Page 24

TWENTY-THREE

REALITY

GREY MATTER: FINCH

ASH

I keep glancing at my phone, the sky dimming with each passing minute, and still no news from Calista or Killian. At this hour, I’d usually be sprawled in the living room, deep in a haze, desperately seeking to get even higher. But I’ve turned that chapter, trying to focus on the future. Apparently, there's one waiting for me. Who would have thought?

Dominic paces nervously, stealing glances out at the balcony as if wishing them to appear. But the minutes stretch on in silence—no one is coming, no one is calling, and the absence of their presence is starting to fucking gnaw at us.

We were aware they planned to stake out her parents’ house one last time before we made our move, but an unsettling feeling churns in my gut. I catch a glimpse of Five, and the worry etched on his face unsettles me. He’s typically our rock, the optimist who reassures us that everything will be alright. But the lack of his usual encouragement tells me that something is fucking wrong, and he can't promise that everything will be okay.

“I can’t just fucking sit here anymore,” I exclaim, reaching for a bottle of water next to a tempting bottle of beer.

The latter calls to me, but I need clarity right now; I need to stay grounded. One drink leads down a slippery fucking slope, and I can’t afford to lose myself again. With resolute determination, I choose the water, feeling the cool liquid refresh me as I gulp it down, attempting to focus on positive thoughts.

“What the hell are we supposed to do?” Dominic asks, throwing me a skeptical look.

Before I can reply, Five speaks up. “We know they were heading to her parents’ house. Why don’t we check there?”

“Let’s fucking do it,” I reply, capping my water and rising to my feet, retrieving my gun from between the couch cushions. “Make sure you’re armed. We know these bastards play dirty and are just waiting for an excuse to take us out.” I swallow hard, the weight of my own words settling heavily on my chest.

As Dominic and Five prepare themselves, I find myself staring out the window. The city beyond the glass pulses with life, a vibrant tapestry of unsuspecting souls, each likely harboring their own secrets. Life is peculiar that way; everyone has their hidden truths, some darker than others. We’ve dealt with our own demons, slaying the monsters that plagued our existence, yet I can’t shake the thought that far worse fiends walk among us, hidden from view.

We’ve unmasked our fathers—the worst of the worst—but the world remains cloaked in its own darkness, still clinging to its fucking vile secrets. It’s a sad reality we can’t escape, especially since we’ve become somewhat lost after their demise. The shadows of our past haunt us, reminding us of years filled with trauma and abuse, and breaking free feels fucking impossible. Often, I wonder if I’ll ever truly move on, if I’ll have the chance to savor a normal life alongside those I care most about. Will the nightmares ever stop? Will the habits I’ve developed to cope fade away, or am I doomed to carry them forever? The uncertainty looms heavy, and I’d be fucking lying if I said I wasn’t afraid of what lies ahead.

“Ready?” Five’s deep voice reverberates through the room, jolting me from my thoughts.

I shake off the dread and turn to see him and Dominic clad in black, heavily armed as if preparing for a gang war—which, in many ways, we are. Dom hands me my pocket knife, and hands me my mask, a grim smile playing on his lips.

“We’re going all out tonight, Ash. One final ride before we leave this behind for good,” he says, as if we’re actually contemplating killing Calista’s parents instead of offering her closure.

I shake my head, knowing she’d never forgive us for robbing her of the chance to confront her own demons and escape her twisted past. But as I slip the knife into my pocket, an intoxicating wave of power washes over me, recalling the rush I felt after ending my father’s life. That high lingers, a drug in its own right, and right now, it’s all-consuming, and in a sense, I've never fucking felt higher.

“We don’t do anything unless she’s in danger,” I assert as I pull the mask over my face and we step through the front door. “I won’t strip her of her closure—not after she’s spent a fucking year meticulously plotting her revenge.”

“Deal,” Dominic agrees, and the three of us stride toward the parking garage where our bikes await.

The warm summer air wraps around us like a protective blanket against the world’s malevolence. As we walk, masked and formidable, I can’t help but smile at the fear we inspire in those we pass, who look at us like we're fucking crazy. I mean, we are, but that's beside the fucking point. After all, we are the Psycho Killers, and we make people's monsters go away.

As we approach our bikes, the tension in the air thickens, palpable and electric. I can feel it buzzing under my skin—a familiar adrenaline rush. This is what we were made for—taking risks, facing down the darkness head-on. I rev my engine, and the roar of the bike drowns out all my lingering doubts; in that moment, I feel fucking invincible.

Dominic climbs onto his bike, gripping the handlebars as if they might save him from the abyss. “Remember, we stick together. No heroics. If we’re caught?—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I cut him off. “We bail. I'm not looking for a fight. I just want to find Calista and make sure she’s okay.”

Five nods in agreement, his expression serious behind the mask. “Let’s hit the road then. The sooner we check the house, the better.”

With a swift twist of the throttle, the engines roar to life, and I take off, leading the way out of the garage. The night air rushes past me, cool and refreshing, as I navigate the familiar routes toward Calista’s parents’ home, every inch of me hyperaware of the stakes. We’re not just riding for ourselves anymore; we’re riding for her—for her newfound freedom, her chance to reclaim what was taken from her. I grip the handlebars tighter, the thought of her facing that hideous reality fueling my fucking resolve.

The streets are alive with the hum of nightlife, but they’re a world away from us right now. We weave through traffic effortlessly, a coordinated dance, united in purpose. Occasionally, I glance back at Dominic and Five, their silhouettes framed by the city’s lights. We're a force to fucking be reckoned with.

As we approach the bar near their house, the atmosphere shifts; the energy feels wrong. I see Cali and Killian’s bikes they left on, and I instantly become worried, noticing they're parked in the back and there's no sight of them. The air grows thicker, charged with unease. I spot the house tucked away, barely visible through the trees. The facade seems even more sinister in the dim light. A sense of foreboding settles in my gut as we park our bikes a block over and dismount.

“Stick close,” I whisper, scanning the surroundings for any signs of life—the faint glimmer of a light in a window, the rustle of leaves, anything that might indicate we’re not alone. “We don’t know what we’ll find.”

Dominic nods, his fingers twitching near his weapon. Five’s gaze hardens, all traces of the gentle soul replaced by the predator lurking within. Together, we creep toward the house, movement synchronized as we paint a picture of silent threat.

My heart races as we step closer, creeping through the freshly cut yard. Shadows flicker against the windows, and then—there it is. A muffled scream shatters the stillness. It punctures the night and sends ice coursing through my veins. Calista?

I make eye contact with Five, the words unspoken. We need to get in there, now. Adrenaline courses through me, sharpening my senses. With no hesitation, I push the door open, its creaking resonance echoing through my bones.

The interior is cold and dark, eerie as fuck, the silence almost deafening. We fan out, footsteps barely making a sound on the old hardwood floors. I can feel the thrum of danger coursing through me, giving me purpose as I move through the shadows. I head toward the source of the scream, following the sound that gnaws at my insides.

“Calista!” I call softly, my voice barely above a whisper but filled with urgency. “We’re here, baby!”

Dominic and Five sweep through adjoining rooms, searching for any sign of her. I stop, straining to listen. The house feels like it has a heartbeat of its own, and I’m hyperaware that we are not alone. There’s a lingering presence—something dark lurks in the corners, watching, waiting, ready to strike at any given moment.

Anther muffled cry echoes down the hallway, and I almost lose it. I burst through a door and find myself faced with a dingy basement, a single light bulb flickering above, casting eerie shadows everywhere. It's definitely not the one where her mother held the "parties," so I shut the door and try to shake off the unease creeping up my spine. The heavyness in my chest accelerates. “Calista!”

This time, the scream quakes through the air, raw and full of fear. My instincts kick in as I dash up the staircase to the second floor, plunging into the dark abyss. The sound of footsteps echoes behind me; Dominic and Five are right on my tail, ready to back me up. And then I see her, her mother, her father, and some old man bound and terrified at the far end of the room.

“Calista!” I hiss, rushing forward, the raw intensity erupting within me as I see her standing beside Killian, both of them deadlocked on the three monsters in front of them.

They both turn to look at us, shock-absorbing the features on their stone-like faces as they take in the masks concealing our identities and try to grasp the fact that we're here. But just as I reach her, a loud crash interrupts the air, and the door slams shut behind us, plunging the room into darkness.

“Shit!” Dominic growls, scanning the shadows for the threat closing in. “Get ready!”

But who would dare to challenge us in this place of horrors? I can feel it—the predator lurking in the dark, lurking just out of sight. And I realize, with a chilling certainty, this is more than just an unwanted trip down memory lane; this is a trap, a reckoning we had of course prepared for.

“Who else is fucking here?” I shout as I spin around, readying my weapon, and the night suddenly ignites into chaos.

"There's one motherfucker who managed to avoid being captured," Killian grunts, rolling his eyes as if he's annoyed by the question. "He's fucking playing games and thinks we're scared of his ass."

All of a sudden I hear a gunshot, the pop ringing in my ears as a loud thud shakes the floor beneath our feet, and a man drops dead just behind me. Five lowers his gun, winking at me through the eye holes of his mask.

"There's still one more lurking," Cali smirks, ignoring her mother's whimpers and her father's threats, knowing she has the upper hand for once in her life.

The monsters we once chased are now fully awake, and they're tangled in our web, watching us battle not just for Calista but for our own freedom from the ghosts of our past.

I turn back, adrenaline surging through me like wildfire. The atmosphere thickens—the air crackling, electric with the promise of violence. Under the bright light bulb, I see the faces of Calista’s parents, their expressions a chaotic mix of terror and disbelief. This, I realize, is the culmination of our collective nightmares—the moment where everything converges.

“Focus, everyone!” I bark, snapping my gaze around the room.

The echoes of the gunshot linger in the air, and I know we are not just battling their demons; we’re dismantling each other's pasts, forcing the reckoning at every corner.

“Listen," Killian speaks, keeping his gun pressed against Calista’s father’s temple as he turns around to face the three of us. "We need to secure the area and find the last motherfucker.”

Just then, I spot him—a large figure lurking in the shadows, the last of Calista’s parents only hope, his silhouette barely illuminated by the light. I swallow the hatred boiling inside me and try to rein in my instincts.

Dominic edges closer to the door, sure we've trapped him here. “Back to the walls!” he orders. “We need to box this fucker in before he tries to make a run for it.”

Calista’s eyes flare as she steps forward, refusing to be afraid. “He’s the one who deserves to be scared, not us,” she says, her voice cold and unyielding. Her fierce determination cuts through the tension, a spark igniting in the darkness. “I fucking want him to understand. I want him to feel every ounce of that pain he helped inflict.

“I’m with you," I say, feeling the energy shift, making me feel lighter against the darkness. “Let’s give him a night to remember, you know, before we fucking kill his sorry ass.”

Killian’s eyes narrow, his grip tightening on the weapon. "This ends here, right now. We’re done running from the shadows."

“Damn right,” I mutter, my focus narrowing.

The thrill of the hunt surges, overpowering any remnants of doubt left inside me. Before we can make another move, the shadow steps forward, revealing a face smeared with grime and warped by fear.

“You think you can do whatever you want?” he snarls, a trembling hint of bravado masking the vulnerability. “You’ll regret this. You’re playing with forces far beyond you!”

“Then let’s fucking play!” Dominic shouts, launching himself forward, and everything turns into a blur of shoving and grappling.

The room erupts into chaos. Shots ring out—gunfire echoes—bodies collide as the weight of our choices comes crashing down. I see Calista dart past me, fierce and resolute in her pursuit of him, and suddenly, she’s face-to-face with him. Their eyes lock, a moment tracing the years of torment and suffering

“I’ve waited too long for this,” she whispers, almost to herself, and the air shifts.

I can see it in her expression—the transformation. She’s feral, glowing with an energy that I never realized was hidden beneath the surface. The years of suppression, all the pain she’s endured, and her thirst for closure finally bursting forth.

Time slows as I reach out. “Cali, wait?—”

But it’s too late. She lunges, the blade shining under the dim light, and my heart stops as it plunges deep into his flesh. A strangled gasp escapes his lips. It’s violent, brutal, and in that split second, I’m flooded with the mix of satisfaction and horror.

His body collapses to the ground, crumpling into a heap of despair, and the room plunges back into chaotic silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of those still standing.

“Did you feel that?” Killian murmurs, eyes wide, as if the world has shifted on its axis. “That was...”

“...freedom,” Calista finishes, her voice shaking, yet suddenly, incredibly strong. She stands above the fallen, a conqueror in her newfound kingdom. “I chose this. We chose this.”

I glance around—Dominic, Five, and now Calista—the messy fallout of our decisions laying bare before us. The monsters we’ve fought for so long have crumbled at our feet, shadows dissipating in the dawning light of a new reality.

But this battle isn’t over. A cold fear descends upon me as I remember what remains. “We need to get the hell out of here,” I say, urgency gripping my words. “It’s only a matter of time before this draws attention. We need a plan.”

“Agreed.” Five nods, strapping his gun back into place and offering his hand to Calista. “Let’s move."

The world shifts beneath our feet once more, both exhilarating and terrifying, promising that even the darkest paths can lead to the light.

"We're not going anywhere. The job isn't done," Cali says, stopping in front of her parents, the ones who started this mess so fucking long ago. "We're here; we might as well finish this shit once and for all."

The guys and I stand back, letting her embrace the moment she's been waiting so fucking long for. Before anything goes further, she takes out her gun and fires a single round, hitting the old man right between the eyes while her focus remains on her parents, silence enveloping the darkness around us.

"I used to dream about this moment, about how I was going to end your lives, and now, all I fucking want is for this to be over. It doesn't matter how I kill you," she tells her parents, talking as calmly as can be.

"You don't have the fucking balls to kill us, Calista," her mother taunts, clearly not knowing anything about her daughter.

"Yeah, we'll see." Calista grins then looks back at us, giving me a warm feeling that puts me at ease.

There's no turning back after this. But is her mother right? Will Cali be able to kill her demons and move forward with her life?