Epiphany

Chapter 54~Solved Puzzle

"I'm not here to hurt you, Alyssa." He flexed his fingers and showed his empty palms to me.

"Like hell you are!" My grip around the pistol started to get sweaty and I hoped it wouldn't slip from my grasp. "Get the hell out of here before I shoot."

I had no idea what to do. He took a bullet for me, which gave him a point, but he was the one who dragged me here in the first place, deleting this point. I couldn't read him anymore. I still didn't know about his true intentions and I couldn't figure out what his next actions would be.

He was unpredictable, meaning dangerous. And I needed to stay away from anything dangerous.

"Listen-"

"No, you listen to me! If you don't get out of my sight, I'll shoot. And trust me I know how to." I hardened my face, telling him I wasn't joking, and soaked my voice in rage, warning him.

I hoped this was intimidating.

But his expression said nothing about fear. Not even a spit of it, meaning I was failing in putting up this stern façade. He gazed at me with a dead expression, as though death itself wouldn't shake him.

"I did save you and your mother, didn't I?" He took a step nearer and I took one backward, almost stumbling over Julia who was still seated on the floor. "I'm supposed to be dead right now."

Didn't he hear what I said? I would shoot if he didn't move. Move it Goddamnit before I do.

"You were also the one who brought me here!" I snarled and didn't back off when he took another step closer, then dug my heels into the floor. I needed to stand my ground so he wouldn't hear my breath quickening.

When he was about to open his mouth and respond, my mouth ran again. "You're the one who sabotaged my mother's personal information so they would kidnap me. You also tricked me into thinking you were a good guy and dragged us to Edward after I trusted y-"

"I didn't drag you to Edward. Not on purpose," he stated, moving his hands down a bit.

"What does that mean?!"

"I couldn't tell him no. I needed to pretend I was on his side so I could later save your @ss."

"Well, you didn't." Not my mother.

"Are you serious, Alyssa?" he raised his voice, hands no longer held up high for me to see. "If it weren't for me, you would've been dead."

"And if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here in this sh!thole in the first place!" I shot back, elevating my tone even higher.

Was he really serious?!

"Well, you can't change the past, Alyssa. What happened, happened. I made a mistake and now I've made amends by saving your life."

"A mistake that cost us our life! We could've been dead and my mother... she's-"

"Are you dead, Alyssa?" he cut me off.

My raised arm slackened a bit. "Huh?"

"Are you a walking corpse?" He narrowed his eyes. "Did you die?"

My lips closed by themselves.

"No, you're still on your feet, seemingly more alive than ever." He took another step, a loud tap filling the place. "Because I saved you."

I gritted my teeth. This bastard. My mother was right. He's a psycho.

"What about my mother, huh?" I raised my tone again, but this time it had a trembling undertone to it. "Did you save her too?"