"What would want me to do if I knew you were being cheated on?" I demanded,

Craig shrugged. "I'd say bro code. And bro code protects the bros."

"And is she not a bro? Avery's the reason you even have most of your fucking friends," I hissed. I'd never been this pissed at Craig. Not in the twelve years I've known him. We were adults now.

"Santos is gonna do what he does, Jack," Craig began, slouching back on his couch. "I've been friends with him before he started dating Avery."

Craig and I fell a bit of out of touch during college. When we reconnected, he had very few new friends; one of them being Santos.

Avery and I became close after Santos brought her into our friend group. Avery was open as a book and had a good word for just about everyone. She also brought lots of good people into our friend group, and for that I'm grateful.

I even began dating her new friend, Katja recently.

I never really got along with Santos, something about him seemed inauthentic. He had charisma and money, but he was always scheming.

Santos' latest scheme happened in the apartment across from mine, with the window open. A downside to my area was that you could see what your neighbours across the narrow street were up to at all times. I couldn't believe anyone would have sex against the window of an apartment to begin with, but he did. Craig spotted the beat up Ford Escape that Santos drove everywhere, and I put two and two together.

Even with her moaning face pressed against the glass, I could make out some of her features.

The girl wasn't Avery, she wasn't even in town. Craig and I were the only witnesses.

"I guess he forgot where I live, hey?" I chuckled.

"Don't you dare tell her, I don't want to lose you as a friend," Craig said. "I care about you, Jack. Santos made a mistake but you WILL ruin the whole friend group if you tell her...you don't have to be a white knight, okay?"

Annoyed, I puffed myself up and grabbed Craig by the collar.

"If you value our friendship, then you tell Santos he has to stop fucking around behind her back. You're enforcing something toxic here. If I catch him again, I WILL tell her, and you'll lose all of your friends."

Craig laughed, but I knew this laugh. He only laughed that distinctly when he was nervous. He excused himself from my apartment.

##

​

I got a call from Craig the next day, saying he told Santos to stop his adultery. Apparently Santos agreed, much to my skepticism. I knew he was gonna do it again, and I was going to catch him.

What I didn't know, was what his new mistress was capable of.

I placed a camera on my balcony, and zoomed it in a tad to get the window more in focus. The camera feed linked to an app on my phone.

For a week, nothing happened.

Avery came by my place one evening. She wanted to how things were going with Katja.

"It's been alright, can't say I've been enjoying her studying out of town," I said, pouring myself a drink. "I miss her quite a bit."

Avery got beside me and poured herself a drink. "She misses you too, but you guys still talk every day still, yeah?"

"I doubt that'll change."

"Gotta love loyalty, it's rare these days."

Like a blow to the back of the head that comment stunned me.

I wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell her so fucking badly. Avery deserved someone loyal, too. She did so much for me, yet I struggled to be honest and give something back.

I was scared of losing Craig, even if he supported someone so despicable.

I guess I was wearing my repressed guilt on my face, as I noticed Avery's big, concerned eyes dip into view in my peripherals.

"Jack, are you alright?" her words snapped me out of it. "Jack?"

I rapidly shook my head.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm good. Just been stressed and lonely."

Avery gave me a tight hug, her squeeze was too binding. I couldn't lift my arms up to reciprocate the hug.

"You'll be alright, it's only one more month till she comes back."

I glanced at my phone, the camera feed opened itself up, there was movement on it. Avery didn't notice. I had an idea.

I didn't have to tell her– I could show her instead.

"Let's go outside, I need some air."

She let go and we both made our way onto the balcony. There was a chill in the air outside. The window to whoever Santos was fucking behind my friend's back was open for my apartment to see. I peered down, his vehicle was in the same spot as it was before.

"Hey, that looks familiar," I pointed it out to Avery. She stared at it.

"Santos is here?" she asked nervously.

"He's got no reason to be," I said, trying not to blow my cover. "Maybe it's not his but it looks...so similar."

My eyes were fixated on the window, where I could clearly see Santos getting completely naked. The girl was different than last time. Scumbag was screwing multiple women behind her back. Her features looked eerily similar to Katja's, but something was off. My girlfriend wasn't THAT tall, this girl looked 7 feet tall.

"Look at those indecent fuckers!" I said, louder than I wanted to. I tried to be subtle with pointing it out to Avery. It didn't take her long to discern the couple. I could see the worry on her innocent face.

"Please don't tell me that's him," she whimpered. I hated playing dumb, but I did anyway.

"Are you kidding me!?" I roared. "Looks just like him to me! A-a-and the car outside..!"

"Oh no, oh no..." she softly broke into tears, and I gave her a tight hug like she did to me.

"I'll deal with this. Go inside, Avery," I ushered my distraught friend to the couch inside. I noticed she was eyeballing the bottle of whiskey we poured earlier. She could have it, she deserved something good.

I stepped back outside, prepared to call Santos. He wasn't my friend. As I began to call him, I could see this girl pressed up against the glass, like the last one. She did resemble my girlfriend, and that angered me more.

She saw me, looked right at me unblinking. I froze for a moment.

Then her face changed, her smile stretched the length of her face. She pulled away from the window, and looked like she grew an extra foot taller. Towering over that unfaithful asshole.

He scrambled for his clothes, and this thing didn't seem to like that. It morphed into the girl that I saw with him last week, and then again into another unnatural looking girl, all while pinning backing Santos towards the window.

With an unusually large smile, this thing flipped Santos around and started raking into his back with claws. Blood and skin flew off his cheating body. He tried to get away, but he was losing blood and energy fast.

Now with his face pressed against the window, I could make out his terrified and suffering expression.

As soon as he stopped moving, she crouched on all fours and began feasting on him.

I could hear Avery crying behind me. I snapped out of my shock and made my way to her.

"Did you do it?" she asked me.

"Couldn't get through to him, as he was...busy," I lied.

"I don't think I can bring myself to do it right now," she sobbed.

I put my hands on her shoulders and gave her a small shake.

"He's dead to you, anyone who cheats is dead to their partner."

She mumbled something inaudible rolling over to cry.

"You're welcome to crash on the couch, Avery," I said, attempting to comfort her. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

I stood up and wandered towards the balcony.

I don't know what I'll tell Craig. Maybe it's best that Santos is presumed missing. I wonder if I'll feel the same guilt I felt holding back the truth from Avery.

I'd have to worry about that another time. The thing that murdered Santos didn't go away.

It's standing there, smiling, waving, inviting me inside.