But the more I run, the more real it feels.
My breathing is harsh.
My legs hurt.
My hand cramps from holding on to the dagger so tightly.
I turn a corner, and there the man is, cowering against a brick wall.
“I didn’t mean it, man. I didn’t mean to take it,” the man says. “I can’t give it back right now, but, but give me a little time and I’ll make it up. I’ll get the money back to you.”
I don’t know what to say, and I don’t recognize this man. I’ve never seen him before, but the rage flowing through me right now is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
I don’t like it.
“Ask him where the money is, Keagan,” the voice in my head says. “Ask him.”
“Where is the money?”
“Gone,” the man says. “Gone, but I’ll make more. I’ll get it back. The investment was a bad one, but I have a new lead, and I can get the money back. Just, please don’t hurt me, man. Please don’t hurt me.”
I want to tell him that I don’t plan to hurt him, but the words get caught in my throat. Instead, I raise the dagger over my head, horrified by my own actions.
No, I don’t want to do this.
I squeeze my eyes closed, trying to make this weird vision stop.
No, please, I don’t want to hurt him.
“Please, don’t kill me, man. I can’t get the money back if you kill me.”
The man is cowering, trembling, begging me for his life.
But as my hand comes down, slashing into his chest, I’m gripped by rage, even hate, and I keep chopping and chopping and chopping until I’m covered in blood and the man’s screams fall silent.
I let out a bellow as I drop to the ground, and when I open my eyes, I’m safely in Wilder’s house, lying on his living room floor.
I pull myself into a sitting position and start to rock, looking for comfort.
What the hell was that?
It felt so real.
I look down at my hands, finding them unblemished, unharmed, no blood anywhere.
Of course not.
It wasn’t real, but it felt real.
So damn real.
I don’t know what to think about that, and now I’m too scared to move, so I just sit there on the floor waiting for Wilder to come back. When I hear the side door open, a sense of relief settles over me.
He’s back, and I’m not alone anymore.
In mere seconds, he’s next to me, kneeling down beside me and wrapping his arms around me.
“Keagan, what happened? I’m here. Talk to me.”
