Page 45 of Ready Or Not

Fire is most definitely better than water. Maybe I’ll burn my mom next.

21

Look Down on Me - Kode

After Riley lit the man’s house on fire, she forced me back on the bike with her, and we took off. I cling to her back again, barely processing what just happened. I just listen to the sound of my breathing in the helmet and feel her soft body against mine. Pretending she didn’t just kill someone in front of me. Pretending she didn’t light his body and then his house on fire while I stood there and watched.

Because if I don’t pretend it isn’t real, I might actually completely check out. I feel it already, the desire to just sign off. Retreat into the corners of my mind to keep from screaming and picking my skin until it’s gone. What’s more dangerous? Pretending this isn’t real or shutting down in the control of a murderer?

We stop at a small hotel. It’s an old Motel 6, one story, and breaking down. Riley pats my leg. “Get off. And if you talk to anyone, I’ll kill them.”

I step off the bike. Riley helps me take the helmet off, then grabs my hand and heads for the front office.

“Wait.” I yank back slightly. She’s covered in blood. I am too, but less so. We’re like a walking crime scene. Scratch that, wearea walking crime scene.

“It’s Halloween, babe.” Riley gives me a cheeky smile.

Oh fuck. Is it Halloween already? My heart clenches, and the reality of the shit I’m in falls over me. It’s Halloween, and I didn’t find Cali to bring her to the corn maze with me. Instead, I don’t think I’ll ever survive the corn maze.

Riley pays at the front desk. The employee barely even gives us a double take. “Quiet hours are at ten.” Then we have our key, and we’re off. The motel is so old that our room opens to the parking lot.

I barely make a fuss when Riley motions me into the room. I’m exhausted and starving, and the reality of this situation feels like it’s pressing in from every angle.

I stare at Riley when she rides the bike into the room and shuts it down.

I just shake my head, sitting on the bed. Riley shuts the door, then backs the bike against it, tucking the key into her bra. She disappears into the bathroom, and I hear the bath turn on. I stare at the ceiling. I just want to close my eyes. Close my eyes and keep them closed until this nightmare goes away.

“Come here.” Riley pokes her head out of the bathroom.

I don’t know if I have the energy to. But Riley marches to my bed and makes me get up. “I drew you a bath.”

I blink. She herds me into the bathroom. Sure enough, the bathtub is full.

“Get in,” she coaxes. “But keep your leg out of the water. I want to check it.”

Staying in these bloody clothes sounds horrible, so I strip out of them and sink into the water, keeping my injured leg out. Riley checks it and makes a hum of approval. “It’s healing nicely. Just keep it out of the water until it’s fully scabbed over.”

She steps out of the room, and I sink into the tub as far as I can with my leg out. Immediately, I’m surrounded by a warm, comforting feeling. I sink as deep as I can into the shallow tub, soaking in the warmth. I let my brain shut off, bit by bit, and just focus on the feeling of the water on my skin. There’s an odd lack of feeling when submerged. It’s like feeling everything at once but nothing at all. I want to feel nothing.

I hear Riley messing around in the room. There’s the beeping of the microwave, and then she comes back into the bathroom.

“Dinner.” She holds out some chicken nuggets microwaved on toilet paper.

Suddenly, they look like the best things I’ve ever seen. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. I sit up, snatching the food from her. My wet hands disintegrate the toilet paper, but I don’t even care. I down the chicken nuggets in mere bites, almost groaning at how good it tastes. But I need more.

Riley chuckles. “Let those settle. I’ll get you more in a second.” She hops on the bathroom counter and sits there, watching me. She’s still covered in blood, and the tips of her braids look like they’ve been dipped in it. I trace the blood over her perfectly proportioned body to her hands. She has long, slender fingers, and as soon as I think that, I frown. Why does everything about her have to be hot? She’s a walking red flag.

In that moment, I realize I’m completely naked. My face heats, and I try to cover myself. “Don’t look.”

Riley arches an eyebrow. “Why?”

I swallow. I’m not sure why. She’s seen it all before, but still, I feel vulnerable.

“You killed someone.”

“Yep.” She pops the p.

“Are you going to let me go?”