“Is there a problem, officer?” I snap, feeling guarded. I don’t like this guy; he gives me the creepy vibe.
His demeanor softens and his smile becomes sad and sincere. “No problem, little lady, it’s your sister.”
“What about her?” I ask, feeling my heart rate elevate.
“I’m afraid she’s had a bit of an accident that landed her in the hospital early this morning.”
Sounds like her. Probably fell off her bike. “Is she breathing?”
He nods.
“Is Nokosi with her?”
“He sure is. Don’t like him?”
I grunt, “You have no idea.” Sighing, I wipe my hands on my nightgown and blow a raspberry. “Well, if he’s with her I’m sure she’s fine and doesn’t need me.”
“She does need you,” he responds, and I hear the sincerity in his voice and see it in his eyes.
“Fine.” I step back. “I can’t drive, I’ve had my meds, can you give me a ride?”
“Sure can.”
“I’ll just get dressed then,” I say, smiling and allowing him into my home, motioning to my tatty pink nightgown. He steps inside, looking at the lack of furniture and pictures on the walls. “What did you say your name was, officer?”
“I didn’t, sorry, long day.” He holds out his hand and I take it. “It’s Officer Deacon.”
“Officer Deacon,” I repeat, feeling my heart thrum with excitement. “I have heard a lot about you from my sister.”
“All good I hope.”
“So good,” I lie, “I feel like I’m in the presence of a hero. Please, follow me and sit while I get dressed.”
Officer Deacon
My head hurts. I’ve never felt so hungover. Did I drink last night?
No… it hasn’t been last night yet. I was talking to that girl… the one with the weird green eyes. The mud shark. The nigger fucker. I was pouring her a drink… she was upset… worried about her sister… and then…
Now I’m here.
Where is here?
I blink open my eyes, surprised to see a blinding light pointed directly at me. I hear groaning and try to find the source, but my head keeps lolling.
I think the groaning is me.
Fuck it hurts so bad.
“Hello?” I try to speak but it’s muffled. There’s something in my mouth. Fabric. It tastes bitter, like it’s been used to clean and hasn’t been rinsed properly.
My hands are pulled tight behind me… My shoulders ache. My entire body aches. It feels like I’ve got the flu. Am I dying? Bleeding? Wounded?
I look down. I’m only wearing boxers and a white wifebeater. I was dressed. I was in my uniform. Fuck. My gun.
“Shut the fuck up,” a feminine voice hisses at me and yanks my hair back. Her fingers grip my cheeks painfully, her nails digging into my flesh.
It’s her. The one with the freaky green eyes like her twin.
“What do you want from me?” I ask but I can’t speak properly. This fucking rag in my mouth.
My eyes adjust. I’m in a white room. Plastic sheeting lines the walls and floors.
Oh my God.
I’m going to die.
Willow
Willow: I know we’re not exactly speaking right now, but I need you to meet me in our spot ASAP. It’s important. Come alone. Don’t tell Lilith.
Nokosi: I have been calling and texting you all fucking day! Where have you been?
Willow: I’ve been busy. Come around and you’ll see.
Nokosi: I’m only coming because I have to tell you something and not because you’ve asked.
I pace back and forth, twisting my braid around my hand as I go.
It takes him a while, but he gets here. I greet him at the door, blocking the garage behind me from his view. Man, I’m so fucking excited. If this doesn’t show him that I love him and I’m worthy of him, I don’t know what will. If this doesn’t earn me his love and trust, I definitely don’t know what will.
“Okay, before you say anything,” I state as Officer Deacon thrashes in the chair and screams around the gag in his mouth. “I just want to tell you that I know what I did to you was wrong, so I want to make it up to you.” I yank him inside as his eyes find Deacon and quickly close the door behind him. “Tada!”
“Willow… what the fuck?” he gasps, eyes wide and on the cop that abused him growing up. “What have you done?”
“I’m going to kill him for you.”
Nokosi swings around to look at me, his eyes still wide but now full of disbelief.
“Unless you want to do the honors yourself?” I motion to the spread of weapons on the floor by the far wall. I didn’t have a table, so I had to make do. “There’s a screwdriver, knives, pliers, if you want to pull out his teeth or something. Or… I have his gun?”
“This isn’t right, Willow, you’re not thinking straight,” he whispers, gripping my biceps. “You don’t want to do this. He’s not worth the prison sentence.”
“Prison? I’m not going to prison, I’m dying. By the time it goes to trial I’ll be dead.” I place my hand on his chest as Deacon screams louder, even more scared now that he knows I’ve got nothing to lose by killing him. “Isn’t that awesome? I can do whatever the fuck I want.”
Nokosi looks at a loss for words, understandable. This is a lot to take in.
“Oh my God… this day just won’t fucking end,” he whispers and gulps audibly. “Look, Willow… your sister is sick. She needs you.”
“I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY SISTER!” I yell at him, annoyed that he’s even thinking about her after what I’ve done for him. “My sister has everything. She has her life, money, the guy I want, friends… well, that last part is debatable, strength and energy to do things every fucking day.”
“Is that what this is about?” he asks, shocked. “You want me? You did this because you thought it would make me love you?”
“He abused you,” I yell, pulling the gun from the back of my pants and pointing it at Deacon. “He abused you for years. Don’t you want revenge? Look at this room. Nobody will ever know what we did.”
“Willow, I don’t want to kill anybody. I just want a long and quiet life. Okay? I don’t want this on my conscience, I don’t have the stomach for it. If you truly love me, you won’t force me into this.”
Okay… I suppose he sort of has a point.
“Fine, turn around,” I say firmly with a shrug of my shoulders. “I’ll do it. He’s not leaving here alive. He’s a pedophile and I’m sort of what you call a… vigilante, rapist-pedo hunter. Cool, right?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Nok asks, gripping his head with his hands, looking at me with wild eyes. “Let’s just put the gun down and go and find Lilith. She’s really fucking—”
I push the barrel of the gun against his mouth, enraged at the sound of that bitch’s name.