I straddled Luke, hovering over his chest. My hands were balled up as tight as I could make them. And I came down with punch after punch, watching his head smack against the ground, hearing the sound of it. The hard thuds slowly became wetter from his sweat… and then his blood…
It was only a matter of time before his head would open and spill everywhere.
Just like Shane…
The crowd started to cheer louder. They started to chant my name.
Wes! Wes! Wes! Wes!
A few people were boo’ing and throwing drinks at me. I guess they had been the ones who bet against me.
I took a break for a second and stared down at Luke. My entire body hurt. My heart hurt. Everything just fucking hurt so badly. I saw Shane sitting on the edge of the old brown couch. His eyes wide. A smile on his face. On the TV was the final action scene of a movie. The hero, dangling from a wire, reaching for the beautiful woman. Guys on the ground shooting but the bullets never hitting the hero.
“You fucking took him from me,” I growled.
Luke’s head rolled left to right. His mouth moved but he couldn’t talk. Everything was too swollen. Everything was beat up.
I put a hand to his throat and held him to the ground. I put my feet down and started to stand up. My hair hung in my face as I stared into his eyes. The eyes of the Assassin. I didn’t need to wear a fucking mask to make my final stand. Not like Luke had done to Shane.
Luke put his hands to my wrists but gave up after a few seconds. He then started to nod at me. The fucking guy nodded. He was accepting death.
No…
That’s not how it was supposed to be. Luke was supposed to fight to death. He was supposed to be afraid of death. There was no accepting death. No greeting death like an old friend waiting at the bar for a cold beer and some stories.
So I did something I never thought I’d have the will to do.
I took my hand from Luke’s throat.
And I walked away, leaving him to live.
~
I looked up at Rose. I wanted to do something, but I knew this was far from over. This wasn’t just going to be a walk away kind of thing. Not like the movies where the hero throws his arm around the woman and leaves.
I touched my shoulder and my fingers slid into the open wound. The squishy feeling and the pain were enough to make me feel sick. I swallowed and my throat felt like it was closing. With my right hand I reached for someone, needing help.
“Hey. Drink.”
The guy - some asshole in a loose tie - pushed back and waved a hand. “Get the fuck away from me.”
I cupped my shoulder, trying to pinch the cut shut.
That was going to help.
I took a step forward. I needed to get to Aton or Danny to get some medical help. When I took that step, my body decided to call it quits. My knee gave out like it was broken. I fell to the ground. Hands and knees on the cold ground. I heard the crowd oohhh and aaahhh like they were about to enjoy another show. Rose screamed my name, but I couldn’t react to her. I couldn’t even lift my head. My body was like stone, my muscles shaking, my mind starting to slip.
Christ, I wanted to die.
I really did.
The blood seeped from my wounds. A tingling weakness climbed throughout my body. There was almost a blanketing feeling too. Like a welcoming feeling. Hell, I lifted my head, wondering if I was going to see a white light.
Instead of a white light, some guy looked down at me and shook his head. “You… better…” His voice waved in and out. “… watch… out…”
I forced myself to my knees. I put my arms out and kept my balance.
The entire crowd started to scream. Rose screeched like she was being hurt.
I turned my head and saw Luke standing there. The son of a bitch was already back on his feet. Worse yet, he had the goddamn razor blade back in his hand. Blood covered his face except for his eyes. They were small, dark, deadly. Violence kept him alive and my death was his final feast.
I knew I had no chance at defending myself.
Christ, I was supposed to be invincible. That’s how I lived after Shane died. That was my way of staying alive. I never exposed myself.
But it was too late.
I got too involved. I got involved with Rose and I fell for her. I let Shane’s death win the battle. And now Luke was going to end me.
I curled my right hand into a fist.
Luke charged at me, the razor cocked back in his hand. Maybe the first wouldn’t kill me. But the second, third, fourth… eventually…
I smiled.
I fucking smiled at Luke.
I had no fear of him.
“Fuck… you…,” I yelled with my last good breath.
Luke was inches from me when the gun went off. The bullet hole was a small black dot in the center of his forehead. His head snapped back and he took another step before collapsing.
The crowd screamed and started to break up.
There was Aton… standing with a gun in his hand. His lip curled.
“I still got it,” he said.
I looked at him and smiled. “Holy shit.”
Aton then pointed the gun at me. “Wes, I’m sorry. But I know that you aren’t married to Rose. You lied to me…”
Darkness. Again.
43.
(Rose)