My Bad 🔪

Second part of My mistake. Feedback please!

"No." I whisper. "No, no, no, no."

I didn't mean to. I swear, I didn't. It was an accident. Can killing someone be an accident?

I drop to the ground next to his body, but I’m too afraid to touch him.

He lays facedown on the ground, the blood-soaked glass still in his stomach. He's dead, I already know that. The blood is bright against his green shirt.

My stomach churns, and I back away, suddenly not wanting to be anywhere near him.

Then I hear a voice from outside.

“Ryan? Are you in here?” Someone calls.

It’s Brandon.

I stagger to my feet, but slip, hitting the ground hard. I nearly throw up when I see the puddle of blood I’m sitting in. I push myself up, and run towards one of the dark hallways. I slip into the shadows as the door creaks open. 

I hear a scream, then feet pounding on the floor. 

“No!”

I bite my lip to keep from crying, and run down the hallway, and into one of the rooms. A rough, loud voice in my head screams one word over and over.

MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER.

I clutch my head, but jerk my fingers away quickly, my eyes widening. They’re wet and sticky, and I already know it’s blood. Ryan’s blood. I close my eyes, and take a deep breath. 

This voice is right. I just killed my best friend. Because he didn’t love me. 

MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER.

What is wrong with me?

The room I’m in has big windows with long curtains. It’s empty otherwise. 

MURDERER. YOU KILLED HIM. FOR NO REASON. 

I did. I’m so, so stupid. 

NOW ALL YOU’LL EVER BE IS A MURDERER. 

“Shut up.” I snap.

I have to leave. I’ll get caught. Brandon will know it’s me. 

NO ONE WILL EVER LOVE YOU. YOU SHOULD JUST-

“I said, shut up!” I yell. 

Great. Now I’m talking to a voice in my head. I’m really going crazy. 

What do I do? I don’t want to go to jail. But hiding will just make it worse. Right?

I hear footsteps coming down the hallway.

“Who’s there?” Brandon demands, choking on tears. “Who killed him?” 

I hold my breath, backing farther into the room. 

“Blake? Is it you?” He shouts. He sounds close. “If it was, I swear I’ll kill you.”

What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?

“Where are you? I heard you. You can’t hide forever.” He yells.

I freeze as he walks into the room. So does he. His face, which is wet from tears, hardens, and he snarls at me.

I’m not going to go to jail. Not without a fight.

I watch him as he walks closer. I put my hands up to show I’m unarmed, and he lunges at me. I move to the side, and he tumbles to the ground. I nearly laugh at how easy that was, but decide that since I’m still in danger, to wait until I’m safe.

I run out the door, and down the hallway. I can hear him coming after me.

I turn the corner. There are three different hallways. The one in the middle has a set of stairs. I take the stairs.

I run up them, ignoring the pain in my legs. This is a ridiculously long set of stairs. When I finally reach the next flight, I turn to see if Brandon is behind me. 

He is.

I look around the story I’m on. There are lots of long ropes, like the ones they had in the gym at school. They all lead to the ceiling, where there’s another landing. 

I can hear him coming closer. Making a split second decision, I grab onto one of the ropes, and start climbing. Let's hope P.E was good for something.

When I’m about halfway up, the rope starts to wobble. I look down, and see Brandon shaking it hard.

Joke's on him. This happened all the time in school. 

I keep climbing. When I look down again, I see he’s climbing up a different one.  

I reach the top, and pull myself up. My whole body aches, but I manage to stand, and look around. The ground is dusty, and there are tools lying around. In the center, there is a tall metal box. There might be something I can use to stop him from...whatever he’s going to do. 

MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER.

I wince. I thought that was gone.  

I pry open the box, and freeze. There are a bunch of different weapons sitting inside of it. Why are these here?

WHAT’RE YOU GOING TO DO? KILL HIM TOO?

No. Of course not. I can’t.

But that is a good question. I’m not sure what I’ll do. Even if I get away, he’ll just tell the police. 

I step away from the box, worried about what I’ll do if I have one of the weapons in there. My head snaps up when I hear him. He got up here faster than I did. 

“Stop running.” He yells, walking towards me. “It’s pointless.”

I back away, but hit the box. I glance inside. A short dagger sits on the top of the pile. I pick it up, but just if I have to use self-defense. Only self defense.

“Why don’t you like me?” I ask him. Yeah, I’m stalling. I still don’t know what else to do.

He snorts. “Other than the fact that you just killed my fiance?”

“Yes?”

“Well, it’s because you loved him.”

I blink. “Seriously? That’s it?”

“I thought that he’d leave me for you.” He mutters, looking away. “But no need to worry about that now, is there?”

That makes me laugh. “You shouldn’t have been worried about that.”

“Oh, really?” 

“He...told me he didn’t love me. Just you.”

I spit the last word, understanding the jealousy he must feel. 

He frowns. “And how would you know?”

I might as well tell him what happened. He can’t hate me any more than he already does.

“Well, about five minutes before you came, I kissed him.”

He freezes. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to. But Ryan did want you to know that he kissed me back.” I say with a smile.

He’s silent. Then he laughs. It sounds very forced. “Why would he? You just said he didn't like you.”

“Okay. Don’t believe me. I don’t care.” I shrug. “But how would I know that he tasted like strawberries?”

A second later, something flies at my head. I duck, then turn to see what it was. 

“A hammer? Really-”

I get tackled, and nearly impale myself with the dagger on the way down. I kick at Brandon, but he’s stronger than me, and pushes his knee into my back.

I smile. “So you do believe me?”

“Shut up!” He growls. “Just shut up!”

I’m scared out of my mind, but I try not to show it. “Are you going to kill me?”

“No. I won’t sink to your lousy level.” He mutters.

“Great.” I mutter. 

YOU SHOULD JUST KILL HIM. HE KNOWS TOO MUCH ALREADY.

Should I? I don’t know what to do.

“You know, Ryan never would’ve loved you.” He says with a laugh.

I frown. What is he doing? Doesn’t he think I know that already?

“You say he kissed you back? It was probably out of pity.”

Is he trying to make me mad? Seriously?

“He never even cared about you.”

If he is, it’s working. 

Somehow, I end up over him, the dagger at his throat. He’s pale, and looks terrified. He tries to push my wrist away, but somehow, I’m stronger.

YES. KILL HIM. HE DESERVES IT.

“Are you going to kill me?” He asks when I do nothing, a smug look on his face. 

I stay silent. Am I? Could I?

“You wonder why he didn’t love you?” He asks me. “Because he knew that you’re nothing but a-”

I press the blade to his throat, and he stops talking. 

DO IT! NOW!

“You want to know something?” I whisper. 

He doesn’t answer. He’s scared again.

“The last thing Ryan said was that he loved me.” I say. Not a total lie. I just didn’t give him time to finish.

He tries to kick me, but I push the dagger on his skin. “Why would I believe you?”

KILL HIM. NOBODY WOULD EVER KNOW IT WAS YOU.

“You don’t have to.”

“You won’t kill me.” Brandon says. He’s awfully confident. “You wouldn’t.”

“Shut up.” I snap.

He laughs. I decide I hate his laugh. “You’re too afraid-”

I shove the knife through his throat. His eyes widen, and his hand goes to his neck. Blood pours out of him, and I step away.

“No. No, no, no!” I cry. 

What is wrong with me? I didn't want this!

I drop to my knees beside Brandons dying body, a laugh escaping. I’m safe, aren’t I? I laugh, tears falling down my face. This is so messed up. Why is this happening? 

TOO LATE TO CHANGE IT NOW. YOU BETTER GET OUT OF THERE.

I stand up, and walk away from him. If I keep listening to this stupid voice, this won’t be the last person I kill.

MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER. MURDERER.