They had planned it for months ahead. A Halloween killing. So they had time. At first the three were hesitant. Killing someone was not an easy task. Nor was it something either of them had wanted to do. But Frank was a silver tongue.
They first started to go laser tagging together. It was the thrill for Joey, the fun for Julie, and freedom for Susie. Next step was paintball. It became their big outlet of anger and agitation. Frank was a good team leader. Julie admired his way of planning and executing plans well. Joey enjoyed the feeling of being a unit. He wasn't in charge for once and he was doing something he enjoyed. Frank had promised him to give him money from every kill and it became an incentive for Joey to hit targets precisely and hard. Susie was able to escape her responsibilities from her dad and when he kept calling her, Frank slammed her phone off the ground and told her that she needed to take care of herself, not a grown man.
It was after this, they started hunting. But not with guns. No, guns could be traced. So instead, Frank had the idea to hunt animals down with knives. At first Joey and Julie were not impressed. They thought the idea was crazy. But Susie was positive that if they worked together they could do it.
With many failed attempts the success of their hunt caused a great massive dopamin hit. Julie and Susie chased the stage on either side, shepherding the animal where it would be tackled by Joey to the ground. As Joey held the animal down the three jumped on the animal and started to stab it as much as they could. At first they were stabbing the beast out of fear it would get away and all their attempts would be for not. But soon after each stab was out of the enjoyment of being in control. An exhilarating feeling that none of them had ever felt. Well, all but Frank.
It was from their first kill that they became closer. Going back to Frank's cabin house covered in blood. They laughed about how happy they were that the plan worked. Susie complemented Joey's tackle. Julie thanked Frank for helping Joey keep the stag down. They all gathered in Frank's large bathroom and Julie shoved Frank into his large tub and turned on the shower head. Susie and Julie screamed as the cold water hit them in their backs.
"Everyone brought extra clothes right?" Joey asked and Susie gave him a thumbs up and Jusie nodded. Frank stood in between Susie and Julie as they washed the blood off their clothes. Susie sat down and seemed to slump over. The adrenaline was hitting her hard and she felt a horrible feeling wash over her.
"Need me to help you wash your back Juliet?" Frank joked and Julie playfully shoved him back.
"Not a chance, and I told you to stop calling me that." she told him back in a frustrated tone. Frank chuckled, unphased by her aggression.
Joey stared at Susie for a while then looked down at his own blood stained clothes. Susie just let the water hit her back as she
"Should we really kill a homeless man? Don't you think that is a bit shameful? Killing someone so helpless?" Julie asked Frank as she scrubbed the soap all over herself and her clothes. Frank took off his shirt as he made eye contact with Julie.
"Homeless die due to freezing temperatures during the holidays all the time. Besides, they barely get looked into. Family cared about them very little too… best way to get away with it." Frank said and Julie agreed as she thought about it.
"Hay, can you two hurry up so I can bathe." Joey said out of the blue and Julie ran her hand through her black hair.
"Sure Joey, after I clean the dirt from my hair." Julie said as she messaged the shampoo into her hair. Frank shaked his wet head to get Joey wet and Joey jumped up from his place on the toilet.
"Why you?!" he shouted, making his move to jump into the tub with them if they had space or not.
"Boys, no fighting in a small slick tub." Julie yelled out as she blocked Frank from falled on top of her when Joey attacked him. Frank laughed and Julie pushed him out of the tub.
"We are leaving! We are leaving!" Julie shouted as she finished cleaning the shampoo from her head and jumped out of the tub herself.
"I am changing in your parents room Frankie and I am locking the door." she told Frank in a serious tone as she walked past him to get her bag.
"I will be in my room changing, do you want the door closed or open Joey?" Frank asked Joey and Joey shrugged.
"I don't care man." he said as she started to get himself wet. Frank closed the door after Julie and him were out of the bathroom. Joey sighed and looked over at the slumped ball that was Susie.
Joey crouched down and placed a hand on her shoulder. He waited for her to lift her head up and stare back at him. Beads of water fell down her face as he watched her with a concerned look on his face.
"I am scared." she admitted quietly and Joey sighed. As much as he knew Susie enjoyed it just as much as the rest of them, she also felt guilt strongly.
"We are going to make sure nothing happens to you Sue. Don't worry. Frank told you he has a plan, none of us will get caught." Joey explained and Susie shook her head and smiled.
"No Joey, I am not scared about that." she told him. Joey lifted a brow.
"Then what?" he asked.
"I am scared we won't get caught. In the end, I want to be put down in history. Only caught criminal's go down in history.`` She told him and Joey realized what she meant. Susie scared Joey sometimes. She was a petit, quiet, sweet girl with a face of a porcelain doll, but oh boy she could be evil.
With that a knock on the door slowly made it open. A freshly clothed Frank stepped out to stare at the couple for the moment before talking.
"We are going to watch your favorite movie Heathers Susie so you better hurry up, you are killing the vibe." Frank said with a dead expression on his face.
"Sorry." muttered Susie and Joey gave Frank a look.
"Man- shut up." Joey said and he glared at Frank.
"You two better not be doing anything gross in my shower… or do-" Frank began to smile devilishly when he added the last part.
"Get your nasty ass out of here." Joey said as he grabbed a loofa and threw it at his face. Frank caught it and snickered before heading out without closing the door. Joey turned to Susie who was watching him carefully. Joey shrugged and then got up, giving her a hand to help her up.
"What would we be doing in his shower?" Susie muttered to herself out loud and Joey chuckled under his breath.
"If I didn't love your innocence so much, I could give you a few ideas." he replied.
Julie brought a bowl of popcorn to the neat and tidy couch of Frank's. His house was large but not too big to feel empty. Julie liked it more than her own house. Even if it was filled with hunting decor including the real bear rug.
"When will your mom be back?" Julie asked and Frank reached into the bowl to grab some popcorn.
"You are ruining the mood." he told her and Julie looked at him with a face.
"Well my bad, Franklin Morrison just never seems to tell me about his mom and dad." Julie stated. Frank cracked his neck and started to chew on the popcorn.
"Mom is coming home at 10 like she always does. The law firm sucks that way. Dad of course is on yet another business trip. So really nothing was known, so why ask?" Frank said back sharply and Julie shrugged.
"Sorry for caring then." she said not actually being sorry but the annoyance in her voice was clear as day. Frank turned to Julie and took the popcorn out of her hands putting it in the spot beside him as he leaned in to her.
"You know we could become something more, instead of you leading me on like this." Frank whispered. He looked at her through hooded eyes and Julie felt her heart start to race. He was good at this. Sadly for him, Julie had a lot of self control.
"Please, we already have one sappy couple in this group. I really don't want another." she said as she rolled her eyes and turned away from him Frank placed a light hand under her chin to turn her head to face him again.
"We won't be like Joey and Susie, they're boring." he said as he leaned closer into her. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips but she knew. He was using her again. He only did this after an adrenaline high. Part of Julie's brain told her that Frank craved to have what Susie and Joey had. He wanted love but he mistaken it for only physical attraction. Julie knew that if she gave in, he would never fulfill her needs. So she kicked him in the shin and watched him fall off the couch as he groveled.
"I still have my knife on me Frank don't tempt me." she said and a whistle cut through the air making Julie look over and see a newly clothed Susie and Joey.
"Let me guess, he deserved it?" Joey pointed and Julie looked over at Frank's smirking face as he sat up and took his spot back on the couch.
"Of course he did, doesn't he always?" Julie said and Joey laughed and nodded in agreement. Susie grabbed onto Joey's hand and walked with him to the couch as they took their places.
"Popcorn Julie?" Susie asked adn Julie smiled and she reached over Frank to grab the bowl and hand it to her.
"Sure thing sweetness." she told her and Susie smiled brightly.
"Frank got the double butter popcorn this time! Thank you Frank!" Susie said over to Frank and he waved it off like it didn't matter but really, it stroked his ego too much for him to admit.