Dreamer - Chapter 26

"You sure do ask a lot of questions, little miss Ace." Mace smirked.

"What did you do?" I asked again, ignoring the little nickname.

"We told you, "Rev replied, "I wanted to introduce to our raids so that-"

"I know what you wanted to do," I cut him off, "but why did you want me to come to this place?"

"I just wanted you to see how it is.. that why you'll know what to expect when Saturday comes around."

"Why should I even join you? I couldn't even drink beers with you two.. I'll be a constant overkill."

"I think we should find another house." Rev changed the topic, "before the cops come and break up this little gathering." Mace nodded in agreement.

"Rev." I ran up so that I was walking next to him, "Why should I even come Saturday?"

"I want you to."

"I could refuse the invitation."

"I could also kill your father."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

"Don't you dare hurt my father." I snapped at him.

"I'll try."

"Try?"

He stopped, turning around so that he could make eye contact with me as he chose his next words, "I can't stop Ace."

I didn't say anything else. Couldn't stop Ace? What the hell would Ace do to my father? I clenched my fist, taking a slow breath, "Where's the next fucking house?"

"Woah." Mace smiled, "Babe alert."

I ignored him. Instead, I looked back at Rev as I waited for him to show me the next place.

"Follow me." He took us down the fields to another location. The sounds of animals came from the inside and the place was massive. It was almost as if you were staring at a palace you'd see in a painting in the middle of an art museum painting by some rich European dude who wore a beret and spoke in a French accent even though he wasn't from France.

"This isn't abandoned?" I heard Mace ask Rev.

"It's a horse rescue place. All these animals are either hurt or sick," Rev answered, "but be careful. If they see flames rise up, they will for sure freak out and get us caught."

"If they're hurt and sick, we should just put them out of their misery." I said out loud before the words even processed in my mind.

"What?" Rev sounded shocked.

"We should just kill them," I repeated myself, "that way they wouldn't panic once the flames arise, and we wouldn't get caught immediately."

"She has a valid point." Mace agreed, "If we don't want to get caught, we should probably clear the place out first."

"Do you still have that gun?" I asked Rev.

"Of course?"

"Let me have it."

"Why should you be the one to get it?"

I leaned up against him, slipping my hand down one of his pockets to find a hard piece of metal but no luck. Before I had the chance to search the next pocket, he grabbed my hand.

✿✿✿

My hand rested on top of hers, closing into a small fist. She looked up to me with her golden brown eyes and I could actually see just how serious she was about this. Shit. How is she seriously considering this? I'm not even that serious about it. I know I'm supposed to be so tough on the outside, but those animals are weakened. They can't fight back. They can't flee the scene. Of course the idea is a pretty good one. She is right; the animals inside are sick and weak.. we'd be doing them all a huge favor, but how is Lex going to feel after? Killing.. it's a feeling you can't get escape from. Yes. I worry about her. Stupid me. Why am I worrying about her? I brought her here. I introduced her to this. I caused this. Why would I invite her here if I didn't want her to go along with what Mace and I were doing? I found my eyes looking deep into hers and couldn't help but crack a smile. If there was one thing I'll say.. Ace sure does know how to pick them right.

"What are you doing?" I found myself asking her.

"Trying to find the gun," She responded, "I know you must keep it hidden somewhere."

"Are you sure it's in that pocket?"

"I-"

I pulled the small gun out of the back of my pants, "For a second there, I was pretty convinced you just wanted to show me a good time."

"Can I just have the gun?"

"No," I answered, "but you can help me kill those sick animals.. if you can handle it."

"I won't have a gun."

I looked over at Mace, "Gun?"

"I have one."

"I know you have one dipshit," I rolled my eyes, "Hand it to me."

"Why should I?"

I held my gun up to his head, "Why would anyone refuse me a gun?"

He took a small gun out of his own pocket and handed it to Lex, "Damn Rev.. calm down. I was obviously kidding around." Yeah.. sure you were.

✿✿✿

I grabbed ahold of the gun.; the cold metal sending a weird chill throughout my body. "When do I use this thing?" I pointed the barrel towards the open field in front of me.

"In there." Mace pointed towards the barn in front of us. This seemed to amuse him.. seeing me with a gun.

Rev pushed down my hand so that the gun faced the ground, "Be careful."

"Calm down, Rev. What Ace doesn't know won't hurt him." It surprised me just how comfortable was holding this gun. Guns were always known as a dangerous tool in my mind. Using a gun used to be represented to my mind by the criminals or murderers who would use them, yet here I am.. gun in hand.. perfectly comfortable.. ready to use it at any moment. I glanced over at Rev once more. What is he doing to me?

"Let's go, then." Rev edged towards the barn doors. I quickly followed behind, gasping once I stepped inside. The horses had all been lined up; one to each stall, three stalls filling up the entire barn. They all looked miserable, almost as if nobody had fed them in months.

"No matter how hard it is," Rev said to me, "just shoot for the eyes."

I raised my gun, aiming at the first stall I saw, and pulled the trigger. The horse let out a whine and I repeated my steps once again, watching as the horse fell to its side. "Done." I looked over at Rev who was standing in front of the next stall, staring back at the horse looking at him. A black beauty. I stood next to him, raising my gun.

"Lex.. don't."

"I just did this fine. I can manage it, Rev."

"Look at her," He smiled, "She's alone. She's confused. All she wants is to find someone, something, who can look out for her. She just wants a new life."

"Too bad," I raised the gun only for Rev to push my arm away.

"I told you no."

I glanced over at him, "We came here to kill them.. not to admire them."

"That was before I saw myself in them." He started to fidget with the lock on an old wooden gate.

"See yourself?" I took another glance at the black beauty. She looked starved. She looked to have a bit of sadness in her eyes. If those eyes could talk, they'd be screaming. I took another look at Rev. I saw a confident, strong man who wasn't afraid to do as he pleases.. no matter the consequences. I shot at the wood of the fence near the lock, "There."

Rev walked in quietly, holding out his hand. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I slowly followed behind, standing at the entrance.

"Hold open the gate."

"What?"

"The gate," He pointed towards it, "hold it wide open."

I held onto the gate, stepping behind it so that I had a better grip since it wasn't exactly the lightest thing to try and hold onto.

"What out." Rev said as he let go of the horse's mane. The horse was scared at first but the second Rev smacked her bottom, she darted out.

"The hell!" I panicked, stepping inside the stall, "What if that horse came after me?"

"She wouldn't."

"How would you know!?" I shouted, "It's not like you can read the horse's damn mind!"

"How'd you know I can't?"

"Nobody can."

"Have you ever owned a horse."

"No."

"Have you ever rented a horse?" Rev's body was pressed against mine now.

"No," I wanted to take a step back but I found myself staring into his eyes and my breathing increased, "I've never even rode a horse."

He gently placed my hands on my forearms, "Maybe one day I'll take you to complete that task.. that is if you let me get that close to you."

"Yeah right." I pushed him off me.

"What's wrong?" He made a small pout with him lips, which I'd admit is not something I would have ever pictured him ever doing.

"Nothing."

"Bullshit." He brushed his fingertips against my cheeks, "Is something scaring you?"

Yeah. You. "No. I'm fine, I swear."

"Alright L-"

"Why are you pretending to give a shit?" I blurted out.

"Excuse me?"

"The thing you're doing right now.. do you seriously think I'd believe you give a shit about me, or what I want to do, or even how I'm currently feeling?" My tone of voice sounded harsh but it had to be asked.

"I always gave a shit about you."

"No you haven't."

"Yes I have."

"Do you even remember our first meeting?" I asked him, "You know.. the night when you just forced me into your car by gunpoint and tried to.. oh I don't know.. do things to me or whatever it was you were planning to do. How is that giving a shit about me? In your eyes, I was just some random victim you wanted to take advantage of. I'm nobody to you and I don't even know why I even keep coming back."

"Then why do you?"

"What?"

"If you hate us, or me, so much.. why do you keep coming back? Why do you keep coming with us on whatever we decide to do, or connecting with any of us?"

"If you remember, I didn't even know we were coming to this stupid activity in the first place. I didn't even know what this was before we got here. Don't even get me started on how you're basically forcing me to come on Saturday.. and I can't even seem to get out of it no matter how hard I try. You always manage to be everywhere I am, and that's a little creepy in my opinion. You-"

"You could always refuse my offers." He cut me off.

"You say that like I haven't thought of it before."

"You can also tell me to fuck off. Would that make you happy?"

"Or," I looked back up at him, "I could say how much of an ass you really are. I can talk about how you like to use girls for whatever it is that would please your disgusting habits. You only think of yourself, and everyone else is just supposed to go along with the plans that YOU decide to do. Did you really believe that I'd actually enjoy this stupid.. whatever it was?"

"You mean, raids?"

"Yes. Raids. This is not something that I'd enjoy doing. Why can't you do something that I'd enjoy, one day? You know.. there is this place called a park where people tend to go when they want to hang out. Next time you want to show a girl who you really are, how about you not take them on a mission to burn down random places. It's pretty psychotic."

"I wasn't the one who used my gun here."

"I was angry."

"Angry about what?"

"Ace. I couldn't help but continue to think about what you said earlier. I couldn't help but think of the possibility that Ace, or anyone for that matter, could actually hurt my own father," I looked off into the distance but he remained silent, as if he was actually wanting me to continue talking, "Maybe there are other girls who'd let you walk all over them, but I am not one of those girls. I will not allow you, or Ace, or anyone for that matter just walk all over me like I was some plain doormat you'd leave at your front door and forget about forever."

"It's already too late to decide that, Little Miss Princess."

I ignored his side comment, "It's never too late."

"Yes it is."

"How?"

"You already let yourself in."

"No I did not. I never agreed to let myself into any of this."

"Yes you did," He let off a chuckle, "You have already became one of us."

"I will never become one of you."

"You say that like you take part in that decision."

I clenched my fists together, breathing in and out slowly to calm myself back down. My face began to grow hot. "I am definitely a part of whatever decision is made. You're talking about MY life!"

He stayed silent and began to walk away.

"Go fuck yourself!" I felt a large weight lift off my shoulders the second those words rolled off my tongue. I felt so much better being able to say those words to him.

He turned around, the stall door still held open with his hand, "Excuse me?"

"Go. Fuck. Yourself." I repeated, but the words didn't feel as confident the second time I said it. Repeating those words just made me feel more as if I just dug my own grave rather than made me feel empowered like the first time.

"I wouldn't say that if I were you."

"Why?" I asked him, "You really think I'm afraid of you?"

"Are you?"

I choked down a lump in my throat. Why did I just say that? "I-" I stared off into the distance.

"Hesitation usually means that you are."

"Being an asshole usually means that you're a piece of shit."

"Are you done?"

"One more thing."

"What?"

"Take me home."

"I can't."

"You never seem to have a problem with going to my house any other time."

"I really can't, Lex."

"Just take me home, Rev!'

"Fine!" He slammed the stall door shut causing me to jump, "Get your ass to the car!"

I pushed the door open wide enough to squeeze myself out before following Rev down the field to where we left the truck. Once I got there, I opened the door and slid myself inside. I stared out the main window of the barn that we had left so still. I couldn't help but see the helpless animal I had shot flash through my mind the longer I stared at that barn. Soon enough, I had to just look away. Rev opened the door, but instead of getting in, he stood against the opening and Mace did the same on my side. I couldn't help but notice how Mace's shirt lifted up a little to reveal a slight V line and I bit my lip to hide the blush that came to my cheeks. Knowing Mace, he probably did it on purpose to get my attention.

✿✿✿

"We're gonna head on back." I said.

"So soon? Dude, it's still early."

"This is a little too much for her. I'm just going to take her home and let her have a breather."

"Too much? Dude.. you can't just let her run away from her future."

"Maybe this won't be her future."

"Maybe this won't be your future."

"Why do we have to pick her?" I asked, closing my door so she couldn't hear, "She's not exactly the type for the shit that we do."

"Yet she's so perfect for it. Nobody expects a person like her to kill them.. she's too sweet and pure."

"That's the thing. She's sweet. We are not."

"Change that then."

"What?" I asked. Change myself? How the hell is that even possible? Once you become who you are, there is no going back. "It's not even possible to change oneself."

"No, dude," He said, "You're going to have to change Lex into one of us. I know she can do it. Hell. I know you know that she could do it as well. We both saw how she was with that gun before. She can become one of us if we just guide her along the right path.. along our path."

"It'd be quite impossible with how far Ace will go to protect her."

"I don't care how you do it, as long as you don't back out of this." He turned around and disappeared into the field.

I opened the car door, again, climbing in and turning the key. "Your house?"

She nodded.

I drove off the field and onto the empty road, "We could've still had a little fun."

"Your type of fun is literally a crime." She stated.

I looked back at the road, a frown growing across my face, "You could have at least pretended like you liked my type of fun."