A/N- Pictures were a two-parter, so I'm putting them here! Thank you so, so much DatNexoKitty ! Always look forward to your work! 💜💜

~Art from events from last chapter~

...Now, onto the story...

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"When you're depressed, you don't control your thoughts, your thoughts control you. I wish people would understand this."

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🌟 Stay: 27

Leave: 9

~Route: "A"~

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I stood still, thinking over my options. As much as I hate it, I need to stay. I have to take responsibility for my actions... Holy shit...

"Zane, what the Hell are you doing?" Garroth glared at me, wincing slightly, due to still being in pain.

"I can't run... I can't rely on you to-"

"Oh my Irene, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth, and I lived with you, almost all my life." With his good arm, Garroth grabbed my bicep, and began pulling me towards the backdoor. "Take the knife, and get the Hell out of here. I know the situation you've gotten yourself into. Just, go."

I pulled away from Garroth's grasp, shaking my head frantically. "No, no. I have to stay. C-Can't we just say, t-that you stabbed yourself while c-cooking, or something like that..?"

"Yeah, and that's what happened with Travis, right? 'Yeah, mister cop, he just accidentally shot himself, while cooking'. You just gonna go, 'yeah, Mr. Judge, same situation, again. I guess this time they just survived. And it was a knife'," Garroth grabbed the bloody knife, placing it in my hand. He looked up at me, his eyes widening. He must've realized the tears rolling down my cheeks. "Oh my Irene, Zane. I-I'm so sorry... I d-didn't mean..."

Garroth sighed, and I turned my head, to face away from him. There was a knock at the door, most likely the cops. I clutched the knife, my hand dropping to my side. I bowed my head slightly, standing completely still, as I watched Garroth begin to panic.

"Okay, okay. Zane, at this point, it's too late to leave. We took too long to answer the door. They'll be more questioning. C-can you wash it quick? So that there's no fingerprints?"

"It's too late, Zane. The cops have already grown too suspicious of the long wait. If there was no indication of a weapon that hurt Garroth, the police would believe the weapon was stashed. You were screwed no matter what." A voice seemed to whisper in my ear.

I shook my head at Garroth, knowing that they were right. No matter what. They would've been suspicious. My ass was going to court, no matter what. I couldn't escape this. I was doomed to this life, ever since Travis was-...when he died.

"Go answer the door, Garroth," I muttered, as Garroth looked me up and down, like I was insane.

He let out a shaky sigh, slightly walking past me. I followed behind him, fiddling with the knife. I set it down on a nearby counter. I gently placed my hand on the door, opening it slightly. Two cops, a man and a woman, stood on the other side. They seemed impatient with us, and looked like they might've busted down the door, if we took any longer.

"Sir," the female cop looked down at me, crossing her arms, "we have gotten complaints from your neighbours. We've come to-"

She eyed Garroth's bandage, and the blood showing through it. He discreetly tried to roll his sleeve down. Freaking idiot! Damn it... She narrowed her eyes, pointing at his sleeve, which had a pretty decently-sized hole in it, from where I stabbed him.

"Sir, may I ask what happened, here?"

"Uh, I-I s-stabbed myself...while c-cooking dinner?"

"Dinner...at..," she checked her wristwatch, glaring up at him. "Eleven at night?"

Eleven? Holy shit, seriously? How long was I at that freaking store for?

"Don't judge," I sneered, as she rolled her eyes.

"And you stabbed yourself, in your upper arm? How-" The female cop, shook her head, pushing past us, and the male followed behind her. "Sir, we are going to need to check your home?"

"What?!" I yelled, clutching my fists so hard, my palms began to bleed. I moved in front of the relatively tall woman, glaring up at her. "According to the fourth amendment, you have no right to check my home, without a search warrant."

"Ahh, Ro'Meave," the policeman chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Naomi, remember the Ro'Meave case about three months ago? Or, were you not on that case?"

"Not me. I was dealing with some other crap, during that time..."

"I wasn't on it either, but I heard some of the other wardens talking about it. Apparently, it was brutal, here."

"Really, now?"

"Zane, what are they talking about?" Garroth whispered over to me.

I sighed, looking down a little. "I was put on trial, being suspected of Travis' murder. Thought I had created a fake suicide scene, to get away with murder, and they had multiple reasons to believe I did. Law enforcements have been suspicious of me, even though the verdict was innocent."

The policewoman's eyes glazed over the bloody knife. Her eyes darted between it, and Garroth and I. The man came over, and chuckled softly under his breath. He glared over at me.

"Zane Ro'Meave, correct?"

"Y-Yes, sir?"

"I'd hate to have to do this, but we're going to need to take you in for questioning."

"It's your word against theirs," the voice whispered.

"It's my word against yours," I repeated, trying to prove some sort of point.

"You can't go on trial."

"Knowing your reputation around these parts Ro'Meave, whose word do you think they're going to take?" The woman, Naomi was her name, said blankly.

"They'll surely find out the truth."

Truth...

"Hold up! It was just an accident! I tell you, it was all my fault!" Garroth put a smile, trying to put up his arms. Immediately, the pain must've settled in, as his arm shot back to his side.

"They'll throw you in jail. Not only will they be able to find out that it was no accident, and you intentionally stabbed him, due to the wound...they're going to find out more, through mere questioning."

"That's why we're taking you both in for individual questioning. For all we know, he could've set you up, to lie for him, by threatening you."

"You need to leave."

"B-But, I swear ma'am! It's all just a misunderstanding!" Garroth attempted to defend this situation.

"Go now."

"Sir, please don't put up a fight. If what you're saying is the truth, there won't be a need for any resisting."

Truth...

"Zane, you have to go."

"Naomi," the man came from upstairs. Apparently during the ordeal, he had checked upstairs. "Judging by the situation upstairs, it appears as though there was a struggle. Glass shards, and dried blood stains."

"You don't have a choice, now."

Garroth's eyes widened, as he stared me down. The policewoman crossed her arms, sighing. I dared to look up at her, "that has been there for months. Ever since my fiancé killed himself."

"They're onto you. Any moment now, they'll discover the truth."

"And you didn't bother to clean it up?"

"What did I tell you?"

"Naomi, come up here! There's something you need to see."

"Run."

I looked over at Garroth, who looked like he had begun to panic, once again. He must've been thinking the unimaginable. And, to be honest, he was probably right. The female cop made her way upstairs.

"She's an idiot for leaving two possible culprits alone. But, now is your chance... You know where to go... And, if you don't, I'll be there to guide you."

As my vision began to blur, I glanced up at my older brother. My heart began to hurt, as I realized what had to be done. And, it made me sick to my stomach. I can't believe I am heartless enough to do this.

"I'm sorry Garroth," was all I whispered.

"Go, quick. They are occupied upstairs! Leave, please... I can't see you suffer, anymore."

Taking the voice's advice, I darted towards the backdoor. Opening it, and shutting it quietly behind me, I ran. I felt horrible for leaving Garroth behind. But, he's a smart man. He'll be fine. I think...

I ran into the woods, careful to leave behind no evidence of where I went. The front door was still open, and as long as Garroth doesn't give me away, they'll believe I left that way. They have no idea where I'll be. Damn it. I can't believe I'd ever be in this type of situation. From what I can gather, I am now a fugitive. I should've left to begin with. Now, I am a wanted criminal.

I kept running, and running. It felt like hours, but it could've been only a few minutes. Luckily for me, for some reason, I knew where to go. I found myself, somehow, in the neighbourhood graveyard. The cemetary was huge, almost seemingly nowhere, and easy to get lost in. There's also a woods in the back.

I made my way through it, not knowing how I even ended up here. It was locked at night, no entrance. Fuck, I'm committing even more felonies, aren't I?

I hugged my arms, shivering slightly against the cold, night air. It might've been Spring now, but it still felt like we were trapped in that fucking Winter cold. I slowed my pace down to a walk. I tried my best to keep in the shadows, hopping not to be found by any wandering guards.

"Fuck everything," I muttered for absolutely no reason, as I kicked a pebble. I just needed to get my anger out.

I continued walking down a shadowy path, spotting a tree off in the distance. And, this were no ordinary tree, mind you. Oh, no. This tree, made what was left of my heart, shatter into a million pieces. As I attempted to avoid tearing up, I wobbled over to it. My legs hurt from all of the damn running I was forced into.

Once I neared it, I couldn't keep the emotions withheld any longer. I brushing my shaking finger up against the tree bark, quietly sobbing. There, engraved in the tree, was something that tore me apart inside... Something, that caused the true depression to sink in.

(^Art by Snowyheaven ! Thank you so much! 💜)

"Travis + Zane"

We carved this, back when we first started dating in High School. We always thought that this tree was special, and beautiful. And, Travis would always say...

"Just like you and me," the voice whispered, sounding as if it were holding back from crying, as well.

"Why did we have to say goodbye?" I silently sobbed, falling to my knees. I glanced over to my left, seeing a specific gravestone.

I was basically crawling towards it, unable to stand up, due to how much I was shaking. I knew whose grave this was. I know, because I purchased this specific grave plot. Just for him. I sat in front of the stone, reading the engravings.

"Travis Valkrum
XXXX-XXXX
'Loving friend. We miss you dearly. Until we meet again'."

Unlike surrounding gravestones, his wasn't as beautifully decorated. All there was, was a singular flower. One, that I put there... Because, I was the only one that cared enough about him. I bought his stone. I bought his grave. I brought him a beautiful flower. Because, it seems that I'm the only one in this world, who truly cared and loved him!

"Why did you have to leave me alone?!" I whisper-yelled, frantically wiping the tears from my eye. "Who am I now in this world, without you?! No, no, no... This is all my fucking fault. I know that, know. It is my f-fault. M-Me..."

"It isn't your fault, Zane."

"I did this to you. You took your life away...because, you weren't happy... You weren't happy, w-with me... W-Why else would you l-leave me..?"

"It isn't your fault, Zane."

"I would take my own l-life away, but t-that wouldn't help, would it? Y-You'd be face-to-face w-with me, and you'd be unhappy, a-again."

"Stop."

"Maybe I should've just stayed there. I'm sure I'd be better off with my ass in jail... Maybe, I should go back... They probably found out by now, anyways. My life is doomed. I can't hide forever. No matter what, it's over..."

"You're still alive, that's what counts."

"Just know that, I-I love you," I whispered, grazing my finger gingerly across his engraved name.

"I love you too, Zane."

Wait, what?

No, no. It can't be Travis. Or, can it? I...I don't know what to believe anymore. S...Should I panic? Is it actually him? Or, should I get the Hell out of here. Is it the police? Travis? Security guard? My dead ex-fiancé? Fuck, fuck, fuck...

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VOTE:

A.) He BELIEVES It's Travis

B.) He BELIEVES It's Someone Else

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Voting: Closed

~Every Action Has It's Consequences. Choose Wisely~

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