Note: The title of this chapter changed due to rewrites and it sounding cooler. xD
Episode 23: The Guilty and The Innocent
The stranger outside was growing more and more desperate to get in now. They pounded at the glass ferociously shaking the windows before us. I squinted through the darkness to see if I could make out our visitor, but a heavy fog had developed outside amongst the darkness of the night. It added to the eeriness of our situation. Vince even appeared to be a bit rattled. He rose to his feet slowly and grabbed his machete. I carefully lifted myself up grabbing the side of the table next to us. He looked back at me in disapproval and raised his hand for me to stop, but I couldn’t just sit there.
As he drew closer to the door, I quietly raised to my feet, grabbed my katana, and snuck up behind him limping slightly.
He inhaled and exhaled as he twisted the lock on the door. He cut his eye at me acknowledging my presence. Then he opened it.
“David?” I gasped.
It was indeed David. He fell forward on to his face moaning. He looked awful. His clothes were caked with dirt and blood. His face pale with bloodshot eyes. He raised his head squinting at us and Vince helped him up.
“Shit. Fuck man. You’re like fucking herpes. Can’t get rid of your ass!” he groaned as he held the weaker man up,
“Or glitter?” I added chuckling.
They both at looked me and I smiled nervously, “Um…like glitter is hard to get rid of too?”
David laughed to my relief, “What a greeting. I think I’ll prefer being compared to glitter though.”
With Vince holding him up he pointed to a spot nearby the fire and sat down gingerly looking wearily at the both of us.
“You’re probably wondering how I got here,” he said. “Well, I used the rifle you gave me. Fought them off till I ran out of bullets. I don’t even know how I made it out, but I did thanks to you, Vince.”
“Always saving your ass ain’t I? Good ol Vince. Well, you can thank Audrey for that one,” Vince sneered. I glared at him and he seemed to regret what he said instantly. Avoiding eye contact with me he softened his tone, “So how did you find this place?”
“I heard a gunshot and followed where I thought the sound came from.”
“Mark…. when we fought over the gun probably.”
We all looked over at Mark. He slept soundly snoring unaffected by any of the pounding or David.
Vince shook his head, “I wish I could sleep like that.”
“Don’t we all. Maybe we should try to get some rest,” I said watching David eyes slowly close.
“No. You sleep. I’ll keep watch. Someone needs to be up in case we have any more visitors. Plus I need to keep an eye on this guy.”
I nodded my head, “Fine, but then you rest once morning comes. Then let’s get out of here.”
“Sure. Once your leg gets better hop along”, he smirked. “We’ll talk about it. Just get some rest. You need it more than me.”
He took one glance at me looking solemnly and sat down in middle of the room looking out the windows. I watched him for a moment wondering what he was about to tell me before David arrived. Was he hiding something? As I started towards him too wired and too curious to sleep, I felt someone tug on my clothes. I looked back to see David staring up at me.
“Come closer,” he whispered. I kneeled down to his eye level. “I want to thank you. I also want to apologize. For what I did.”
“For what? Leaving me in the fire? Yeah. I was pretty pissed, but it’s…it’s fine. I’m here ain’t I?”
"No. no. Not just that. I…I told those men where your shed was,” he continued trembling. “I made a deal with them that night. The night you met Vince. You see Vince got away, but they caught me and threatened my life. Like the coward that I am, I agreed to lead them to Vince. I had the chance to say nothing. To look the other way, but I saw Vince the morning after that night talking to you. I was watching from the bushes. I told them I saw Vince and the girl with the sword. I pleaded and I begged them to let me go then, but the damage was done…”
“What?”
“I might as well have burned your shed…your home myself.”
“B..but?” I stuttered feeling like my insides were about to burst from sheer anger. I looked over at Mark.
“He had nothing to do with it. Once Roy’s men were done with me I ran into him. I even try to warn him, but he was adamant about finding Vince. Then once he saw all that food I couldn’t get him to go anywhere. He wanted to rob you blind before Roy’s men got to you first. Even I got a bit blinded by it I guess. Something told me to leave when I did.” He laughed. “I had the crazy idea they might spare me after they killed you both. Thought they might let me have a cut of the food. ”
“And Vince?” I seethed shaking.
“He’s innocent. Always has been…”
Tears started to form in his eyes as he looked up at me. My hands shook. My face burned with rage. I grabbed the hilt of my katana wanting nothing more to end the man’s life. To get my revenge, but tear after tear began streaming down and a strange smile spread across his face as he stared at my sword.
"Do…do what you must if that’s what you want,” he sobbed. “I don’t have much time in this world anyway. You’ll be doing me a favor and I don’t even deserve that.”
He then pulled down the collar of his shirt and revealed a large ragged bite wound. He then looked up at me closing his eyes as he continued to cry. His voice getting raspy and weak, “Let me talk to Vince one last time and you can do what you want with me. I owe him.”
I immediately felt a ray of emotions. Anger, sadness, anxiety. I didn’t know this man from Adam, but he had shaken me to my very core. I didn’t know rather to call Vince over or to just end the pathetic sap now, but I knew whatever this man had to say to Vince was important.
“Did you know Vince before this?” I asked eyeing him suspiciously. It was a thought that had crossed my mind many times as I watched them interact back in the shed. There was a familiarity between them along with Mark, but one of coldness and resentment.
“Yes. I was a cop. I use to think Vince was a bad guy, but I was the bad one. I was supposed to protect and serve people, but I squandered it on booze and drugs. My wife. My family. I can’t blame them for leaving me now. I lost myself. I lost my purpose. I lost what it meant to be a cop. I ruined a lot of people lives. Vince being one of them. Though I’m not sure if it matters now.”
I hesitated, “So Vince was…he was a criminal? What did he do? What did you do to him?”
David flinched looking away from me. He then sighed, “He hasn’t told you. Well, it’s not my place to say, but I accused him of something he didn’t do. Not to say he’s a saint, but he’s a good guy. I know that now. But Mark. I can’t say the same for him”
“What about Mark? He’s a criminal too I take it.”
“Yes. A dangerous one, unfortunately. I should have told you back at the shed, but I didn’t think we would still be together like this. He’s done terrible things to women. You can’t be alone with him. He’ll hurt you….”
“I’ll hurt what? ” I heard a voice bellowed sending shivers up my spine. I looked up to see Mark standing over us with a shotgun. “You believe this shit? He’s lying. Like he always does! Trust me he’s a piece of shit! Don’t believe a word he says.”
“Tell the women that you raped and murdered you sick fuck…” David roared.
“Audrey is something wrong?” I heard Vince call out, but I was unable to speak. My mouth felt like sandpaper as I stared down the barrel of Mark’s gun.
“Audrey right?” Mark cooed sounding oddly friendly. “Come on. Get away from him. He’s bit anyway isn’t he?” I’m not going hurt you. He’s lying. Now move out the way.”
Decision: Trust Mark and move -or- Trust David and stand your ground?
Note: This decision may influence Vince’s opinion and actions.
Vote at >>pollmaker! All votes are anonymous at less you comment.
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