I kick a stray rock as I make my way across the side of the lot and notice a bright beam of lights flare behind me.
I turn and am blinded, so I shield my eyes with my arm, trying to look under the bright lights making it hard to see anything. The car starts and tires screech with sudden speed. The hairs stand on my neck and my heart begins to race as the car flies toward me. I turn around and sprint, not knowing what else to do. My heart is pounding with fear as my mouth lets out a scared whimper. I look over my shoulder and notice the car is catching up. I drop my bag trying to lighten my load and give myself speed. The car speeds up and drives right next to me, I clench my eyes shut for a second, urging myself to try and run faster. When I open them, the car door suddenly opens and slams into me. The asphalt bites into my knees, tearing at my flesh unforgivingly as I’m hurled forward. I hear the car tires scream to a halt, making my heart skip a beat. I crawl on my hands and knees and let out a strangled cry at the raw flesh digging into the ground. I look behind me for the car to find a bunch of men climbing out. I look for my bag to grab my gun but remember I dropped it, so I push myself to stand but one of the guys kicks me back down, making me fall on my back painfully.
“This is for Darin!” one of the guy yells as a wooden bat flashes in front of me. The name Darin hits me like a bolt of lightning: the guy me and the girls beat to a bloody pulp and left for dead.
I shield my face and curl into the fetal position, knowing this is going to hurt. The bat slams into my arm hard. I scream as an earth-shattering pain riddles deep into my bone. My lungs run out of air to scream, leaving me gasping for more.
“Fucking punta!” one yells as the bat slams back into the same arm. If it wasn’t broken before, it is now. My ears ring as my vision blurs from the pain and I bit my cheek to try to keep from screaming again. The only thing I want is to pass out, but it’s no use; I can’t help but scream in pain.
My head is jerked back with a sudden kick to the face. I feel my eyebrow split when the rubber sole makes contact. I close my eyes as blood begins to pool into them. My entire body aches, unbearable pain pulsing from one end to the other.
“Shut the hell up!” another yells as I continue to scream in pain.
They all begin to kick and slam their feet into me. All feeling starts to fade slowly, and I can sense myself becoming numb with the amount of pain my body is consuming.
“Hey, get the fuck away from her!” I hear a voice yell. “I’ve called the cops. They’re on their way!” I try to open my eyes to see who is yelling but can’t.
“Let’s go,” one of the guys yells. I hear footsteps fade, along with everything.
SHADOW
“Royal Flush, boys,” I laugh, laying my cards out for all of them to see.
“Fucking cheater,” Locks says, slamming his cards down. I raise my eyebrow, wondering why I’m even listening to Bull’s orders. Locks should be dead by now.
“He is a cheater,” Bobby agrees, tossing his cards along the table. Bobby always thinks I cheat when I win; he has since we were kids.
My phone rings in my pocket, breaking my laughter. I straighten my legs so I can pull it out. It shows I missed a text from Dani as it continues to ring, and the caller ID reads the hospital.
“Hello?”
“Is this Adrian Kingsmen?” the lady asks.
Bobby laughs and Bull yells, making it hard to hear.
“Maybe, who’s this?” I question her, turning my head to hear better.
“There has been an accident, and I was told by the doctor to contact you at this number,” the lady replies calmly.
“What accident?” I ask.
“It’s regarding patient, Danielle Lexington.”
I jump from my seat, panic rising in my chest.
“What’s wrong? Is she okay?” I’m moving frantically, my heart speeding up to a level consistent with doing cocaine.
“It’s best if you just come in. Then we can give you more details, sir,” she replies sweetly.
Hesitant, I hang up. Danielle’s photo of her sleeping as my phone background catches my attention. My finger slides across the screen of my phone. I don’t pray—never did any good before—but I find myself praying right now. Can the Devil pray? Or does it get cast to the side with the rest of the sinners, gambling on a second chance?
“Everything okay, son?” Bull stares my way, snapping me from my silent prayer, my hope there’s a God and he’s listening to me.
“Dani’s in the hospital, some kind of accident,” I answer him, taking my eyes off my phone’s screen.
“What?” Bobby says, standing in panic.
“Let’s go,” Bull orders, throwing his cards on the table.
***
I race toward the hospital, Bobby and Bull trying to keep up, but my bike is faster.
I park in the unloading zone, not giving a fuck about the law right now, and rush inside. I run toward the front desk and slap the counter to get the receptionist’s attention.
“A lady called me, said Danielle Lexington had been in an accident.”