Chapter 14

Sam kept on running, even though he was tired. Fear was more important than tiredness. So when he saw the old cabin, he got in without thinking after opening the door. He hoped he could find something in order to defend himself. Then he pushed a cabinet in order to block the door. He moved away and after looking at everything in the room, he saw the bed and the opened box on the bed. He was intrigued and came closer, forgetting for a moment the danger which he was. He crouched and raised a hand towards the box. He took the card which was on the box and turned it to read. It was the card that Megan had offered for Axel. He felt tears in his eyes but tried to ignore them. It wasn't the moment to cry.

His eyes fell on the box and he lifted the lid and put it besides the box. His heart beat faster when he saw the picture of him and Tom that Irene had taken. Image of Axel holding this picture suddenly came back in his mind, followed by Tom's voice.

Axel wants you to think that it's me, but it's not, okay ? I don't think you know what he's capable of.

Sam stood up, panicking and ran in the kitchen. He started to search a weapon among the plates which were on a piece of furniture and found a knife. But it was a small one and so he put it down and searched in a closet above. But he found nothing so he went to another one. However, when he opened the door, plenty of heart-shaped boxes fell. Sam breathed more faster, totally panicked.

A door suddenly opened. Sam heard it and stopped breathing, his heart beating faster than before. The door totally opened to let him see the killer. Sam recognized him immediately because of his loud breath. For a moment, he didn't move, afraid, then he turned around to face him. The miner tilted his head, looking at him.

"Axel," Sam said. The miner suddenly raised his axe but Sam avoided it. The axe went in the wood. The miner tried to get it out but Sam tried to stop him. However the killer didn't like it and pushed him. Sam took advantage of this to run towards the front door but he forgot about the cabinet. So when he noticed, he hit it several times. Then he saw a window and ran towards that. But there were planks so he took a thing and brought that down the window and the planks. However the miner succeeded to get back his axe and heard the noise of broken glass. So he came towards Sam but Sam threw the object at him and jumped out the window.

He rolled on the roof of the porch and fell. His phone fell too but he ignored it, especially when he saw the miner by the window. He started to run again, terrified. The killer didn't want to give up and followed him walking, as if he knew he was going to catch him even if he was running.

Sam panted, exhausted, but he continued to run towards the mine. Several times, he almost fell but he continued and arrived to a kind of a warehouse. He tried to open a door but it was locked. He tried desperately to open when he saw the miner's shadow move closer. So he gave up and ran again. He eventually found a door which opened and got in. However he quickly noticed he was in the locker room. A lot of miner gear was hung up. He turned around trying to see if the killer was here when a cloth fell. He yelled and moved away. He wanted so desperately that all of this stopped. He just wanted to be home with his son.

When a lot of the miner gear started to fall one after the other, he thought he lost his mind, he was becoming crazy. He didn't know where he could go anymore. Suddenly the miner appeared. Sam screamed and ran. He was so exhausted but the fear was stronger, it pushed him to run for his life. When he saw he went to a tunnel, he took a light before getting in. He forgot about this fear of this place. He continued to run then went to the right. The miner followed him. Sam finally stopped and watched. He saw a shadow and went to hide before turning off the light.

"Shit," he murmured. When he heard someone approach and a light, he prepared himself to attack. So when the person was enough close, he attacked.

"Jesus," the person said after falling. Sam hurried to take the gun which had fallen too and pointed it toward the person.

"Don't move, Axel," Sam ordered.

"Sam, what are you doing ?" Axel asked surprised.

"I found your hearts." Axel stood up slowly, lifting a hand to show he wasn't a danger.

"Hearts ? What are you saying ?"

"Up in the house. Your fucking Valentine's hearts," Sam yelled.

"You're talking about the Valentine from Megan ? Look, I'm sorry. All right ? It meant nothing-"

"I'm not talking about fucking Megan ! The hears, Axel. The 300 fucking candy boxes you used to put the hearts in !" Axel shocked his head, as if he didn't understand.

"It's… It's Tom, Sarah. Tom must have-"

"Stop it ! It's your house, Axel. The picture of me and Tom, you took it. It was there."

"Tom must have put it there," Axel protested. "Sam, I've been working the past 72 hours. When would I have time to play psycho ?" A third voice resounded. It was Tom's one.

"You're the sheriff, Axel." The two Palmer's turned toward him. "I mean, you come and go as you please."

"All right, Tom, stay back," Sam ordered. He was so lost and confused. The two men in front of him accused each other, making the situation totally confusing.

"It's okay, Sam," Tom said.

"All right," Axel said too. Sam saw the two men continued to move.

"The both of you, stop fucking moving !"

"Sam, look at me. Shoot him and he won't move." Tom looked at Axel as if he was crazy.

"What ? Axel, we're gonna get you help."

"You're so full of shit !" Axel yelled. "Sam, stop it. You don't fucking believe this guy ?"

"Axel, I know you've hated me since we first met, and I don't really give a shit because it's the same for me, but this is your husband. Stop lying to him !"

"Shut up ! He's crazy ! He was in a institution," Axel spoke to Sam.

"Oh, that's real nice. Nice try." Axel sighed then spoke to Sarah looking at Tom.

"Fuck it. Just shoot us both."

"What ?" Tom and Sam said, surprised.

"Yeah, just shoot us both. Do it. Come on, it's your only choice. If you just shoot me, Sam, you'd still be down here with a killer."

"What are you talking about ? Sam, don't listen to him."

"Sam, do it."

"He needs help, Sam."

"Do it. You have to do it, Sam. Shoot us !"