FLAWLESS - J. MAYBANK

xviii. oh god

Maelynn was still sitting in her bathtub when Rafe bodychecked the bathroom door open. 'What the fuck, Rafe?'

'Get up.' When she remained unresponsive, he grabbed her arm and forced her out of the tub. 'I said, get up!'

'Get off of me!' she yelled back. 'God, Rafe! Don't you ever listen?'

He shoved her so hard her back hit the wall. 'Don't fucking talk to me like that, Maelynn!'

'Fuck off! What are you even doing here? Didn't dad fucking kick you out or something?'

'We're gonna go save dad,' Rafe muttered. His way of speaking had changed since he started with the drugs. 'We're gonna save him. And Sarah. Yeah.'

She waved a hand in front of his face. 'How fucking high are you right now? Save dad? From what?'

'The police.'

'Rafe! Their entire fucking job is to save people!'

He shook his head. He no longer looked normal doing anything; he looked like an utter psycho. 'No. No, we have to save him. And I'll show him that I'm the better child. Better than Sarah, better than you, better than Wheezie. I'll show him, Maelynn. You'll see.'

'You're nuts.'

'No, I'm proactive. I'm a proactive type of person, Maelynn.'

'This,' she gestured at him as a whole, 'Is nuts. I see nothing proactive about you, Rafe.'

'Shut up!'

She bared her teeth at him. She'd later cringe at this action, but it felt right in the moment. 'Kiss my ass.'

He grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled down on it. She cried out and reached for his hand, but he let go and smacked the side of her head instead. 'Come on.'

ミ⛧ ミ⛧ ミ⛧

They pulled up to the air strip not far after - Rafe had sped the whole way. She could see her father, Sarah, John B and Sheriff Peterkin all on it. They were locking in an intense and macabre tableau of what could become her fathers' serious injury or death. 

Until Rafe pulled out his gun and shot the Sheriff in the back. 

'No!' Maelynn screamed. 'Rafe!'

Peterkin fell to the ground, leaving her family in clear view. Everyone looked shocked. Rafe was shaking and looked like he was about to cry, one hand holding Maelynn in place. 

'I saved you, dad. I saved you.'

Maelynn started to sob, falling to the ground. Rafe slowly released her arm. John B had to stop Sarah from falling on the ground after her twin. Her entire body weight was propped up on him. Ward just stared between his son and the dying sheriff. 

He slowly stood and went over to Peterkin. John B did the same, leaving Sarah to run to her sister, who was still sobbing on the ground. They wrapped their arms around each other and watched their father take Peterkin's radio. She murmured something to John B. 

'Take M and S home, Rafe,' Ward said. They both started shaking their heads, standing up and backing away from their brother. Maelynn couldn't take being in a car with Rafe again after the last ten minutes. She ran after John B and leaped over the fence with ease. 

'John B!' she yelled after him. He stopped and turned, his arms held out to her. Though she was surprised, she ran up and hugged him tightly. 'Oh my God, are you okay?'