Chapter 9: Chill or Kill

P.O.V Cathia

It had been a while since I last stared at the moon. Now I got the time, and I did it again. Although it was the 4th day's moon, still, it was the same captivating and fascinating.

Yes! It had been four days since that meeting and my story............

Well, I didn't tell it. I couldn't tell them because I've never told anyone. My story and my life should remain with me. It's like a rule to me, 'never express yourself to others'. Plus, I never had the opportunity to express myself. So, I felt awkward.

At first, I kept it to myself because I thought that no one was capable to be told but, after meeting these teenagers, I felt that I wasn't capable of telling them because it's not worth telling. For me, the expressions of violence, ruthlessness, anger, hatred, and cruelty were normal and even acceptable because it's been several years since I spent my life in between them and since they became a part of my difficult life. And it's been a long while since I lost the feelings and emotions of love, sympathy, affection, solicitude, and humanity.

This all changed when I was 12 years old, nearly 7 years ago. I even killed seven people for money, but for other's personal revenge. These bad things, whether emotions or feelings, started overlapping me, and I lost myself. I lost who I was and what I should be.

And now... I saw Leo...

He was so determined. Our lives were nearly similar. We both lost love, but he was superior in one place that in all the circumstances, he was still strong. He even held his brother strong, too. But I can't even do that to my only self.

"Wwwwoooooo..........."

"Argh, Darren! I'm deaf!!" Darren broke my chain of thoughts and screamed so loudly in my ear that I had to cover it with my hand so I won't become deaf in reality.

"Hahahaha... Yes, you are because I've been calling you for 5 minutes, but you didn't reply." Darren showed me his glorious white teeth.

"Go to Hell!" I made an angry face. To say the truth, I liked the funny things they did all the time. These things were not that bad after all. "What do you want?"

"Don't be angry, redhead. Caitlin's calling you." He showed his teeth once again and went into the kitchen. I followed him. Caitlin, Evelyn, and Leo were already present there. And, by the look on Leo's face, I could tell that he was not happy with whatever the matter was.

"Yes, Caitlin?" I looked at Leo, who shifted his annoyed gaze towards me. I immediately looked back at Caitlin. "You called me?"

"Yes. You, Leo, and Evelyn are going to the market. I need some things in the kitchen," She said, looking at me.

"No!!" Freaking out was my first reaction. I mean, how was I supposed to go out with Leo? He hated me so much, and I was already depressed. I didn't want to take it anymore, that too, from Leonard Morris.

"Why are you screaming as if I asked you to go out on a date with Leo." She gave me a bored look.

"I... uh..." 'I don't even know 'why' myself?!'

"Don't worry. I'll be with you. Leo won't be super grumpy, which he normally isn't." Evelyn smiled at me.

"Why is everybody talking like I'm a savage or a vampire or I came out of a jungle, and that I'll surely eat her?" Leo became even more annoyed.

"Why aren't you going? Or Darren?" I said before Caitlin could give a reply to Leo, and they again start a fight.

"Because I've to do some work in the kitchen and..." Caitlin pointed towards Darren. "... He's sluggish like a tortoise. He will never go, and if by a miracle, he does, he'll take ages to come back." Darren again showed his toothy grin.

"Then, why not only Evelyn and Leo?" Before Caitlin could give any answer, Leo came forward and so close, I bumped into the door while backing away.

He pointed a finger towards me and said through gritted teeth, "Stop overreacting. In the car! In five minutes! Because I don't wanna kill you even before we go." I gulped, and he was gone.

******

"Hey, Cath! Come here and check these skewers," Evelyn supposedly called me, and Leo, who was standing behind me, looking on the other shelves, burst out laughing and fell on the floor, clenching his stomach.

"Seriously? Cath?" He looked at me and said in between the laughter. I glared at him. 'At least, I've got some self-esteem. First 'Pumpkin', now 'cath'?'

I glared at him even harder and turned towards Evelyn before my eyeballs could come out of their sockets.

"Yes?" I asked her with a blank face.

"Uh... Sorry! I thought you would like it," She apologized. She's always that good, making me suddenly feel the harshness in my tone. I looked back at Leo, who had till now narrowed his eyes on me. He was a named brother, after all, and he was there to protect his sister.

"It's... okay. I liked it, but you can call me this when these boys won't be listening, okay?" I said in a low voice so that Leo would not hear what I said, or else he would have again started laughing by now.

"Okay!" She said, and Oh my God! This girl had the greatest smile in the world, making all the worries in your life go away. I suddenly felt a change in me, making me shiver at this thought, but I shook my head to get rid of it.

Evelyn selected all the things, and Leo paid for them, after which we left for home. But instead of going back home, Leo took us to have some ice cream. I gasped after a long long time while taking the first bite of the ice cream, letting my tastebuds revive the flavor. These feelings were kind of new to me, enjoying the life that belonged solely to me.

I suddenly felt eyes on me. I looked at Leo, and as expected, he was looking at me while digging into his cup, amusement clearly printed on his face with an extra help taken by the stupid smile.

His smile even widened when I noticed him staring at me, and he didn't bother to get nervous on 'Oh my God! I'm caught red-handed staring at a girl I hate'. Instead, I had to dunk my head back in my cup.

Evelyn was talking all the time, about...... I don't know. I didn't pay any attention to it. But wow, Leo was looking at me and listening to Evelyn! 'I'm afraid that this is also some kind of his hidden power which he didn't tell us.' I stayed silent all the time, though.

As soon as we finished, we started walking towards the car. It was parked a little far from the ice cream parlor, and Leo took us from the street that linked the two roads.

"Well, 'Pumpkin'... Oh, sorry 'Cath'..." He couldn't finish because he again started laughing. "Uh... sorry. But... How did you make up your mind to live with us and help us?" 'So, that's true. These brothers will die staying silent for a day.'

"I... don't know. I just..." I've never thought about it, and now, I was seriously thinking, how did I end up here among them. Leo didn't say anything, just looked at me and waited for my reply. Evelyn was walking some steps behind us.

"Why did you decide to help these girls?" I snapped back so that I might get some reasons for being with them.

He smiled widely and looked at the front. "I knew you would ask this." He said, quiffing his hair, "I am here b......."

THUD!!!

We heard a loud thud right behind us, followed by a girl's scream. I held on to Leo's arm, and he looked at me. Understanding what had just happened, we both turned back instantly and called, "Evelyn!"

She was standing at some distance from us, hands on her mouth not to scream again. Evelyn was badly trembling. She was looking somewhere, and I followed her gaze.

There was a body lying in between us and Evelyn, and while I was examining that thing, Leo reached out for Evelyn and hugged her tightly. She sobbed while hiding herself in Leo's arms.

I crossed that hurdle between us and came towards Evelyn, still looking at the body. It looked so familiar. I looked at Leo but couldn't tell whether he was angry or thinking about something?

I again started analyzing it and got a little closer for a clearer view in the light of the street pole. It was a man, maybe a teenager, and he had cuts on his whole body. Small cuts. Everywhere. It seemed like he was cut so badly that he bled to death. I got a little closer.

Oh shit......

I looked back at Leo, and he looked a little worried, his face clearly showing expressions that he recognized it before me. He nodded to me to come and hold on to Evelyn so that he could go and check the body.

It was the body of that creep whom we met four days ago, the one who fought with Leo with his whole gang.

Leo checked his pulse. "He's dead," He said, and Evelyn hugged me even more tightly. She had always been so sensitive. I always wasn't.

Leo bent a little more on him, and suddenly. he shifted to the other side of the body. Following Leo's gaze, I also found a piece of paper folded inside the chest pocket of that man.

Leo reached out and pulled a folded paper out of his pocket. He stood up and brought it towards us, all the while unfolding it. He came and stood by my side, but I couldn't see what was written because I was hugging Evelyn.

He knitted his eyebrows in confusion and read the note again. Curiosity was rising inside me. I was scared, though. And then he looked at me, and I could tell that his face showed that he was startled, which he tried his best to hide with a frown.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at him with a worried tone, and he handed me the paper. I started reading. My eyes opened widely while a shiver ran down my spine.

This was written by hand on the paper;

'Dear Leo & Cathia!

I suggest you stop doing whatever you are trying to do. You can never stop the apocalypse because I won't let you! If you will still not consider my advice, then you might end up like this bloody junk!

XM'