Sage coughed and decorated the dashboard with blood. “That can’t be good.”
“We got to get you to a hospital, babe,” Daemon said, his voice cracking. I’ve got to go outside and take care of this prick.” He opened the door, and as he stepped out, was met with blinding pain.
Chapter Thirty
Staying low like a lion ready to strike, Amber snuck up to the driver side door and waited. As soon as Daemon stepped out, she pounced, pressing the stun gun to the back of his neck. He trembled as volts of electricity entered his body. The gun in his hand fell to the ground and his legs gave out. She held the weapon against him as he fell into the door, whacked his head and then hit the driveway.
“Get away from him,” Sage yelled.
Amber snatched up Daemon’s gun as she heard the boom of a firearm, then felt the sting of a bullet as it grazed the back of her head. She pushed herself away as more gunshots sounded, the open door becoming riddled with holes. Glass shattered and the shards rained down on an unconscious Daemon.
Got lucky there, toots. Got to be more careful.
Amber nodded her agreement with The Voice and crouched low near the rear tire as the gunfire ceased. She wanted to drag Daemon away and tie him up before he woke, but there was no way she was getting close enough without taking a bullet.
“Babe?” Sage yelled. “C’mon, you got to wake up.”
Amber smiled, giddy inside to have brought worry and panic to such evil creatures. Let them experience what their victims and their victims’ families had. Hearing the panic in Sage’s voice was exactly what she and The Voice needed to hear. To her surprise, there was genuine concern for Daemon from Sage. Maybe even love. How people of such evil character could be capable of such a thing she had no idea.
“Get up, babe,” Sage continued.
“I’ve got a gun trained on your, babe,” Amber said, almost laughing. “Toss out your weapon or he dies.”
“You’re a fucking chick?” Sage said, laughing. “A chick did all this?” She kept laughing as if it was the funniest thing she’d heard in a long time. “Way to go. Girl Power all the way!”
Gunshots rang out and the glass window above Amber exploded. Diamond-like fragments pelted her flesh, but no harm befell her.
Yay for safety glass.
Amber knew what she needed to do. Performing an about-face, she crouch-walked to the bumper, then to the other side of the vehicle where she peered around the corner to the passenger side mirror. She hoped to get an image of Sage, but it was too dark. That was good. It meant she could most likely sneak up to the door unnoticed, especially if Sage was focused on Daemon and the other side of the car.
Keeping her left shoulder pressed against the car to stay as close to it as possible, she moved toward the passenger door. Sage was still pleading for Daemon to wake up.
Good, the bitch is distracted.
Hunkered next to the door, she grabbed the handle and paused.
What if it’s locked?
“Then I’ll shoot her through the glass and end her,” Amber mumbled, wanting the woman alive so she could deal with her, but realizing the ultimate goal was to end them both and get out alive.
Taking a few quick breaths, she pulled on the handle and the door opened.
Sage’s back was to her, the arrow still protruding from it. With the pronged tip, Amber knew short of going to a hospital there was no safe way to pull it out without causing more damage.
Sage tried to spin around and face her, but the arrow smacked against the seatback, preventing her from doing so. As the woman cried out, Amber grabbed the arrow and pressed the .45 she held to the back of Sage’s head. “Move and I’ll—”
Sage growled as she raised her gun arm up and over her shoulder. Amber’s mouth fell open at the sheer lack of care for the woman’s own safety. Almost caught off guard, having expected the woman to obey, she grabbed the arrow and jerked it around. The gun went off as Sage screamed. The bullet zipped by Amber’s ear, missing it by millimeters.
Seeing Sage still holding onto the weapon, Amber yanked on the arrow and ripped it free. The gun went off again, sending a bullet into the roof of the vehicle as a stream of crimson spilled from the wound in Sage’s back. The woman howled in obvious pain and dropped the gun. Amber pressed her weight against Sage's back and was able to grab the gun that had fallen to the floor. She pushed off Sage, brought her arm back, then nailed Sage on the back of her neck with the butt of the .45. The woman went silent and slumped forward.
She stood there for a moment, catching her breath and thinking she had both killers ready to be hogtied when she was grabbed by her hair and thrown backward. She hit the blacktop hard, her elbows and the back of her aching head taking the impact. Her vision went blurry as white hot pain enveloped her skull. The gun was still in her grasp, but only for a moment when Daemon’s boot connected with her hand. Amber’s ring and pinky fingers snapped and the gun went skidding away.
The sharp pain of her bones breaking was like a splash of cold water to her face, waking her from her dazed state. Eyesight clearing, she saw Daemon’s boot coming toward her face, but rolled to the side in time to avoid being stomped. Not taking a moment to think, she simply reacted—sat up, gripped the handle of the knife that was strapped to her ankle and pulled it free. As Daemon stepped in to kick her again, she swung her arm around and sunk the blade into his thigh. Her attacker’s blow connected with little force behind it as his with-knife leg gave out. He went down to one knee, his other leg stretched out keeping him upright.
Amber withdrew the knife and was on him a moment later, the need to attack like the need to breathe. Her mind flashed with images of her headless brother and her body filled with rage. She saw only red, brought the knife up, let loose a savage cry and plunged the blade into Daemon’s throat. In a frenzied state, she stabbed him over and over, his jugular sliced and spewing. She kept on, turning his neck into a pulpy mess until the only thing holding his head to his body were a few strands of stringy meat and the spinal column.
Amber sat atop him, caked in crimson. Her mouth was saturated with his blood, and she welcomed it.
Daemon was dead.
Not satisfied, she chipped away at his spine in ice-pick like fashion until the head finally came free.
Triumph is yours.
With knife in one hand, she curled her slick fingers in his hair, stood and lifted the head high. The jaw hung open as blood trickled to the ground. She screamed in primal rage as she stared at the moon, and then heard the cry of another.
Looking, she saw Sage standing a few feet away, gun in hand at her side. The woman’s face was a mask of utter terror. She raised her arm and pulled the weapon’s trigger.
Click.
Click.
Click.
It was empty.
It’s your lucky day.
“He misses you,” Amber said and underhand swung the head at her enemy.
Sage let the gun fall from her grasp as she caught the head. She stared at it, seemingly caught in a trance. Amber was already charging, and tackled her a moment later. The two collided against the open car door, slamming it shut.
On top of her, Amber said, “You loser scum killed the wrong kid. He was just a boy on his bike. The loveliest boy in the world.” With tears falling, she sunk the blade into Sage’s chest. “This is for my brother, you evil piece of shit.” Amber stared into Sage’s eyes. Blood leaked from the killer’s mouth as she grinned.
“Fuck—” Sage began when Amber shoved the blade deeper with all her might. Sage never finished her statement as Amber watched the light go out of Jason’s killer’s eyes.
An uncomfortable stillness filled the air. She sat up and looked around.
It was over.
“It’s not fair,” she said. “They died too quickly.”
I know, but you got them. That’s what counts.
“I wanted them to beg for their lives. Then beg for me to kill them. Make them repent.” The silence was
too much and Amber screamed until her throat hurt.
You’re not done yet.
“I know,” she said, then proceeded to sever Sage’s head.
Chapter Thirty-One
The police discovered the bodies of Daemon, Sage and Bobby a few days after the fact. An anonymous letter Amber had previously typed up was left in Daemon’s vehicle, explaining that they were the culprits of the murders around town. It explained how they did the killings and what weapons they used. Details were included in the letter that hadn’t been made known to the public, assuring the police that these were indeed the spree murderers and not some roaming cult. The author stated that justice had been served and that no more killings would befall the community, at least none related to the spree murders.
Daemon’s and Sage’s heads had been found on the hood of the Camry. Sage’s vagina had been shoved into Daemon’s mouth while Sage’s jaw held Daemon’s severed penis and balls. Both headless corpses had been left naked on the ground in front of the car with the words murderers carved into their backs. Bobby’s head was discovered a few feet away in the woods, his body bloated and at the bottom of the pool in his parents’ backyard.
The police reported that the bodies found on Bobby’s property were of the killers, but they didn’t believe it was some vigilante taking the law into his or her own hands. Instead it was surmised that there was a fourth member. He or she had realized things were getting out of hand and that the police were closing in, and then decided to eliminate any potential liabilities before leaving town.
Though the investigation remained open and nearby towns were alerted to the situation, the town of Spencer, though in shock, was finally able to rest a little easier.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Amber recovered at home. She told her parents she’d gone mountain biking and took a long spill down a rocky, tree-ridden embankment. She had been worried they wouldn’t believe her. They would see how hurt she was, and put two and two together after the police found the bodies. But she quickly realized how ridiculous she was being. They, or anyone else, would never believe she had been responsible, yet alone, even a little involved. Her worry was simply the same guilt complex she’d had as a child, like when she tried pot for the first time and believed with all her heart that her parents would know.
During her recovery, she reflected on everything.
Taking out the murderers did not bring her brother back, but she knew that going in. Her goal wasn’t solely about revenge. It was that and more. It was about disposing of human trash and making the world a better place. She became a preventative measure born out of turmoil. She would never be the same Amber again and did not want to be. The Voice was a new ally who would always be there for her and others who needed her whether they knew it or not.
Before she could help others, though, she needed to take out more trash. When she was ready, she and The Voice were going to return to college and pay Rex, and all who wronged her, a deadly visit.
The End
About the Author
David Bernstein is originally from a small town in Upstate New York called Salisbury Mills. He now resides in NYC and misses being surrounded by chainsaw-wielding maniacs and wild backwoods people that like to eat raw human flesh. He’s grown used to the city, though hiding bodies is much harder there. He is the author of Amongst the Dead, Damaged Souls, The Tree Man, Witch Island, Relic of Death, Apartment 7C and the forthcoming Episodes of Violence. David writes all kinds of horror, from hair-raising ghost stories to gore-filled slashers and apocalyptic tales of terror. He loves hearing from his readers.
You can reach him on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/david.bernstein.3.
Visit him at his website: davidbernsteinauthor.blogspot.com
email [email protected], or on Twitter at @Bernsteinauthor.
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