Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 27

Lainey quickly slammed the door closed only to have Keaton kick it open with such force it flew into her, knocking her to the floor. She swiftly scrambled to her feet, ran into the kitchen and grabbed a large knife from the counter.

"Keaton, wh-what the hell?" Lainey stammered, her voice as shaky as her equipped hand.

He stared tenderly at her.

"You and Fawn were the only students that came to visit me in the hospital. Not even Chris, someone I thought was my best friend visited me."

"Th-They said you were dying--of course we visited."

"Nobody else gave a shit!" he growled, his skin slowly growing pale.

"Oh my God. . . . Keaton, what happened to you?"

"I got a second chance at life," he said, a creepy smile spreading across his face. "And everyone who'd forced me to take those pills . . . they lost theirs. I killed them."

Lainey gasped in horror.

"No, no. Don't be afraid," Keaton said, slowly approaching her. "I'm not here to kill you. I like you because you showed me respect. Fawn, too. The both of you have nothing to worry about."

"Y-You killed . . . students?" Lainey whispered. She stared past him at the front door entrance. "Y-You killed . . . the m-mailman." She looked at him. "How can you not feel like a m-monster?"

"Because they deserved it!" Keaton seethed, his skin growing veiny. "Well, except maybe the mailman. I was just feeling a little bloodthirsty."

"Why are you here?" Lainey cried.

"Would you believe me if I said . . . I just wanted to see an old friend?" he said, still approaching. "We totally should hang."

"Stay back!" Lainey demanded as she slowly began to circle to the other side of the counter, the knife held up in a threatening position. Though it may as well have been a twig or feather; Keaton continued to advance toward her.

He held up his bloody hand as if he was taking an oath, drops of blood splattering on the wood floor.

Mom would most definitely freak.

"Do you know what I am?" Keaton asked in a calm but equally intimidating tone.

"I know what you are," Lainey said. "Stay back o-or I'll kill you."

What are you saying, Lainey?

Keaton looked disheartened. He sucked the dead mailman's blood off his fingers and in an instant, he stood before Lainey.

"I told you, I won't hurt you," he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Lainey shook his hand away and he grabbed her, provoking Lainey to stab him in the arm.

And like she thought, it had no harmful affect on him.

It only made him rage.

He grabbed Lainey by her hair and slammed her back into the stove, shattering the glass door. She knew she wouldn't be getting back on her feet after that.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Keaton spat.

"Oh my God!" came a familiar voice from the front door.