EQUINOX REQUIEM
CHAPTER THREE: A WRONG TURN
The sun hung low on the horizon, bleeding orange light across the rooftops. Hale coasted to a stop in front of his house, his bike tires crunching against the gravel. He pulled off his helmet, ran a hand through his messy hair, and exhaled — finally home.
He secured his bike against the gate, still smiling to himself as he jogged up the steps and swung the door open.
"I'm home!" he called, voice echoing into the quiet halls.
Silence answered him.
The living room was empty — no sign of his mom, his siblings, nothing. The faint tick of the wall clock felt louder than it should have.
Did they forget I was coming home?
He frowned, glancing around. Everything looked just as he remembered — the family portraits, the worn-out sofa, Lyric's half-finished puzzle on the center table. Familiar, but still… off.
He stepped across the room and peeked into the dining area. His smile faded immediately.
There was someone else at the table.
"Big broooo!!!"
Before he could process the scene, a high-pitched voice cut through his thoughts. Lyric burst from her chair and launched herself at him, arms spread wide.
Hale barely caught her as she crashed into his chest.
"Whoa—hey," he said, stunned.
Everyone in the dining room turned toward him.
"Hale, you're back!" Mrs. Wren said brightly, her eyes warm.
"I've missed you, big bro!" Lyric chirped, grinning up at him.
But Hale wasn't smiling anymore. His gaze locked on the visitor sitting at the far end of the table — an all-too-familiar smirk etched across the man's face.
Abbess.
The air in the room seemed to thicken. Hale's jaw tightened.
"What are you doing here?" His voice came out sharp, venomous.
Mrs. Wren blinked in confusion. "Abbess was visiting the neighborhood," she explained kindly. "So I invited him to dinner."
Abbess leaned back slightly, one arm resting lazily on the chair. "What's up, Hale?" he said smoothly. "Heard you've been away at boarding school."
"Can we talk?" Hale's tone was flat, unreadable.
Abbess arched an eyebrow. "Sure."
They both stepped out of the dining room and into the living area. The ticking clock was the only sound between them for several seconds. Hale's eyes flicked toward the hallway — far enough that his mother and siblings wouldn't overhear.
He faced Abbess squarely. "What are you doing here?" His voice was a low growl. "Leave my family alone."
Abbess chuckled under his breath. "You already know what I'm doing here. I came to ensure your silence."
"Don't you mean buy my silence?" Hale shot back, smirking despite the tension.
Abbess tilted his head slightly, amusement glinting in his eyes. "You've got quite the ability, you know. Took down several of my men. That's… impressive."
Hale crossed his arms, leaning in. "So what's it worth to you? How much can you cough up to make sure I stay quiet?"
The older man's smile slowly disappeared. His tone dropped — quiet, cold.
"I wonder if the rest of your family shares that same ability. It'd be a shame if they were to be attacked by, say, a few dozen armed men… and couldn't defend themselves."
The words hung in the air like smoke.
Hale froze. His pulse kicked into overdrive.
Is that a threat?
For a long moment, he didn't speak. His lips parted, but nothing came out. Finally, he muttered, "I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't even been near St. Boker Street in a long time."
Abbess's smirk returned, sly and knowing. "Smart boy. You always were. Just like your father."
He brushed past Hale, heading back to the dining room. Hale stood there, fists clenched, nails biting into his palms. The faint sound of Lyric's laughter twisted like a knife in his gut.
Abbess reached the doorway. "Well, I'll be leaving now," he said with a casual wave.
"You're leaving already?" Mrs. Wren asked, surprised. "Dinner's almost ready."
"Maybe another time. It's getting late," Abbess replied, slipping on his coat.
"Alright. Goodnight, Abbess. Be careful out there," she said warmly.
"I will. Goodnight, Mrs. Wren." He turned to leave, but as he passed Hale, he paused just long enough to pat him on the head.
"You're a very smart boy."
Hale's entire body stiffened. He didn't move until the sound of the door closing echoed through the house.
Mrs. Wren looked over. "You alright, dear?"
"Yeah," he muttered, forcing himself to sit at the table.
Asher callwd out to him, smiling. "Hey, little bro! What did you guys talk about?"
"Well—"
Skreeeeeee—BAM!
The piercing sound of tires screeching cut him off. Then came the sickening crunch of metal.
"What was that?!" Hale shouted, jumping to his feet. "It came from outside!"
He sprinted to the front door, heart pounding. The evening air hit him hard as he stepped out—then stopped dead in his tracks.
His face drained of color. His legs trembled.
"Mom…" he whispered, voice breaking.
Across the road, illuminated by the dim streetlights, lay Abbess's body. Mangled, twisted, broken. His eyes were wide open, staring straight at Hale.
For a moment, the world tilted. Hale's breath came in sharp gasps. The smell of burning rubber stung his nostrils.
"Hale, what is it?" Mrs. Wren called, hurrying toward him. She reached the door and froze. The color vanished from her face instantly.
Lyric took a step forward, but her mother's arm shot out to stop her. "Stay back," she said firmly.
Asher joined them, eyes widening as he took in the sight. None of them spoke. The silence was suffocating — broken only by the faint hum of streetlights and the blood rushing in Hale's ears.
Then—
BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!!
Three explosions ripped through the air. The entire house shook violently, the windows shattering inward. Flames erupted from the dining room, a wave of heat slamming against Hale's face.
He stumbled backward, shielding his eyes. The sound was deafening — dishes crashing, wood splintering, Lyric's terrified scream piercing through it all.
"Mom!" Hale yelled, spinning toward her. The blast had thrown debris across the hallway. Smoke curled through the air, black and suffocating.
Mrs. Wren grabbed Lyric and pulled her close. Asher rushed toward the kitchen, coughing through the thick smoke.
Hale's mind spun. His heart raced so fast it hurt. What the fuck is going on?!
Through the smoke and chaos, Hale's eyes flicked to the street — to Abbess's corpse lying motionless, his eyes still locked on the house.
For a split second, Hale could've sworn those dead eyes smiled.
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Chapter Three — End