Deadly Discern - Book Three ✔️

Chapter Twenty Nine - Playing The Game

She has gotten closer again, my work on the ascent of the slip wall not as great as I'd thought. Justine grins at me menacingly, I see her eyebrows wiggle in excitement, the keen look on her face freaks me out, energising me even more. Faster, I must move much faster.

The amount of adrenaline pumping through me is insurmountable. I'm having a really difficult time ignoring the emotions driving me, I keep having to push away the memories of the last time I felt this thrill course through me. I can't allow myself to delve into those memories, and with that knowledge before me, my brain flashes in warning, the rush of the danger that lies there alerting me to the severity of those thoughts. That's not the path I can venture down. I'm not ready to handle them right now, not when I haven't felt those feelings in so long. It's precarious and I need to be overly cautious about them.

The ground and I meet again, my feet pounding against the packed earth. Justine huffs and puffs behind me, trying her damndest to keep up, but I can't have her win.

"Slow down, you're kicking my freakin' ass right now!" She shouts out from behind me, now coming down the slip wall herself.

Despite my prior thoughts, hysterical laughter bubbles up within me as I continue to run ahead of her, but I slow a little to show her I'd listened, only somewhat. The laughter seems to engulf me as I continue on, laughing and running, making it hard to keep my speed steady. Justine's feet sound closer and I swallow down my giggles, reminding myself of the consequences of losing.

I shiver inwardly, I am NOT dressing like a gangsta and rapping that horrid song!
Over my dead body!

Then, I arrive at the dunk wall. I drop quickly into the water, the shock of it making me inhale instantly, though the water isn't freezing, luckily. I force my body through the murky water, the strength of it working against me and making the task more challenging, unsurprisingly.

"Sheesh, what are you eating to give you this ridiculous energy?! I'm about ready to face plant back here!" Justine calls out, still a decent distance back.

"It's called physical fitness, I thought you knew it well." I call back to her, the cheeky remark earning me a loud scoff from behind.

"If I didn't know better I'd assume you were taking something, but I know you can't stray from the straight and narrow lifestyle." She says breathily.

The retort is like a hard jab to the ribs. My breath is taken away for a moment as I try and recollect myself from the shock of her statement.

If only she knew what goes on behind the scenes.

An unwelcome heaviness fills my heart as I realise what would happen if she did know the truth of it. The things I've done. Who I've become and the reality of what I've now wholly embraced. And I still wouldn't go back and change it. Not one thing. That knowledge doesn't escape me, not at all. The thought has my brain silencing momentarily, like a break between songs on the radio.

But if Justine knew... if she knew, she'd disown me as a friend, not only that, but she would also no long see me as human. I'd merely be a cold blooded killer to her. That's all that I am to authority figures. And to those looking on from the outer, I'm a definite danger to society, regardless of my take downs, the monsters I've killed, and regardless of the lives I've saved and the lives I've changed. I'm less than human, I'm a monster just like those that I've murdered, aren't I?

The logic of it all tells me that I'm most probably tipped over the edge of sane right now, but I'm not crazy, not a chance. I still live a normal life - work, home and play. I just tack on a little extra to keep myself put together. To keep me whole.

Don't get me wrong now, I'm not narrow minded, not by any means. I realise that me killing people isn't legal. It never has been, probably never will be, but with me taking those monsters from the streets, I'm only doing my bit for the community.

I'm good for the world, aren't I?

It takes me a minute to come back to my senses and notice Justine is right beside me, the vision of her running there jolts me back to the moment, waking me up and shooting me forward again.

"Holy shit, girl! Give me a chance, will ya? At least pretend for a minute that I'm keeping pace with you!" She pants out, with her feet thumping heavily behind me, trying her hardest to keep up and I slow again, guilt eating away at me enough to let her catch up to only a few feet behind me.

"That's more like it, tease me with the idea of beating you." She laughs.

I snort very unladylike and then laugh in return as I see the finish line ahead, and I will reach it first, there's no doubt about that. I refuse to let her win still, but also, she's not going to catch me, I'm much too fast for her.

This precise moment in time is a sensationally good one. I'm with my closest friend, my only true friend, having a good time, laughing, carefree, thoughtless. The last being the most important in this second.

My eyes close for the briefest of moments, simply enjoying the high and the finish line right ahead of me.

But as I reopen them, it's too late.

My left foot drops into a divot I wasn't aware of, my knee gives out and I flop to the ground in shock.

Justine's laughing again, but she's still running towards me, "Oh my gosh! That was brilliant! I'm so winning this now!" She cackles menacingly as she flies past my body, running right through the finishing line, which is a mere eight feet away.

My face sinks to the ground, my cheek rests defeated in the dirt and I let out an almighty huff of disappointment.

Oh, the horror.

::::::::::::::::::::::

I had originally planned on Danica winning, but her cockiness rubbed me up the wrong way, had to throw the game for her.
Sorry. Not sorry, at all.

It's about time she suffers a little, don't you think? Plus, it's all in good fun.

It'll be quite the sight too! Hehe!

I know it's been slower going, but I'm trying to prepare you all for what's to come. Easing into it, in other words.

It's all in the works. My brain is spitting out their story like crazy at the moment. One second nothing, then BAM! Chapter done. Seriously, it's nuts.

I hope you're all still happy with where the story is heading. I know one particular reader had enjoyed the banter between Danica and Justine, so I wanted to play around with that a little. Hopefully I hit the nail on the head here.

Anywho, long authors note here, lol.

Thanks again for returning, I want you all to know that I'm now working 6 days, so my free time is limited. Sunday is my free day. No excuses, just letting you all know.

Speak soon! Stay great! You all rock!
Shantelle 😝