Derrek stepped past the corner of the barn. The youth mumbled something unheard, stepping further into the fields. Oh no, you won't get away this time. The fields were good fifteen meters removed from the barn, Derrek increased his pace.
His body reacted with a duck as another shot rang. He glanced to the right and saw the open window. Damn, I forgot about him. Derrek turned the flashlight to the window, hoping to get in a blind again. He froze for a second. I can't make it to the fields, the door is just a few steps back. Need to get back. He turned and ran inside the barn's back door.
He let out an exclamation at himself. Stupid, Derrek. Keep your mind together. It's possible he's firing blanks but you can't be sure. Derrek looked back through the open door, he shone his flashlight outside. In the fields, he saw mister pumpkin, Warren, looking at him. He was rubbing at his back before flipping Derrek off. Derrek got up his gun again, pumpkin mask didn't hesitate and broke through some stalks to the right. Derrek lost sight of him. Yeah, they really hurt like hell, especially the ones on your butt. Good thing he didn't know I was out of rubbers. Already on my last cartridge. Should have brought extra, mental note for next time.
From here, Yves couldn't possibly hit him. They already knew he was there so no need to stay hidden. He took a moment the shine his flashlight around the ground, looking for a bullet impacts. He spotted the tracks from himself and Warren, the point where he pivoted back toward the door had some ground slipped away, but nothing close to a bullet impact site.
"Warren?" An urgent whisper came from upstairs. Oh good, she didn't get out. Still can't be sure if it's blanks or real bullets. Derrek closed the door. It turned inward, he couldn't block it easily. He shoved one of the crates in front of the door. In case he decides to come in again, can't make it too easy.
"Warren?!" The whisper came louder, was she scared?
"Warren isn't coming back, I got him good." Derrek said as he climbed the ladder. He said it rather lightly, but he stopped when he made eye contact with Ashley. She was still at the same spot, hand cuffed to the wooden beam with a mouse blanket between her and the wood.
But she was in full panic. Eyes wide staring at him, body fully tensed against the mouse blanket. Derrek hesitated for a second on the upper rung of the ladder. Huh?
"You shot him, too?" She asked, with a swallow. Oh, she didn't know about Yves with the gun. The shots, she thinks it was me. And Warren hurrying out, followed by a yell and a shot. Damn. Can I use this further? Derrek brought his hand to his gun.
"No no, please, no. You don't have to do this." She said, her eyes getting wet. "I'll cooperate, I'll tell you whatever you need." Fuck Derrek, you're scarring her for life here… Well, she deserves a tiny bit of scarring for this.
Derrek held his hand on the gun and walked toward her, circling a bit around her, keeping eye contact. "I don't think you know anything more. I already know you're getting paid for this. Peter was very talkative." Her mouth quivered every sentence, she felt she was loosing her advantage. "Well, he won't be talking any longer." Derrek added. Damn, too dark?
She started ugly crying then, which was an ugly sight if you saw it happen with someone who couldn't cover their face with their hands. Yeah, ok, a bit too much.
"Anything I should know, now's your chance." Derrek unbuttoned the holster with a loud click, which got her full undivided attention.
"Please, Yves knows everything. We just had our roles." Derrek was pitying her, he saw snot trickle from her nose, intermingling with her tears, headed for her mouth. And she thought the mouse blanket was bad. I don't think she knows anything else, better stop it… Ok, just one step further.
"Yves? He was the one on the house, right?" Ashley's eyes hung on his lips. Derrek turned away from her. "Pity, I don't think I got a straight hit, but the drop was high. I'll check on him next," He looked at her and added with a smile, "you know, to make sure."
She broke eye contact and cried further. Ok, Derrek, that's far enough. She'll remember. He had passed by her at this point, and started moving toward the ladder again. It startled her again, thinking he came at her.
"We had to lure you inside the house. That's everything we knew, I swear." Derrek stopped, looking at her. She recognized she had gained something and didn't hesitate. "Get your attention, get you inside the house and Yves would do the rest. That's everything, please. I don't want to die." Hmm, so what's inside the house. Sounds like another trap… I'm really going to need back up. The Chief has to send help now, with the shooting and everything. He can't ignore that any longer.
Ashley sniffled a bit more, her gaze fixated at Derrek, mouth trembling.
"What's inside?" Derrek asked. Ashley blinked rapidly, pulling in the memories.
"I only saw from the back door. There were some ritualistic drawings. Penta-thingies, you know what I mean. Candles. Those kind of things." Great. Sounds like good fun. "Yves left the back door open, so we could always get in." They want me to come in, yet he starts shooting at me? Weird way to invite someone in. But I have my point of entry if I can get him away from that window.
"Anything else?" Derrek asked, "Something small he said, any detail?" Derrek saw Ashley's eyes going left to right, her mind racing.
"No, that's… He did say something about the dining room to Dina, but I didn't hear what." She turned her eyes toward the barn's door, which she couldn't see from her spot against the wooden beam. "Warren was distracting me… Oh god, Warren." Another flood of ugly crying came in. Derrek couldn't take it any longer.
"Your friends are fine. I only shot Warren with rubber bullets, same as I did you." Ashley peered at him, mouth wide open.
"But— the shots?"
"Yves. He was shooting at me. I'm guessing you didn't know he brought a gun?" Ashley just sat watching him in shock. The question pierced through her thoughts and she shook her head. "Yeah, I'm not sure if it's real bullets, but still."
"So, Warren is fine?" She asked, her eyes brightening up a bit.
"Yes, Peter too, thanks for asking. He hurt his leg falling over so crates. He's in more pain than Warren is."