6. Ollie

Chapter 6

Ollie

I hum the intro to “Seek and Destroy” while I head toward the waterfall. The sound of the rushing water from this distance sounds like the roar of an animal. I hope I’m right and this is where the boy ran to hide. The girl seems to be quite fond of her brother, so I’ve decided to make his death as pain-free as I can. I don’t need my woman thinking I’m that much of a monster.

Well, I am. But that’s beside the point.

The flowing river and the drop-off come into view. I can make out the faint outline of a person. Not as tall as I am, but a male for sure. I step out and shout over the sound of the roaring waters. “Don’t do nothin’ stupid boy. I’ll make dis as quick and pain-free as I can.”

“Fuck you, you psycho.” The boy turns around and chucks a rock at me.

I hold my position. “I have a feelin’ your sister love you, and I ain’t about to brutalize you and have her hatin’ me forever.”

The boy laughs. “You think what… that she’ll fall in love with you? Fuck, you're just as stupid as you are crazy.”

I let the boy spew his words. I got thick skin and what he is saying is more than likely true. Ignoring the boy’s insults, I remain focused on the task at hand. I take a step closer, my eyes locked on him. “Listen, boy, I don’ expect you ta get it. But your sister is what my brother an I need, an I won’t let 'er lose sleep knowin’ 'er brother died a painful death.”

The boy scoffs, his defiance evident in his voice. “You think you can just waltz in here and play hero? You’re nothing but a sick, twisted monster.”

I can’t deny the truth in his words. I done terrible things, things that have earned me the title of a monster. But deep down, buried beneath the darkness, there’s a flicker of humanity that’s drawn to this girl.

As I approach him, the adrenaline courses through my veins. I’m prepared for any resistance he might put up, but I hope it won’t come to that. “Look, I don’ wanna hurt you. I promise ta make it painless.”

The boy narrows his eyes, studying me. His defiance wavers for a moment, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. “Did you kill my dad?”

I nod.

“What about my step-mom?”

I shake my head. “My brother did.”

“You expect me to trust you… to make it not hurt?” Tears in his eyes.

I understand his skepticism. Trust is a luxury I can’t afford, not after the atrocities I’ve committed throughout my life and tonight. But I have to try. “I know you don’ believe me, but I can promise you dis. I’ll treat her real good.”

Silence hangs in the air as the boy considers my words. Finally, he sighs, defeat clear in his voice. “Do what you have to do. But remember, I won’t be the one to forgive you.”

I’ll make his death as painless as I can, not just for my sake, but for the girl who will have my children, my brother’s children, and make our house a home. I step toward him and turn him back to face the river. “It’ll burn an I’m sorry for dat.” I drop him to his knees and plunge his head under the water. The boy thrashes back and forth, the water bubbling from his screams. His nails claw at my hands to break my hold and release him. I hold all my weight over him and after a few minutes, he goes limp under me.

I release my grip on the boy’s lifeless body and stand up, taking a moment to catch my breath. The rushin’ waters of the waterfall drown out the sounds of my heavy breathing, creating an eerie backdrop to the gruesome scene before me.

At least I didn’t make him suffer. Not like his father and not like Wilder did his stepmother. What I did was the kinder way to go.

I bend down and pick up the boy’s body. I can’t help but feel a mix of relief and guilt. Relief that I’ve done what needed to be done, that I’ve ensured the girl is now ours, but guilt that I have probably killed the one person she cared for most. Deep down, I know she’ll never forgive me for this.

I make my way back towards the campsite, where Wilder has the girl and the other bodies waiting for me. I hope that in time, she will find solace and happiness with us, despite us taking her this way. Time heals everything, right?

My watch reads just past midnight as I get closer to the campsite. I can smell the smoke from the fire. Wilder must have fed it when he got back. A blood-curdling scream pierces the air, and I break into a sprint. The boy’s body flops in my arms. As I approach, I see da girl lying on her side near the edge of the fire, her eyes filled with fear. I scan the area and see the bodies of her father and stepmom in a heap. Her eyes look up to me and she cries.

“Ethan! No…Why! Why’d you have to kill him? I said I’d do whatever you wanted. Not my baby brother.” Her wailing hits the deepest parts of my black soul.

I gently lay the boy down on a blanket and reach out to her, my hand trembling slightly, and she jerks away. “I’m sorry for everyting you’ve been t’rough tonight,” I say, my voice filled with genuine remorse. “But I promise you, my brother an I’ll take good care of you. I made dat promise ta your brother before he drowned. ”

She looks at me for a moment, searching my eyes for any sign of deceit. “You better keep that promise. Or I’ll kill you myself,” she whispers, her voice dripped with disdain.

I nod, understanding the weight of her words. “I will,” I assure her, my voice firm with determination. “You’ll be our woman and have our kids. If you do da simple tings we ask of you, we won’ have no reason to hurt ya.”

The girl’s eyes narrow as she stares at me, her gaze filled with anger and fear. I can see the fire burning within her, a determination to protect herself. I like that kind of fire in a woman. Her skepticism of the promise I’ve made, I understand completely. But deep down, I know that I have no choice but to keep my word.

I take a step closer to her, my voice softening as I try to convey sincerity. “I know it’s hard ta trust me right now, given the circumstances,” I say, my voice laced with genuine remorse. “But I swear ta you, my brother and I will do everyting in our power ta take care of you. We wanna create a home, a family where you’ll be safe an loved.”

Wilder walks over from the tents. “Who we are an who we need to be to survive are two very different tings, chére. We kill because that’s jus who we are. Da way God made us. But we need you ta survive. It ain’t right for a man ta be lonely.” He kicks at the dirt at the edge of the fire pit, hands in his pockets.

Her silence speaks volumes, her eyes betraying her lingering suspicion. More hesitantly this time, my trembling hand reaches out once again. With a tender gesture, I sweep her dark brown hair away from her face, allowing me to gaze into her warm brown eyes. “I can’ change what we done, and I can’ bring your brother back,” I continue, my voice filled with sadness. “But I promise you, we’ll bury him in da family cemetery and you can visit him as often as you like. ”

Her gaze softens slightly, but the pain is still evident in her eyes. She takes a deep breath, her voice trembling with vulnerability and determination. “I don’t know if I can trust you,” she whispers, her voice wavering.

I nod, understanding the weight of her words and the importance of gaining her trust. “We’ll show you,” I reply, my voice filled with conviction. “Actions speak louder den words, and we’ll prove ta you we can create a safe and loving home for ya and our future children.”

“We gon make ya fall in love wid us, chére.” Wilder’s eyes crinkle at the edges. The damn idiot got a big ass grin under his mask.

She hesitates for a moment; her gaze searching mine once again. “Okay,” she says, her voice soft. “But remember, if you break your promise, I’ll fight back.”

I nod, acknowledging the gravity of her words. “I understand,” I say, my voice filled with sincerity. This girl is young and impressionable. It’s not gonna take much to mold her into what we need her to be.

“Can I see your faces?” She asks as I bend down to untie her legs so she can walk.

I hesitate to answer. She’s gonna have to see our faces at some point. “When we get home, chére. Let us get cleaned up and you. Then you can see us.”

“Wild, you wanna take 'er back and get 'er situated and I’ll deal wid all dis?” I motion to the bodies and camp gear.

“Mmm hmm. We’ll see you at home.”