelled.
The killer brought down a pair of industrial scissors into Stavo's back.
"No!"
He stilled as the shock and pain kicked in, his brown eyes found mine. "Run." He fell to the floor as blood pooled out of his mouth.
The killer pointed at me, then booked it down the stairs after me.
Fuck.
Adrenaline kicked in and I ran through the house, a house I didn't know at all. If I called anyone I would get too distracted and slow my pace. I had to find a place to hide.
I glanced behind me, the killer stopped in the hallway, he looked both ways before he spotted me. A scream left me as I ran into the living room. Why hadn't I ran to the kitchen where the knives were?
Bravely, I stood in the middle of the living room, rapidly looking around me. He should've been here by now. He was trying to scare me. Stavo was right, he was getting off on my fear. He just killed Stavo in front of me like it was nothing. My heart broke for the misunderstood kid that didn't deserve to die because of me. He wanted to kill me, so where was he?
My eyes searched the room carefully as I neared the couch to peer into the next room. No sign of him. I turned around to see the killer charging me. I jumped over the couch, but my shoe hooked on the back, so I smacked into the floor.
A sudden and sharp pain came from my calve. I looked back to see the pair of scissors in the killer's hand as he pulled it away from my leg.
"Ahhhh!" I screamed to the top of my lungs.
The blood trickled out of the wound and onto the floor. I quickly pulled my foot to me then tried to stand. "You psychotic bitch!"
He disappeared.
A breath of relief escaped me, but only for a second. My eyes found my calve. I had to stop the bleeding or I'd pass out, then I'd definitely be dead. I tore off my green top and tied it around my leg as tight as I could manage. Anger suddenly filled me.
How much more could I take before the rest of me broke into pieces? I didn't want to be the victim anymore. I couldn't be.
My eyes searched my surroundings. I stood, only to let out a cry as pain shot through my leg.
Get it together. Toughen up. This is kill or be killed. Right?
My hand reached for a candleholder. It was something.
With the candleholder ready to swing I limped forward. My head spun a little, must be the bloodloss.
The killer wanted to play this sick game of cat and mouse. Well, let's play.
"Show yourself!" I voiced boldly while I looked around. "Come on!"
"So you can try to bash my head in with that candleholder?" He used the voice changer app that sent a chill down my spine.
I looked for a sign of him, but couldn't find him, so I inched towards where I knew the kitchen was.
"You're a coward, just like Piper was. She ended up dead."
"It won't be that easy, Brooke."
I ran the rest of the way to the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the stand. I set the candlestick down as I backed into the corner of the counter. My fingers dialed 911, then I shoved it into my back pocket so they'd hear everything, but muted their voice so the killer wouldn't hear. I tucked the knife into the back of my pants, pulled my shirt over it, then picked up the candlestick.
"Now you're the one hiding! I thought you did all of this because you wanted me dead! Did you put that mask in Stavo's room, too?" I walked a few paces so I was in the middle of the room.
He chuckled. "They'll never get here in time."
I whipped around to find the killer a few feet in front of me. I held the candleholder between us with a strong grip. I noticed he wasn't holding a phone so that meant he used some sort of device over his mouth. That would be cool if he wasn't trying to kill me.
"Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?"
He took a step forward.
I hobbled back, the pain in my leg almost got the best of me. My jaw hardened.
"Why?!"
"Don't you know, Brooke? It's scarier when they don't have a motive." He lunged for me.
Fear spiked in me, but I swung the candleholder until it hit some flesh.
The killer yanked it from me, his gloved hand slapped me back a few feet. I fell into the wall. I quickly placed my back against it. He raised the pair of scissors at me as my hand grabbed ahold of the knife behind my back. I dipped down low and shoved the knife into his stomach as hard as I could.
He stilled, but grabbed onto the handle.
Sirens blared from nearby and it was the sweetest sound I thought I'd ever heard.
"I guess we'll have to finish this later." I smirked as I rose to my feet.
He threw the scissors at me, I ducked, and when I looked up he was gone.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and ended the call. With a sigh, I limped forward. The sirens were getting closer. This was over for today. All I wanted to do was soak in my tub.
The fact that Stavo was dead upstairs smacked me in the face.
I crawled up the stairs as fast as I could with my wounded leg. He didn't move, but I poked his body anyway. A stinging regret filled me. I never should've tagged along with him. We never should've left the station.
"Stavo, I'm so sorry." I cried. "This is my fault." My head hung low in shame.
A hand reached up and wiped my tears away. "I'm okay." I looked up and met his brown eyes.
"You're not dead?" Tears streamed down my face. "But I saw him stab you." I blubbered.
He sat up, his skin turned a pale complexion.
I didn't care if it wasn't attractive, I had earned the right to ugly cry in front of him. And he had earned the right to see it.
"It's not your fault, Brooke." He pulled me to him.
This was all wrong. This shouldn't have been our first embrace if we were to even have one, but those thoughts went out the window as I realized how safe I felt in his arms.
The police busted into the house. "Police! Where are you?"
"Up here!" Stavo yelled while he held me.
"Brooke!" My dad called me.
Shit. I totally forgot that I left him at the station with Stavo's dad.
I pulled away. "Daddy,"
He ran up the stairs and hugged me. "Oh, sweetheart. I'm so glad you're okay."
"Stavo!" The Sheriff rushed to his son. "Get the medics!" He told one of his officers. The rest S.W.A.T teamed the house.
"What did this person do to you?" My dad demanded.
"My leg needs some attention, but I'm fine, daddy." My eyes went to Stavo hugging his dad and my heart softened even more. "I was worried about Stavo. He's hurt bad."
He turned his brown eyes on me. "I just need stitches or something. I told you, I'm fine..." He looked even paler than a minute ago. His eyes fluttered as he leaned to the side. His dad caught him.
"Let's get you kids to the hospital." Sheriff Acosta suggested. He picked up his son, carried him to the ambulance where they put him on a stretcher.
"Wait," I stepped forward. "Can I ride with him in the back?"
The Sheriff nodded at the medics.
"Brooke, maybe you should take your own ambulance. Your leg needs attention as soon as possible." My dad insisted, his hand rested on my shoulder.
I pulled away. "I'm fine, daddy. It's just a ride."
The lady medic helped me up into the back. "I'll take care of her." She gave a reassuring smile to my dad.
He nodded. "Okay. I'll be riding behind you. I love you, sweetheart."
"Love you, too." I waved.
The lady medic did as she promised and worked her magic on my calve. I watched the other one hook up Stavo to some machine and put something on his back that required his shirt to me off. My mouth went a little dry at the sight of his tan muscular chest.
Whatever the put in him gave him a little color. His eyes fluttered open, they settled on me.
"Brooke,"
I reached for his hand. "I'm here." I grinned. "You're going to be okay."
The guy medic did something to him and his strong jaw clenched in pain. His hand tightened around mine. As I gazed down at our joined hands I realized how different they were. His was tan. Mine was pale. His was strong and veiny. Mine was weak and dainty. Even though he was a little out of it I still felt considerably safer around him than I did yesterday.
"In case I don't make it," He started. "Just tell me one thing." His eyes found mine. "Did you like my oatmeal?"
I nodded as I laughed, tears once again stung my eyes. "Yeah, I did. And you're going to make it for me again the next time we hang out." I squeezed his hand back.
He wore a lazy grin, which I was sure due to lack of energy this time. "I thought you just didn't want to be alone?"
"I lied."
He grinned before he passed out again.
The lady medic looked at me. "Stavo''s going to be fine, Ms. Maddox."
I nodded.
I questioned how she knew our names, but she was a medic who had to take that sort of information, plus I was the Mayor's daughter and Stavo was the Sheriff's son. It would be weird not to know us in a town this small.
When we arrived to the hospital they wheeled him out. I didn't want to let go of his hand, but unless I layed on top of him I'd have to drop it.
My phone vibrated in my back pocket. It was now going on ten thirty in the morning and Emma was calling me.
"Hey, we're all here," She said.
Everyone mumbled a greeting from our five way call.
"What's your S.O.S?" Noah asked.
I watched as they pushed Stavo through the emergency entrance. My dad slammed his car door shut and rushed to talk to the arriving officers.
I sighed. "There's a new killer in town. They tried to kill me and Stavo." I was suddenly glad that it was only me and him at his house. Thank the Lord they were all lazy asses.
A collective 'What?!' shouted in my ear.
"Are you okay?" Audrey asked.
"Where are you?" Emma demanded.
"Brooke, we're coming to the hospital now." Kieran said.
Paranoia took over. I never said we were at the hospital. But it was as good a guess as any.
I waited in the lobby while my dad talked to the Sheriff in the hall. My dad had his hands on his hips which meant that he meant business. I hoped he wasn't chewing out the Sheriff. This wasn't his fault. His own son was attacked for Christ's sake.
Ten minutes later everyone arrived as breathless as could be. Audrey stood a few feet away in shock while Emma crushed me in a hug.
"I'm so glad you're okay."
I hugged her back. "Me, too."
"Who would be Prom Queen if you were dead?" Noah joked.
Emma smacked his chest.
He turned his eyes on her. "It was a joke. You know, because I'm the comic relief around here."
I grinned.
"Are you okay, Brooke?" Kieran asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, just worried about Stavo."
Audrey sat down beside me. "What happened with Stavo exactly? Did you actually see him and the killer in the same room?" Her eyes were wild.
"Come on, Audrey. You're not still stuck on Stavo being a creep. The killer stabbed him in the back."
"That must've been one sharp pair of scissors." Kieran said as he ran his hand through his hair.
Warning bells went off in my head. How did he know the weapon was scissors?
"I overheard a few officers talking about it on the way in." He supplied.
I nodded. "Yeah, well, he's being taken care of now. I just feel so guilty. He wouldn't have been hurt if I wasn't with him."
"It's not your fault." Emma assured. She rubbed my back.
"Why were you with Stavo at nine in the morning?" Audrey asked.
I motioned for a more secluded corner and relayed the whole story to them. They looked at me with wide eyes filled with regret for not waking up earlier.
"I'm okay, guys. I swear." I promised.
"Do you want to come on The Morgue again?" Noah asked.
Everyone shot him a look.
I laughed. "Sure, Noah." I held out my fist.
He bumped it with his own. "Awesome!" He was already geeking out.
Everyone sat down, but I stood.
"I'm actually going to get a coffee at the vending machine. Anybody want one?"
"I have a shift later, so I'm good." Emma grinned.
Kieran stood. "I'll go with you."
A bead of fear ebbed in me as we walked around the corner to the vending nook.
"So are you really okay?" He asked.
I shrugged. "I have to be."
He nodded. "Who do you think the killer is?"
I slid my debit card into the machine, I pressed the button for a mocha, and turned to him. "Don't know. It could be anyone, I suppose."
He pushed a few quarters in the soda machine. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're okay. And Stavo, too." He offered a half, which was as good as you'd get from Kieran on most days. He didn't really have a lot to smile about. Besides Emma.
"Thanks. I actually fought back this time. It felt good." I admitted.
He grabbed his soda and set it on top of the machine.
I noticed a small dark spot soaked his dark blue shirt. It looked red. Was that blood?
I grabbed my coffee from the machine and put a lid on it from the corner stack. "I appreciate you guys being here." I offered as real a grin as I could manage.
On the inside I was freaking out. My mind was reaching for details. There was no way Kieran was the killer. He was Kieran. He was my friend. He was all of our friend.
"Of course, we're here for you, Brooke." He patted my shoulder. He headed for the rest of the group.
"Kieran," I grabbed his soda from top of the machine. "You forgot this." I tossed it to him.
He caught it with a wince, his hand went to his stomach.
My eyes widened, but I quickly composed myself.
He looked at me with his distant Kieran look. "Thanks, Brooke." He turned the corner.
I followed him. My mind was running a marathon as we sat back down.
No fucking way. This was not a possibility...but the evidence was staring me right in the face. Literally.
I offered a warm smile at Kieran, even though I was pretty sure I'd come to a conclusion. Kieran was at Stavo's house this morning. Kieran was the one who stabbed me, who chased me. Kieran was the killer.
He grinned at me.
A/N: Alright, I'm calling it a night! Two chapters up in one day...well, it's past midnight now so whatever. Please leave me some reviews and let me know how yall like it :) Thanks for reading!
