of blood and lies ; dystopian

33

"Tell me something truthful," Karro said, breaking the silence.

Neither of us could sleep. It was too cold. Every time I almost dozed off, I was woken by my own trembling.

I stared at the ceiling, ignoring the weight of his eyes.

Something felt lighter, despite only a few hours passing since we last spoke. I believed it was something that had shifted inside of me. I no longer saw my Anaka when I looked at him.

"Hm," I hummed, scanning my memories. My lips perked as I thought of the Murthaa's burnt corpse. I turned on the bed, laying on my side, my hand propping up my head.

"You know how old the Murthaa is," I started. Karro rolled onto his side, mimicking my position. "You'd think she'd be so hard to kill. She really wasn't. She died like a fucking pussy, too. I killed her when we were in Chicago. We went to dinner right after."

"You're such a lying cunt," Karro said, though his lips slid into a smile.

It'd felt so fucking good to kill the Murthaa. She was long overdue.

"Yeah," I replied. "I put her ashes in the Committee's tea."

I would not have gotten away with it if I'd left the body. They'd find her. But, after the Committee had ingested her, I knew I'd gotten away with it. Fuck, I'd killed the Murthaa and gotten away with it.

"Why do you kill her?" Karro asked, his brow perking.

My throat tightened and I looked toward the floor. That was a conversation he could not torture out of me.

"For giggles. Your turn, tell me something truthful."

Karro bit his lip and laid his head on the pillow. I watched his eyes looking around the space behind my head.

"In Chicago, I suppose after you were done killing one of the oldest women alive, we went to that bar. Remember?"

I nodded. It had been a day after I'd killed her. I'd drank too much trying to repress the fear of the Committee.

"A man had looked at you the wrong way. You were too drunk to see it." I winced at his words. I hated being drunk, even in front of him; I was so vulnerable. "Even when I hated you, I couldn't stand seeing someone look at you like that."

I smiled and a bitter remark formed on my tongue.

He beat me to it.

"So, after you fell asleep, I took him to an alley and cut off his cock."

My mouth hung low. Any bitter remark was stolen. Again, he wore no sign of lie.

"Oh," I gasped. "Even after you... knew?"

Karro nodded. "Only I can hurt you."

I furrowed my brows, flickering between both of his eyes. Only I can hurt you. Oddly, I felt the same about him. It was some twisted mix of pain and pleasure.

I burst into a fit of laughter, looking away from him. I'd forgotten the sound of my own laugh.

"What's so funny about me cutting off a man's cock?"

"I don't know," I said. "I mean, thank you. I think?"

I laughed once more before silence returned. A heavy weight pressed back down on me and my curled lips deepened into a frown.

My hold tightened around the blanket. He looked at me for too long. I looked at him for too long. I was about to tear myself apart and show him how ugly I was inside. I needed to make him look away.

"Come here," Karro hummed.

I shook my head, looking down. "Why?"

"Sleep with me."

I pulled my covers up over my cheeks, attempting to conceal the tint. I looked up to the ceiling, cursing again at those who were above laughing at me.

It was too cold to deny any extra heat.

If we ever escaped, I'd burn every last one of their corpses. Then, I'd be warm forever.

Without speaking, I crawled out of the bed. I brought my blanket and pillow with me. I kept my head dipped low, afraid the moonlight may expose how his words affected my face. I blamed the thick air for my composure, too.

His body took up three-fourths of the small cot. I slipped into the little space left, throwing a second layer of blanket atop us. I pulled the pillow to my chest and hugged it tight, as I usually would to fall asleep.

I kept my back to him.

I'd forever hate him for making me a coward, over it all.

"Tell me something else true." His voice ticked against my earlobe. I felt his breath fan down the back of my neck. I assumed it was followed by his eyes, looking at where his crotch and my ass met. I would look too.

"No," I said.

"No?" I felt his stupid smile. "Then tell me lies."

I closed my eyes. His hand landed on my hip, fingertips tracing light circles above the hem of my sweatpants.

He needed to stop fucking talking.

"No," I repeated. I twisted my head until I faced him. "Stop talking."

With that, I leaned into his lips, with no intention of pulling away.

EEEE

what we thinkin???

how is the pacing?

who is ur fav past or present

do we like them together?

i want to say so many things but i cant