The night hung heavily on me. A chilling breeze whispered through the open window, rustling the curtains gently. The air was thick with the residue of recent events, a tapestry woven from fear, sorrow, and disbelief. In the dimly lit room, silence reigned, broken only by the rhythmic sounds of sleeping breaths. Alaine, Vincent, Cole, and Alaine's mother slumbered, seeking refuge from the haunting reality that had unfolded.
As the minutes ticked by, I sat alone in the stillness, my thoughts a tempestuous sea of suspicion and doubt. The events of the night had left me with an unsettling certainty that the truth was far from what it seemed. Daniel's claim of self-defense held a fragility that my instincts refused to ignore. My heart ached for Alaine, her pain as palpable as the darkness that enveloped us.
I had harbored suspicions about Daniel since the perv's death. Sorry I shouldn't be so vague, I meant the piece of shit dickhead that stalked Alaine till she had nightmares, Johnson's death. It was merely an intuition I couldn't quite shake. The timing, the circumstances – it was all too convenient. So, I took matters into my own hands. I retrieved the knife he had used that night, his weapon of "self-defense." It was a risky endeavor, but I couldn't stand idly by as doubt festered within me. If it risked Alaine's life and safety, it was something that couldn't be ignored.
With the blade carefully concealed, I ventured past Zepotha, seeking assistance from my connections in the nearby town. They possessed the latest in DNA testing technology, and my hope was to unearth the truth hidden beneath the surface. I had collected a strand of Alaine's father's hair, a precious piece of evidence that held the key to unlocking the mystery. Morbid sure. But do you really want to point fingers if it was going to help someone I cared about? Tell me you wouldn't do the same, lie. I don't regret anything I'm doing.
The results were a cold revelation. It almost made me laugh. The DNA was a match to the blood on the knife. Alaine's father had been killed by the same hands that claimed self-defense. I'll be honest, Alaine's father was someone I could care far less for. But this was bringing the pieces together for me to see the bigger picture. Surprise, surprise Daniel, the apple of Alaine's eye, was the father-killing monster I had always known he would be. Well, scratch that, I didn't always know he would kill people's fathers. But did I know he was a piece of shit? Hell yeah, I did. And I don't say this just because of his stupid hair. Everything about him screams fake. Fuckin poser. Now that I know, things won't go his way. Or maybe they will, till they won't. It makes it all the more convenient for me.
Returning to the sanctuary of Alaine's home, I slipped back inside, my absence unnoticed by those lost in sleep's embrace. My gaze remained fixed on Alaine, her tears still resting on her lashes, illuminated only by the soft touch of moonlight filtering through the window. She was perfect. These precious moments were my refuge. Feelings so intense, that I didn't really understand them, and I didn't need to. I know she wouldn't feel the same but that didn't matter. She did. And it only made what I was doing feel less wrong. As I absorbed the stillness of the scene, my devotion felt justified. Any hesitations? Gone. Doubts? Don't recall. Regrets? Not when it came to her. The very sight of her brought a soothing reassurance as if everything in the world was harmonious and at ease. As long as she was safe, as long as I could keep her safe, I knew I was doing right by her.
A rustle from across the room drew my attention, and I turned to see Cole awake, his eyes meeting mine in the dimness. Surprise flickered across his features, replaced by a quiet understanding. He might have thought that I needed time to myself, a walk in the moonlight perhaps. Without a word, he beckoned me closer, and I moved to sit by his side.
"Rest, Lydia," Cole's voice was a gentle murmur, laced with a kindness that touched my weary heart. He draped his blanket over me. Him, I never had any qualms with. He was a kind soul. Him, I could spare. I would too if things went according to plan. He was always good to Alaine.
As I closed my eyes, the weight of the night's revelations pressed heavily upon me. Kind as Cole was, he could have let me rest by Alaine instead. Oh well, cold beggars can't be frozen choosers. I'd be able to spend more time with her tomorrow instead. And the days that followed. Thanks to that Jezebel Maxine's neglect of her, I had a spot to fill in. Smiling at that thought, sleep pressed at me.
