Three played a 'Wicked Game.' Now, it's time for round two.
One will fight. One will meet The Maker. And one will try to keep them all safe.
The world may be black and white but to win this game, they'll have to play in the gray.
Faith or Alex. Could Isabeth really choose between the two? Between her best friend and her boyfriend. It was an impossible choice. She loved them both. Needed them both. Carried for both of their wellbeings.
She leered ahead at the shine of the lights raining over her car keeping the ominous night at bay. Her mouth was sealed shut as she sat in the passenger seat, the drum of music coursing through the parked SUV. She could've believed she was alone with Teddy sound asleep in the backseat if it wasn't for the guy sitting in the driver's seat. He didn't speak a word or breath to loudly but the warmth of his eyes periodically glinting over at her made his presence known.
"I can drive myself home, Chi." Isabeth rubbed her hand over her tear-stained cheek then to her tight neck. "You don't have to—"
"I don't have to what?" He cut her off and she felt his chestnut eyes back on her face. "Worry about you. That's a lie."
Isabeth released an audible breath dropping her hand weakly, letting it fall into her lap to join the other one, "I'm just dealing with a lot." Tears started to burn the wells of her eyes once more but she clenched her jaw trying hard to quell her emotions.
"I miss her, too." Malachi told, placing his hand upon her shoulder. "We're going to find her. The police are looking for her. FBI is looking for her. We have all the money in the world. We will find her."
Isabeth turned to him, wanting to see his face—discover the certainty in his eyes. He gave her a somber smile and a confident nod. She wished she could be as clueless as he was. Not knowing the monsters that lurked in the shadows. She envied his ignorance. She would give up every dime in her trust fund to be the girl she used to be, the one that didn't know about the things that went bump in the night.
"I pray so." She placed her hand upon his, still resting on her shoulder. "I really do." A defiant tear slipped from her eye and rolled down her cheek. She quickly turned from him dropping her chin.
Malachi deeply exhaled as he pulled his hand away, "Isabeth." He spoke her name, pronouncing every syllable as if it was a name heard for the first time and was trying to commit it to memory. "I've known you all my life. We use to sleep in the same bed as kids when our parents spent too much time catching up."
"Because I was afraid of the dark." She whispered stroking the palm of her hand with her thumb.
"And I told you, you could go to sleep because I would protect you."
"With your flashlight and your baseball bat." She weakly chuckled at the remembrance.
"I still stand by my words."
"We're not seven." She sniffed. "And these monsters are real. They don't steal sleep or want my teeth. They kill."
"Let me help you. You can't do this alone."
"I'm not alone." She cleared her throat. "Well, I wasn't alone until..."
"Faith was kidnapped." He hit the steering wheel with his fist making Isabeth jump. "I knew ya'll were up to something." He shifted his angry eyes to her, "Alex, is in this too. That's why he's at home playing detective."
"He's..." She halted her words.
"He's what, Isabeth?" Malachi asked with urgency shifted his torso towards her. "What has he gotten himself into, now?"
Isabeth pressed her lips tightly together to stop the trembling and the truth from spilling out. She shifted her gaze back forward as her heart quaked and her lungs begged her pulling in more air.
"Tell me." The aggravation in Malachi's raised voice caused Teddy to stir. "Tell me what's going on. This car is not moving until you tell me what the three of you are into."
Isabeth interlocked her fingers to stop her hands from shaking. The cool air from the A/C chilled the wetness on her cheeks as she slowly shook her head, "It's too dangerous. The cost is too great. I can't pull you into our problems."
"Alex is my brother. You and Faith are my friends. Yawls' problems are my problems." Malachi professed with clarity taking hold of her connected hands. "Gavin's in a coma. I'm the oldest, now. And it's my job to look after the group." He dropped his head and dabbed the corner of his eye with a sniffled. "I...I dropped the ball with Fiona but no more." He matched his sight with hers. "I'm here now."
Isabeth flung her arms around him, holding his strong body tight as if she could absorb some of his strength for herself. Her body shook with a sob, "A psychopath is after us."
Malachi pulled away, raking his stunned eyes over her distraught face, "The Psychopath Maker?"
"How did you..." She blinked at him with bewilderment. "How do you know?"
Malachi shifted in his seat, glued one hand on the steering wheel as he shifted the SUV out of park with the other, "You're not the first girlfriend of Alex's it came after."
His words stunned her as he sped out of the parking lot.
Do you think Isabeth is going to tell Malachi about everything that she, Faith, and Alex have done or some of it?
Will Malachi try to sway her choice of whom to save?
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