He narrowed his eyes at her laughing nervously.  “What do you mean you’ve killed someone?”  “I’m dead serious babe. We need to get moving. Pack your bags.” Patrick sighs, rubbing his temples. This is not the first time that this has happened.  “So, honey, what is the occasion? Is it a big one?” “What do you mean? Why does there have to be a special occasion?” “I just mean- Well, last time you killed someone-” “There is no special occasion. I just killed someone. It’s not that deep.” Patrick nodded forlornly. He was hoping that there had been a special occasion for the murder, not just a crime of chance. Those were a lot less fun, and usually did not involve cake. Patrick had a seat in the middle of their small apartment. Around him sat an assortment of odds and ends that he was going to have to sort through and pack. On his left, there was a large pile of dirty clothes. On his right, there was a significantly smaller pile of clean clothes. That means he’s going to have to do laundry wherever they end up next, and this is more than just a minor inconvenience. “My god, Debra, couldn’t this have waited until Monday?” “You think I plan my murders around a schedule? I’m only a second degree murderer, I  don’t pre meditate!” Patrick nods again. He did remember that. He took one last glance around the room and saw the Nintendo DS that he bought when he was a child. He’s going to have to remember that this time. Turning around down the road to grab it from where they’re going would not be ideal in the slightest. Patrick furrows his brow, and Debra immediately sensed his frustration. She wasn’t _that _much of a monster after all. Debra rested her hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “Oh, honey, don’t worry… I have a plan this time. We’ll go somewhere fun!” “You said that last time.” Patrick pouted. “I know, but you knew that Maine was our Plan B spot. Our Plan A spot was swarming  with 12.” Patrick, again, nods. “Besides, love, I’ve already packed the essentials. These are all clothes we can replace.  This guy was absolutely loaded.” Patrick smiles, this is sounding more like the Debra he married. “Aw, well, that does sound nice. Are we going somewhere warm?” Debra grins and nods. Patrick stands up and does a giddy little dance. Oh, he was so excited! He loved warm places. Debra laughs, clapping her hands in rhythm to the dancing. Patrick stopped abruptly, grabbed a bag and stuffed the Nintendo DS away, and started packing up some bedding to keep it snug. Debra smiled, “I’m going to pull the car around,” she called out as she left. After a few minutes, Patrick had gathered all of his things and carried them outside.The air was stiff and cold as if rigor mortis had set in. The car lights showed up in the distance, as Debra curved around and backed the car up to the front door. As she backs up, he asks the most important question of them all: “Where did you bury the body?” This will tell him all he needs to know about where they are going. They have to be as far away from the bodies as humanly possible. Would it be Bermuda? Guam? Debra, without missing a beat, opened the trunk, revealing two dead bodies and two shovels. _Two _dead bodies? A double homicide? Well that must mean- “Happy anniversary, Patrick!”

“Tell me what you mean,” Ben was no longer laughing.

Annoyance was clear in Annabelle’s tone, “Ben, I know you’re scared, but we seriously need to go. They’ll be here at any moment.”

“Who? The cops?” He laughed quietly to himself, thinking of the insanity of this moment, “Maybe I should hand you over to them? I mean, how do I know you won’t kill me next? How do I know you’re not insane?”

Annabelle rolled her eyes at him, “Why would I kill you? It’s not like she didn’t deserve it.”

Ben didn’t move an inch, “I’m not going, not with anyone, and especially not with you.”

“Really, Ben, after everything we’ve been through? You’ll abandon me when I need you?” She laughed, and insane glint coming into her eyes, “And I thought you loved me,” more insane laughing until she was doubled over, “I should’ve known you’d be like all the other guys.”

“What do you mean ‘other guys’?” Ben backed up a step, “I thought I was you’re only boyfriend.”

“You’re my only living boyfriend,” Ben’s eyes widened, understanding what she meant, “Yes, Ben, I killed them. And if you don’t wanna end up with your remains spread through the Pacific Ocean with the rest of them then I’d suggest you go and get a bag.”

Ben could hear car tires pull into the driveway outside, he had to stall, “Where are we going then?”

Annabelle smiled, obviously pleased with his choice, “Maybe Australia, maybe Europe, I’m not sure yet.”

“What should I pack? Cold or warm stuff or for how long as well?”

“A little of everything, probably for about a week.”

Ben could hear the cops’ footsteps on the porch. So could Annabelle.

“Oh Ben, how cute, you thought you could stall? I may be a bit crazy but I’m not a fool.” Her voice was full of crazed sweetness that scared Ben more than the knife in her hand.

She flung the blade and it skimmed the side of Ben’s left arm. He winced, trying not to scream as he felt the hot blood trickle down his arm. He moved, trying to grab the knife, hoping she would hesitate when she saw he had the weapon.

But before Ben could grab the blade, Annabelle tackled him, pinning him to the ground, “I hoped it wouldn’t have to end this way Ben, I really had started to like you.”

And then she closed off his windpipe.

Ben could feel the life draining out of him as his lungs tried to pull in air.

He was starting to see spots when the police bust through the door.

They pulled Annabelle off him and cuffed her.

After a few questions they slammed Annabelle into the back seat and drive away.

That night Ben went home and cried the better part of the night.

He vowed to never trust someone again. He vowed he wouldn’t fall in love. Not with Annabelle. Not with anyone.

He narrowed his eyes at her, laughing nervously. "What do you mean you've killed someone?" "I'm dead serious, babe. We need to get moving. Pack your bags." She throws him a duffel bag, the same one they always used on vacation. He catches it, but drops it, stalking towards her. "Are you going to elaborate? Or am I going to stand here wondering what my wife has been doing today?" "First of all, you're not going to stand there, you're going to pack your bags, and second of all, you're not going to have to wonder, because I'm going to fill you in, as soon as we're save and on the way!" With that, she zips her bag closed, and leaves to get necessities from downstairs. But as she leaves, Noah sees the gun tucked into the waistband of her jeans. He shakes his head disapprovignly. Had she learned nothing? "Kayla.", he calls out to her. Throwing him a glance over his shoulder, she contuines down the stairs. "Yeah?" "Is it loaded?", he reaches her at the bottom of the stairs. She chuckles. "Of course. Of what use is an unloaded gun? You taught me that." "I recall I also taught you a loaded gun can shoot bullets. You're not bulletproof. Did you put the safety on?" She nervously retrieves the gun from where it's tucked against her back. "Uhh... No? I forgot." She scratches her head. I take the gun, put the safety on, and give it back. "You used this?" Kayla shakes her head. "No. I... Kinda pushed her from the window from the sixth floor." Noah pads towards the stairs. Unclenching the floorboard on the bottom of the stairs, he grabs the two black bags, and the target bag filled with money. Kayla stares at the bags. "Emergency bags," He explains. Her jaw just hangs slack. Chuckling, Noah fishes the keys to the car out of the basket with keys and loads the bags into their 2019 Mercedes-Benz. "You knew we'd have to flee?", she shrieks. "Noah! I-" He hushes her by covering her mouth. "We have a neighborhood full of nosy people, babe. Lower your voice." She glares at him over his fingers. "I can't believe this.", it comes out muffled, seeing as his hand is still covering her lips. She was right, he should have told her, but he was afraid she'd leave him if she discovered his past, and then he just forgot about the bags. "We need to go." She removes herself from me and goes to sit in the car. Quietly, he goes to sit beside his wife. "I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have kept it from you." He reaches for her hand. She squeezes it, and offers him a comforting smile. Noah sees she's willing to let it go and forgive him. "It's okay. I wasn't really mad. Just... Shocked." He exhales. He doesn't want to fight with her in a moment like this. They still have a long journey to go. A long journey filled with action and suspense. Filled with romance and happiness. With adventure and thrilling escapades. Filled with love. They would do this together. He looks at her, sees that she's looking at him, with eyes filled with pride and love. "Let's go.", she says. "Let's go", he agrees.

I narrowed my eyes at her, laughing nervously. “What do you mean you’ve killed someone?”

“I’m serious, babe. We need to get moving. Pack your bags.” She moved to enter our bedroom, but I blocked her. “Move.” She demanded.

“Love, who did you kill?”

“She kept critiquing me and I felt insulted.” She mumbled, slowly leaning closer to me until her arms were around my waist.

“Please, just tell me who you killed.” I whispered against her hair. She lifted her head. A slow smile spread over her face. She leaned up to my ear.

“Your mother” She whispered with a little giggle. I pulled back, shock overwhelming my senses.

“My mother? Zi, why?” My voice trembled and I fought to hold back my tears.

“She annoyed me.” A thought crossed my mind. I thought I didn’t want to think about, but it was there.

“Zianna, have you…have you done this before?” She looked up at me with her big brown eyes.

“Yes. Now, pack. We leave in ten minutes.” She pushed me aside and started dragging things out of the closet. I stood still, unable to move my body. Zi sighed deeply. I heard her footsteps and then I felt her hands. “You said you’d love me forever. You still love me, don’t you?”

I forced my lips to part, forced my vocal chords to function enough to let one small word out. “No” I whispered. I slowly turned around to face her.

“Well, either you leave with me or you die too.” She spoke so calmly that it shook every bone in my body with rage.

“No.”

“What do you mean no?” She asks, arching a brow at me.

“No, I’m not leaving. And neither are you.” I lunged at her and we toppled to the ground. She screamed and thrashed underneath me. I wrapped my hands around her throat, closing over her airway. Panic flooded those beautiful brown eyes I’ve memorized as she continues to flail for escape. As the life starts to leave her body and she became motionless, I shouted at her, “She was my kill!” I lifted her body up by the neck and slammed it back into the floor. Standing up, I started to pack. She may not have gotten to run away, but I will.

He narrowed his eyes at her, laughing nervously. “What do you mean you’ve killed someone?” “I’m dead serious babe. We need to get moving, pack your bags.” She shuffled around their room grabbing clothes and stuffing them into a small duffle bag. Adam stood there and watched her. He was confused, he’d never seen her act like this. “Hey what’s going on?” he said. She payed no attention to him, she was breathing hard and he thought he saw a tear fall feom her eyes. She knelt on the ground and took in a deep breath, freezing in place. Adam walked over, kneeling down beside her. “Hey,” he tilted her chin up,” what is going on? You can tell me.” She looked up at him, tears piled in her eyes, cheeks red. She was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling without rhythm. She wiped away her tears with her sleeve and stood up, brushing herself off. “I’ll explain everything in the car, let’s go.” Adam decided to trust her and he followed. They ran down the stairs, locking the door behind them. Their car was a black honda civic, brand new. Elyza threw their bag in the back seat and they drove off. “There’s things i haven’t told you.” She said hesitantly. “Like what?” “Your being hunted. People, bad people are trying to find you.” “Why?” “Your father.” Adam shifted positions, clearing his through. He never knew his father, all he knew was that he left before he could remember anything. “Your father is a bad person adam, he hunts innocent children, experimenting on them. A group of rebels can’t seem to stop him, so their next best idea is to find someone he loves and kill them.” “But my father doesn’t love me, he doesn’t even know me.” “That’s what i tried to tell them.” “How do you know about this?” Elyza glances at him then focuses back onto the road in front of them. “Your father took my sister, torchered her, and sent her back, scars and bruises covering her body. She was 7 Adam, 7. Ever since then i’ve made it my mission to catch him, joined these rebels. Until i found out their new plan. Today a woman followed me home trying to find you, I pulled over and she followed. I got out of my car and so did she. I don’t know how she found out about you but she did. She came up to me and told me she knew my secret and that i needed to stop protecting you. She pulled a gun to my head Adam. So i show her. it was self defense but-“ She pulled over to the side of the road and started sobbing. Adam grabbed her, holding her tight to his chest. “It’s okay, It’s going to be okay I promise. Nobody’s going to know, I’ll keep you safe, i swear.” Adam muttered. Something rammed into their car and they looked back. The hunt wasn’t over.

Alarm splat You’ve killed somebody This is a bank robbery It’s just a security guard he tried to shoot us You got the money Let’s run before cops come with swat It’s Bonnie and clyde Run before they come and barricade this place with machine guns There’s no time to lose no negotiation is the death penalty cross the line there’s no return Like Thelma and Louise we jump into deep water and the unknown

She trembled, shaking as she tried to dial his number for the fourth time. Finally, she got it right, but it still took three tries until she successfully hit the ‘call’ button.

“Hey Babe, what’s going on?” She tried to speak, but her lips were anvils, and instead she broke into sobs. “Babe?” An incoming FaceTime popped up on her phone and she answered it habitually. “Hey, what’s going on? Are you okay?” He was a frenzy of questions once he saw her blood-covered face. His voice was laced with concern and his brows were drawn so close they almost touched.

“I-I killed someone,” she whispered through sobs.

He remained concerned, but a look of confusion now washed over his face. “What did you say?”

She tried to gather herself. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, laughing nervously. “What do you mean you’ve killed someone?”

“I’m dead serious, babe. We need to get moving. Pack your bags.”

“Stop. If you killed someone, why would I go anywhere with you?”

“I’ll explain in the car.” She moved the phone with her—a completely different person than the crying girl a moment ago—as she washed her bloodied hands in the sink and began to throw clothes around her room into a ratty blue suitcase. The zipper was broken, but it was all she had right now.

“No, you won’t explain in the car. You’ll explain now if you want me to even continue talking to you.” He was angry now, and he was about to say more, but stopped. “Hold on, I’m getting another call—“

“No! Whatever you do, don’t pick it up!” She screamed, grabbing her phone.

“Why?”

“Because the person I killed was your brother.”

“Hold on, hold on. Who the hell did you kill?” Angel asks, still doing as they said and grabbing a bag.

“Valentino.”

His hand slips off the dresser he’d been opening as every muscle in his body goes slack at once. He’s distantly aware of his knees going weak, and his legs slipping out from underneath him, but he swears he’s dreaming, they can’t be serious.

They catch him, eyes wide with alarm and sitting on the floor to steady themself and him. “Angel? Angel! What’s wrong?”

“You…killed Val? You really killed him? I- Wh- How?” His head is spinning like he’s had too many drinks, but he hasn’t been to the bar at all today.

“Sniper. He was alone. Clean kill. But I don’t doubt that the other Vees will be on my ass soon. I think Vox has some sort of… thing for Val. Or. Had, anyway,” they laugh awkwardly. “We need to go before Vox watches the security footage and figures out it was me.”

“But… But why, Ray? I don’t… You could have lost your chance at salvation, hell, maybe you already have!”

They sigh, standing up and extending a hand to help him off the floor. He takes it and rests his hands on their shoulders for extra support, not trusting his own limbs.

“Ang, do you know how much it kills me inside seeing you come back every day with some new bruise or cut, exhausted and upset and barely keeping it together? I hate seeing you like that,” they murmur, reaching up to cup his cheek in their palm. “I love you, and I knew the only way to fix those things was… Well, Val had to go.”

He reaches to place his hand on top of theirs. “I love you too. But… Ray, if I get up there and you don’t… I-I can’t-“ He feels tears well up in his eyes. “I would never ask you to give that up for me.”

They grin. “I have my ways. Leverage. Don’t you worry about a thing, Ang. Now, seriously. Get your shit together, ‘cause we gotta go.” Ray leans up on tiptoe and kisses him once, then turns away to get their things together.

Angel just hopes this doesn’t backfire horribly…

Knowing Ray, though, it will.

On the run Isn’t fun Get your gun Running with the sun

No turning back Pick up the slack Fast no tracks Sleeping on racks

He frenzied into their living room, knife balled in his fist. He looked directly into her eyes and she glanced back into his. He spoke, in a frantic tone. “I just- I just killed someone!” She narrowed his eyes at him, laughing nervously. "What do you mean you've killed someone?" "I'm dead serious, babe. We need to get moving. Pack your bags." “Jesus, Andres. I knew you were insane, but now I don’t even know what’s wrong with you.” “Stop talking! We need to leave!” He said, as he suddenly clutched her shoulders and gazed into her widened beady eyes. There was a contemplative silence whose voice filled the room. She long thought about what could have possibly driven him mad when he was well just a few days ago. Was it the neighbor's constant parties? Or a problem with the coverup? Her ex-boyfriend who has been harassing them ever since they got together? Or could it be his affair? An affair that she knows of but does not dare to bring up in danger of him becoming hell-bent on violence. “Your ex.” “Gabriel?” “Yes, Gabriel.” Said he, panting. “Oh, god…” she said, as she fell to her knees and tears began to create puddles on the marble white floor. “Hey, hey. What’s wrong?” “What the fuck is wrong with you. Why did you do this?” “Isabella! We- we can be free now! Let’s run away, to a place where they can’t find us. A place we can call paradise!” Again, silence’s voice filled the room. The sounds of whimpers are its only accompaniment. As her confusion and regret overwhelmed her, he looked at his purple colored shirt. Thereafter, a reminiscence of their date last week flashed into her mind. He wore the same shirt on that day. He thought of how their laughter filled each other's hearts as they shared the chocolate milkshake. Their smiles and cheers as it accidentally dripped down his shirt. She knew he was involved in criminal activity and could be pushed into violence, but when she would gaze longingly at stars muttering at night she wished he was there to see them. Her love for him was genuine, but her sense of dignity was even more so “Andres… I don’t need you to do this to me” “What?” He said as if he were losing his breath. “No, no. You don’t understand. I have enough money and everything for us. I’ve been preparing this for weeks. It was a surprise for you, you’re supposed to be happy!” “How could I be happy when you killed someone?” Said she with temptation. “I promise you, everything I do is for you! I love you till the end of time! I’ve already saved you from him!” “Andres, I don’t want you. I don’t need your saving” she said. Her bloodshot eyes scolded him. She trembled and balled her fists as she spoke those words. Drops had gathered in her eyes but they did not fall. Andres looked at her with tears trickling down his cheek. He swiftly risked a glance to the ground. Every second that passed, was every second that he would clench the knife even tighter. His eyes became hellishly red while beginning to tremble violently. “You stupid bitch! You’re all the same!” He seized her by the arm and cut her throat. She instantly fell to the ground whilst crimson expressed itself on the floor and the knife rolled over. He gazed at her laying down in the pool of her blood. Her eyes are as serene as the moonlight reflecting off the steel knife. “Isabella? Are you alright? Said he, falling to his knees and nudging her shoulder. “Isabella, wake up. You’re okay, right? Please, get up. I’m sorry I did that to you. Please, forgive me!” His tears trickled into the blood. As he cried, he grabbed his distorted face and silently wept in the shadow of death.