A Loud Thud and a Splash of Blood [Wattys 2017]

Chapter 16

Out of all the people in my life, Anna was the last I would've expected. She stood before me like a boiling pot of anger stew. A scowl spread across her face, curling her puffy dark lips and furrowing her dark brow.

She pulled herself to her feet and growled.

"You told Michael didn't you?" She hissed, she placed her hands on her hips.

"No," I said. I waved my hands in front of me.

"Then why was he asking to see the body?" She asked in a snakelike tongue. She slithered towards me. I took a step back, away from the snake.

"Because," I began, "I told him I FOUND the body, he doesn't suspect a thing." I held my hands out before me as though they would protect me.

Anne reached into her pocket, caressing something sharp.

"Well knowing anything is a bad thing, you can't trust Michael," She stated. Her hand clenched and unclenched within her pocket.

"Hold on now," I stated. I began to pace the floor. "Michael's been my best friend for years," I stated, "What makes you think I wouldn't trust him?"
She let out a laugh that would drive anyone insane. It sounded like a jackal being chopped up by a chainsaw. I cringed.

"Frankly, he can't keep a secret," She said, she then pointed a thick dark finger in my direction, "I don't want to have to kill you Dillon."

My jaw dropped to the floor. I threw my hands into the air.

"If you could kill me why didn't you kill Pigvin on your own!" I exclaimed.

Anna withdrew a knife.

"Shut up," She stated, she waved the knife in front of me. I watched every move it made. I didn't want to test her. I kept my mouth shut and merely stared at her. She let out a sigh then said, "Dill, I don't want to have to kill you, but if you tell a single soul, I'll have to get rid of you." I gulped but stayed silent. There was no way that Anna was going to kill me. I wanted to tell her to not call me Dill, but even that was still risky. I was stuck in Anna's quicksand. With every word I uttered, I knew I would only sink deeper.

I held my hands up as though I was surrendering.

"Okay," I said, "I won't tell anyone."

I thought Anna was done with me. She headed to the door to rope Sarah back in. But she stopped. She looked me in the eye.

"I expect to have Jennifer dead by tomorrow," She stated. She held the knife in her hand, "Or else, I can't promise you'll be alive on Monday, at least you won't have to take the science test." Anna opened the door.

"Sarah!" she exclaimed. Sarah and Michael shuffled in. Anna looked to Michael, she batted her eyelashes. Michael raised an eyebrow, then turned to me.

"Are we going now?" He asked.

Anna looked me in the eye. She'd literally kill me if I showed him the body. I looked from Anna to Michael, then shook my head.

"Well, we best get going!" Sarah exclaimed. She took Anna by the hand. "See you at school on Monday!" She left with a friendly wave. Anna was not as friendly, she gave me a death glare, then followed her friend out the window.

"So can we go now?" Michael asked, "Now that the girls are gone? I don't see why you don't wa-," I silenced him with interruption.

"We're not going," I stated. I looked back at the window, expecting to see Anna, watching me, making sure that I wasn't telling anyone.

Michael let out a hefty sigh.

"Why don't you trust me?" He asked. He crossed his arms and turned his back toward me.

I wanted to tell him the truth, I really did. I wanted to tell him right then and there. I wanted to tell him that Anna had told me not to trust him. But I couldn't, I just couldn't.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!