The Devil's Son

Fourteen

Kalani

I've never been in a serious depression, except for this week. It's Tuesday, and usually I love Tuesdays, but now I hate them. I lay in bed, my eyes swollen from crying in the middle of the night, and my bed damp from tears. I stare at my cieling, willing myself not cry. I can't cry again. I've cried to much. 

The lights are still off and I check my phone. There's a missed call from Marduk. I decide, even though it's not good for me, that I should call him back. Just to be polite. 

I listen to the message first. "Hey, Kalani, It's Marduk. I just wanted to let you know that we aren't lost, and we never were. I have Maddie, and it's going to be the end for her soon. Call me back when you get this. Thanks." The message ends. I stare at my phone, and I assume tears will fall, but they don't come. I'm numb. 

I dial Marduks number weakly and wait for him to answer. This is bad for me. I can't keep calling him. He's just going to slowly mentally torture me. I can't. Before I can hang up, he answers.

"Kalani," He says, his voice rushed. "I'm in the middle of something, and I'm totally sorry, I know that I asked you to call me back, but I'm really kind of busy right now. Can I call you later?" 

"No," I croak, my voice hoarse and not mine. "No. NO!" All the sudden, I scream, bolting uptight in my bed, the blankets flying off. "No, you CANNOT call me back. You have made this past week a living hell, Marduk Reyes, and you have killed me. I know what you're doing to Maddie. Kenzie told me. She said what you said in the car on Sunday. Why, why, WHY are you taking my girlfriend, Marduk? Please tell me. I didn't do anything wrong." My voice comes out in desperate, sad sobs. "She didn't do anything wrong. Please, please send her home." 

Marduk slowly and creepily starts laughing into the phone, until the laughs turn manic. I drop my phone, scared as all fuck. Soon, the laughing subsides. 

"Oh, Lani," He says, his accent shining through, "You're funny. You're going to have to work for her to come home, okay?" He chuckles, and I clutch my blanket, afraid he's going to have another laughing fit. 

"I don't wanna work," I mutter, hoping he won't here. He does though, and once again, he laughs. I shiver. 

"Well, Anyway," Marduk laughs, "I have to go. I just figured I'd let you know. Bye." He ends the phone call with a violent click. I hold my phone, and to my surprise, tears don't fall. Instead, I scream with anger. 

He has my Maddie, and he's going to kill her. I leap out of my bed, not sure where to go from here. I turn to my wall and punch. It caves in with a slam and I gasp. I make an animalistic noise and fling open my door. 

My mother is standing there. I stare at her, my breathing heavy, and throat burning. 

"Mom," I say, and I tell her everything. She stares at me, holding a laundry basket. She drops the laundry basket and hugs me.

"Oh, Kalani," she whispers, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say." 

"Don't say anything," I say, "let's leave. Now. Let's go find Maddie." 

Mom draws back and stares at me, her face full of skepticism and shock. "You and I?" 

"And David," I add, smiling. "How about this. We drive to Las Vegas, because that's where they are, and we find the creepiest, most abondoned looking building we can find." 

Mom nods slowly and calls David's name. Soon, he appears at the doorway and I tell him my plan. 

"What about Jax and Jett?" He says. 

"Drop then off at Jills," I say. Then, quieter, I add, "She could use the company." 

David nods. "Well..." He says, looking at Mom. Mom nods eagerly. "Fine. I'm in. When do we leave?"

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A/n: should I skip the Kenzie chapter and go straight to Maddie? Her storyline isn't as interesting. Lemme know ❣️