Desired

36. The Other Side Of The Door

'Well, if it isn't the very person I've been hoping to see.'

My body freezes at the sound of Louisa/ Lola/ Zach's mum/ I don't even know what to call her anymore's voice.

Evil Incarnate comes to mind.

'Put down the gun or we'll shoot you in the head,' Evil Incarnate orders.

I place my hand on the gun and force Cas to lower it. Cas frowns next to me as her gaze drifts over Evil Incarnate and the several armed Techies behind her.

'I was just trying to convince Albert here to let me in. I didn't realise Klein was entertaining.' She peers in behind us and chuckles dryly. 'I see Klein's methods of persuading you to stay here didn't work. I'm not going to lie, I'm not sad to see him go. In fact, from what I've heard, he had it coming.'

Albert standing to the side follows her gaze and focuses on Klein's body behind us. His eyes widen. 'You killed him...' He raises his gun.

A loud shot makes me and Cas jump while Albert drops to the floor.

'He also had it coming. There's a few more of his accomplices who could probably do with being left in a room with you too.' Evil Incarnate smiles. The smile doesn't look right. It's deranged like her.

I shake my head, my whole body trembles. 'You were aware of what he was doing? What his friends-'

'Ethel and Roman told me.'

'How could you let them get away-'

'I'm not the law of the country and frankly, we're too busy trying to survive ourselves to help people who don't want it. These people allowed themselves to be sucked in by a pervert.'

Cas slips her hand in mine. No, it's not her hand. It's cold and metallic. It's the gun.

'Now, Kit, let's not make this more difficult than it needs to be. Come with us, no one needs to get hurt,' Evil Incarnate says.

I'm starting to think this is going to be a recurring feature in my life; being imprisoned by psychopaths, me escaping only to be caught again.

How can I break the cycle?

'No.' I say, raising the gun.

Behind Evil Incarnate, several of the Techies step closer and raise their weapons.

They're definitely Techies. They look more equipped and organised than any of the guards I've encountered since crossing the wall.

Evil Incarnate holds her hand up to stop the Techies from using their guns. 'Stay back. I need to have a talk with Kit alone.'

The Techies retreat backwards out of earshot; their guns remain pointed at me.

'I'm not going anywhere unless it's to drag your dead body to hell myself,' Cas spits out.

Evil Incarnate looks unimpressed. 'We don't have time for teenage dramatics. Kit, if you refuse to come with me, I'll burn this place down, I'll burn down the settlement who gave you refuge and I'll continue to destroy anyone who gets in my way. You can choose to come back with me and save lives or you can choose to keep running and in the process destroy everyone you come into contact with.'

I should feel angry. I should feel hate. All I feel is a crippling exhaustion.

I'm drained.

I have no energy left to fight with. Cas was right, I do have people who care about me, I have people I care about and I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose them.

I point the gun at my head but I don't really plan on killing myself, it's a bluff to get the only thing I think possible right now. 'If I kill myself I won't be of any use.'