Chapter 5: Death and Mercy pt.2


Suddenly, the bell rang and lights switched on, distracting the girl from her thoughts.

"Alright everyone, we'll continue on the subject after the break." Mr. Branow stated in his low, aged voice, and Madeline observed as the teenagers immediately divided into small groups, chatting casually. One could consider it sad, but the girl didn't mind sitting alone anymore. Even if the whole situation was different, she would've probably chosen to be a loner anyway. Besides, she had far too many things troubling her now.

Speaking of which, her head turned alarmed immediately as she heard a muffled voice from across the room say:

"...yeah, they say the blood was everywhere. And they found a flashlight somewhere near the crime scene. What? No, I don't know whose was it. Someone must've broken in..."

Madeline's heart skipped a beat. David. They surely were talking about him. She had to get to know more, and if she wasn't mistaken, the voice belonged to Sandra Tacker, daughter of a police officer. The girl stood up and walked towards the group, sitting at the other side of the room. Just try not to sound too desperate. And be careful not to spill anything. They mustn't know you were there.

She approached the group, and of course there she was; Sandra — the main gossiper, surrounded by maybe five or six people with pity and concern on their faces. But if you looked closely, you could also see the excitement, burning somewhere deep down inside.

"What's going on? What's all the fuss about?" Asked Madeline, happy that her voice didn't break halfway through the sentence. Their conversation was interrupted, and for a brief moment they all looked at her like she was an alien, surprised she dared to join in. Some tried to be less evident about it, like the short boy with blond hair, or the freckled girl, whose skin was a shade darker than others', but that was just another thing Madeline grew to get used to. First to speak was Sandra.

"Do you live under a rock or what? The workers found a pool of blood this morning, while they were removing the theme park stuff." Sandra made sure the tone of her voice gave off the fact that she didn't really want to share this information.

"Oh, that-that's awful." The aversion in her voice wasn't even pretended. "Did the police find anything else? Are there any... suspects yet?"

"Pff, no. They still haven't even found the body. And why are you so nosy all of a sudden, hm? Maybe 'you' know something about it?" Sandra pointed out caustically, putting a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, she sure does!" Laughed someone, but Madeline was done talking.

They didn't know. They had not the slightest idea what danger prowled in the night, just waiting to bear its sharp teeth at them. It wasn't just a break-in or homicide. It was a hunt of only one predator and the whole town filled with prey.

But after a while, Madeline was about to realize, that there was much more to be discovered about the dreadful creature she encountered last night. After the classes had finished, the freckled girl came up to her. Madeline was just going outside the main entrance, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for Sandra back there... And in general. They have no idea what they're talking about." The girl was the same height as Madeline and probably just as anxious. The way she kept her gaze down and played with the material of her shirt gave away the nervousness.

"But you do?" Madeline asked, visibly surprised.

"Yes." That was a clear, cold statement. "You know, my mother's sister was murdered in a similar way about thirty years ago. I mean, it wasn't officially confirmed as a murder, because they never found the body. Only a shoe." Her voice was dead-serious and almost dried out of emotions, giving Madeline goosebumps.

"She disappeared along with many other kids that time, and I'm sure if there were any tracks, they would lead to the sewers one way or another..." The freckled girl made a pause and looked Madeline in the eye. Suddenly, the neatly brushed ponytail, and the perfectly ironed shirt with a flower pattern didn't fit her. The girl seemed a lot older as she spoke about the past of her long gone family member.

"Take care." She added and simply walked off, leaving Madeline deeply confused. Later on, she spent a lot of time on trying to remind herself the girl's name. They were in the same class. She must've heard it many times before, but just didn't pay attention.

Ripsom. It was Amanda Ripsom.

On her way home, Madeline decided to go through the Barrens. It was just that kind of place where you went if you wanted to think things over, or simply wanted to be left alone; peaceful and quiet. Buried in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the silhouette following her down the street, and then down the grassy path, but more carefully.

The girl walked along the stony trail near the river and watched the sunlight reflexes dance across its surface. The prettiness of it made her feel at ease, as fresh, cool breeze calmed her nerves. If she could, she'd stay just there forever and forget about the world, but of course, there wasn't such possibility. Ahead of her, there was an opening to a huge tunnel and it definitely caught the girl's attention. She came closer, glancing at all the long vines and the moss covering it. An unpleasant smell reached her nostrils. The sewers.

What did Amanda say again? That the tracks would lead to the sewers... With a cautious look on her face, Madeline took a hesitant peek inside, but before she could see anything, something harshly pulled her back making the girl fall backwards and her rear was damped in the river. Her backpack thumped against the ground. A significantly lousy, male figure came into her vision, and Madeline was almost sure she's seen the guy before.

"What did you do to him?!" He yelled, standing above her with clenched fists. His shoulders were broad, and he was notably bigger than her.

"Wha-what do you mea-"

"I mean Dave, you scum! Where is he?"

The girl gulped at him in shock. Of course, it had to one of David's friends... But what was she supposed to do? David was dead and this guy right there was wildly pissed off.

"I knew he was going to go after you as soon as I saw that idiotic, miserable look on his face. So let me ask again, and don't fucking test my patience you little shit. What did you do to David?" He bent over her, so she could take a closer look on his outraged expression. The long, brown curls of his hair partly covering his eyes and bushy eyebrows.

"I didn't do anything, I have no idea what you're ta-"

"Bullshit!" Madeline tried to keep her tone calm and seemingly honest, but the guy interrupted her again.

"Something fuckin' horrible happened in the park last night and now David is missing if not already dead! And all that's just because you've been bitchin' around just like your mother!" Madeline shrugged in fright, as he raised a hand towards her threateningly.

"I'm gonna kill you, you little bitch!"

"Say that again." Someone called from behind and they both froze. "Say that again, and know, that if you will, you'll never say a word no more." Every word was pronounced slowly, with serenity, which made it sound the more menacing, and the girl gasped now scared even more, because she knew the only person who'd be able to talk like that. Her attacker, whose name was still unknown to Madeline, turned his head but didn't get off her.

"Oh yeah? And who are you to give me orders?" The guy asked, eyeing obstinately his interlocutor, who only chuckled in reply. Madeline's heart squeezed. She'd recognize that laugh anywhere. Gray.

"Get lost, prick. Why don't you just mind your own business?"

Again, there was no audible answer. Robert came closer and at last Madeline could see him. His expression was untroubled, joyous even, as he approached the brown-haired guy, coming just a bit too close.

"Why don't you threaten someone your own size?" Robert smiled as he looked into the young man's eyes.

Madeline didn't know just which of the monsters her attacker was seeing. For the girl it was still the same tall, handsome man, but the big guy's eyes widened in pure terror and he lost his temper immediately. He wasn't even able to say a word and simply started backing away one step after another, almost tripping under the stony ground, while Robert didn't make a single move.

The still half soaked girl watched them, thinking it would be better if Robert didn't show up here at all. And why on earth did he stand up for her? Did he intend to finish her himself?

Finally, the nameless guy ran off, and without thinking, Madeline struggled to get up as quick as she could, but Robert was faster. Before she could even blink, he turned towards her, and she knew there was no point in running away. So she winced and looked away, waiting for the pain, for whatever he was about to do to her, but... Nothing came.

When she looked at him again, she saw only his outstretched hand. The girl blinked at him in confusion. Was he... offering help? Unexpectedly, it did seem so, but she rejected it, clumsily standing up, water dripping from her clothes.

"A 'thank you' would be appreciated, Madeline." He said in that heavenly voice of his, but Madeline wasn't to be fooled again. Not this time. She avoided even looking at him and gathered her things from the ground hastily.

"Thank you? Why would I thank you? For trying to kill me? For the trauma? For... for murdering my friend?" Why was she even saying that? She should just shut up and leave.

"He wasn't your friend. He'd do awful things to you, I've seen it in his mind."

"And you didn't?!" She spat at him, sudden indignation rising within her. "Why do you defend me? So you can torment me all by yourself?"

Robert was about to say something, scowl at her for being so insolent, but the words just got stuck in his throat as he noticed the purple swollen skin under the neck of her sweater. His doing, his fault, his cruelty. And she stood there, all wet and messy, with eyes full of determination, almost daring him to make a spiteful move. Something inside of him broke. His hand reached mindlessly towards the bruise as if in attempt to erase it, but Madeline stepped back, not allowing it. The girl's eyebrows furrowed in consternation. She did not know what to think.

Was it pity in his eyes? Or... regret? No. No, no, she wasn't going to fall for this again. Turning away, she ran as fast as she could and didn't look back. Her soaked shoes made one plashy sound after another and their pace didn't slow down until Madeline found herself on a sidewalk again, somewhere near her neighborhood. The girl needed at least a full minute to ease her breath and be able to carry on without collapsing. She must've looked ridiculous, but finally, there were actual people on the street and that made her feel a lot more safe. Madeline didn't even notice it's started to drizzle, while she was busy running for her life. Now the raindrops were leaving tiny, watery spots where her clothes were still dry. She thought she escaped him, that here, among others she was out of his reach.

How naive of her.

Just after a few seconds, after the brief moment of freedom she had, someone stood in her way, appearing entirely out of nowhere yet again.

"Stubborn child, you can't just stay put in one place, can you?" That someone was of course Robert. The girl just gaped at him in astonishment. "Well, we shall see about that, and now..." He was holding a yellow raincoat, which he didn't seem to have before and put it around her shoulders just a bit forcibly. "...I'm going to walk you home, and you're 'not' gonna complain about it." After fixing up the raincoat on her small figure, he left his arm wrapped around her, squeezing her shoulder gently. It wasn't a request nor could Madeline disobey it.

Robert did as he said, walking her down the rainy street, and none of the ones, who passed them by paid any unwanted attention to these two. At first, Madeline was stiff as a stick and slightly panicked, but her tension eased out eventually and the girl kept on glancing questioningly at the man. She had many questions, but asked none of them, just as she tried to pretend she wasn't admiring the perfect angle of his jawline from the corner of her eye.

After they arrived at her house, he disappeared just like that, without a word and the girl was left alone again.

What the hell did just happen? Am I losing my mind? Is that it? Why... Ahh, this doesn't make any sense! She thought and examined the fateful raincoat again. It certainly didn't belong to him, due to its size, so whose was it? Then, the girl felt something tiny at the bottom of the left pocket. She pulled the small object out.

Her golden pin.