Page 43 of Starving Butterfly
The gunshot cracked before the word finished. Blood sprayed across us as the judge screamed. His right shoulder sported a new hole as blood bubbled up from the wound.
“Jesus, I said I’d talk!”
Cole didn’t look at him. “Then stop wasting time.” There was a pause as the judge swallowed. “Keep talking.”
I glanced at Cole, not sure if that was a step we needed to take, but I didn’t voice it. Something felt off, but I couldn’t name it. The judge swallowed a cry as he stuttered.
“I-it w-was Mat?—“
Cole’s gun snapped his head back, a sickening hole between his eyes. A deafening sound echoed around the room as I stared at the dead judge and the name of the man who hired him, barely spoken.
He didn’t even let him finish.
The house burnedbright against the snow; the smoke drifted past into clouds towards the city. I thought I would feel something. Anything but numbness settled over me as I watched the judge’s body disappear into the flames. He was going to be dead anyway; that ticker of his couldn’t handle all the alcohol he’d been consuming. That’s what I used to justify it. Killing a defenseless old man in cold blood. My mind kept tripping over the name he was uttering before Cole executed him. Cole threw the gas can into the flames. It popped and hissed before melting along with the rest of the house.
Karter just danced on his toes to my left, giving me a side glance every few seconds. He was waiting for me to talk to him, but I wasn’t going to talk to him. How does one even talk to a friend turned rapist? I should have killed him when I found out. In fact, I would have killed him if not for the deal I made with Lucas. Stupid deal if you asked me, but as much as Dr. Avery claimed to hate blondes, he sure seemed to like Karter. It probably had to do with Karter’s lack of pain, but who was I to judge? Pain, no pain, it didn’t make a difference to me. We are all a different brand of fucked up. God, it seemed like yesterday, but as I glanced down at my stomach, I knew yesterday was months ago. That I was a woman still clinging to the idea of a perfect family… losing my mind more times than I could count. Midasreally did a number on me. When I found Gabriella, he would be my next target.
The judge’s family stirred, a few groans filtering from them, and Karter bent down to check their pulse. I already had my gun in hand. There should have been a line drawn, but I was in no shape to draw it. The shots fired one after another. Quick. Clean. Decisive.
He messed with my family. I had no mercy left.
33
FUCK IT
December 24th
James dropped the keys wordlessly on the counter as he opened the Airbnb’s door. Kade plopped down on the sofa, pulling his sweaty headgear off, his shirt following behind.Both items were tossed recklessly to one side. He flicked the TV on; some Call of Duty game started in the background.
Scott looked at me hesitantly before following through the doorway. He hadn’t said anything in the car ride over, and I didn’t push.
“Dude you ate all the pizza again,” James complained, grabbing a beer and tossing me one, which I passed to Kade, who flipped him off. Kade nodded his thanks, giving us both a glance before cursing and dropping the controller in frustration.
“Fucking head shot every time,” he growled.
I led Scott towards the bathroom to check him over.
“Dustin, you got him?” James asked before we disappeared down the hall.
“Yeah, don’t worry about it. I’ll call Brian in the morning.” I hollered back, shuffling Scott into the bathroom.
“Wonder how many ladies are spending Christmas alone in a bar, seeing that red head makes me itch for some pussy.” Kade groaned.
“That’s the STDs, bro.” James replied.
I fumbled in my pocket for my wallet and tossed it at one of their heads.
“Ow,” I heard in response.
“Get out of here and don’t come back til dawn.” I turned to Scott, who was washing his face in the sink. “That’s an order,” I yelled.
There was some shuffling as they passed by, grabbing civilian clothes, and a moment later the front door opened and closed, bathing the house in silence once more.
“Sorry about them, they don’t know their dick from their brains,” I scratched the back of my head.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind.” Scott said quietly. He turned to grab a towel and hissed when he extended his arm. I stepped forward, grabbing hold of his arm, and Scott jerked away. “I’m fine.”
“I was just trying to help,” I replied, shaking my head.
