"Good morning, come in" Babylon spoke as he used his hand to usher Mr. Rainyman into his office. It was a bit rainy out and the clouds were dark which made the room have an eerie aura.

   At the desk, Mr. Rainyman sat down and crossed his right leg over his left. He wore a silky black suit with a red and white striped tie today, and his shoes sparkled like a brilliant star. He had gotten a new haircut that morning and colored his beard and hair black. Almost looking like a completely different person.

   For a while, the two sat silently staring at each other. They didn't like one other, and Mr. Rainyman was fuming inside because someone had finally outdone him. He was a fierce competitor both at work and at home who hated it when the ball wasn't in his court. Babylon mocked him with a smile, and Mr. Rainyman envisioned him slamming his head into the wall. But he was aware that if he assaulted an officer, he would be arrested.

Mr. Rainyman grunted. He took a thumb drive out of his jacket pocket and slid it to the sheriff. The sheriff looked at it then back at him.

"That's all of it?"

Mr. Rainyman shook his head. Babylon opened his drawer, eyes still on him then slid the hard drive into the drawer and closed it. For the next minute they stared into each other's souls until Mr. Rainyman broke the tension.

"What can we do to end this little... rivalry?"

"You tell me, you're the one who seems to be putting a hell of a lot on the line to protect his daughter. And I get it, I'm a parent too, but you have to know she did something or thinks she did something which is why you're doing this much. Am I right... or am I wrong?"

"My daughter did nothing. I'm trying my best because her future and everything is on the line here. I've seen her stay up hours and go into an exam room on only two hours of sleep, no breakfast and still pass. Just because she's working to be someone great. And I am not going to let something like this stain her career and take her down. So... pl- " he rolled his eyes "please tell me how we could end this" he hated saying please. It made him feel weaker and inferior.

    Babylon lingered in his thoughts for a second.

"Do you know where your daughter was that night?"

"Yes, she was with me you can check my social media I posted a picture at the restaurant we went to that night. We weren't even close to here. We were out of the island"

"Good. Get all this evidence on lock. We weren't really looking at her too closely anyways. We're mostly looking at Dustin and Carson. We just think the others are either hiding for them or are being blackmailed into hiding for them"

"I promise you... my daughter is not and would never do that!"

"Ok then. If you can get me anything on any of the other kids that could solidify that Beth isn't apart of the case I'll make sure she's out of it... for good"

    The two smiled at each other. Mr. Rainyman looked out the window and almost threw his fist in the air. He then turned back around and the two shook hands. He then started to trail out the door but then came back.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for everything that happened between us in secondary school"

"Nothing didn't 'happen' between us. YOU called me names. YOU treated me like a dog you were dangling treats over to kick again and again. And you're still attempting to do it today. So, before I get pissed off I advise you to get the fuck out of my office!"

    And so he did.

9:15 a.m
   A call from Beth's father arrived a little over fifteen minutes ago. He claimed that he needed to meet with her in order to talk about the recent developments in the case with their homes being searched and to give her some money. She put on her clothes and went to his car outside after that. Even while his car was still running, the windshield wipers were operating at full capacity. Her father appeared menacing as she slid into the passenger seat.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Everything is becoming a mess!"

"What do you mean?"

"Kendra, tell me that you aren't at least hiding something for one of those kids!" He said turning and giving her a fierce look.

"Um- n-n-no-"

"YOU'RE FUCKING LYING TO ME AREN'T YOU?!"

"I said I don't know!" Beth said as her eyes got teary.

"You know something. Tell me what the FUCK it is or I will take off and you will never hear from me again!"

   Beth could tell he was serious when she gazed into his black orbs. A vein was bursting on his brow, and he was grasping the steering wheel so tightly that he was scratching it. That made her feel even more anxious. He adored this car and would not allow her to even drink in it, even if she had a straw. So the thought of him clawing it up without a care in the world made her quiver.

"All I know is that..."

    Beth thought about how we talked about the relationship between Dustin and DeeJay over the phone on Sunday night.

"IS THAT WHAT KENDRA?!"

"IS THAT DUSTIN AND DEEJAY WERE IN A RELATIONSHIP!" She said bursting into tears and snot rolling down onto her lips.

"Thank you" he said with a smile as he calmed himself down.

    He then handed her money which was folded up in his palm and kissed her on her forehead.

"Everything I do is for you. I love you! I didn't mean to shout at you..." he embraced her "and make you feel scared. I'm just trying to help. I don't want you throwing everything away to help some good for nothing kids!"

"It's alright" Beth said breathing heavily with her head down. "Thanks for the money"

"You're welcome princess!"

And with that, Beth exited the vehicle. She felt awful as she walked to her house. She knew her father always got what he wanted and was going to use that information very wisely. She didn't intend to be the one to ruin an innocent person's life. She desired that she didn't crack so easily under pressure and walked into her house, brushing her tears away, not wanting her mother to know. But as she entered the living room, she found her mother crying on the couch, with her brother on the couch's armrest trying to console her.

"What's going on? Mommy are you okay?"

"No" she sniffled.

"What happened?"

"I have something to tell you guys... sit"

They did as she told. Before she began her story, her brother slid some tissue over the center table towards her.

"What's up?" Beth asked with a worried facial expression.

"The day of the storm... when DeeJay was killed... he- he- he was here" she began crying again.

Beth and her brother sat there bewildered with a bunch of thoughts crossing their mind.

"What do you mean 'he was here'?"

"Listen..." she sniffled and wiped her face with the tissue "You kids were gone. It was just me here. I was trying to quickly prepare some candles and stuff for the storm... Once the storm began I was sitting over there" she pointed to the door with glass rectangles in it that led to the balcony "Then I saw someone walking on the road. I was confused and when I looked I realized it was DeeJay. I went outside and shouted to him and asked what the hell he's doing out here during a storm and he said don't worry about it and that he'll be fine. But I wasn't going to let a child wonder alone in a storm so I went downstairs and basically dragged him into the house. He came in, I put his clothes in the dryer to dry off and gave him a robe then made him some cornmeal. We sat down whilst he ate and I tried to question him and he wasn't saying nothing basically. Then a while passed and I went to pee and by the time I came back he was dressed and was standing out the door. I told him to come back in but he said he called someone and they were waiting for him. I knew he was lying because after he left in a hurry, I found this" She plopped DeeJay's phone down on the table "And I went through his call log but there was no calls" she burst into tears again. They both came over and hugged her. "I just kept thinking for the past couple of months that if I didn't let him go that... that boy would've been alive today!" whilst screaming and crying she fell to her knees. The scene brought Beth to tears and she embraced her tighter. "I felt even more guilty because I didn't tell the police because I knew if I did I would be a suspect and now I feel like karma is getting me because they're looking at you Beth!"

"It's not your fault!"

    We all had a strong bond with Beth's mother. She was incredibly successful, kind, and diligent. Like DeeJay's father, she would give you the last dollar in her handbag if you asked even if she didn't have any more. Beth supposed that's why DeeJay found solace in her. But it didn't last long. Reality hit him. He had been done wrong by so many people that he was trying to protect himself in the end. He ran off because he was trying to protect not just himself but his emotions.

   And as all of this was happening, Mr. Rainyman was driving down the interstate, chatting up Babylon on the phone while tattle-tapping about what he had just learned from Beth. They both cackled mischievously at the same time after hanging up the phone. Both of them believed they were deceiving the other, and they couldn't help but laugh. What? You genuinely believed that two powerful, combative men would agree to a truce? Don't make me laugh. Each one has an ace up their sleeve. So who's going to win? The man who had nothing and had to climb his way to the top using his manipulative and exploitative tendencies that he still uses to get what he wants? Or, the man who wants to go out in a blaze of glory for once in his life?

10:18 a.m
My mental stability during my transition has not been assisted by the way things have been lately. I got adrenaline from the constant lying and sneaking around, but it also made me unhappy. I felt as though I was by myself during all of this.

I started crying today as I sat on my bed with my jeans halfway up my legs. I abruptly returned to reality as I was getting ready to go meet up with Dustin and the others. The window created a field for the rain trucks to land on, nearly exactly replicating the tears running down my cheeks. I was totally alone. Nobody ever expressed to me their sympathy or understanding in any way. But I mean how could they? I was suffering in silence and it's not like I didn't want help, it's just that I never had anyone to help so I never knee how to grow the confidence and courage to ask for it. But besides that, who could I trust to confide in?

I thought back on how exhausting my summer had been. I had to watch videos to learn how to raise my voice a few octaves so I could sound "like a woman" and constantly practice the vocal exercises. I had to learn how to tuck my genitals using YouTube, and I repeatedly failed. I had to learn how to do simple hairstyles to make me feel appealing and seem feminine, and I often sobbed uncontrollably to the floor when I even slightly screwed up.

    To buy feminine products, I had to save up pennies and any money my mother or sister handed me. Last but not least, I worked late into the night on refining a simple natural makeup look and nearly got caught numerous times when my mother woke up in the middle of the night. I set a goal for myself to study everything before school started, and it felt like I was going through army training. All of those things were finally second nature to me, but I never determined whether they were worthwhile. I was only trying to hide my insecurities.

   I was on the verge of returning to bed and spending hours gazing at the ceiling in the empty house when Dustin contacted my phone. He called to find out where I was, and for some reason, that made me feel better. Or did it? Since I didn't want to think about it, I was really simply looking for something else to focus on right now. A diversion.

So I sucked myself back out of reality and continued getting ready. I was already tucked and had rubbed cocoa butter lotion on my body. I slid up the jeans on the rest of my long legs and looked at how plump it made my fairly sized butt look in the mirror. I then placed on an oversized long sleeve flannel button up and my signature wedged sneakers. Lastly, I slid onto my head my kinky afro wig and picked it out a bit and did my makeup. And as I looked into the mirror I saw what I wanted to see in the mirror every time I looked.

Not many people acknowledge it, but transitioning has one drawback, while being wonderful for discovering your true identity and developing into it. Its like a constant phenomenon taking place without you even realizing it in your head. Let me set the scene.

     The flooring of the room is submerged in water at foot level. The "female" version of myself is facing the "male" version. And they both harbor a deep-seated anger and hatred for one another. Both of them surges at one another, starting a fight to the death. And whoever wins depends on you and what you decide to do with your transition at the end of the fight. At the end of your story. And as for me, I detest losing. So to Tony, I say, game on motherfucker!