Chapter 15: Tying Up Loose Ends

David reached his arms over his head and stretched, the joints popping in relief. His body felt sluggish and weak. He had been sitting at the old computer chatting with Eric for what felt like hours or even days. Had it been days? He had no idea how much time had passed since his meeting with Alex. All he knew was he was beginning to regret not taking his revenge when he had the chance.

It was weird. Ever since he started talking to Eric more openly, he’d felt a bit out of place. He felt like he was in a movie, seeing his life play out instead of experiencing it. It didn’t matter. He felt better than he had in weeks. Maybe he felt strange because of everything going on. He found comfort talking to a random person on the internet who was also stalking him. It was clearly a warning sign, one he chose to ignore.

It’s either talk to this guy or go crazy. At least I know where I stand with Eric, David thought as he stood up. He took a moment to stretch again. His stomach grumbled loudly, and he headed for the kitchen, humming to himself as he walked.

Eric told him to just start typing, so he did. He told Eric everything about his life: his childhood, his old plans for the future, his fears, his secrets. All of his feelings were laid out on the computer screen; he no longer cared about secrecy or preserving his identity. He told Eric things not even Rob knew about like having a crush on one of Rob’s girlfriends or how he had purposely flunked the entrance exam to a college he really wanted to attend so he could stay close to his friend. Not once did Eric judge him. It was comforting being able to talk to someone without any fear of being judged. It was only when the conversation drifted to Lori that David began to have reservations. Thankfully, Eric took the hint and didn’t try to pry.

They never got around to planning out how David would take his life back, but that was okay. That part could come later. He couldn’t explain why, but he knew there was time.

A loud knock came from the front door as David passed it. Ears rising in curiosity, he put his plans of eating on hold to answer the door.

Rob was standing at the door. He had no smile on his face, instead wearing a look of concern. He had dark circles under his eyes, his face and hands were pale, and his long hair was a mess, clinging to his shining forehead.

David didn’t care. His voice was flat as he addressed his friend. “Well, look who it is. Finally decided to answer my calls did you?”

Rob chuckled nervously before walking inside. “I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long, D. I just”—his eyes suddenly became distant as he stared at the floor—“I figured you wanted to be alone for a while.”

“It’s never stopped you before, and it damn sure never stopped you from setting me up on blind dates and ditching me,” David snapped. “Quit the bullshit excuses. You just didn’t want to deal with my drama.”

Rob stood there, holding his hands in front of him and looking around like a lost child. “I deserved that. I’m sorry, D. I just really wanted you to grow on your own. I figured after you and Stephanie hit it off, I figured you needed a little space.”

“Well aren’t you thoughtful,” David said sarcastically before continuing on to the kitchen. “Just admit it: You’ve been trying to pawn me off on Stephanie since the beginning.” He grabbed a bowl, a spoon, and a box of cereal from the cabinet. He also noticed the cabinet was looking a little empty and made a mental note to go food-shopping later. He sat down at the table and poured himself a bowl. It was past noon, too late for breakfast, but he needed something that could be quickly prepared and eaten so he could go back to chatting with Eric.

He looked up from his bowl and saw Rob standing in the kitchen doorway.

“I would never do that to you, D. We’re friends,” Rob said.

“You got a funny way of showing it. You’ve been pushing for me and Stephanie to be together, and you dumped me off on a website where I’m being cyber-stalked. But we’re friends, and that’s what friends do: they ditch your ass so they don’t have to listen to you whine about your problems.”

“I’m sorry, D. I just wanted to make sure you were taken care of before I left.”

David dropped the spoon in the bowl as his ears rose in suspicion. “Left? What do you mean? Where are you going?”

Rob sighed and sat in the chair opposite David’s. “People been droppin’ like flies lately. I gotta get outta dodge before I’m next on the list.”

“What list?” David asked. Of all the people he complained about on Chatline, Rob was never one of them. Eric never mentioned Rob either. “And why would you think you’re on it? Everyone who has died the last few weeks were total assholes to me. You’ve been a pain in my ass lately, but you’ve always had my back. Why would you be on any list?”

Rob leaned forward and lowered his voice as if someone could be listening in. “I just think that maybe we should have some space for a little while. Just until this whole thing is over.”

David just stared. It was like the message from Stephanie all over again. What he didn’t understand was why. Rob was never one to back out of a fight, so why was he running now that things were reaching the end?

“D, can you say somethin’?”

“What the fuck do you want me to say?” David growled. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you seem real eager to get away from me. I’m not a baby, Rob. If you don’t want us to be friends anymore, just say so.”

“It’s not that. I just…I’m in the way. Things will go a lot smoother without me.”

David’s brow rose. “What the hell are you talking about? Did someone threaten you? It’s Luther isn’t it? He finally found something to hold over your head.”

Rob shook his head and looked down. “No one’s threatening me. I just want you to have your chance.”

“Chance at what?”

“Revenge.”

David froze. He had no idea what to say to that. Ever since Lori died, Rob had been pushing for David to find peace and not go looking for payback. Now he was suddenly pushing for revenge? David had planned to re-take control of his life, but he hadn’t told Rob. David hadn’t told anyone except Eric.

David smiled uneasily at his friend. It couldn’t be true. Rob was his closest friend. “Good one, Rob. You almost got me.” When Rob didn’t smile back, David’s face fell. “Seriously, man, what the hell? You can’t be serious. Rob don’t do this. Not you.”

“I’m not doing anythin’ but givin’ you the opportunity you need. After all that worthless asshole Luther took from you, you’re gonna tell me that you don’t want the slightest bit of payback? C’mon, I can understand you lettin’ Alex go free, but you can’t tell me you don’t want to take a crack at Luther yourself?”

David’s hackles began to rise. “You know I would. Cut the shit, Rob. After all we’ve been through, the least you could do is be upfront with me. Where is all of this coming from? You keep pushing things at me while claiming you’re worried about me, but you’re not so worried you’d take care of things yourself.”

Rob seemed unbothered by the accusation which only pissed David off more. His friend leaned forward with a serious expression on his face like a parent about to explain something to a child. “David, listen to me: I have only done things for you. I only pushed things at you because I didn’t wanna become a crutch. I didn’t want you relyin’ on me. I needed you to have options, just in case.”

“Options? Why would I need options?”

“Because that damn detective isn’t backing off,” Rob growled. “She refuses to give up and you need to be careful. I know you haven’t done anything, but she’s not like the others. She’s got a brain and she’s using it. You can’t trust her, D.”

David leaned back in his seat. He didn’t understand where this sudden shift was coming from, and he didn’t like it. “Seriously, Rob, what the fuck is going on with you?”

Rob sighed and put a hand to his forehead, casting a shadow over his eyes. The gesture made him look like a movie villain. “You sound like a broken record. What is wrong with you?”

“What’s up with me is you’re scaring the shit outta me. How do you know all this?”

“I do know things. I’m not the pretty, but dumb guy.”

David slowly rose from his seat and went to the sink so he couldn’t see Rob’s face. He thought about the flashdrive Rob had given him. Again, his friend seemed to have the best timing. After Otto died, he tuck the flashdrive away in his dresser and didn’t touch it again. He didn’t want to believe Rob was sabotaging him on purpose, but something was clearly being hidden from him. What if this whole time, Eric and Rob had set this up?

“Have you talked to Stephanie, yet?” Rob asked. The question was so sudden, and Rob’s voice so casual, David turned around.

“What the hell does she have to do with any of this?” David asked skeptically.

“Well, the cops know you two are close, so she’ll be the next one they try to flip,” Rob said matter-of-factly. “Don’t worry ‘bout her though; if she hasn’t turned on you by now, she’s not going to.” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his seat. “But you can’t chase her away, either. What if she helped you?”

David’s brow rose. “That won’t work. Steph got pretty upset when I mentioned people deserving what they got, she won’t help me get revenge.” Even if she was okay with it, he had no intention of involving her.

“Right. Damn, I really thought she would be the anchor. That might be a problem later,” Rob whispered to himself.

“What?”

Rob faced David as if just noticing he was in the room. “Huh? Nothing, D. Just thinkin’. Hey, what about Carol? You seem to trust her enough.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothin’. Just thought you were two were hittin’ it off at one point.”

“And what point would that be? And how do you know about me hanging out with Carol?”

Rob chuckled. “D, everyone knows about Carol. Where do you think the threats came from? Everyone thought you and Carol were together, so they threatened her in the hopes she would blame you.” He chuckled again. “It would’ve worked except no one can explain why she let you in after you slipped a threatening message under her door. I gotta hand it to you, D, even when being accused of murdering your girlfriend, you still found two females who like you. But if you had to choose: Stephanie or Carol, who would you pick?”

“That’s not funny,” David growled.

“You’re right. Sorry. Anyway, I think I took up enough time.” He stood and headed for the door.

“Rob, hold on. Where did you hear about Chatline?” It wasn’t the first time David had questioned the reason behind Rob’s suggestion, but his friend’s uncanny knowledge was really making it hard to believe he hadn’t been set up.

Rob stopped in the doorway. His back was turned, but David could sense his friend tensing up. Rob kept his back turned as he said, “I Googled it, dude. How else you think I found out about it?”

You’re lying. I already searched GOOGLE and the site wasn’t there. “Right. Why didn’t I think of that?”

Rob nodded and left the apartment. David stood there for a moment, all the good feelings he had this morning draining out of him. As helpful as Eric had been, it was worrying to think this whole thing was set up. Now that Rob had confirmed it, could he really trust Eric? Could he trust Rob?

David decided not to dwell on it too much. It was already done anyway. All that mattered now was taking his life back.

Only three obstacles remained now: Patricia, Luther, and Alex. They had to know by now (Alex certainly did) that everyone who ever crossed David was meeting a violent end. Their guards would be up.

Rob did make one good point: how would Stephanie react to all this? She never liked the idea of revenge, and if she hadn’t decided to be friends again, would her name also be on the list? David told himself no, but it didn’t mean Eric agreed. What if the time came when he had to choose? It would be Stephanie without a doubt, but how would Eric react?

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he put the bowl in the sink and headed back to the bedroom. Now was not the time to become paranoid. He was just passing the front door when someone began knocking. Believing it to be Rob, David thought about ignoring it, but then he realized the knock wasn’t Rob’s usual heavy-handed banging. This one was a lot lighter as if made with smaller hands.

He opened the door to find Stephanie standing on the other side. His breath caught in his throat. What was she doing here? He never told Stephanie where he lived.

Stephanie smiled too wide to be natural, most likely to amend the tenseness of the situation. “Hey, I got your message. What’s up?”

David’s brow rose. He didn’t remember sending Stephanie a message, but at this point, he shouldn’t be surprised anymore. It seemed a lot of people were getting messages he never sent. “Yeah, come on in. I didn’t really want anything. I just figured we could hang out, maybe watch some T—some movies on my computer.”

 He regretted his words. Riiight. I just downloaded movies on my computer, so I invited you over to watch them…on my computer…in my bedroom. Yeah, that’s real subtle. David fought to keep his nervousness from showing in his face. What the hell was he doing? Even if he was okay with this, the apartment was a complete mess. He stepped to the side, hoping he was blocking his broken TV from view. Why hadn’t he thrown that thing away by now?

Stephanie either didn’t catch his nervousness, or she didn’t want to make the situation more awkward than it was. “Sure. It beats going to the movies. I don’t mind it. It’s just those speakers hurt my ears. Hey, do you have any popcorn? We should definitely have popcorn to go with the movie.”

Uh-oh. I don’t have any popcorn. I don’t have too much of anything. I was supposed to go food shopping when you showed up at my damn door! “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I should go ahead and make some.”

“Great. While you set that up, I really need to use the bathroom.”

“Sure. It’s the door on the right.”

Once Stephanie disappeared into the bathroom, David fell against the wall and took several deep breaths. He had until she came out of the bathroom to come up with a good reason why there was no popcorn and no movie. He could just tell her he didn’t have popcorn and order pizza or something. As for the movie, he had a few action movies downloaded and a collection of DVDs they could watch, but he really didn’t want Stephanie anywhere near his computer. He had no idea why, just that she couldn’t be allowed near it.

His phone started ringing. He plucked the receiver off the base and answered it without checking the number. “Who is this?”

“David!” Michael’s cheerful voice came through the phone like a drunken college student. “Hey, bud! It’s Michael. Listen, I got the best possible news for you: you’re free.”

David’s legs felt weak. He slid to the floor. “W-What?”

“The charges were dropped. Turns out, Brent Caldwell was their last witness, all the others are either dead or refusing to testify. Since they had next to no physical evidence on you to begin with, I managed to find a judge who was willing to get the charges dismissed. Technically, you were free since yesterday. Sorry I didn’t mention it to you sooner, but I didn’t want to get your hopes up. Now I don’t have to because its official.”

“You’re serious? This isn’t a prank?”

“Look, I know I joke around a lot, but no lawyer would joke like this,” Michael said, his voice serious. “Anyway, the paperwork’s already been signed. It’s done.”

David didn’t know what to say. It was really over. No more rumors, no more nightmares. He could finally begin to move on with his life. Tears streamed down his face, and he made no attempt to stop it. He pinched himself to make sure it wasn’t a dream. His arm hurt, and Michael was still on the phone.

Michael spoke again. “Listen, I know you probably want to go out and celebrate. Don’t do anything too crazy, now! You go ahead and enjoy this time. I’ll call you tomorrow and we can talk about the fee.”

David didn’t care. He hung up the phone and let it fall out of his hand onto the floor. What would he do now? Whatever he wanted; there was no longer a dark cloud hanging over his head. He felt so restless he didn’t know what to do.

Stephanie came out of the bathroom, but David didn’t move. “All right, so what movie are we watching? Personally, I’m in the mood for a good comedy. What do you—David, are you okay?”

David looked up at her, a big smile spreading across his muzzle. “I’m fine. I just found out that I’ve been cleared of all charges.”

Stephanie’s face lit up, making David’s tail wag again. “Really? David that’s great news!”

She practically fell on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

David returned the embrace. The smell of her perfume was relaxing. He releases her from the hug and looked into her eyes. Then without warning, he kissed her.

Stephanie pulled away, looking at David in surprise. His ears fell and his tail tried to seek cover behind him. In his rush of emotions, he didn’t have time to think about what he was doing or consider the consequences. He feared Stephanie was going to smack him and walk out. But instead she leaned forward and returned the kiss.

Lips still locked together, he pulled her close and somehow, they got up and moved towards the sofa. His hands moved through her fur, eager to explore every part of her. She began to unbutton his shirt.

Suddenly the image of Lori flashed before his eyes. He hesitated but Stephanie took advantage of the moment to break away so she could remove her top. The two resumed their session.

David closed his eyes as his hands slid down Stephanie’s body. He found himself thinking that it was Lori’s body he was touching, caressing. He pushed the thoughts aside and shifted his hand so he felt the fur of the rabbit kissing him. It didn’t take long for his mind to return to Lori. How many times had they made love on this very sofa? He forced the thoughts out of his mind again. He started kissing Stephanie more passionately. He leaned back and pulled her on top of him. He buried his nose into her neck and inhaled, taking in her scent. Her scent which somehow reminded him of Lori.

David fought back a growl. Lori was dead. She had been for some time. He knew this. He also knew he had feelings for Stephanie, so why was he thinking about his dead girlfriend when there was someone he knew he had feelings for right here in front of him?

But even knowing Stephanie was right there and she had feelings for him, he felt nothing. The rush of emotion that led to their first kiss was gone, and now it felt as if he were just going through the motions.

Stephanie broke away. “David, I’m sorry. We can’t do this,” She moved to the end of the sofa and grabbed her shirt.

David touched her arm and stopped her. He fought the twisting feeling in his gut that he had somehow messed up the one good thing in his life. “Why? If you want to move to the bedroom, it’s not a problem…”

“It’s not that.”

“Are you worried about protection? I’m pretty sure I have some condoms—”

“It’s not that either,” Stephanie said, louder.

“I don’t understand. What’s wrong?” He knew what was wrong, but he still held on to the smallest hope that there was another reason. Something trivial they could easily fix.

Stephanie started twisting the tip of her ear. Her eyes were already beginning to turn red and tear up. “It’s just”—she swore and punched the cushion—"I’m such an idiot.”

“Whoa, whoa, hey,” David wrapped his arms around her, pulling her head to his chest as he stroked her arm to console her. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I’m sure we can work through it.”

She pushed him away. “No, we can’t. That’s the problem. You just got your life back. You can finally take a moment to breathe and mourn your dead girlfriend and here I am pushing up on you.”

David’s ears fell as she confirmed his fears. “Look, I can take care of myself. If you’re worried about taking advantage, don’t. You’re not.”

“Yes, I am!” she retorted, her eyes now full of tears, “You’re not going to sit there and tell me you’re over her! David, I’ve waited so long for this and now all I can wonder is if your feelings are real.”

“What are you talking about? I do like you, Stephanie.”

“You’re just saying that because I’m one of the few people who hasn’t stabbed you in the back.”

“No. I liked you long before then. I just never acted because I was in a relationship. But—” he wanted to say that he was no longer in a relationship, but the words died in his throat. Saying the words out loud sounded cold as if he didn’t care about Lori. Stephanie had a point: Everything went downhill so quickly after Lori’s death, he never really had a chance to come to terms with anything. Even now when he was with Stephanie, thoughts of Lori crept into his mind. He tried to think of some other explanation, to convince Stephanie of the truth, but the look on her face told him the damage had already been done.

“See? I can’t do this wondering if I’m taking advantage of you, or if I’m gonna wind up as a rebound.”

“I would never do that to you.” He meant it.

“Maybe not intentionally, David,” Stephanie said, “But that’s what worries me the most. That when you hurt me, you won’t mean to and it will kill you inside. That’s why we can’t be together right now. You need more time.” She slipped her shirt over her head and moved for the door.

David grabbed her wrist. “Stephanie, please don’t do this. I finally feel comfortable acting on my feelings towards you and…Look we can figure this out. I know we can make it work.”

“David,” she gently pulled her hand loose. She refused to look him in the eye. “Let’s not kid ourselves. You always thought of me as a friend. That’s why you never took things further. And right now you’re just feeling mixed emotions and once the dust settles, I’ll go back to being you’re friend again.”

David stood there, unmoving. He wanted to tell her she was wrong. He did have real feelings for her, but part of him knew she was right. He had always thought of her as a friend. Taking things to the next level never crossed his mind until after he became single again..

But if that was true, why did it hurt so much to see her leave?

David nodded and looked down at his feet. There was nothing more to say. She was right. He wasn’t over Lori, and burying his feelings wasn’t going to do either of them any favors. The sound of the door closing made him feel as if he’d just been locked in a cell. He had no idea how much time passed as he stood there trying to comprehend today’s events. Not since the day he was arrested for Lori’s death had his life taken such a downhill run in a single day. Eventually, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Rob’s number. He had to talk to someone, anyone, it didn’t matter who. He just couldn’t stand the idea of being alone. He couldn’t have his life back only to have nothing to go back to.

All he received was Rob’s voicemail.

David dropped the cell on the table and put his face in his hands. He finally got his life back, and this happened. He was free to move on, only now there was no life to go back to. He had no job, no friends, and nowhere to go.

He wanted to scream, to run around the apartment and smash everything he could get his hands on. Smash everything and burn it down. But he didn’t. It wouldn’t solve anything, and he didn’t have the means to replace any of his stuff if he went on a rampage.

His cell chimed. Drawn by curiosity, he fished the cell out of his pocket and read the message. It was a text from Eric:

Go to your computer. We need to talk.

David’s legs started moving on their own, leading him to the bedroom where the computer awaited. He didn’t care that it was Eric who wanted to talk. Just that someone wanted to talk to him, having someone to vent to was good enough for him.

Eric: Sorry about Stephanie. I really had high hopes for you two.

David was too upset to even question how Eric knew about that so soon. At this point he couldn’t care less.

CH27: Thanks. I just hate that she’s right. I’m not ready for a relationship right now.

Eric: Well, look on the bright side, you still have me.

David stared at the computer screen. He didn’t know if Eric was joking or not, but he wasn’t in the mood.

Eric: Sorry. That’s not helping.

CH27: It’s fine. I just don’t get it. My life is finally picking up again, and then what little I had left is taken from me.

Eric’s reply appeared on the screen, but before David could read it, there was another heavy knock at the door.

Part of him wished it was Stephanie coming back having changed her mind. He quickly pushed the thought away, closed the chat window, and shuffled toward the door. He purposely moved slow, hoping whoever was knocking would give up and leave. Whoever was knocking instead got impatient. The knocks were getting heavier.

David began slowing down, his heart increasing its tempo. Now that he was closer, it didn’t sound like knocking. It sounded more like someone trying to break in. But who would go through the trouble of coming all the way to his apartment?

It didn’t matter. His cell was back in the bedroom, so he ran for the phone sitting next to the sofa. The door burst open just as he reached. A tall man dressed in all black and wearing a mask over his face rushed in. The intruder wasted no time running straight for David.

David was frozen with fear, his mind running with questions about who this was and why they were breaking into his apartment. He regained his senses when the intruder tackled him. They landed on the sofa and bounced onto the floor.

Hands roughly flipped him over and grabbed his wrists, pinning him to the floor. He struggled against his attacker. He opened his mouth to call for help, but all that came out was a frightened whine.

The masked attacker repeatedly slammed David’s hands against the floor until he let go of the phone, then swatted it away, sending it sliding to some unknown location. The intruder drew back a gloved fist and struck David in the face. David cried out in pain and he tasted blood. The pain somehow kick-started his brain and he regained his senses. The attacker drew his fist back again. This time David took advantage of having a hand free and grabbed the intruder’s face, trying to drive his thumb into the masked attacker’s eye.

The intruder managed to pull his face free, but David was also able to free his other hand. He grabbed the intruder’s jacket and pulled him forward, bringing his head up at the same time. Now it was the attacker’s turn to cry out in pain as David’s head collided with the man’s face. David ignored the flare of pain in his head and used the time to push the man onto the floor.

David quickly jumped to his feet and ran for the door. The intruder grabbed his tail. David tried to hit the intruder with a backhand, but he ducked and tackled David again. This time, David planted himself and stayed on his feet, but it didn’t stop the intruder from slamming him against the door. The intruder drew a knife from his belt and pressed it against David’s throat.

“You’re not getting out of this one, mutt,” the intruder said, his voice dripping with venom.

David didn’t need to see the man’s face to know who it was. Luther had finally come for him.

There was no way he was going to die like this. To let Luther be the one to take his life—the one thing he had left.

Fight back.

The words just appeared in his mind almost like an afterthought or a whisper in his ear. It didn’t matter; it was the right thought. After everything Luther put him through for the past year, after everything he put Lori through, he didn’t get to have his way anymore.

David brought his knee up with as much force as  he could muster, catching Luther in the crotch. Luther squealed in pain and backed away, clutching at the wounded family jewels.

Make him pay.

David ran past Luther for the bedroom. He didn’t know why he didn’t leave the apartment or cry for help. He just knew he wanted to move as far away from the door as possible. He slammed the bedroom door shut from the hall then slipped into the bathroom and hid behind the shower curtain.

After a few moments, he could hear Luther slowly coming down the hall. “David! You should have just taken the jail time! Or better, why didn’t you just fuck that bitch Carol or your rabbit-whore girlfriend and leave Lori alone? She told me she never liked you. Even when she was in bed with you, she was thinking of me.”

David bit back the growl trying to form in his throat. Luther was lying to get under his skin.

Give in to the rage, the voice said. David’s hackles began to rise.

“I’m gonna enjoy watching you die, David! I’ve dreamt of this day for a very long time! You didn’t deserve her! I honestly don’t know what she saw in a disgusting mutt like you. All you had to do was let her go and accept that she loved me! But you couldn’t do that could you? You had to stay in her life and make her feel guilty! You refused to let her go to spite me, and she wound up killing herself because of it!”

David carefully peeked out of the curtain and watched as Luther stalked past the bathroom. He could feel every strand of fur on his body stand on end, his muscles tensed so much, it felt as if his body were being squeezed under the pressure.

Just a few feet away was the man who was responsible for the downward spiral his life had taken in the last three years.

Here. Alone. In his apartment. Where there were no witnesses.

Get him.

He quietly stepped out of the bathroom. He kept his guard up in case Luther turned around at the last second.

A boom echoed through the hall, indicating Luther kicked the bedroom door open.

David broke into a run. He leapt onto Luther’s back and sank his teeth into Luther’s shoulder, biting down until he could taste blood. Something clattered to the floor, likely the knife.

Luther screamed and tried to shake David off, but he wasn’t letting go. Luther backed up until they slammed into the wall. David lost his grip and Luther scrambled away, clutching at his wounded shoulder, going for the knife on the bedroom floor.

David was right on his heels. Just as Luther scooped up the knife, David tackled him to the floor. David punched him in the shoulder before he could retaliate with the knife. He then wrenched the knife from Luther’s hands and plunged it into his chest. Luther’s eyes bulged in shock, pain, and fear. David pulled the blade out slowly then stabbed him again.

David continued to stab Luther again and again. It was like the nightmare at Carol’s. Warm blood coated his hands and sprayed on his face. Luther lay beneath him, not fighting back, not crying out. He continued his assault.

It was Luther’s fault all of it. The reason he didn’t trust Lori, the reason he lost his family, friends, and the woman he loved, the reason why he was now sentenced to spend the rest of his life alone. He continued stabbing him, each blow flashing images of what his life had become and what it could never be.

He didn’t plan to stop until Luther was nothing more than a stain on the floor.

Finally, David stopped his assault. His hands were shaking, his arms were sore, his fur was slick with sweat, and his body felt as if it were on fire. He stared at the bloody, lifeless human beneath him.

One down, the voice said.

He slowly stood and walked back to the bathroom. He looked at his face in the mirror. His fur still stood on end, and the blood dripping from his muzzle made him look like some sort of monster.

He smiled at his reflection.

He washed his face and hands in the sink. Holding his hands under the water, he finally became aware of the soreness of his muscles. When the water swirling down the drain finally turned clear, he turned off the water and dried his face. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It was done. He had finally gotten Luther.

The thought resounded in his head. He had finally gotten Luther. He rushed back to the bedroom. Luther lay exactly where he had left him, blood pooling around the body. David felt sick. He turned away and took several deep, slow breaths to keep himself from vomiting. What had he done? Luther had broken into his apartment, so it counted as self-defense, but he doubted even self-defense could justify stabbing someone to the brink of exhaustion.

But did he really have to justify it? Luther made his life a living hell, framed him for Lori’s death, and turned all of his friends against him. Who could blame him for wanting to get even? Luther was a monster; he deserved what he got.

David turned to his computer. Another chat window had opened. He didn’t even care how Eric started a new conversation without his approval and approached the computer.

Eric:I see you finally got your revenge. Feel better?

CH27: Not really. I thought I would feel better, but now I feel sick.

Eric: It gets better eventually. But first, you need to deal with that asshole. First, wrap up the body. Then take it to Otto’s apartment. It’s still empty and no one’s gonna want to live there anytime soon.

CH27: Okay, but he’s gonna stink eventually.

Eric: It won’t matter. By time he’s found, you’ll be long gone starting your new life.

CH27: okay.

Eric: Just tell me when you get back.

David retrieved Luther’s knife and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans then got to work on disposing of Luther’s body. He wrapped the body in as many sheets as he could find then dragged the body out of the apartment, taking care to close the door behind him. If he left the door open, someone might see and go in wondering why. He worried someone would come out of their apartment or would be coming home and catch him dragging a body down the stairs. He encountered no one. Otto’s apartment wasn’t locked and David blessed his luck. He didn’t know the first thing about picking locks and breaking the door down would be too loud. It occurred to him that Luther wasn’t quiet breaking into his apartment, and their fight wasn’t quiet either, yet no one called the police or bothered to see what was going on. Even now, it was as if all of his neighbors became oblivious to the outside world.

David shrugged off the suspicions and focused on the task at hand. Otto’s apartment was empty; some distant relative had come and taken everything to give away or put in storage. It didn’t matter, he was just glad it meant no one would be coming back to grab that one sentimental thing they had forgotten. He stuffed Luther into the bedroom closet. It was done. It would be weeks or even longer before anyone found his body. David found it kind of fitting that Luther would rot here without anyone knowing what happened to him. It was no different from what Luther had intended for him. Just like that, all of his fears were gone, and he was brimming with confidence. It was like a high he didn’t want to come down from.

He was on his way out of the apartment when his phone vibrated. He checked the screen and saw it was a message from Eric.

Change of plans. We need to end things now.

David put the phone back in his pocket and went outside. He knew exactly what Eric meant. There were only two people left who mattered: Alex Fields, the reporter who benefitted most from his misery, and Patricia Price, Lori’s mother. Alex could wait. He wanted to take his time with her. Unlike the others, she had no personal connection to him which in some ways made her  actions worse. She wasn’t motivated by misguided grief. She made his life a living hell for a payout. She would get her payment.

He climbed into the pickup and was surprised to find the keys already in the ignition. He drove carefully down the street. There was no need to rush. He knew Patricia would be home, and she would not receive any guests today. He wasn’t sure how he knew that, but the thought put a smile on his face.

The drive to Patricia and Richard Price’s house was much shorter than David expected. It was if fate was on his side. Every light turned green when he approached, and the traffic was always light. He parked the pickup a few houses down then walked the remainder of the way on foot.

The neighborhood was eerily quiet and empty. Rows of lush trees stood perfectly still in the warm breeze like tall wooden guardians. Not a single person stood outside or could be seen in the surrounding windows despite the nice weather. The lonely atmosphere made the large, expensive homes look more like mausoleums.

He whistled to himself as he walked, knowing that no one would be watching him from their windows. Just like back at the apartment, everyone around him had other things to focus on.

The closer he got to the house, the more excited he became. His tail wagged furiously behind him, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

He walked up to the door and knocked politely. It didn’t take long before Richard Price appeared in the doorway.

The man looked to be somewhere in his mid-to-late fifties. His hair was almost completely grey, leaving only sparse streaks of brown. His face was sunken and tired looking, but not from lack of sleep. It was the look of someone who had grown tired of living and was simply checking days on the calendar until they could take that final nap.

Well, Richard, it’s finally bedtime.

Richard’s eyes widened. “David? What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to talk,” David said. He again felt that strange out of body experience as if he were watching his life instead of living it. He watched as his arm seemingly moved on its own, striking Richard in the face. The old man cried out in pain and stumbled backward, blood leaking through the fingers covering his now broken nose. David felt nothing as his body casually strolled inside, closing the door behind him and locking it.

Richard faced him with wide, fear-filled eyes. “D-David—”

David’s hand moved again, slapping Richard across the mouth. “When we said we wanted to talk, we meant we talk, you listen.” The voice didn’t sound like his. It sound as if someone was talking through him and part of their voice was coming through.

His hand grabbed Richard by the back of the neck and steered him into the living room. Richard didn’t resist or maybe he was too scared to. David didn’t care either way.

“Sit down,” he commanded, shoving Richard onto the sofa.

Richard straightened up on the sofa, holding one hand over his bleeding nose.

David’s ears shot up. He heard a quiet whisper on the floor and the frightened heartbeat of the woman creeping up on him. With speed that surprised even him, he spun around and grabbed the bat Patricia Price was aiming at his head. Like her husband, she looked older than she actually was, her hair had turned almost completely grey, and she was very thin. It was almost pitiful to believe this frail, ancient-looking woman could possibly be a threat.

But David knew better and wasn’t taking chances. While old and frail, Patricia was a dangerous woman. He knew she was the true mastermind behind the plot to have him thrown in prison.

“Patricia!” David cried as if seeing an old friend. “Glad you could join us! Here, join your husband.” He seized her by the shirt collar and flung her toward the sofa with surprising ease. Richard caught his wife before she could fall to the floor. David didn’t remember being that strong or having senses this sharp, it was if he could feel even the minute disturbances in the air whenever someone moved, and no detail escaped his eyes. In particular, the look of hatred in Richard’s eyes that betrayed his wish of having left his revolver locked in the drawer in his study.

“It’s funny how the gun you wanted to kill yourself with, you now want to save your life,” David said. He didn’t know how he knew that just from looking into Richard’s eyes, but he did, and he didn’t care why.

“Why are you doing this, David?” Richard asked. “We know the charges have been dropped, you’re free now.”

“You bastard,” Patricia growled. “Not enough you killed our daughter, now you want our lives as well?”

David’s hackles rose. Free? Sure, he was free, but free to do what? It pissed him off to hear Richard trying to reason with him as if he was acting irrational.

“Patricia, please, that’s not helping,” Richard pleaded.

“I don’t care,” Patricia spat. She faced David with a look of absolute hatred. “If killing us makes you feel better, then go ahead. I tripped the silent alarm; the police will be here any minute. They’ll come and see you for the monster you are, and this time they’ll lock you away for the rest of your miserable life.”

David didn’t react. She was lying; he could see it in her eyes. She didn’t trip the silent alarm because she wanted the chance to kill him herself. She didn’t call the police because she wanted it to end in bloodshed.

His ears perked up again. Someone was approaching in a car. They were driving slowly to keep him from hearing and were stopping at least a hundred yards away so he wouldn’t hear the engine. It wasn’t someone coming home or a relative visiting someone in the neighborhood. It was Anya. She was coming for him.

You’re sharper than we thought, Detective. He thought. He didn’t know what he meant and didn’t question it. All that mattered was that he had guests and would need to alter the plan.

“Let’s go, you two. We need to get ready for our guests.”

Post-story notes

I really worried I was packing too much into a single space with this chapter. A lot of things just got advanced on top of explaining the previous chapter, but I just couldn't justify splitting this into two separate chapters. Given the nature of the events taking place, the characters can no longer take their time doing things. It was really hard to keep David's thoughts and emotions flowing so it doesn't feel like he's jumping around just to fit the scene. You probably already figured out that something is happening to David and affecting his thoughts (I haven't exactly been subtle about it, and I'm really working on that).

I plan to wrap up this story in two more chapters plus an epilogue, so three more postings total. That's the plan, and I m sticking to it.