The Second To Die

Eyes Open: Chapter 19

Holding the phone up to my ear, I glanced over at Wes as the voice seeped through the speaker. 

"Almost didn't make it, shame, I would have loved watching him burn." He said. 

"Stop with the bullshit, why do you want us both here?" I demanded. My heart was pounding uncomfortably against my rib cage as I began walking farther into the bowling alley. 

"I want you to open your eyes." He said, chuckling darkly. The lights flashed on around us and Wes gasped. Turning to him, I saw him point towards the far wall, just near the bathrooms. It had been the place Brooke had found Jake, bleeding from a stab wound. There, covering the wall, were pictures. Making my way over, I held my hand to my mouth as I took in each and every one of them. 

They were different murders. All ranging from Nina right down to Jake. There was one of Jake, hanging from a chain in a barn, very much alive. Wes's hand touched my shoulder lightly as he pulled me closer to him. 

"Why are you doing this?" My voice was week, my eyes wet. These were my friends, and these were their final moments. 

"Because you need to see what I see. Feel what I feel." He replied. "We were both betrayed by the ones we trust the most, we were both hurt by them." He continued. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. 

"No." I whispered. 

"Yes, Vex. Your own mother kept secrets from you, secrets far deeper than just an older sister. I can tell you everything. I can be the one person who doesn't lie to you." He persuaded. I shook my head, trying to block out his voice within my head. It echoed all around me. 

"No. I won't become like you." He laughed, even it echoed around me. 

"You already are. You are as much a monster as I am. But I can help you become something great. You were meant for far more than to die by the hand of someone like me. You can become so much more if only you do something for me. You do that, and I can promise that I will not hurt your dear Noah." My breath hitched in my throat. Opening my eyes, I looked up to Wes who, was scanning around us. 

"How?" I asked. I was desperate. If I could somehow protect Noah from all of this, there had to be a way. 

"Go into the mail room and following my instructions. They'll be rather clear." He whispered. Then the line went dead. My hands shaking, I pulled away from Wes, looking across the alley to where the mail room sat, the light blinking slightly.

"I need to go in there." I said, pointing towards the small room. "And I need you to stay out here, to keep watch." Wes shook his head. 

"There's no way in hell." He replied, his eyes crossing mine. 

"Wes, I need you to do this. If he thinks, even for a second, that I'm not following his directions, he'll kill everyone I care about, everyone I've worked so hard to protect. I need you to do this for me." I pleaded. He closed his eyes, shaking his head just a little.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Vex. I think if your little boyfriend was here, he'd say the same." The way he said it, it wasn't jealousy of Noah. It didn't sound anything like that. It was fear. 

"Noah isn't here because that son of a bitch took him. I'm going to get him back but I need you to trust me." Opening his eyes, Wes took a step back, nodding. 

"I trust you. Just, be careful. If I yell for you to run, you run and you don't look back. If something happens, you yell and I'll come running." I shot him a puzzled look. 

"Why would I run away but you run towards the danger?" He smiled softly. 

"Cause if anyone is going to beat this freak, it'll be you." I chuckled, stepping back towards the mail room. 

"No man left behind, Wes. I hear you yell, I'll come in guns blazing." I said. He rolled his eyes. 

"You always were stubborn." With one last, soft smile, I turned away from him, sprinting over to the doors of the mail room. There was a mess of papers everywhere, just like there had been all those months ago. A dull ache pounded in my chest as I remembered how we had come to rescue Will, only to lose him so soon afterwards. 

We had felt so nearly on top of the world after we had gotten him back, so confident that we would catch the killer and stop them. Now, we were in this horror show all over again, and the Lakewood 7 was slowly crumbling away. 

Rushing over, I searched through the slots for the one that read "Henry James" but there were none. All the tags had been ripped off, except one. 

"Vex Wilson." I read softly. Carefully, I reached into the slot, grabbing something wrapped in leather. Carefully pulling it out, I gasped as the knife glinted off the blinking light. A note was attached to with neat handwriting on the front. For you. 

Taking the letter off, I opened it quickly, trying to take steady breaths. 

May your first be as pleasant as your last

~A friend

Confusion swept over me as I tried to decipher what this meant, what he wanted. I want you to open your eyes. What did he mean! 

I screamed out in frustration, slamming my hand against the wall. "What do you want!" I shouted. 

"Vex?" Wes voice yelled. I heard his footsteps before he sprinted into the room, looking around for the threat. "I'm here." He said. Then it all clicked. 

Wes was here. The killer had wanted him here, with me. He wanted me to open my eyes, to become like him in order to protect the ones I care for. The knife wasn't to use against him. It wasn't a peace offering hell, it wasn't even symbolic. 

No. The message was clear, just like he said it would be. My eyes were open and everything was laying out before me. He was giving me the choice. A death for a life. 

He wanted me to kill Wes to save Noah. 

------------------------------------------------------