I'm hiding behind a random house and holding my phone in my hand when "My Protector" texts me.
Them: Judas, where are you?
Me: I know you're Delilah!
Them: I'm not Delilah. But you don't have to worry. She's not responsible for all of this.
Me: How can I trust you?
Them: I can't give you a good reason right now. But do you have anyone else?
Me: I have Squid! And Lucy. And Maybe Even Daniel.
Them: Squid is on vacation with their Dad. Lucy is Lucy and Daniel is smitten right now. You need me.
Me: Nick?
Them: Good guess. Look, you'll learn who I am one day. For now, I need you to trust me. Go back home. Talk to Delilah. And no matter what you do, DON'T TELL THE DETECTIVE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
So I shouldn't have told Nick all of that information. Why? How is he involved in all of this?
I put my phone back in my pocket and take a step back into the street. Go back home? Can I trust this unknown person texting me? Do I have a choice?
My feet start taking steps before my brain can register what's going on. I don't know what's going on with Delilah, but I have to trust that she's innocent. So she has to be on my side, right? But why did she have those brass knuckles in her backpack? And why was her jacket wet from the snow that night Matthew was murdered?
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It looks like Delilah closed my front door when she left my house. I enter my home, close the door behind me, and instinctually lock it. It doesn't take long until there's a knock at the door.
"Hey, it's me," Delilah says, her voice muffled by the door. I don't open the door.
"How do I know it's not you?" I ask.
"Judas—I—would never do anything to hurt you. I care about you."
"Why was your jacket wet the night Matthew was murdered?"
"Judas—"
"And why do you have a pair of brass knuckles in your backpack?"
"What? I don't have—what the fuck? Judas I don't how those got there I—"
"How do you always seem to know where I am? No matter where I go?"
"Judas please—"
"I'm scared, D. Cause I really like you. But if you're trying to kill me—"
"Judas, just listen for a second!"
I stop talking and let her speak.
"And after the bomb threat and the murder being pinned on you," she continues, "I was concerned. So when me and Lucy got you a new phone we put a parental tracker app on your phone. It was—it was to protect you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was just scared I was going to lose you."
I open the door. Her breath is visible due to the cold weather and it wraps around her sculpted face.
"You've been spying on me?" I ask.
"I didn't want you to get hurt—"
I take a step towards her and she naturally takes a step back.
"Did you kill Matthew?" I ask.
"Judas—no—please—"
"Then who did D? And why was your Jacket wet that night?"
"My jacket was wet that night because I was following you—okay? But I didn't kill Matthew. And I didn't take the photo. But I saw who did."
"Who?"
She swallows, "It was Daniel."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because he was forced to, Judas. Don't you see who is responsible here?"
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"Judas—please—"
"Why were you sneaking around with Daniel?"
"How did you—"
"Come to think of it you did say you killed your last boyfriend didn't you?"
"Judas—"
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"I don't know!" she exclaims throwing her backpack on the ground; the brass knuckles showing through the thin fabric, "I was close to a lot of people today."
"You're saying someone planted them on you?"
She thinks about it, "Detective Nick? He bumped into me before I came over earlier."
"That doesn't really make sense for Nick to put evidence on a random teenager."
Delilah starts to search her brain while I do the same.
Then I remember. And the puzzle pieces start to form one by one.
"Lucy bumped into you earlier," I say. Delilah's eyes meet mine but before she can say anything a black muscle car pulls up in front of my driveway. The car door opens and Lucy emerges from it. She closes the door with her hips and strides over to us like a fashion model.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQ6oFM6F3R
"We need to talk," she says, standing standing before us.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdha1EVhfxI
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Both Delilah and I are frozen, staring at the red-glowing-eyed force in front of us. Lucy takes a step toward us but her foot hits Delilah's backpack on the ground. She stops, picks the backpack up, opens it, reaches inside, and takes the pair of brass knuckles out. She dawns them on her fists and the brass shine they have reflects against the setting orange sun behind her.
"Lucy, listen to me" I beg, "There doesn't need—"
"Oh calm down, Judy," Lucy interrupts, "I'm not gonna kill you. I'm just going to silence you!"
With the speed of a demon, Lucy dashes towards me. Delilah throws her body in front of me screaming, "Don't hurt him!" but Lucy strikes with her left fist; the brass knuckles shining through the air as they connect with the right side of my thigh. I feel a crunch, something breaking, and I immediately fall to the ground gasping. Delilah falls to her knees beside me, holding my face.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" Delilah asks, gazing into my soul. Though Lucy just struck me, I feel no pain. I put my hand down on my right thigh and feel my phone has been split into two pieces in my pocket.
"Come now, D," Lucy starts, "You don't think I'd really hurt Judy now would you?"
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Delilah snaps, her tone vicious, "You could've hurt him."
"I've done nothing but help Judy!" Lucy retorts, "You don't even know him like I do. He's the whole reason I'm doing any of this. He's the whole reason I even am!"
"What—what do you mean?" I ask.
"You really don't remember, do you?" Lucy asks, "We were just kids. Shady Oaks Orphanage. You were talking to the other kids about Jesus being tempted by the Devil."
I think about it. That was so long ago. That was a few months before my Mom adopted me. I have to try to think about the children I was preaching to. Try to recognize their faces.
"I didn't go by Lucy, at the time. I don't usually tell people this—but my birth name is Angel."
Then it clicked with me. I remember a red-headed girl with red eyes named Angel listening to me on that very day. She was really the only one paying attention.
"Oh my God," escapes my mouth.
"Don't you see, Judas?" Lucy starts, "You made me. What you said about the Devil opened my eyes. Even she is a child of God. Even she deserves love. And I deserve love. So Judas I'm just going to say it—"
She kneels down on the cement porch, standing on her brass knuckles like a gorilla.
"I love you, Judas," Lucy admits, gazing into my eyes, "And I want to be with you forever."
What. The. Fuck.
"You manipulated Daniel into calling the bomb threat on my phone," I say. Lucy nods, "And you—Jesus Christ Lucy—"
"What, Judas? Just say it already," Lucy beckons.
"You killed Matthew."
She looks at her brass knuckles in the fading sunlight.
"I'd do it all again for you," she says, her eyes not leaving the brass.
"But why pin it on me?" I ask. "If you love me why would you do this to me?"
"I'll explain later. Right now you two are officially over. It's you and me now Judy."
Delilah stands up in protest.
"No," Delilah says, "You're not doing this."
"I'm not now?" Lucy asks, "And why's that?"
"He's my boyfriend you crazy bitch! You're not just going to steal him from me."
"That's exactly what I'm going to do. And here's why. You know who I saw the other day?"
I get up off the floor and stand beside Delilah.
"How is this relevant?" I ask.
"Thank you for asking, Judas!" Lucy says, "I saw a very handsome man. Brown hair. Green eyes. Very kind fellow. What am I missing? Oh! He's paralyzed—"
The color in Delilah's face escapes her body.
"And a homeless gentleman down yonder owes me a favor," Lucy continues, "He should be calling right about..."
Lucy's phone rings in her pocket. She takes her right hand out of a brass knuckle and answers her phone on speaker.
"Clyde?" she asks.
"Yes, Miss Mourningstar," a man's voice on the phone says.
"Are you near Alpine South Lodge right now?"
"Yep."
"And what will you do if I don't answer one of your hourly calls?"
"I'll go in and stab the pretty paralyzed guy in his neck. Like you said to do."
"Cool just clarifying."
She hangs up the phone. Lucy is a fucking monster.
"Understood?" Lucy asks. Delilah looks at me, and I don't know what to do. I want to help, but I can't. Lucy's got us right under her thumb.
"Now skedaddle," Lucy says, shooing Delilah with her hands like she's a pigeon, "I'll have Judy change his classes in the morning. Right now he's going to spend the night with his new girlfriend."
Delilah stands there for a second, not moving. She then picks up her backpack, goes towards her house, looks at me one last time, and enters. Leaving me with Lucy.
"You really killed Matthew, didn't you?" I ask.
"I did."
"Why?"
"I already told you why. Come. I'll explain in the car."
I follow her out into her car and see Delilah watching us from her window. I don't break eye contact with her until we drive away and she's out of view.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOaHbMVANt
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