"So, Jake." Chucky began. "Are you more of a stabbing kind of guy or a strangulation kind of guy? 'Cause I see the appeal of both."

Ivy wasn't too enthralled with their conversation.

She was picturing Lexi Cross's tombstone.

"I-I don't know.." Jake replied, unsure. "N-Neither.. I don't know if I can do this."

Chucky sighed, becoming impatient. "Oh, sure you can. Easy."

"You want hard, try choking someone with these." He held up his small plastic doll hands.

Jake just stared at him, a million thoughts behind his eyes.

"You hate her, don't you?"

"Of course I hate her." He admitted.

"She's definitely got it coming."

"Yeah, and I want her dead.. b-but what if I'm not a-"

He paused.

"Killer."

Chucky laughed. "Everybody's a killer if you push 'em far enough!"

"And I think Lexi's pushed you, right over the edge.."

Ivy nodded. "He's right, Jake."

Chucky spun around. "Oh, right. I forgot you were here."

She sighed. "You and me both.."

"Chucky.." Jake stuttered. "How did you end up like this?"

"Great question."

Ivy ran her nail along the edge of her knife then turned to the doll, ready to hear his fucked up story.

"In a lot of ways, it was your standard voodoo soul transfer. My big innovation was using the doll-"

Ivy shook her head. "No, I think he means, when did you become a killer in the first place?"

"Oh!" Chucky exclaimed. "Oh, I get it."

"Alright, kids. Let me tell you the story of my first time.. you never forget your first."

The Wheeler twins locked eyes, wearing the same concerned, yet, interested expression.

"Step 1; picking your prey. Could be a total stranger, could be someone close to you.."

Ivy looked down at the knife in her hand then back up at Jake.

He did the same.

They both placed their knives on the bed, not ready to think about that.

Yet.

"Or maybe someone you just want to shut the fuck up." He continued. "But no matter how you splice it, you gotta find that special someone."

"This sounds a lot like a sexual story.." Ivy frowned.

"Shut it, kid. I'm reliving my glory days." The doll sneered.

She rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably.

"Sorry, continue."

* * *

So, after listening to Chucky ramble on about his first kill all night, Ivy did not fall asleep easily..

It was hard to believe that a child was so full of hatred at such a young age.

He didn't specify what happened or who he killed, but just reliving the "good" moments of his childhood was enough to scar her for life.

"Isn't it crazy to think that we're living with the most nefarious serial killer ever?" Ivy whispered to her brother as he rummaged through his locker.

"Shut up, what if someone hears you?" He muttered, paranoid.

She frowned. "Yeah, that's the point of whispering."

He breathed out a sigh and leaned over in the locker, looking paler than usual.

Ivy was about to point it out when Devon suddenly appeared next to her.

"Ivy-" Jake started to say but immediately clamped has mouth shut when he locked eyes with Devon Evans.

"Oh, um.." He swung his bag over his shoulder.

"Am I too late to say boo?" Devon joked.

Jake said something Ivy couldn't understand and she took that as her cue to step away.

The brunette walked down the hall, ignoring the eyes on her.

Everyone was pretending to be nice to her just because her dad died.

Which is bullshit.

No one at this school, hell, no one in this town has cared enough to even spare her a wave but now because she's lost a "loved one" as they call it, everyone seems to care.

"I wish I could like.. protect you." She overheard Devon say.

A small smile crept across her face.

Jake finally had someone.

That was all she wanted.. someone to care for her brother as much as she does.

He didn't deserve to be treated so poorly.

She hurried off.

* * *

Ivy ran into Jake outside not five minutes after she left him alone with Devon.

"He said he wanted to protect me.." Jake muttered, a hint of excitement in his voice.

Ivy grinned. "Thats-"

Before she could finish, Mrs. Fairchild walked over.

"Wheelers."

They stopped.

"We need to chat." She sighed.

"Uh, I mean- we're meeting some friends-" Jake tried to come up with a valid excuse.

"Yeah, uh, we're kind of late." Ivy played along.

"It will just take a minute." She started. "I just wanted you to hear it from me, I've asked your aunt and uncle to come in for a meeting."

"Why?" Jake questioned.

"Did we do something wrong?" Ivy asked, wondering if Lexi tried to blame them somehow for the stunt she pulled last night.

"Oh, no. No, no, guys, you haven't." She reassured them. "I'm also inviting Lexi's parents."

Ivy shook her head. "Of course.."

"I think this whole thing between the three of you has gotten a little out of hand, and I think getting your parents-"

She stopped herself.

"Um- I'm sorry, the guardians to gather will help to-"

"To what?" Ivy interrupted. "Get her to fuck with us even more? Snitching won't get us anywhere."

"No, Ivy. I believe it will help to diffuse the situation." Mrs. Fairchild corrected.

"Y-You don't have to do that." Jake argued. "You know, me and Lexi are very cool now its.."

He sighed.

"It's all good."

Ivy nodded in agreement.

"I saw the pictures from Oliver's party." She admitted.

Just someone mentioning his name made Ivy want to rip her own tongue out and glue it to a window.

"They're all over school."

Jake nodded, looking off to the side uncomfortably.

Ivy was minutes away from a full-on mental breakdown. Her hands were balled into tight fists.

"You two don't need to pretend like everything's fine." Mrs. Fairchild said calmly, noticing Ivy's rageful behavior.

Jake's phone buzzed.

"Um- You know what? This whole parent- guardian meet up thing its.. its great, yeah. It's a really good idea."

"Okay." She agreed.

"Yeah, later." Jake grabbed Ivy by the arm and began to walk away.

"Wait, listen." Mrs. Fairchild sighed.

They spun around.

"I want you to know that if you two are ever in any sort of trouble, I just want you to know that you can always come to me."

She turned to Ivy. "Both of you."

Jake nodded. "Thanks, Mrs. F."

They hurried away.

"Who the hell is texting you?" Ivy questioned, her jaw clenched.

"Chucky."

She scoffed. "So he can use a phone now?"

Jake shrugged. "Apparently."

"My life keeps getting weirder and weirder.."

* * *

"The next thing you need you gotta do is really get to know your victim.." Chucky explained.

"What they like, where they go."

Ivy and Jake were camped out in the woods, tracking Lexi on his phone.

"But, eventually, you gotta get your victim alone.."

Ivy was pacing back and forth.

"This is insane, we look like crackheads."

Jake rolled his eyes.

"No we don't, and can you stop pacing? It's making me nervous.."

She frowned. "That's a good thing.. means you're not a total psychopath yet."

He side-eyed her.

"Keep it intimate. Really set the mood."

They both flinched when his phone beeped.

"Shit, Jake. Turn the ringer off."

He ignored her and leaned forward to get a better view of the dirt road.

Apparently Lexi likes to go out on runs here after school.

It's like she was begging to be murdered.

What kind of crazy bitch runs alone on a dark creepy trail?

Especially a fifteen year old girl with blonde hair.

"Timing is everything.. you're looking for that magic moment."

They both froze when she ran by wearing a bright blue hoodie.

"Just the three of you.."

Jake hesitated.

"Having second thoughts?"

He shook his head and ducked underneath the fallen tree they were hiding behind.

Ivy groaned as he started running after her.

"I guess not.."

She tailed her brother for a few minutes until they were ahead of Lexi.

Then, when she passed, Jake jumped out with his knife ready.

Ivy followed.

The only issue.. it wasn't Lexi.

"Woah!"

Ivy quickly hid her knife when she realized it was Junior.

Their cousin..

Jake stumbled back, panting heavily as he stared in shock.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Junior asked.

His voice quivered as if he was scared.

"I- we- we weren't doing anything- we were-" Jake stuttered, struggling to come up with an excuse.

"What's your problem?" Junior scoffed, clearly annoyed.

"Why the hell are you two following me?"

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Not everything's about you, Junior."

He shook his head. "Whatever, creeps."

He turned to leave and Ivy began walking towards him with her knife out.

Jake grabbed her by the arm.

"Ivy, no."

She groaned and stepped back. "Fine.."

They started walking home.

"The moment isn't always right, but I promise you, the right moment always comes.."