She told me

Chapter 18

"What are you doing?"

It was a stupid thing to say, but honestly, I couldn't process anything past the fact that Mia was pointing an actual gun at my chest.

"You have to stay here, at least till I figure this out" she no longer looks apologetic and that actually makes me angry, "or what? You'll shoot me?"

"I don't want to hurt you Lucas, none of this is about you, I told you not to get involved, you didn't listen to me".

"So now it is my fault that I'm alone in a creepy cabin with a psychotic killer I used to be friends with?"

She purses her lips, "You're going to get out of this alright? I just need you to trust me, I need you to tell me where Cory is".

I feel my stomach drop. Whatever last bit of hope I had that this was all a big misunderstanding drains out as I finally start to accept that I have really really shitty taste in friends.

Mia looks at me like she's still waiting for an answer, "well?"

"Go to hell"

"Tell me where he is Lucas".

"No"

"You're just going to make things worse".

"I'm not giving up Cory, why don't you go murder some defenceless puppies instead? Might make you feel better".

For a minute I think she's going to actually shoot me but then she sighs, "I'll tell your parents you're staying over with Cory and there's some snacks in the fridge and a bathroom in the next room, I'd suggest you get comfortable".

I briefly consider tackling Mia and making a run for it, but I quickly discard the idea. The only thing that could hurt more than Mia turning out to be the killer I was looking for was a bullet hole. And in a weird, twisted way, I didn't want her to be the one to kill me, even accidentally because a small part of me still believed that she cared about me.

The gun wavers and her eyes go soft, "I'm going to fix this Lucas, I promise, I really am sorry"

Then she's gone.

I sit down on the hard cabin floor. It makes sense that Mia would want to hurt all the people she killed, they were the reason she lost her best friend, but I was so blinded by her jokes and her concern and her friendship that I never saw it coming.

I lean back against the wall. Its uncomfortable and I'm pretty sure that I can hear rats scurrying overhead but I'm also tired and I don't want to think anymore. About Mia, about all the people she killed, about the fact that if she found Cory, he would be dead too and he would die without knowing that I'd actually started liking his company and once he was dead, I would have lost two friends, forever.

There's a bottle of water on the floor and I reach for it, picking it up. I empty my pockets and pick up the tiny strip of prescription pills. I can't remember the last time I used the sleeping pills because honestly, when you're trying to catch a serial killer or protect someone from a serial killer, sleeping isn't a really good use of your time. Now, as I look at the tiny round tablet in my palm, I feel a sense of relief.

Disneyland

I look up, "Cathy?"

I want to go to Disneyland again, those rides were absolutely crazy. I just hope no one brings their stupid kid on the ride. I'm here for a good time not to watch your kid puke up their breakfast. Its such irresponsible parenting, I swear.

I crack a smile and lean back, closing my eyes. She goes on and on about amusement park rides and within minutes I'm asleep, the white pill still in my palm.