Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 21

Nobody had spoken a word. Save for Tori's sobbing, the entire ride back to Eliezer's apartment was silent. Donovan had double parked in front of Eliezer's building, but nobody moved an inch.

Fawn was still trying to wrap her head around what she had just witnessed back at the storage lot. Was Daniel really a demon? How did he become one? Who was the 'he' he was referring to?

And what was that flash of light . . . ?

"Elizer, Donovan, I think the two of you need new hobbies," Tori whispered, finally breaking the silence. "You're going to get yourselves killed."

She got out of the car, crossed the street and made her way down a lonely block and out of sight.

"Maybe she's right, Laz," Donovan said. "I mean, we almost died today. We should have died." He started the car. "I'm going to catch up to T. Drive her the rest of the way home."

"Yeah, alright," Eliezer said quietly.

He and Fawn exited the car and Donovan drove off.

Eliezer turned to Fawn.

"How are you feeling?"

How am I feeling?

"W-We almost died today," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "We almost died and . . . and demons are freaking real."

"You already knew that."

"It was different. Seeing it up close." Fawn narrowed her eyes as she stared aimlessly. "H-How could that . . . be real? How could what happened today . . . be real?"

Eliezer shrugged.

"It could be. And is."

Fawn's eyes landed on him.

"What happened to Daniel?" she asked. "How did he become that . . . that thing!"

"He . . . had to have been infected by a demon."

"Which means more are in town?" said Fawn.

Eliezer nodded.

"Why have you never gone to the police?" Fawn asked. "You had him locked up in a storage unit for a few days--"

"I didn't want to take any chances, Fawn," Eliezer said sternly. "The police have the potential to make all of this disappear. Just like the government has been doing. I wanted to show this monster to the world." He kicked the ground. "Donovan and I were planning a live stream, but couldn't get a decent connection in that area. All we have now are photos and cellphone videos that nobody's going to believe."

"Tori thinks exposing the demons is threatening their security. . . . She thinks you'll start a war."

"As far as I'm concerned, they've already started it," he whispered. He looked at Fawn. "You wanna tell me what happened back there?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"The light. It didn't just happen. That's not something I'm going to forget about." Eliezer was almost yelling. "What was it?"