an inconvenient flame, n. goode

Chapter Nineteen

Song - "Washing Machine Heart : Mitski"

So this was actually happening. We were facing death yet again and our only option was to kill my only chance at happiness.

I hid with Ziggy and Martin as we waited for the killers to arrive. We had water guns loaded with Deena's blood and mine. They were our life source at the moment. Martin had also stolen some knives and swords from the antique store in the mall. They were only a last resort.

"Did you love Nick?" I asked.

"What?!" She whispered.

"At the camp...did...did you love him."

"You can't be serious right now." She scoffed. I cocked my head in annoyance. She sighed, "We were young and naive...that's all." I thought if I Ziggy loved Nick as much as me, she would help me save him, but that wasn't the case. The bells jangled, signaling that it was go time. "Someone's here."

As we waited and waited, we were caught by that asshole officer from a few nights back. "Police! Hands up! Hands up!"

We did as he said. Welp, at least we wouldn't have to kill Nick tonight. I'd rather be thrown in jail, so for once, the asshole officer was my savior.

"Listen! You don't have any idea what's going on!" Ziggy explained. "You're gonna die if you don't listen to me."

Martin struggled to fight the opposite. "No, no, no! We cool! We cool!"

"Martin?" The officer asked. I suppose he had a reputation with the police. "Are you kidding me?" He sighed and radioed back to his colleagues. "We got the 5150—" Just like that, our plan was back on schedule as he was stabbed by one of the killers. Oh fuck!

Martin screamed in fear as Ziggy pulled us both away. "We gotta go!"

When we reached a safe spot, Ziggy did her best to pull Martin back together. He was still in shock from what he had seen. I swore under my breath that this was still happening.

Everyone took their spots by the gates of each of the stores we had traced the blood to. Deena and I ran back to our home base where Sam was still tied up.

"Everything ok?" She panted.

I shot her a disgusted look. How was everything supposed to be ok? She then coated both me and herself in overly expensive cologne to wear off the scent of our blood. When we looked back to see how things were going, the plan turned out to be working. Goddamn it! Soon enough, all the killers were locked in the stores and everyone made their way back to us.

"How many is that?" Deena asked.

Josh responded, "I got one, Martin got the Milkman..."

"Four." Ziggy corrected. "We have four. Skull Mask, Nightwing."

"No Ruby?" I asked.

"I don't know. We need to keep an eye on—" Josh was interrupted by Martin's panicked voice.

"Y-y-yo! Why'd it get so quiet?"

We all lifted our heads to peak over the counter.

"It's him." Ziggy sighed.

No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening.

"You don't have to do this." Deena assured her. She doesn't have to do this? I'm the one who's watching the only person I've ever loved be slaughtered right in front of me.

I've learned to hate Deena more than Sam in these last few hours.

"Yes I do." Ziggy said before running to her spot below the Carrie bucket of blood. Everyone else ran back to their posts to lift the gates when it was time. I stayed behind the counter for a moment. I held tight to the sword on my waist. I knew I couldn't do this in the end. I looked up again to see Nick walking towards Ziggy. This must've been the first time they've seen each other since camp nightwing. As he stepped right into place for the trap, I couldn't help myself.