Recluse

Chapter 15

I slowly pull the blue t shirt out from the trashcan, holding it with two fingers only, for it was soaked in crimson. My hands begin to tremble and I let the bloody article of clothing fall to the floor with a slosh. I look up at Jeff, who was now frozen in place, and let out the most blood curdling shriek that has ever left my lips, 

"What have you done?"

Jeff sighs and runs a hand through his hair, "Fine. I did know that he snuck in last night. He wasn't very graceful about it. I could hear him all the way from my room, I'm surprised mom and dad didn't."

I close the distance between us and slam his head into the wall with all of my strength. Once again, the four horrid words leave my lips, "What have you done?!"

"Cynthia chose him, okay? It hurt like hell. I was in love with that girl and you know it! You met her, remember? And that prick stole her from me! And now she's dead!! And it's all his fault! He's not as beautifully innocent as you'd like to think." He shrieks. I look deep into his brown eyes. They have a wild look in them. Honestly, the more I look, the more I notice the true insanity shining in their depths.

"Jeff.... I never met a Cynthia. I met a Jackie." I remind him in a quiet voice.

He rolls his eyes as if I'm missing something, "Cynthia Jacqueline Porter. I called her Jackie because her boyfriend, Niall, called her Cynthia. I didn't want to be anything like him, I wanted to be better."

And suddenly, all of the pieces fell into place.

My blood runs cold and I feel the color drain from my face.

This boy. This boy that I have known my entire life, my loving brother. He is the deranged freak that Cynthia cheated on Niall with. He is the deranged freak that she broke up with so she could be with Niall, even after she cheated on him. He is the deranged freak who burned her alive and made Niall watch. 

It was all him, the guy I have lived with my entire life.

"But... you killed her. If you loved her, why would you do that?" I whisper, voice quivering. 

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. When his hand returns from the journey, it's coated with blood, from moments ago when I slammed his head against the wall.

"Because she chose him in the end. I knew she'd never want to be with me. But she was the most perfect girl in the entire world and I couldn't stand to see her with someone else. So if I couldn't have her, no one could. Especially not Niall, that f.ucking freak." His eyes fill with hatred just from saying his name.

"Why didn't you just kill Niall? Why did you kill her if you loved her?"

"Do you really think she would have gone for me if I killed the man she actually loved? No matter what I did, she wouldn't want to be with me. She wanted him." 

Suddenly, I'm reminded of "him". Panic courses through me, worse than I have ever felt it before.

I'm trying to stay calm with this killer standing before me. If I alarm him or make the wrong move, then I could be his next victim. But I need to know where Niall is and if he's still alive.

"Jeff... What'd you do to him?"

Jeff smiles a sick smile, the kind only a mad man that can live with taking another human being's life away can muster. 

"Consider him taken care of."

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Him." I demand, tighting my grip on his t shirt.

He shrugs, laughing maliciously, "Doesn't that t shirt answer enough of your questions?"

I scream again, clenching my fist and slamming it against the side of his head. Although it barely inflicts any pain. I'm not very strong.

"Madi, I couldn't let you date the guy that took away the girl I loved. I couldn't do it."

"He didn't take Cynthia away! You did! You took her from him and took her from life! You forbid her to be happy, just because you're f.ucking selfish!"

He shrugs, "Yeah, maybe I did."

"What?"

He smirks, "Yeah, I just owned up to everything you just accused me of. I am selfish and I did do all that. But insulting me and I what I did isn't gonna help you find your Niall, is it?"

My heart beat seems to stop in that moment, "Is he dead or is he alive? Please just tell me that."

"I'll be honest with you, I'm not sure. He was alive when I dropped him off, but barely." He shrugs, obviously fighting a smile.

Tears are streaming down my face at this point, "You're sick. Where is he?"

"Go find out."

"Jeff, tell me now where he is or god help me..."

"What are you gonna do, kill me?" He chuckles darkly once again. 

I sigh in exasperation. This is pointless.

I'm just gonna have to find him myself.

I leap away from him, sweep Niall's bloody t shirt into my arms, and charge for the door.

"Where are you going-"

I send him a glare over my shoulder, "To find him. Tell mom and dad what you like when they get home. When I find Niall, I'm gonna put your ass in f.ucking prison."

He chuckles darkly once again. That's the last sound I hear from him before I slam the door and leap into his car. I take his car because faint drops of blood lead to it. I have this crazy idea engrained in my mind that maybe if I take the car Jeff used, It'll help me get into Jeff's mind and think of where he would've dropped Niall off.

My heart drops when I climb into the car. Obviously Jeff already tried to scrub the leather seats of the car, because the place reeks of bleach. But stray blood droplets stain the carpet of the truck, and some stain the seat as well. From what I can tell, he through Niall on the back bench seat. 

I start the car engine and take off down the road, thoughts of him engulfing me.

The tears don't stop leaving my eyes. Imagining him in such horrible pain... It truly kills me inside. I try to think back to last night, seemingly his last night of life. His contagious laughter, his failed attempt at twerking, our beautiful first kiss, the blissful feeling of falling asleep in his arms and feeling his lips pressed to my ear as he admits that he does love me too, even more than he ever loved her...

I can't let him go. I have finally come to accept that I am in love with that boy. Even if the town thinks he's some crazy recuse, even if I've only known him for a couple months. I know that I am in love with him and I will not stop fighting to find him until there's proof that his heart has stopped beating.

But let me tell you, if I do end up finding that proof, mine might stop as well.

(sorry if this one sucks, kinda rushed through it, just wanted to update because i dont know if I will be able to for a couple more days! So please comment and vote if you liked it because it encourages me to write :) xx)