THE CAT MURDERER

Chapter Seven - All Behind

MABLETON HIGH SCHOOL - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014; 10:46 AM.

That day, I was ready.

I was ready for it to be over. I was ready to put it all behind me.

I was psyching myself up in the locker room after gym class far after everyone else had changed their clothes and left. I was ready to confront Will. I didn't care if I got beat up again. I was just ready to get it over with.

Suddenly I heard crying coming from the wall of lockers behind me, and I went to investigate. I slowly went around the wall and saw Will sitting on the bench next to Coach's office, and his head was in his hands. I was astonished. I had no idea that he was capable of any emotion other than anger, let alone breaking down crying.

Hesitantly, still half-hidden behind the lockers, I called over, "Um, dude, are...are you okay?"

"Get away from me, you faggot!" he sobbed, throwing a towel in my direction, but widely missed. I cautiously stepped over to him. I continued to stand there until he finally whimpered, "Phil Berkowitz killed my damn cat, man,"

In a sudden outburst, Will flung his bag against the wall of lockers, resulting in a loud bang and his stuff flying everywhere. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!" he screamed.

Will continued to sob and I sat down on the opposite end of the bench. I still didn't say anything, but he kept talking. "Cookie was all I had, man...my stepdad fuckin' hates me...used to beat the shit outta me before DSS got involved..." He looked up and tearfully gave me the most sincere look he's ever given me. "I don't know what you've got to do with this, man...but I want you to get that Goddamn bastard."

I simply gave him a nod, and then got up and walked away. All the way to class, I was in a dazed state of shock. It felt like the whole universe had imploded and nothing was how it was supposed to be. Lynne was surprised as well, but at least our busted lead was replaced with a new one.

After school, Lynne and I walked to Phil Berkowitz's house from mine, because we thought it was safer to go by foot. 

"So this guy just came up to you and grabbed you last night?" Lynne asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, and I wasn't anywhere near his house. He was really drunk. I guess he thought I saw what he did."

We spotted his house, moldy and rotten, and Lynne pulled me along. "Come on, we've gotta hurry."

We ran through the alleyway over to his tall weathered fence, and I clambered up onto Lynne's shoulders to peek over the top. What I saw next nearly made me throw up.

It was a gruesome scene. What was left of Will's cat, a female Russian Blue was lying in a bloody heap in the grass. Nailed to the wall of the old splintery garden shed were various cat pelts, all matching the previous victims of Phil Berkowitz. I started trembling. "Oh my God..."

"What?" Lynne was starting to panic. "Elliot, what? What do you see?"

I was able to snap a photo of the scene before Lynne was unexpectedly jerked out from underneath me. I yelped and landed flat on my back in the grass, air forcibly expelling itself out of my mouth in a loud hacking cough.

"Shh!" Aaron ordered, standing over me. He whispered viciously, "You guys gotta get outta here! This is my uncle's house, he'll kill you!"

Lynne knelt and grabbed my arm, but I just sat there staring at Aaron in confusion, my mind going a million miles an hour and my lungs not working properly. 

"Why are you just standing there?!" he shouted. "Go! Get outta here! GO!"

Lynne yanked me off of the ground and dashed away, pulling me behind her. My heart was beating fast and I stumbled trying to keep up with her, and I still could barely breathe. When we were sure that we were out of range of getting shot, we slowed down, and I staggered to a halt, leaning over and coughing, taking in huge gulps of air.