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Chapter Text

The whole night seemed to have flown away in a matter of seconds, soon enough the sun would be rising outside the large windows… Gwen huddled herself in the blanket she had been given, still shaking: she had been alone for a while, by then. Where was miss Collins, she wondered… The PE teacher went to get them both something to drink, but it was taking her way longer than the little girl expected.

Cops kept passing in front of her, a load of them staring her way. Every single one of those glances piercing through the little girl… It had been years, by now, since she had last had a chance to be there. The police station, where her mother used to take her, every now and then… And despite three years passed, she recognized it.

Everything about it, from its pasty walls to the overall chatter… Her breath kept shaking in her lungs, her heart shivering: as soon as she arrived, she had been told about her brother... Wright and Miller had already filled her with questions, by now.

They had questioned her about the Grabber, about Robin… about her dad, too… And she had told them. She told them everything… She wasn’t even sure how to feel about this, or the way both detectives and miss Collins had been looking at each other all the way through her interrogation. She had even been shown pictures, the ones they had taken at the “construction site”, to see if she recognized anything about it. She had recognized it, every single thing she had been shown.

The house, that dead tree, even the car… Everything was just like in her dreams. Not only that, though: they had even shown her the boots and the skateboard they found in there, alongside the pair of socks and the blue raincoat, all of it as muddy as they first took it. And there was some blood on the raincoat, on its wrists.

The little girl had easily recognized all of that too, as her own brother’s. Now she still held her hands clasped under the blanket, begging Jesus to keep Finney safe, just like that morning. Maybe, had she been a little faster… She panted in guilt.

It was her fault, she kept telling herself, she shouldn’t have left him there, alone... Now Robin was in Wheat Ridge, less sound than safe, and Finney was nowhere to be found. Just thinking about it made her stomach turn so hard to make her sick.

At last miss Collins reappeared, hurrying up the hallway, a couple of Dixie cups in her hands. Gwen couldn’t help feeling relieved, as soon as she spotted her back.

 “Sorry I kept you waiting.” the woman sighed sitting next to her.

She had taken a coffee for herself and some orange juice for Gwen, lending it to the little girl. The latter hesitated to take it in her hands, her gaze still low…

 “Thanks…”, she mumbled in a weary voice: she didn’t feel thirsty at all.

 “… Are you feeling better, now?”, miss Collins rubbed her arm, and she nodded, avoiding the woman’s gaze: she still felt some tears, she didn’t want her to see them; she already felt pretty embarrassed for breaking down when they found her.

After taking her out of the closet, her teacher and detective Wright had immediately carried her to the station, her father protesting, of course… She had kept quiet, as they drove there, miss Collins remaining with her the entire time.

She had never left her side as Wright and Miller questioned her about home, and then about her brother and her dreams… the Grabber…

Just then miss Collins had found out their main suspects were her former colleague Maximilian Shaw and his own brother. And the more the woman thought about it, the more she struggled to believe it, just like Gwen did: she knew mister Shaw, it had been Finney and Robin’s math and science teacher from sixth to seventh grade. Miss Collins, on the other hand, had never paid him much attention, but now she couldn’t help thinking back to last months, before he was fired: he always seemed nervous, when police showed up at school, so nervous.

After his addiction had turned up, she had dismissed everything, despite being upset about it. She could have never guessed, not even imagined someone like Maximilian Shaw could… Everything had been happening right under her nose, the man’s involvement coming to her as a total surprise. What a stupid she felt now.

And now Finney was gone, who knew where he had been taken… Both Wright and Miller had assured, they’d do everything they could to find him.

Meanwhile, at the insistence of Wright, they were discussing the Blakes’ situation with their chief, trying to convince him they should do something about it. Miss Collins still wondered when they’d come out of his office, hoping for the best. She would’ve gladly kept an eye on them, but she’d rather not leave Gwen alone…

 “Miss…?”, the little girl shuddered, her voice scraping.

 “Yes?”, her teacher immediately looked in her eyes, “What is it, sweetheart?”

 “… Are they…”, she hesitated, “A-are they really gonna find Finney, miss?”

Her voice stung with tears, and so much fear… Miss Collins would like reassuring her, but she knew that wouldn’t work with Gwen. She was way smarter than that… The little girl diverted her gaze again, a sniffle shaking her.

The PE teacher breathed in, as deep as she could, her heart panging with guilt: the little girl was still shivering from head to toe, her hair falling down her shoulders in a shaggy mess. She was pale, bags under her eyes. Her stare blank as ever.

 “… Gwen.”, she had thought of asking her for some time, by now, “… Why didn’t you say a thing? Why didn’t you and Finney tell me about this?”

The little girl gritted her teeth, her hands trembling in fists: this was it, she knew, there was no going back now. Might as well blow some steam off her chest…

 “I…”, she shrugged, “I was scared. We both were… We didn’t really know what to do about… you know, all of this. And we didn’t want the police to…”

She felt her breath weighing with tears as she thought about it, not even sure if she could still worry about it. Not even sure she’d ever see Finney again...

 “We didn’t want to be torn apart…”, she gulped.

Some tears left her, at last, miss Collins feeling a tug inside of her: she really had no idea, until now. She would’ve never guessed, until now, the nightmare Finney and Gwen lived inside of… and of course, she understood the little girl’s fear…

 “I’m so sorry, Gwen.”, she mumbled.

The little girl smiled bitterly, no hard feelings in her gaze: miss Collins was the last person she could have possibly blamed, right now; actually, she felt somehow glad having her there… Just then she noticed someone, her eyes widening.

Miss Collins followed her gaze behind her own back: it took her little to spot them both hurrying up the hallway, pleasantly surprised they had come so fast. She had called them about twenty minutes before, both beverages being just an excuse.

“I thought,”, she smiled, “it was better to tell Susie what happened.”

And before Gwen could object, disbelief shaking on her face, both Snells had already reached them, Susie almost gaping at the sight of her friend. Miss Collins’ call had completely rousted both her and her mother from bed, but she didn’t mind.

 “… Hi, Gwen.”, she forced a smile, the little girl keeping her own gaze on her, no clear feeling in her eyes.

Miss Collins soon convinced missis Snell to come along, and leave both girls some space. They really needed it, both of them… They didn’t go too far, though, just a little further in the hallway, keeping their eyes on the two of them.

At first, both friends stayed right where they were, hesitating in their own ways… Susie felt so uneasy, their last argument still aching inside of her. Also, she had never seen Gwen like this, before; it clenched her heart, seeing her so…

 “Your…”, she cleared her throat, at last, “Your teacher told me, on the phone.”

 “… What?”, Gwen just asked, her friend crossing legs, a little nervous.

 “Everything, I guess?”, she shrugged, “… I know what happened with your dad. And Finney… Well, I know what you two were up to, lately.”

Deep down, she was still processing what she just learned, struggling to believe Gwen and her brother had gone such an extra mile. A little hurt she hadn’t been involved in this. After all, though, it would have been weird if she had been.

Gwen didn’t answer, her blanket slowly slipping down her shoulders… She fixed it back, and she didn’t protest when Susie took place next to her.

 “… Gwen,”, she kept her gaze low, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Gwen.”

She meant it, with all of herself… A sigh left Gwen’s nose, no idea how long she had waited for her to say this. Just this, nothing more than this. And yet…

 “You were right.”, she nodded, her heart sinking. But Susie was a little baffled…

 “W-what do you mean?”, she raised an eyebrow, “Right, about what?”

 “… About mom.”, Gwen sniffled, “And my dreams… You were right, Susie.”

Those last days were swirling in her head, weighing heavy as marble in her chest… Susie just stared at her, at first: sure enough, she hadn’t been expecting this…

 “Anyway,”, that didn’t change anything, though, “it was up to you, not me.”

Gwen nodded at that, looking in her eyes: acknowledging so, Susie just soothed something inside of her, like a knot finally unraveling. If her friend had kept quiet, though, Gwen wasn’t sure she’d be here now, so far from home… nor if she and Finney would’ve been able to save Robin… She let out a breath, shaky as ever.

 “Susie, I’m so scared…”, she fessed up, her friend holding her shoulder.

 “It’s gonna be okay.”, she said like she knew for sure, “You’ll see cops will work this out in no time! And I’m sure they’ll find the Grabber easily, now that-”

 “But what if they don’t?”, Gwen replied, “What if Finney is… already…”

She couldn’t even think about it… she just couldn’t, her breath shuddering… Susie sighed deep, getting it. That was right the kind of talk she was so used to have with Amy… But before she could realize, Gwen’s head was leaning down on her shoulder, resting on it: the little girl looked tired, in so many different ways.

 “… Sorry I told you to fuck off.”, she mumbled, tears in her eyes…

 “Do you really think”, Susie wondered out loud like she had been wondering since Monday, hardly resting on it, “I don’t care about you and Finney?”

 “… No.”, Gwen shook her head, heavy, “No, I don’t… I was just mad. I’m sorry…”

 “Don’t worry about it.”, her friend’s arm wrapped around her, “… I was so worried, when you told me about your dad. Sorry if I told your teacher, but…”

 “You did good.”, Gwen replied, reassuring Susie about it…

 “You know, I’m glad to see you.”, the latter smiled, “And to see you’re okay…”

Gwen nodded at that, a smile shuddering on her face: it was good having her best friend back… Miss Collins half-smiled, seeing them, puffing in relief. Susie’s mother felt reassured as well: she had spent those last days worrying about her daughter, and wondering what had happened between her and little Gwen.

She still had no idea, actually, not at all… Miss Collins did, though, she had found out a couple of days before, when she paid Susie a visit. It had been the little girl to tell her, among the other things, heavy with regret…

 “Excuse me, miss,”, she had asked, “do you mind… telling Gwen I’m sorry?”

But the PE teacher was pretty sure Gwen would rather hear it from Susie herself…

Just like that, the woman spotted Wright and Miller coming down the hallway. She excused herself from missis Snell, then, going straight for them, eager as ever.

 “Well?”, she fretted as soon as they were in front of her, “What did he say?”

 “All settled!”, Miller had come in big steps, his chest bloating with satisfaction.

 “He agreed”, Wright exchanged just a glance with him, “to let us do something.”

That reassured her, at least a little. She looked behind her back, the mood between Susie and Gwen now seeming a bit lighter. Gwen’s worries echoing in her ears…

 “What about Finney, then?”, she noted, “What’s the plan now, any thought?”

They had a thought. Actually, their chief had. And they thought it made sense, but at the same time, they didn’t really know how to ask… By then, Gwen had already spotted them with miss Collins: they looked worried, kind of tense.

 “You see, miss…”, Miller suddenly looked devoid of any confidence, “When we questioned her, Gwen recognized Shaw’s car, but she also confirmed seeing a black van, in a couple of dreams, the ones concerning Bruce Yamada and Billy Showalter… And also, she talked about two men, in the last dream she had.”

The PE teacher crossed her arms at that, not liking at all where this was going…

 “So we thought”, Miller came to the point, “if we take her to meet Shaw’s brother, and she recognizes him or maybe his van, this might be enough to-!”

 “No, Samuel.”, miss Collins set the record pretty straight, “Absolutely not.”

 “Betty,”, Wright tried to explain, “I don’t like this too, you know I don’t. But if we’re right, there might be a chance Finney is to be found there in Westminster.”

 “I get it,”, she replied adamant, “but she’s already been through a lot. We can’t-”

 “Miss Collins.”, a voice peeped in just like that, “… It’s okay.”

Just then they noticed Gwen was right there, still enveloped in her blanket, way less shaky than before; she still looked a little pale, but there was no hesitation in her gaze anymore. Actually, she looked pretty confident, somehow…

 “Gwen,”, miss Collins bent at her height, “you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

 “I want to, miss.”, the little girl swore, resolved, “If it can help Finney, let’s move!”

There was a glisten in her eyes, her fists clenching harder and harder… Her PE teacher shared a few looks with Wright and Miller, both of them being nearly as taken aback as she was. Meanwhile, outside the windows, dawn was finally rising.

-

Max needed a blow, he needed it now! His head seemed to whistle, like somebody was drilling it right through… He couldn’t take this anymore. Deep breaths pierced his lungs, burning inside of them… He had hardly slept, spending hours awake.

He had been unable to rest, his whole body stirring and tossing him all night long. His thoughts leaving him no peace… Every once in a while, rage ran to his head, so sudden and sharp his brain seemed to pop like a balloon. Fear followed, bitter and edgy, guilt filling his eyes with tears, his breath becoming wheezy.

Every once in a while, the old grandfather clock struck, its bong echoing through the empty house. Max had always hated that sound, ever since he was little, and it felt even worse now. Every time he heard its bell, he thought he was going mad… Why did his brother, after all this time, even bother to charge it again!

It was dawn, by now. Soon enough, his brother would go downstairs… His legs had already dragged him out of his room, stairs seeming to wave under his feet. Everything seemed to swirl… Somehow, clinging to the handrail, he managed to keep himself steady all the way to the ground floor, darkness still looming.

His brother was in the dining room, no way to tell how long he had been there, a cigarette in his hand, smooth clouds of smoke oozing all around him. He had already had a beer that morning, he had needed it like the other times.

Samson was resting on his blanket, standing at attention… His owner’s mask was on the table, the man looking intent on it. His axe was there too, polished and ready for the use…

 “What is it, Max?”, he sounded aloof, his brother panting on the door.

 “We…”, the latter couldn’t keep his eyes off the axe, it sent shivers down his spine, “We need to talk, Bert.”

 “Can’t it wait?”

 “I-I don’t think so.”

 “Well, I do.”, the man replied in a crabby voice, leaning against the back of his chair.

Max was red in his face, some blood still coming through his bandages…

 “Don’t do this.”, he breathed just like that, “Please Bert, not Finney.”

He had spent the whole night making up his mind, though he already had before midnight struck… His brother looked unbothered, hardly reacting at all.

 “You stay here,”, he took his mask, “I’ll be quick-”

 “No Bert!”, Max yelled, stepping forward, “… I mean… Please, no.”

His hands shook frantically, he was serious about this… His brother stared at him, somehow taken aback by that sudden approach, his eyebrow raising heavily.

 “… You’re high.”, he put down his mask for a second, “Why don’t you rest up?”

 “I’m not joking, Bert!”, Max made it clear, approaching the table, “I just… I don’t want Finney to end up like the others. He’s different from the others, he isn’t-!”

 “I told you, Max:”, his brother reminded in a groan, “I don’t care what he is like.”

 “But he’s no naughty boy!”, Max slammed his hands on the table, his brother snapping on his own feet, so sudden that even Samson flinched.

 “… Why the fuck should I care?”, the man gritted his teeth clenched. Just like that, Max pulled back a little, his fear returning sharp.

 “B-but…”, he hesitated, his gaze low, “But only… n-naughty boys deserve this.”

And his brother’s eyes grew wider, hearing so, a scoff soon leaving his mouth…

 “They deserve it, Max?”, he half-smirked, “Is that what you think?”

 “W-well, that’s what you said… You said t-they had it coming…”

Max was so sure his brother said it… something among those lines, at least… But the man just shook his head, an helpless sigh leaving him: of course, he thought, Max couldn’t get it, tried as he might. Not like that surprised him, after all.

 “… Go back to bed, Max.”, he said fixing his mask on his face, taking his axe, “I don’t have time for this. And keep it down, this time, will you?”

The axe itself felt heavy, much more than the other times: he was ready for it, his chest shivering. He had something for Finney as well, eager to see his cute little face…

 “I don’t want this!”, Max grabbed his arm before he left, “I don’t want you to-!”

 “Dammit, Max!”, the man pulled away, “Get a hold of yourself!”

 “Let’s talk with him!”, his younger brother insisted, “Trust me, Bert, I know him! We talk with him about this, we explain everything, and he’ll keep his mouth shut! No need to punish him, this has nothing to do with him! Please, Bert!”

 “… How can you be so dumb?”, the man could hardly believe his ears anymore.

That really hit a chord inside of Max, cold sweat suddenly flowing down his back.

 “W…”, he stuttered, “W-what does that mean, Bert?”

 “That you’re hopeless!” his brother hissed exasperated, “That I’m fed up with you, and I never should’ve dragged you in this, and now you’re useless to me!”

It had slipped from him, in the heat of the moment. But he didn’t regret saying it…

 “U-useless?”, Max was stepping back, his leg hitting a chair.

 “… Yeah, useless.”, the man kept going, “You were of some use when you still had your home… What am I supposed to do with you now, why are you still here?”

 “I…”, Max felt tears in his eyes, “I-I… I just want this to be over…”

 “You spend your days”, his brother pointed out, “whimpering about this to be over, you won’t even help me burying… Why did you even want to help me so bad?”

 “I-I didn’t want to!”, Max replied, “It was you, you asked me to-!”

 “You came to me!”, his brother reminded him, “You said you’d do everything I-!”

 “I didn’t expect this! I never wanted any of this, I just wanted you to forgive me!”

Those words echoed inside the room for a while, ringing all around their empty home… Samson was growling, just like that, finally back on his paws.

 “… Forgive you?”, his owner raised his eyebrows, “What for, Max? For ruining my life? For leaving me to rot in that nuthouse, should I forgive you for this?”

 “Peter”, Max reminded him, shaking, “gave you away too-!”

 “Petey”, the man couldn’t stand his brother saying that name, “would have never been involved, without you sneaking to Lumley in the first place!”

He still remembered coming back from Denver, finally released after forty years… doctors deeming him “cured”… The Graywoods’ grocery had long been gone, and all that was left of Peter was his name on the memorial plaque reporting local casualties in the Korean War. He was dead in 1952, less than ten years after they were exposed, the man had learnt about it from a neighbor.

 “… I didn’t.”, Max mumbled, his eyes stinging…

 “What? What did you say now?”

 “I didn’t sneak, back then!”, he replied, his brother floored enough to frown at it, “I just told Father Lumley, but it was supposed to be… w-well… a confession.”

 “… A confession, Max?”, the latter raised a scorning eyebrow, arms crossing.

 “You never confessed…” Max recalled, sniffling, “So I thought I could… I-I could confess for you, so… so y-you wouldn’t end up in Hell.”

And the second he let that out, he actually felt a bit lighter, somehow… his brother, on his own hand, was much more livid than surprised: that was dumb enough to have actually crossed Max’s mind, back then. And it wouldn’t surprise him…

 “You really thought”, he replied, “Lumley would keep his hole shut?”

 “He should have,”, his brother noted, “confessors are not supposed to-!”

 “That’s not the point, Max,”, the man sneered, “because my life was already Hell. Every single, fucking day of my life… this home, this was my own Hell!”

Max was shivering, his eyes stinging with tears: he didn’t need his brother telling him, he had been there too, just like him… and he had never meant, never…

 “You and Petey”, the man continued, his eyes reddening, “were everything I ever had, before you fell for all of Mother’s bullshits! And thanks to you, I lived through much more of a Hell than you could ever imagine…”

 “Bert,”, Max sniffled, “I was just eight… I was just a child, goddammit!”

 “I was a child too!”, his brother reminded him, snarling, “Remember, Max?”

Of course he remembered, there was no way he would ever let him forget… ever…

 “You never meant to forgive me, did you?”, he finally realized, his brother letting out a scoff: he could hardly believe Max had taken so long to find out…

 “Fucking idiot…”, he put down his axe, pushing him, “Why should I?”

Max didn’t react, more pushes following, harsher and harsher, the man sneering…

 “Why should I care about you? Why should I even want you around?”

Max felt his face shaking with tears, fire seeming to run in his veins…

 “Can you tell me, Max? Why should I!”

He had been used, he couldn’t stop thinking, just used…

 “Why should I want a fucking junkie for a brother!”

 “Fuck you!”, he finally pushed back, “Fuck you, damn fag!”

And before they could realize, they were slamming each other all around the room, their hands clutching on the other’s shirt, Samson barking at them.

A couple of chairs were knocked down, both of them feeling their eyes burning in rage, filled with tears… At last, Max found himself crashed down on the table, his brother’s hands clenching around his neck. So hard he couldn’t breathe… He hit him, he wriggled, but the man held him down, his eyes flaming, his teeth grinding.

Just like that, stretching his gaze behind, Max saw the bottle, the one his brother had just tossed back… His arm moved without thinking, striving to reach it, his prickly fingers touching it. His sight going blurry… He hardly noticed his hand grasping, and then hitting. He took a while to pant his breath back in his lungs.

A few coughs shook him, a shattering sound ringing in his ears… The house was quiet, all of a sudden, even Samson had shut his muzzle. Little it took, before Max lowered his gaze… Something fell from his hand, rolling on the ground. It was the neck of the bottle, its shards scattered all around the floor.

 “… B… Bert?”, he called him, but his brother didn’t even react: he was lying on the ground, utterly still, his face covered by his lank hair… Max could see the blood, right where he had just hit him, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

 “Holy Mary Mother of God…!”, his hands crawled in his hair, clutching it hard.

He stepped back, and back again, his head shaking… By the time he slipped down, his back against the wall, Samson had already reached his owner, whining on him like he was trying to wake him up. But not even that stirred the man up.

Max felt his sobs building up in his throat, his tears welling up the more he realized what happened… what he had just done… He didn’t cry, though. Just like they had come, all of his tears suddenly left his eyes, something swelling inside of him.

And it felt good, it felt so good, a smile shivering on his lips… his eyes burning in relief… It was over. It was finally over, he was free… Finney, he remembered all of a sudden. That was right, Finney… He shuddered back on his feet, his gaze still frozen on his brother. In a few seconds, his feet had already dragged him out of the dining room, just in time not to see his brother’s hand twitching.

-

Finney kept rubbing his elbows, his feet dragging him up and down the room… He already had put all the carpets back into place, wiping the marks they left in the dirt. He still looked at the graves, at times, almost feeling their gazes on himself.

Every now and then he glanced to the ceiling, wondering what was happening on its other side. Sure enough, the Grabber would be down there any moment, by now… Light weakly flowed inside from the window. It was dawn, at last.

It had been for a while, by then, the wait giving him a hard time, weighing on his nerves… He hadn’t slept at all, until now. He couldn’t have, anyway… The phone hadn’t rung again. Not a single time… He wasn’t sure how to feel about this. And he still struggled to look at the graves he kept passing in front of.

He had spent the entire night thinking to the call he got, to his mother’s words… She was here, he kept reminding himself, she was right here. That soothed him as much as it could, but he still had no idea what she had meant: she had assured she didn’t need to tell him, she said he’d find “his own way out”… But he still had no clue what it meant, nor how could she be so sure about this.

Sometimes he shuddered, her last words still swirling in his ears. Something about them sounding familiar, in a way… He wasn’t tired, but he hadn’t slept, and it sure wasn’t helping. In fact, it seemed to be playing a few tricks on his mind now… A couple of times, looking at the black phone, he had even got the impression to see it shrinking, and swelling, and shrinking again like it was breathing.

His fear still scraped through, at times, weighing on his heart… But he wouldn’t give in. He had promised her, and he’d hang on. It didn’t matter how it would end for him, at least he’d try… But he had to get out, he couldn’t die in there. He had to see Gwen again, he had to tell her, and tell detective Wright just as well.

He’d find “his way”, whatever it meant… he’d find it for her too… All of a sudden, the lightbulbs switched on. The kid’s heart skipped a beat, his breath snagged.

He turned to the door, his hands shivering tight into fists. His teeth clutching… He could do this, he tried convincing himself. He wouldn’t cry… The door opened slowly, squeaking a little. Finney was shaking like a leaf, when he saw him.

 “… Finney?”, mister Shaw said, his head leaning inside, “I-It’s me, Finney!”

He stepped inside, a little shaky himself. He was alone, though, nobody with him…

 “Where’s the Grabber?”, Finney asked, his fists raising.

 “O-oh, no!”, he exclaimed, his eyes red, “Don’t… d-don’t worry about him, he’s gone! I just want you to make me a promise, and then I’ll let you go!”

 “… No.”, Finney shivered pale as a sheet, his eyes widening in fright.

 “Finney,”, the man put his hands forward, taking a step closer, “it’s okay now!”

 “No,”, the kid wasn’t looking at him, words evading him, “no, no…!”

 “Listen,”, Max assured, “just promise me you won’t say a thing, and-!”

Terror screamed through the kid as soon as the axe slammed, sinking so deep in mister Shaw’s brain… His brother was just behind him, leaning against the wall. Panting a little… Max stepped further like his legs were still moving on their own, his face frozen in a wide gape, before he finally collapsed on the ground.

Just then, at last, the Grabber stepped inside as well, the man’s blood all squirted on his mask. He just wore its upper half, his mouth in plain sight… his gaze low on his brother… His eyes seemed to flicker, as they finally lay on Finney.

 “Look what you made me do…”, he snarled, fury in his voice, the kid’s breath growing sharper and sharper, “You made me kill my brother!”

 “N-no…!”, Finney panted in fear and disbelief, his back pressing to the wall, his eyes frozen on his own teacher, “It wasn’t me, I… I-I…!”

 “He was an idiot.”, the man replied, stern, following the kid’s gaze, “… But it was my idiot.”

His head still hurt right where he had been hit. The more he looked at Max, the more clearly he felt a pang in his chest: now he’d have to put him with the others…

 “I’m sorry, Max…” he mumbled stepping closer, “It shouldn’t have gone this way.”

And just like that he retrieved his axe, struggling a little to squeak its blade out of the man’s skull… Finney was wheezing, feeling sicker than ever in his life. So much blood, and that was mister Shaw… He slammed a hand on the black phone, holding it tight: he wasn’t alone, he forced himself to keep in mind…

 “What’s up with the phone, huh…”, the man grumbled as soon as he saw him like that, “I told you it doesn’t work!”

That stroke something inside the kid, his teeth clenching hard, some sort of rage suddenly taking over his fear… Half a smirk stretched on the man’s lips, just like that, Max and everything else suddenly forgotten, at least for a moment.

 “… Angry, are we?”, he put his free hand in a pocket, his axe clenched in the other one, “Well, you know what, Finney? I’ve got something for you, right here…”

He threw it, and Finney looked at it twirling in midair a couple of times, before it landed by his feet… It shivered in his hands, as he took it back, turning it time and time again between his fingers: it was his mechanical, rocket-shaped pen, its tip untouched. Still sharp like he last used it… its shell brown with clotted blood…

 “You know?”, the man’s voice sounded grave, “Normally, I’d just take my belt off… But you are special, Finney. So I’m gonna take my time…”

His hands fretted on his axe, clutching it firmly, like they were eager to strike down.

 “Samson!”, he called, a black dog coming downstairs, snarling and frothing.

The kid felt cold shivers running on his spine, his hand clenching around his pen. His eyes flickering from the man to his dog to mister Shaw… blood dripping endlessly from the latter’s head, soaking the ground right next to the other boys…

 “Now, Finney,”, his captor shivered as well, “you want to leave? Then bring it on.”

And he wanted this, he was ready for this… The kid looked at his pen again, his only way to fight his way out. That was right, fighting him… facing him… That was what she wanted, right? But Finney felt a shudder in his chest. This wasn’t right, it just didn’t feel right: that man in front of him, his own captor, the Grabber itself… the son of a bitch who hurt Robin… As much as the kid hated him, as much as he feared him, there was something about him. Something out of place…

“Bring it on…” the man insisted, eager as ever… eyes flaming…

But there was something inside of them, Finney noticed just like that; he spotted it glistening like tears, shivering like fear… Just like that, all of a sudden, realization crossed the kid sharp, and abrupt: that man was scared. He was terrified, just like him, both of them shaking in terror. As different as they were…

 “Bring… it… on…”

The kid felt his pen shivering between his fingers, his breath growing deeper, and deeper: this was it. This was what she meant… All of a sudden, he felt his fear slipping away, something coming back. Something his mother said about dying.

 “It’s more like waking up, from a dream you’re fast to forget…”

And just like that, his pen slammed on the ground, cracking and shattering under his foot. The Grabber stared at it for a while, silence suddenly looming inside the room: he had expected anything, but this… He raised his gaze, crossing Finney’s.

 “… I don’t want to fight you.”, the kid shook his head, no fear in his voice.

The man lowered his axe, just like that, his dog seeming almost as baffled as him…

 “You know…”, Finney gulped, “I’ve been wondering a lot what it meant. To stand up for myself… I really had no idea what Robin meant by that.”

He was shivering, but he was doing his best to keep it together, as much as he could.

 “I thought it meant”, his voice was thin, but firm, “to be like him. To become like him, and the others… to change… And I tried.”

He fleetingly thought back to the other day, Buzz’s broken face still haunting him.

 “I tried,” he felt his eyes stinging with guilt, “and… and I thought, is this what it means? To become like my dad… Is this what’s expected of me?”

He still couldn’t answer that last question, but he was pretty sure it didn’t matter. And it didn’t even matter that the Grabber understood him, or not…

 “Well,”, he sighed, “I don’t want to become like him. I won’t let them break me, I won’t let my town get the best of me… I want to be braver than them. And if I can stand up for the ones I love, then I can stand up for myself too…”

His tears kept welling up in his eyes, his heart beating in his chest, his breath racing.

 “And I won’t care if they’ll call me a fag, or think I’m a sissy. I won’t run anymore, and I won’t hide ever again! And I won’t be ashamed, I won’t let the others use me again, or tell me what to do anymore, ‘cause this is how I want to be!”

And just like that, he felt a smile stretching on his lips, as much as he kept shaking. His captor, on the other hand, looked dumbstruck, his axe fretting in his hands.

 “… Is that so?”, he sounded devoid of emotions, “… Do you think it’s that easy?”

He had Samson by his feet, still growling viciously. Finney stood still, right where he was, when the dog barked, his owner still feeling those words in his head…

 “Well, Finney,”, he hissed through his teeth, “I’ve got some bad news for you: you can do as you wish, you can act like you don’t give a shit… But you know what, Finney? They won’t give a shit, either. And it won’t matter how many times you’re gonna get back on your feet, they’ll be always there, ready to throw you down.”

He knew something about this, and Finney could easily tell, mister Shaw’s blood still gushing out of his head… The man wouldn’t even look at him, now.

 “And sooner or later,” he insisted, “they’re gonna break you anyway! And you can act as brave as you want, but this won’t bother them… Courage doesn’t matter, out there, Finney! And the only way to survive with them, is playing by their rules!”

Maybe he was right, Finney realized, maybe it would always be like this. And yet...

 “This isn’t about them,”, he replied, “it’s about me. I’m done surviving, and I’m done being scared of the way I am… I’m gonna live, I'm not gonna lose myself.”

Lightbulbs flickered, all of them, some dust leaking from the ceiling… The kid felt a shiver in his chest, his captor’s dog letting out a whine, rushing to hide behind his owner’s legs. The man was looking around, feeling strange, like somebody else was in there, their gazes piercing through him… It wasn’t the first time.

It happened often, down there… It was that room, he used to tell himself, it was all the painful memories burdening him since he was a child.

But this time it felt different… stronger… Finney, on the other hand, felt his breath slowing down in his chest, his eyes finally closing. Another breath, as deep as he could, a couple of tears slipping down his cheeks…

 “Du,” it shivered on his lips, “du, du du du du du, du du du, du du du du, du…”

He hesitated just a second, just one last second, whatever had happened with Vance now stinging back inside of him. This time, though, he was not afraid.

His captor kept staring at him in confusion, the air all around him seeming to clutch his throat… He had no idea what was happening, the kid suddenly looking aloof.

“Du,”, his voice grew confident, “du, du du du du du, du du du, du du du du, du.”

And for some reason, the man felt skin crawling, more and more unable to stop it.

 “S-Samson…”, he shivered, stepping back, “Y-you get him, Samson!”

 “Threads, deep, within your own heart, one is red and the other is blue…”

But his dog was crouched, shivering and whimpering, his eyes flickering all around himself: something was off, he felt it even better than his master now…

 “Flicker, endlessly strong, intertwine, drifting further to you.”

Just like that, the whole room seemed to shake and rumble, the man ducking while his dog ran away, sprinting up the stairs, his owner uselessly calling him back.

“I’ll sing a song to you ringing so strong, through the fiercest of winds.”

The man struggled to straighten back up, ground seeming to tremble under his feet.

 “My voice will nurture the truth that I held here resounding within.”

The kid’s voice kept growing louder, a wide smile on his face… The man struggled to hold it together, strived to grasp everything going on in his head.

 “Somehow time is fast asleep, As this wind blows endlessly…”

He didn’t know what was happening, he just knew he didn’t like this at all…

 “Cradled by a sky of stars, Shadows come as a mirage…”

The door slammed before he could cross the threshold, knocking him down.

“Never would the answer be the tears that fall as I cry out…!”

He had been thrown next to Max, immediately fretting back.

 “So why am I crying now?”

All of a sudden, warm air filled the room in an abrupt, ongoing burst.

 “Following a traceless path made up of our own faith, Hence why I wonder!”

The lights on the ceiling kept going ruddy, and then blue, and then red again…

  “Is it a gift, is it a curse? The right to tell is just to me!”

Something seemed to blow up all around Finney, tears flowing down his cheeks.

 “Finally I found the only thing that makes my heart beat so loudly…!”

The Grabber was thrown against a wall, the whole basement seeming to shake.

 “It’s when I can touch your hand!”

Fear kept running through the man’s body: what the fuck was even happening…

 “Shall reality and its meanings ever keep up to their essence!”

He held onto the wall, struggling on his feet, reaching the door.

 “For I don’t mind about how foolish this could seem…!”

He pulled, and pulled stronger, but it was shut. Lights kept flickering on his head.

 “How frightening it could seem…!”

Finney’s voice was still growing, the man started calling for help.

 “For life is but a dream within a dream…!”

The whole room shook again, dust falling down on them both.

 “So take my hand, and lead me through!”

Then they came, echoing all around the kid. Voices, so many voices, humming his same tune… The man was crumpled against the door, wheezing in fright, cracks forming on the walls. He felt like he was in the eye of a cyclone, air spinning all around him. Something seemed to screech, so loud his ears were aching… And then, just like that, everything seemed to take a sudden rest, ground going steady.

 “Just a memory from my past, Buried deep inside my chest…”

Finney’s voice seemed to soften, the air all around him returning cold, and still.

 “As I spread my wings to fly…”

He looked lost in thought, like his mind was a hundred miles away from him…

 “Like a sparrow from his nest.”

Just like that, the man got enough of a grip to look in front of himself.

 “So it seems, maybe, then… So it seems, maybe, then…”

His only weapon was right there where he dropped it, close at hand…

 “Should our fears be put aside, should our souls be free to be.”

The Grabber soon found himself shaking on his legs, his axe in his hands…

 “So it seems, maybe, then… So it seems, maybe, then…”

Just then he heard a creaking sound, noticing the wall phone he had always known.

 “Shall your hopes take me away, shall they greet myself as you.”

It was moving, like it was breathing… What the actual fuck, he was shuddering.

 “I promise to you.”

Another shake, sudden. The man managed to stand, the air now feeling hot again... He had to be quick. Whatever the fuck was happening here, it was because of this brat, somehow. And he didn’t seem to notice a thing anymore… The man threw himself, his head jarring, rage snarling through him as he lifted his axe.

Finney opened his eyes, staring in his captor’s, and the man took a second to realize somebody was holding him back, like four pairs of hands had grabbed him the second he tried to slam his axe.

He felt the kid’s gaze on himself, he saw the wrath it was fueling… But his blood froze only when he saw them around himself, all four of them, covered with blood and fretting from head to toe, their eyes devoid of emotion. Their graves shaking… They pulled him back, his weapon dropping down.

 “Never would the answer be the tears that fall as I cry out!”

Finney’s voice blew out of him, a warm gust of air swirling all around the room.

 “So why am I crying now!”

Those four walls were shuddering, dust oozing in the air. The man on the ground…

 “Following a traceless path made up of our own faith, Hence why I wonder!”

He couldn’t get up, they held him down. They were on him, as much as he fought.

  “Is it a gift, is it a curse!”

And there was no way his begs would sort any effects on them, or Finney…

 “The right to tell is just to me!”

More and more cracks appeared all around, the ceiling rumbling.

 “Finally I found the only thing that makes my heart beat so loudly!”

Tears kept flowing down the kid’s cheeks, laughter in his voice, echoes in the air.

 “It’s when I can touch your hand!”

That basement had never looked so bright. It wasn’t just in there, not anymore.

 “Shall reality and its meanings ever keep up to their essence!”

The whole house was rumbling above his head, all the lights flickering frantically.

 “It’s just for us to find, for even if it’s dumb!”

The grid on the window clattered down on the ground.

 “If it’s messy or wrong!”

The lightbulbs were whirring, hues of pink and blue and purple coloring the air.

 “I want to go beyond what’s right today, for this dream is mine to keep!”

Something cracked and busted, something else popped, light flashing through the room. Shards fell on the ground as Finney’s eyes snapped open, his breath wheezy like he had just come out of a deep sleep, air coming back to his lungs.

It took a while, though, before his breath started to slow down, deeper and deeper, his tears still flowing… What just happened? Why was it so dark in there, now… He felt like he had dozed off for a while, hardly remembering what happened since he closed his eyes. His ears were ringing, whistling in a soothing way.

He felt his heart hammering in his chest, his head spinning. What just happened still flowing inside of him… Little he took to spot his captor on the ground, his wet cheeks going cold: the man was a bleeding mess, sobbing in whimpers, his clothes shred… his mask off his face… It lay half-way through him and Finney, shattered. The kid still felt his pulse racing, as his feet dragged him closer, stepping over the man’s axe: its sturdy handle had been snapped in two like a toothpick.

He could see his face, now, he could look deep into his eyes, glassy from his fright. His real face looked so common, so plain… He was pale, covered in so many cuts and bruises, and he was shaking frantically, apparently staring blank. But actually, he was staring at the five of them, the four graves and his brother’s fresh corpse laying by the empty pit. Their faces still flashing in his eyes…

 “Welcome”, their voices still pierced through his ears, like sharp blades, “to the nightmare end of your pathetic little life… It hurts, motherfucker, it hurts so bad… You don’t have much time… Finney is so mint… I’m sorry, Bert, I’m so sorry…”

Finney couldn’t help pitying him, before glancing back to those graves as well: he remembered something, now. He remembered just enough to get what just ran into the Grabber… why his face was frozen in so much terror…

 “Back!”, the man suddenly realized the kid was on him, hiding his face in wheezes and whimpers, “S-stay back, please… P-please don’t hurt m-me…!”

Him aside, the whole room had returned silent, just some echoes lingering. But the kid wasn’t sure if they came from the walls, or if they were just in his ears.

He was processing yet, an unusual thrill shaking his heart… He did this. This was all because of him… And the more he thought about it, the less fear he still felt.

Some leaks of dust kept falling from the ceiling… Looking up, his eyes adjusting to darkness, he could see all four lightbulbs had popped just like balloons. A stingy, burning smell in the air… But it wasn’t just them, he soon realized.

He turned around, hearing it crackling: the black phone seemed to have blown out, a few sparkles dripping and burning out on the ground, smoke coming out of it… A couple more tears left the kid’s eyes, a smile shivering on his face. The window had blown as well, chatters and noises flowing inside the room.

-

Gwen was running her feet off, that alley stretching between the houses… She had no idea where she was going, she just knew where it was. She just felt it inside of herself, her breath growing deeper and deeper... a voice endlessly echoing in her head... It was his voice, Finney’s voice. And he was there.

She had rushed out of the car before miss Collins could ask her anything, so fast that not even the PE teacher could catch up with her. The little girl had heard the woman and both the detectives calling her back, but she hadn’t listened to them… She had gone for a narrow alley, knowing it would lead her to her brother.

 “He’s this way!”, she had reassured them, that path being too small for their car, leading to the same road they were heading to… She knew Finney was that way, she could feel it. She had no idea what was going on, she didn’t even know where she was going. She just knew she had seen him.

She had dozed off on the way there, just a few minutes… She had seen a home. A big, rundown house older than half a century… And then she had seen a dark room, Finney standing right in its middle, a black phone swelling on the wall behind him. And she had seen them all behind his back, from Griffin to Bruce Yamada… And she had seen her as well: looking her way, smiling sweet and caring at her… Gwen still heard her mother’s lullaby in her ears, her brother’s voice seeming to lead her, echoing deep inside her chest. By now, she was almost there…

Her lungs were burning, her legs just about to give in… At last, she popped out on a large road, pretty houses on both sides. There was a bit of a commotion, a little further, she could see people clustering from all around, many rushing that way.

The little girl, still panting, hurried down there as well, pushing through the crowd. Air looked pretty hazy around there, but it wasn’t fog. It felt more like dust…

 “What is it?”, she called, completely unheard, “What’s going on here?”

Everybody seemed thrilled, their voices filled with shock and dread… Gwen kept pushing, not even sure if she was going the right way in the crush. All pushing just like her… And all of a sudden she was holding onto the fence, her eyes widening.

The house on the other side looked already worse than the others on the road, but that wasn’t the problem, right now: the whole place was shrouded in dust, a weird smell in the air. Glass had blasted from all the windows, walls missing some boards here and there… It almost looked like an earthquake occurred there.

 “It was so sudden…”, the little girl heard all around, “Was it gas…”

Gwen felt her fingers clenching on the fence, her heart panging in her throat: that was it, the house she saw! It looked even worse than in her dream, but it was it.

At last a police siren blared through the air, approaching fast. And by the time the car screeched in front of Shaws’ residence, Gwen was the only one still lingering in front of it, unable to divert her gaze, her breath fretting in her lungs…

 “Gwen!”, her PE teacher rushed to her, just as taken aback as she was.

 “He’s here…”, the little girl deep panted, her eyes on the house, “Finney…!”

Wright and Miller had already reached them as well, both of them struggling to put their astonishment into words, especially Miller: when he first came there, and thought that house could collapse any second, he hadn’t meant it this literally…

 “Okay.”, his colleague puffed, “Looks like we have a change of plans.”

And Miller nodded, both of them asking Gwen and miss Collins to step aside; it took a while before the PE teacher managed to pull the little girl from the fence… By the time the detectives were ready to enter, though, a door squeaked soundly.

Both men, promptly enough, drew their guns from their holsters, gasps raising around them. They couldn’t deal with that crowd right now, unfortunately they hadn’t thought to bring any officers along… A shadow hesitated on the porch.

It took a step further, planks creaking under its steps… Seeing it was alone, Wright put his gun away, urging his partner to do the same. And by the time he did too, it was easy to see who it was, the dust fading more and more around him.

Miss Collins and Gwen stared at him with wide open eyes, the kid slowly dragging himself, taking in his surroundings, looking dazed at every step he took.

He was barefoot, sweaty and covered with dirt, pale as a sheet… The second he saw them, though, he froze right there, his eyes meeting the little girl’s, both of them unable to look away. The crowd all around had turned silent, wondering what was this all about, relief wheezing in Gwen’s breath…

 “Finney!”, she suddenly rushed through Shaws’ front gate, her legs dragging her all the way to her brother… Before he could take a couple of steps closer, his sister was already squeezing his spine like he was a teddy bear.

He could hear her sniffling on his arm, shaking just like him. And he held her as tight as he possibly could, his heart shivering in his chest… In a few seconds, he saw miss Collins approaching them timidly, disbelief on her face.

The kid didn’t really get what was happening, he had no idea what were they doing here… His teacher bent enough to look in his eyes, a shaky smile on her lips, relief stinging in her eyes. The kid couldn’t help the glisten in his own… The woman pulled both him and Gwen in a hug, sighing deep, and they went along with it.

 “Finney!”, detective Wright soon reached them as well, Miller following in a haste, “Are you okay, Finney? What happened here, where’s the Grabber?”

The kid felt their gazes on him, eager and fretting as ever for an answer… But right now, he wouldn’t be able to explain anything to them, or anyone else.

 “… Basement.”, he just murmured, a bit shaky, “All of them… The basement…”

And he shuddered to think of his captors, his lungs clenching as he thought back to mister Shaw… Both detectives shared a look, astonishment soon fading as they took their guns out, rushing inside the house; miss Collins, instead, dragged both kids out of that yard, the two of them still holding each other tight.

-

Backup had arrived soon, both from there in Westminster and from Lakewood, a few policemen joining from Wheat Ridge too… Finney and Gwen were wrapped in comfy blankets, courtesy of the ambulance they were sitting on now. Patrol cars and ambulances kept coming, officers and nurses rushing in and out of the house.

The crush kept growing larger, news spreading wider and wider… Officers were handling the situation, anyway, holding the crowd back. It was just a matter of time, both kids heard the cops discussing all around them, before journalists and TV reporters showed up there as well… Wright and miss Collins, though, were still discussing about something else, occasionally glancing at both the siblings.

 “… So…”, Finney mumbled, looking that way, “Are you sure they’ll…?”

His little sister nodded, her head heavy: she was just done telling him how things went after he was grabbed, from the moment she came back home to the second she had been brought there… Wright and Miller had told her on the way.

 “… Hey, look!”, she reacted all of a sudden, her brother following her gaze, his eyes freezing on him: Miller and another cop were dragging him all the way down to the sidewalk, the man still shaking like a leaf, his hands cuffed behind his back.

 “Come on,”, Miller kept tugging him, “move!”

They had already questioned him inside, but he had kept his mouth shut. Their chat would resume at local police station, though, they had all the time they needed.

Finney and Gwen kept their eyes on them as they dragged that little man to a patrol car, slamming him inside: they almost struggled to believe that was the Grabber, the ogre everyone had grown so afraid of… As Miller and his colleague got in the car as well, the man looked out of the back window, his gaze crossing Finney.

For a while, they both stared at each other, their breaths snagging in their lungs. The kid was sure he could see the man’s eyes flame from there… As he was driven away, the crowd flared on the sides, despite many lashing out at its passage.

 “Monster!”, they beat on the car, rage in their voices, “Fucking monster!”

But Finney still saw that glisten in his eyes, the same kind of glisten he knew since he was little… He breathed in deep, clenching his blanket around himself.

 “Don’t worry,”, miss Collins peeped in, “he’s not gonna hurt anyone else.”

She and Wright had just approached the kids, looking their same way, and the PE teacher could easily spot a glimpse of fear still scraping through Finney’s gaze.

 “… Miss…”, he was more concerned about, though, “Robin… he’s okay, then?”

The woman smiled at that, nodding. It wasn’t the first time the kid asked so, but it reassured him so much to hear it, his sister nudging him gently… His plan worked, it really worked! Even if Robin would never look at him again… But he was safe, and he was being taken care of. And that soothed Finney way beyond relief…

 “Mister Wright?”, Gwen asked, and the detective turned promptly, “What’s gonna happen to the Grabber? I mean, how long will he stay in jail?”

The man’s lips thinned at that: it was still too early to talk about jail, a subject like that could easily be institutionalized for life, or end up in the death row… Just like that, the stretchers popped back from the front door, nurses leading the way. Most officers took their hats off as they passed, Gwen relying on the sign of the cross.

Like miss Collins, Finney couldn’t help feeling his heart clench at their sight, their squeak grating on his ears: their loads were all bagged, all five of them…

 “We could’ve saved them too…”, it slipped from Gwen, just like that, her hands clasped. Her brother and miss Collins turned, their eyes on her.

 “… I mean,”, she mused, “if I had listened to Susie… If I shared my dreams from the start, he could’ve been stopped before. We could’ve saved them too…”

She watched the nurses loading the stretchers, wondering how many of them she could have prevented, had she listened to Susie from the get-go…

 “No, Gwen.”, Wright stated firmly, reading her mind, “This isn’t because of you. You already did so much, both of you… Trust me.”

Both kids smiled at that, Gwen struggling to feel reassured… By then Wright knew about Finney as well, they had talked about this when they questioned her.

 “He’s right, sweethearts.”, miss Collins said bending at their height, holding their knees, “What you did for Robin… That’s incredible!”

And she wasn’t sure that was the right word for it: a thousand more came to her, but each one seemed too little for everything Finney and Gwen put themselves through. She was still short of breath since yesterday, since that whole matter had started to unravel, her disbelief slowly fading closer and closer to admiration…

 “And you know what?”, she wasn’t really sure they’d like hearing so, but she was pretty certain they’d better have, “I’m sure your mother would be so proud of you.”

 “She surely would…”, Wright seconded in a sigh, nodding heavily. Gwen, on the other hand, struggled to force a smile, a few tears in her eyes…

 “I know she is.”, Finney said, knowing he had already waited long enough, “… Gwen, there’s something I didn’t tell you, about those calls.”

His little sister looked a little baffled, hearing so, everybody’s attention on him…

 “Last Friday,”, he said, his eyes stinging, “after I talked with you, on the phone… Somebody else called. And I heard her again, the other day, but… I wasn’t really sure, you know? But last night… Last night I talked with her, in the basement.”

“Her”, so he said… Just hearing so, Gwen held her breath, her eyes stinging in so much anticipation. Finney smiled at his little sister, holding her shoulder…

 “She said she’s proud.”, he said, voice heavy with tears, “She said… she said she loves you too, the way you are. And also, she said…”

He looked at Wright, then: the latter was dumbstruck, the kid smiling gently at him.

 “She said it isn’t your fault, sir. And she said you were a special friend…”

And hearing so, the man felt his own heart twinging, something deep inside of him feeling a bit lighter, all of a sudden… no reproach in Finney’s gaze…

 “W-well.”, he smiled keeping his gaze low, unwilling to show them his teary eyes, finding himself at a loss of words, “… Thanks f-for telling me.”

He was shaking a little, sighs weighing on his breath… Finney, on the other hand, was hugging Gwen tight, the little girl smothering her sobs in her brother’s blanket. But she was happy he told her, she really couldn’t be happier…

 “W-what…” she soon wiped her cheeks, though, her attention switching to Wright again, “What about now, though? W-what’s gonna happen now, if our dad…?”

That was her concern now, from the moment she had learnt about it from Wright and Miller: their chief agreed, they said. Something had to be done, they said…

 “Whatever happens”, Finney stepped in then, holding her hand, “from now on, we will always be waiting for each other, even if we’re split up. I promise…”

He was just as scared as she was, but now he realized it was better like this: Gwen deserved better than their life now, even if it meant being away from him… Her hand held tight onto his own, a smile shivering and shaking on her lips.

Miss Collins, though, had already exchanged a look with Wright, the man nodding: she could tell them, no reason to keep that from them…

 “Actually”, she smirked in a gentle way, “I was talking with mister Wright about this, and we thought of something for you two…”

But before she could tell them, the little girl had already glanced over her shoulder, her gaze suddenly freezing in a bad sort of surprise… The others followed her gaze, easily spotting him coming that way: he was staggering at every step, wearing just a jacket on his plaid, open shirt, his black hair looking more stringy than ever.

 “… I’ll deal with him.”, Finney recovered quickly, getting down the ambulance before anyone could say a thing, his feet dragging him.

He had been waiting for this, he had wanted this… And before he knew, his father was standing right in front of him, looking down on him. He was panting, like he ran all the way there from Lakewood, his relieved face warped with disbelief.

Some officer had thought it was a good idea to notify him, telling him about the Grabber as well… That had been enough for the man to drop his beer bottle, for once, and take his car, driving full speed ahead all the way to Westminster. And now here he was in front of Finney, forgetting all of his rage for a moment.

His son was staring, glaring at him… But before he could say anything, the man had already pulled him into a hug, sobbing in his ear, his stench sickening the kid.

 “I’m sorry…”, he kept sighing, “I-I’m so sorry… I’m sorry, Finney…”

The more Finney heard so, the less he believed the man was actually saying this: thirteen years since he was born, and he had never heard anything like that coming from him, not even a slight apology… For a moment, he almost allowed himself to hope. For a single second, he almost thought about returning that hug…

 “I forgive you, son.”, the man added though, just like that, and Finney immediately felt cold sweat running down his back… his teeth clenching like his fists…

 “What for!”, he broke free with a push, his blanket falling on the ground.

Gwen stared at him, both Wright and miss Collins sharing a gaze: nobody had been expecting this, least of all mister Terrence Blake himself.

 “… Finney?”, he didn’t get it, anything but used to his son reacting like that.

 “What should you forgive me for, dad?”, the kid noted, harsh enough.

The man felt everybody’s eyes on him, especially the cops’… His car was parked just a little ahead, he had just come to take his children home.

 “… Finney,”, he said, “this isn’t the moment for-!”

 “Don’t you even wanna know how I got out of that home?”, the kid pointed out, “Well, I heard things, you know? On a black phone.”

That was enough to upset his father, the man suddenly turning as white as a sheet.

 “… F-Finney…”, he looked around, too many gazes on him, his hand stretching slow, “Finney, go get your sister. We… W-we’re talking about this at home-!”

 “We’re not, dad!”, Finney flinched, not even sure how to start, his teeth clenching, “… For all this time, after she died… I thought it was my fault, you know?”

His father didn’t answer, but the kid wasn’t really expecting him to answer anyway.

 “ ‘Cause I should’ve…”, he felt tears in his eyes, burning, “protected her. I know I should have… But now I think I blamed her, too. ‘Cause, you know…”

Gwen was holding onto miss Collins, the woman keeping her eyes on Finney…

 “I believed you.”, he shrugged, struggling to keep his gaze on his father, the man’s eyes stabbing his, “I thought you were right, I thought… if she had been like the others, they’d have left her alone. The cops, the others… So she wouldn’t… have.”

His voice faded for a second, his fists clenching: as much as it hurt, he was there to go all the way, and he would, until he reached the bottom itself…

 “Finney,”, his father had tears in his eyes as well, “let’s go, now-!”

 “But I was wrong!”, Finney snarled, “I was just too afraid to see it was you!”

Those words pierced right through the man’s chest, so loud they could be heard all the way to the ambulance, where Gwen and the others were staring at them.

 “W-wha…”, mister Blake stuttered, eyes flickering, “What are you-”

 “You were never there for her.”, the kid sniffled, “You just kept on shaming her, wearing her down… You were always ready to rub it in, no matter what!”

Any trace of relief was suddenly gone from the man’s face, his eyes growing redder.

 “Finney,”, he warned, “now listen to me-!”

 “You say you loved her,”, Finney didn’t stop, “but you never accepted her the way she was! You never loved her like she wanted you to love her!”

 “Enough, Finney…”, his father fretted, his voice shivering through his teeth.

 “You are the reason why”, the kid finally yelled, somebody approaching fast, “she cut her wrists! It wasn’t her, or the others, it was you! It’s you she couldn’t stand anymore! And you don’t want to protect us… You’re just looking for a punchbag, ‘cause you’re too coward to admit it was your fault!”

The man’s eyes widened in way more disbelief than before, his lips thinning after a second… Finney feeling fear pounding in his own chest… He stepped back, the man raising his arm despite gasps and yells raising all around him.

 “You, little…!”, he snarled, the kid shutting his eyes…

He waited for it, but it didn’t come. Just then he noticed his father’s arm stopped in midair, a black hand squeezing it… Wright was right there next to him, looking into the man’s eyes. Their teeth were grinding soundly, especially the detective’s.

 “That’s enough,”, he straight-up warned through them, “Terrence.”

At first mister Blake just stared back, flames in his eyes, like he expected Wright to let go… All of a sudden he pulled his arm back, his eyes flickering around. So many glares on him… Little it took for cowing unease to take over his anger.

Finney kept taking deep breaths in, his gaze stretching behind his back: Gwen and miss Collins were still on the ambulance, astonishment on their faces… He smiled at them both, a few tears slipped down his cheeks. All of a sudden, the sky seemed much clearer than before. A couple of birds could be heard chirping nearby.

EXCERPT FROM LAKEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT’S PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE CLOSURE OF THE GRABBER’S CASE

 CHIEF WALKER: Our community’s nightmare has finally come to a bittersweet end a few days ago with the arrest of Albert Elias Shaw and the rescue of Robin Arellano, but also the discovery of four bodies who have been identified as the other missing children from Lakewood and Westminster. In addition, the body of Maximilian Theodor Shaw, younger brother of Albert Shaw himself, was found at the scene; his involvement in this case is still to be clarified, but there’s no doubt his murder too is to be attributed to his brother. Now I would like to leave the word to detective Damian Wright, who broke this case. Detective Wright?

 DETECTIVE DAMIAN WRIGHT: Thanks chief, but there’s very little I can add. What can I say is, despite spending so many months on this case with my partner, detective Samuel Miller, and all of our restless colleagues, the real credit for this resolution goes to a couple of siblings, friends of Robin Arellano, who managed to locate the perpetrator known as “the Grabber” all by themselves. Without their help, I can’t tell how long it would have taken for us to find out, or if Robin Arellano would still be alive. These siblings, whose names won’t be revealed, are now about to receive proper care just like their friend, before going back to a normal life.

ONE MONTH LATER

Both the siblings hesitated on the porch, just a little, before stepping in miss Collins’ hallway, their bags weighing on their shoulders: the woman’s house was nice and cozy, its walls clean. There were a few pictures, here and there, the living room looked bright and airy. It smelled so nice, much nicer than they expected.

They could hardly believe being there, after so many weeks spent in Denver… The facility they had been sent to, a “shelter”, was filled with women and children who had underwent their same shit. The people running it were pretty nice, too.

And yet, they had spent every day in there waiting for things to get settled… And now it all was, at last, after a whole month. According to miss Collins, though, it would usually take even longer: apparently, Lakewood police had speeded things up for them, both Miller and especially Wright putting most of the pressure.

 “Well,”, the woman rubbed her hands, “what do you think?”

Finney held his sister’s shoulders, while the little girl kept looking around like she was in some kind of fairy tale. Somehow, it felt bigger than their previous home.

 “It’s… really nice, miss.”, the kid mumbled, and Gwen agreed. The woman, then, led them all the way through the hallway, their new room being right at its end.

She had spent last couple of days preparing it, right after calling the kids in Denver to tell them the good news… It had felt so relieving, today, seeing them rush at her with all of their things, tears in their eyes as they hugged her.

That room was her study, before, but she had already moved her desk in the living room. The shelves were still there, but she had already pulled out all the books… She had fixed Finney and Gwen a couple of mattresses, for the moment. Proper beds would come soon enough for them, just like the rest.

Both kids put their bags down, miss Collins looking at them from the door, laying her shoulder against the jamb… just a little bit nervous…

 “Do you like it?”, she really hoped: she couldn’t give them separate rooms, her home wasn’t big enough… Before Finney could answer, Gwen had already thrown herself on the mattress in front of her, landing poorly enough to tumble down.

 “Gwen!”, her brother rushed on her, “Hey, are you okay?”

But she just chuckled, and Finney shook his head, unable to keep his own laughter. Miss Collins now felt a little reassured: it was so nice to see them smiling… A little later she was knelt in front of them, both siblings sitting on the mattress.

 “… so I thought”, she was putting forward, “we could get our first lunch together at McDonald’s. You know, to celebrate a little… Would you like that?”

They both nodded, just a little unused to this. Their father never let them take fast food at home: it wasn’t healthy for them, he never stopped remarking.

 “Good,”, the woman nodded, “just let me deal with some things about school, first, and then off we go. If you need anything, just call me…”

She was jazzed, and it showed. She was just so glad having them here with her…

 “Thank you, miss.”, Finney held her just a second, “For everything…”

His eyes glistened with gratitude, just like his little sister’s, respite on their faces.

 “… You can call me Betty, now, if you prefer.”, the woman smiled.

As soon as she left, the kid got up on his feet, a sigh leaving him: it was done, he still struggled to process, everything was over… The next day, he and Gwen would be back in school. And he would have to face everyone there…

 “Finney?”, his little sister got on her feet as well, “… We… we did it, then?”

There was still a little uncertainty in her voice, but her brother smiled confidently.

 “Yeah, Gwen…”, he held her shoulders, “We did it.”

A little later they were taking their stuff out of their bags. Or at least what could be stored already… And yet, that room looked wonderful to both of them.

 “… Finney.”

Gwen had glanced outside the window while storing some of her relics on a shelf. But the second she had, she had spotted someone coming up the road… And as soon as Finney spotted him as well, cold sweat flowing down his own forehead, he had already rushed out of there, hurrying all the way to the front door.

His breath shivered, his heart was hammering in his chest, ready as he was to run after him… But as soon as he burst the door open, he saw him right there, in his black leather jacket; his eyes snapped nearly as wide open as Finney’s were.

He had heard about him and Gwen coming back to Lakewood today, and he was just about to knock on the door, when the kid had popped out on the threshold.

For a second they just stayed right there, staring at each other, their breaths growing deeper and deeper… Gwen was keeping her distance in the hallway, and miss Collins had come out there as well, by now, her eyes on the two boys.

 “… Hey Finn.”, Robin spoke first, his voice a little hoarse.

 “Hey…”, Finney mumbled, his heart in his throat: it was him, it was really him… Robin kept his hands stuffed in his pockets, something shaking in his eyes. A whole month passed since they last saw each other… During last weeks, on the phone, Finney used to ask miss Collins a lot about him.

How he was, if his wounds were getting better, when would he be released… And now here he was. And Finney was fighting the urge to hug him, to say how happy he was to see him… But he immediately recalled Wheat Ridge, and his own confession back there. He felt blood draining from his face, thinking of what he told him…

 “Robin.”, he gulped, ready for anything, “I-I’m sorry, Rob-!”

But just like that, Robin threw his arms around the kid’s neck, his grip so strong he could have choked him. His breath shook in Finney’s ear, filled with relief…

 “I like you too, buddy.”, he sighed, at long last, “I always have…”

And Finney needed a second to process… But as soon as he did, he felt his breath staggering with tears soon flowing down his cheeks, disbelief crossing him.

Before he knew, his hands were shaking around Robin’s back, clinging to his jacket, most of his sniffles smothering on the kid’s shoulder. He didn’t hug him too tight, just because he was afraid to hurt him: he still remembered how he found him…

 “I said maybe,”, Robin started humming, smiling as teary-eyed as Finney, “You’re gonna be the one that saves me, And after all, You’re my wonderwall…”

Miss Collins smiled too, just a bit less moved than surprised, while Gwen struggled to keep her own squeals, fretting in excitement: she knew it!

-

Sunlight beamed from the window, soft and delicate… Finney and Robin were sitting on the sofa, despite its cushions feeling a little hard, in front of each other. Gwen and miss Collins had left by themselves, to leave the boys some space… They’d come back in due time with everything, both burgers and snacks. Finney had just asked for a hamburger, the ice cream was already in the fridge.

Robin would stay for lunch too, miss Collins had invited him… He had just called home to inform that he’d stop there for a while, and Finney was glad he would. For now, though, he was even gladder being left alone with him.

Their PE teacher had opened a lemon sprite for them, before leaving with Gwen, the bottle resting on the small table with a couple of glasses, fizzing and sparkling.

But neither of the two were really thirsty right now… Finney had already explained everything: his sister’s dreams, the phone calls he got from Bruce and the others, the searches all around Lakewood… Robin had struggled to believe it, at first, but not as much as he would have, had it not been Finney. Now it was his own turn to explain, and the main subject was Daisy Sander, at the moment…

 “… and then she called me an asshole,” he was almost done by now, “and said I used her, or something… No idea what the fuck’s wrong with her.”

Finney was still struggling to take in every single thing happening during last hour, since he saw him outside the window. Disbelief panging inside of him…

 “So…”, he asked, “So, there’s… nothing between you and Daisy?”

 “Finney,”, Robin raised an eyebrow, “even if I liked girls, do you really think I’d go for a cabrona like Daisy Sander, seriously?”

And now that he pointed that out, Finney couldn’t help feeling like a real jackass…

 “How are you?” he changed their conversation, apprehensive.

 “I’m better.”, Robin nodded, a little heavy, “My back still hurts a little…”

He had been released the other day, now that his wounds had finally healed. His parents had prepared his favorite dishes to welcome him back home, and Luis had never left his side for a moment… Robin had let him sleep with him, for once.

 “I’ll have to…” he was still a bit ashamed to share, “to see a doctor, for a while.”

 “For your wounds, are they still bad?”

 “No,”, he shook his head, “more like a… shrink. You know, a headshrinker.”

He had protested, at first. But Hector had managed to convince him, eventually: according to the man and the others, it would feel way better, afterwards…

 “Gwen and I”, Finney reassured him, though, “gotta see one too.”

 “… Really?”

 “Yeah,”, he shrugged like it was no big deal, “it’s not so bad…”

It felt nice, actually, during last weeks: missis Ryce, the psychologist assigned to him and Gwen in the shelter, was a very good listener; following the first session, both their tongues had loosened up a lot, especially his own… Now they still had to see her once a week, and she was nice enough to come every Saturday there in Lakewood herself, to spend a couple of hours with them.

 “So, you’re staying with miss Collins, now?”, Robin rubbed Finney’s shoulder, gently, and the kid nodded in a blush, “And… how with your dad?”

 “… He’s not allowed to see us”, Finney sighed, “until we’re eighteen. And I don’t think we’ll want to see him anyway, by then…”

He and his sister had talked about this with miss Collins on their way there, and the woman had assured: if their father wanted to approach them, from now on, he’d have on her dead body. And they both knew she was serious about this…

 “Bueno,”, Robin smiled at that, “I’m happy for you…”

Finney knew he was. He had always been there to prod him about his father… he had always been there, whatever was wrong with him… His fists clenched.

 “And I heard” Robin chuckled, nudging him gently, “you really did a number on Buzz’s face! Seems that he stayed a few days in the hospital, thanks to you.”

 “… I’m not so proud about it.”, the kid didn’t smile at that, something pushing in his chest since he opened the door, and found Robin in front of himself…

 “I’m sorry.”, he avoided his gaze, something loosening.

 “… Sorry?”, Robin raised an eyebrow, “What for, Finn?”

Finney moved his own shoulder, avoiding the kid’s hand: by then, he knew what he had actually seen that day, between Robin and Daisy Sander. Robin even said he never liked girls in his life, as much as Finney strived to take it in… said that he had been liking him all the way since seventh grade… But it didn’t make Finney feel much better. Somehow, it made him feel even worse…

 “I-I treated you like shit…”, his voice scraped a little, “I didn’t even… I was so scared, and I took it out on you. I was such a jerk to you…”

 “Finn, it’s okay.”, Robin reassured; he knew what it felt like, he had been there as well: back in fifth grade, when he had started to realize, he had needed some time to get used about it, his mother and Hector thankfully being there for him.

 “And…”, Finney gulped, though, “a-and I’m sorry it took me so long, to find you. If I had been faster, that son of a bitch wouldn’t have hurt you like-”

 “Hey.”, Robin took his shoulders at that, gently but firmly, “Don’t say that, vale?”

 “Robin-”

 “Finn,”, he reminded him, “you fucking saved my life! You almost got yourself killed… I am sorry, buddy. I’m sorry I left you alone back there…”

 “Don’t.”, Finney shook his head, “… You were right. I had to stand up for myself.”

They looked in each other’s eyes, and Robin smiled, those words making his heart pang a little: Finney got it at last, and he had seen it, back in that basement…

 “I knew you just had to find it,”, he delicately punched his chest, “right here.”

 “… I would never have,”, Finney pointed out, though, “without you.”

 “Yes, you would.”

 “No, Robin,”, he shook his head, “it was you, you taught me. I’m just sorry I… I could never be like you. I’m not a fighter like you…”

But Robin’s lips thinned at that: there was something he had never told anyone, not even Finney. And it was time he knew, by now, it was the very least…

 “Finn,”, he caressed his hair, “it’s you I always looked up to.”

 “… What?”, Finney took a second to realize, “… M-me? How?”

 “You’ve always been a fighter, Finn!”, Robin assured, his hand passing on the kid’s cheek, “You were always afraid to throw a punch, but you always knew how to take one. Was it your dad, or cabrones like Buzz or Moose… That’s what we have in common, and you’re much more of a fighter than I’ll ever be!”

And Finney couldn’t help feeling surprised, his cheeks growing warm as Robin’s hand stopped behind his head, holding delicately. Some red on his cheeks as well…

 “That’s what I like most about you.”, he let out in a single breath, and Finney felt his gaze on himself, the flush on his own cheeks almost burning… A gulp slipped down his throat, but he wasn’t afraid to close his eyes. He didn’t really know how that worked, his mouth just shivered slightly open as he was pulled in…

Robin’s lips were soft, his mouth tasted sweet. Something swelled inside of Finney, pouring warm and pleasant in his chest, pounding from his heart.

By the time he pulled back, panting a couple of times, he was shivering a bit. Just like Robin… But he smiled, and Finney smiled as well, chuckles shuddering in his throat. They hugged each other tight, some sniffles shaking Finney.

 “I missed you, Robin.”, he snuggled.

 “I missed you too.”, Robin caressed his neck, ignoring his own back aching a little because of the kid’s grip, “… Don’t cry.”

 “I’m not.”, Finney assured, wiping away a couple of tears: it felt like a dream, to him. A dream he never believed in before… But here they were now, both of them survivors. Both of them ready to throw themselves back into life…

 “Also,”, Robin pulled him back, but didn’t let go of his shoulders, “my parents would like inviting you and Gwen for dinner, once. To thank you both, you know… And I’d be glad too if you came.”

He blushed, adding so, his gaze a little demanding… Finney giggled with him.

 “Yeah,”, he nodded, “I’d like that…”

He felt light, right now, maybe lighter than he had ever felt in his whole life, despite some worries being still there, since the moment he and Gwen arrived…

 “We’ll be back in school tomorrow,”, he puffed, a little uneasy, “how about you?”

 “Me too.”, Robin nodded, nearly as concerned as he was. They were still holding hands, their fingertips touching and rubbing delicately.

 “… What do we do?”, Finney wondered, “I mean, what about… How do you want me to treat you, tomorrow? Like before, like we’re just friends?”

Robin let out a breath: Finney got a point, he knew… But it wasn’t up to himself.

 “If you’re good with this, now,”, he reassured, “I am too.”

There was some fear in his eyes, just like in Finney’s… But the latter clenched his teeth, his hands holding Robin’s firmly. A smile appearing on each other’s faces…

 “We’re both fighters,”, Finney noted, “right?”

And that was right the answer Robin expected from him, the one he had hoped for. Just like that, they heard a car returning… Miss Collins and Gwen soon reappeared in there with a bunch of paper bags, the smell of fried filling the air.

-

The bell rang right as Finney and Robin entered the science building; they would see Gwen later, she had English class right now… They had all struggled to wake up, that morning, and Finney still let out a yawn every now and then.

 “Robin! Robin! Robin!”, his sister had hardly given him a break, last night, before turning lights off, “Smooch, smooch… Oh, Finney, my hero! Smooch, smooch…!”

But Finney hadn’t really minded her, still feeling on cloud nine to this very moment. He and Robin had science class with mister Johnson, right now… After school, while Gwen would spend her afternoon by Susie, the two of them would go to the movies together: Star Wars would be screened, and Finney had never seen it.

But he had to, Robin knew, especially since another one was in the works. He was sure Finney would love this, he was pretty positive it would blow his mind… Every now and then, their eyes met, both of them blushing in giggles.

The hallway smelled like chewing-gums and iron, just like usual, its pale walls all stained. It was packed, their schoolmates huddling and swarming all around… A lot of them stared their way. Actually, most of them did, gasps and whispers raising all around the two of them, loud enough to echo all the way to the ceiling.

 “…is that him…oh shit…thought he’d be bigger…he’s the one who beat up the Grabber…no way…the Grabber was seven feet tall…even saved Arellano…my dad’s a cop, I know…looks like Harrison Ford…its home blew up…so cool…”

Finney’s arms clenched around his books, his gaze lowering: he didn’t really like that kind of attention… Robin’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, reassuring him a little. In their own ways, they were both pretty nervous to be back there.

Half-way through the hallway, though, Finney spotted them, all three, in a corner; they had frozen as soon as they saw him, their gazes crossing the kid’s… He let out a breath: he had to settle things down with them, he just couldn’t wait for it.

 “Wait a second.”, he asked Robin, and then went for them.

As soon as they saw him coming their way, Buzz and his suck-ups went pale as sheets, shaking like reeds… The kid stepped right in front of them, taking them in: Buzz’s face was still covered in black and yellow bruises, fear shining in his eyes.

 “W-what…”, he stuttered, shivering from head to toe, “W-what do you w-want?”

Finney breathed in deep, feeling so many eyes on himself… He needed a second to realize the whole hallway had gone quiet, everybody holding their breaths around him. Their gazes pierced through him, eager to see what came now…

 “You’re an asshole,”, he went for it, then, Buzz gulping, “you and your friends made my life hell in here. You’ve no idea how much I hate you…”

He stepped closer, Buzz pressing his back to the lockers. And his friends wouldn’t help him, this time… even less with the ongoing rumors about the Grabber… The whole crowd of kids was fretting to see the scene. They were so ready for it…

 “But I’m sorry I broke your face.”, Finney astonished them all, though, “No one has this coming… Just stay out of my way, from now on. Okay?”

And just like that, he turned his back on his bullies, everyone around him groaning out their disappointment, Robin aside: he knew better than all of those morons… He rubbed Finney’s shoulder as he saw him puffing in relief. Now they could go…

 “You really are a fag!”, Matty blurted out though.

Both Finney and Robin stopped at that, giving him a sour look… That was enough for that jerk to step back, cowed: the cut on his forehead wasn’t entirely healed yet.

But Finney just looked in Robin’s eyes. And Robin got that gaze, everybody’s eyes still on them… Gasps shook the whole crowd as Finney took his hand, hurrying down the hallway. They were already late, class begun in a few minutes.

On the way there, Robin crossed gazes with him, half a smile on his face. Well done, he seemed to say, holding him tight… They didn’t even notice Daisy Sander on their way to class, nor how dumbstruck she looked seeing them like this.

Gazes were still on them as they entered the classroom, taking place in the back. As they fixed their stuff on the desk, Robin noticed having forgotten his eraser…

 “Do you want mine?”, Finney lent it to him, and the kid gladly borrowed it.

But the second he looked at it, he immediately recognized it: that was his own eraser, the one he had given Finney the first day they sat next to each other… And Finney remembered, of course, a knowing smile on his face. Robin held his arm, stroking gently, a twinkle in their eyes. The sun looked bright, outside the windows.