Rogue Wave | Rafe Cameron

16

I followed, stepping carefully around the glass of broken beer bottles and staying in the glare of his taillights.

He gave me a look before popping the trunk of his car, as a set of car keys collapsed onto the ground.

Nothing could have prepared me to see the cold corpse of a man, who was bloodied and slumped into an uncomfortable position.

"Rafe..." I breathed out shakily, stepping backwards and struggling to catch my breath.

"No, you have to help me, Khalia," he whispered desperately, reaching out to my hand. "Please, I know this is bad, I know."

I let the tears that had brimmed my eyes slide down, taking in a deep breath and focusing on the body of the man.

Rafe's hands slid up to my cheeks, pulling my face to look back at him and he raised his eyebrows, "Please, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"Did you...?"

"No, I swear, look I promise I had nothing to do with that." He pointed back to the corpse, like if it was a simple mistake. Like it wasn't someone who had likely had kids, a wife and an entire life beforehand. Like he had simply spilt a drink or broke a glass.

"Ward...?"

He nodded, silently confirming my question and he dropped his hands completely from my face.

"This is bad." I said aloud, numbingly soaking in the situation within the rush of anxious adrenaline.

"I know that, but I have to handle this." He let his palm meet his chest gently before nodding in reassuring self confidence, "I have to fix this."

I guess in that moment I had realized how much worse my life had gotten because now I was stuck involuntarily in the middle of something that would be permanent.

There was absolutely no coming back from this, no forgiveness or understanding, especially from the Pogues.

"I can... see if my mom still has the keys to my dad's boat."

"Okay, yeah," he breathed out, nodding his head before pulling the car's trunk door back up again.

"Rafe, please, no one can know about this."

"Got it."

—

"I've got the head, watch the feet, watch the feet—" Rafe grunted, gritting his teeth and pulling at the corpse.

"Fuck!"

A sickening crack hit the edge of the boats ledge, as the body slumped back down to the ground.

"I thought you said you could lift it?"

"Rafe, I'm helping you, shut the fuck up!"

"Go again."

Me and Rafe had gotten out to Dismal Swamp, where we had deemed it best to leave the body out and hope the gators were hungry.

Would I regret this? 100%.

"1,2,3!" The body fell into flow with the water, slowly drifting away and I breathed out a heavy sigh.