One Step Ahead.

There was something truly unnerving about sleeping in the same room as a sociopath. There was something even more unnerving in the simple fact that you were slowly becoming okay with what they did. It was even worse when you were in their bed, with their arm wrapped around you like some sort of child’s plush doll. I was afraid to even breathe considering he slept with a fucking glock and blade underneath his pillows. I don’t know how many teeth he had knocked out but the tooth fairy had been mighty generous…

“Are you awake?”

I sat up, or attempted to and grunted as Shawn pulled me back against the bed. “Uh yeah, I am.” I muttered and the person laughed and walked over, a blade catching the moonlight cascading from the window. I was afraid. I should not have even opened my mouth. This was a bad idea.

It had blood on it. It was fresh from a kill. I felt bile rush to my mouth and my head began to swim. “Oh, admiring the blood huh?” He said and I rolled over and puked off the edge of the bed. There were some things that were too much. “Does the name Ellie mean anything to you?” I threw up again at the mention of her name, my eyes forming tears and my breathing becoming labored. After all of that he had killed her? What was I doing here if they were going to kill them anyway?

“You didn’t kill her did you? Oh god. Oh my god.” I nearly shrieked and Shawn stirred next to me and sat up, his arms releasing me. I immediately ran to the bathroom and began to puke violently. Shawn stood up and shoved Jeremy out of the room and he laughed as Shawn slammed the door.

“Are you okay?” He asked. He sounded concerned, but I was not going to concentrate on that. The fact that he sounded like a normal human being did not faze me. He was a monster. They were all monsters. I was stupid to go along with this plan. It had cost Ellie her life.

“He killed her. Oh my god he killed her. They were the only family I had left. They were it. I am alone now. Oh my god.” I screamed my tears clouding every ounce of vision I had left. “This was such bullshit. I cannot believe he did that. Came in and showed me her blood. Her…her last little ounce of blood. I will kill him Shawn. I will have his head. He took away the only ones who loved me.”

“That is not true. None of that is true. I love you, and he will never do anything to me. And as far as him killing Ellie he did not do that. I assure you if he did he would have flashed her head and not a blood soaked knife. I am not promising she is safe, he likes to cut things. And I have to tell you Acelyn I love you and all but you make one move to kill anyone here and I will take you out with a single bullet and put your head on my wall.”

I cringed. That was the worst threat ever heard and it hit home. The last thing I needed was my head on a mantle like people who keep their relatives urns there. That would not go well with company.

“Okay.” Was all I could manage to find the courage to say before leaning over the toilet and emptying my stomach again. Shawn pulled back my hair and I smiled. It was like there was something in that shell of a human being that still held a spark of humanity and compassion. Although I suspected it to be too small to really rekindle.

“Now, let’s get you out of these disgusting clothes.” He said and I nodded as effortlessly picked me up, earning a small squeal of fright from me. I hated putting my life or limbs in another’s hands, but it was a bit late for that wasn’t it?

He pulled open a dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of Alesana sweats and a large baseball jersey styled shirt and tossed them at me. I began to take off my shirt and smiled as he turned around. There was a gentleman in the beast after all. I was shocked.

“You can look now.” I said after tugging on the sweats and holding my dirty clothes at arm’s length.

“Come on, I will take you downstairs so we can clean that and you can have something to drink.”

I nodded and followed him down the small staircase and into the kitchen. It was so nice looking. He tugged the clothes out of my hands and tossed them into the adjoining laundry room which was full of chemicals. More than likely to keep themselves from being caught. People knew it was them, but they had no clue who they were. It was funny because if they google imaged them well they would have their answers.

“Here you are.” He said snapping my from my thoughts and I smiled as he handed me a clear glass of liquid.

“Water?” I asked and he shook his head.

“Vodka. For the nerves you know? I will be back I am going to go clean that up.” He said pointing at the ceiling and I smiled. It was like he was every bit a normal person with a filthy habit. But a filthy habit was like biting your nails off not killing people I gently reminded myself.

I took the drink and swallowed it in haste and closed my eyes. I was in a house full of sociopathic killers, and I had willingly come. I had literally come straight up and knocked on the door. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I like them? Had I secretly harbored the same feelings they did?

No. I reminded myself that I was here on a mercy mission. I was anything but one of them. And I would go to the ends of the earth to remind myself of that. I took the blade from the counter that Jeremy had loving left as a reminder and created a small incision on my palm. I would bleed every time one of them made one of my own bleed. I would remind myself every day that I was still human. I was not a monster.

“Oh you are here. Hello.”

I turned as the door opened and Jake walked in a small smile playing on his lips. It was a smile that read one of two things ‘I just killed’ or ‘I just got laid and it was amazing.’ However I was going to shoot for number one.

“Hi.” I greeted back and he nodded before turning to the cabinet and pulling out a package of Slim Jims and I noticed a large blood stain on his clothing. “You have blood on you.” I said and he laughed.

“You should see the rug inside of the truck. There is so much blood, none of us can figure out how to get rid of the stains though.” He joked and I sighed. I was going to have to be the brains.

“Pool cleaner.”

“What?” He asked and I repeated myself and he smiled and patted my head.

“You are a smart chickadee welcome to the team.”

I nodded. A team, what sort of team was this? A team promoted working together for the betterment of something. It implied positivity. This was not a team, it was a gang. I was a member of a gang. The gang that stole the people that meant the most to me. The two people who if they could see who I was now would shake their heads and disapprove. And I would not battle them one bit.

“Well I am going to bed goodnight.” He said and I waved goodbye to him. No sooner had he disappeared a fairly sweaty Shane had appeared in the doorway. His clothing was wrinkled and I smiled kindly at him. Out of all of them I had the most hope for Shane. He was twisted sure, but he was not Shawn twisted, and nowhere near Jeremy twisted.

“Hey Acelyn, what are you doing down here?” He asked with genuine concern as he spotted my cup.

“Jeremy?” He asked and I nodded.

“You puke?” I nodded again and he laughed as Shawn came down the stairs a smile plastered on his face.

“It gets so much easier. Everything gets so much easier after awhile. Even people. Good night Acelyn.” Something about what he said got under my skin and I could not help but wonder where he had been, but I knew better than to question it…

“Come on lets go back to bed.” Shawn said and I nodded before kissing his cheek and following him up the stairs.