Welcome to the Family (On Hold Until Further Notice)

I grabbed the knife a split second before it plunged into my heart. “What the fuck are you doing?!” I yelled, struggling to take the knife out of his hands.

“I don’t like you, Gates. I’ve never liked you. Or any of your friends for that matter. You’re all loud and annoying as shit. Especially the short one.” He hissed, pressing the knife closer to my throat. Shock overtook me, and for a second, I lost my grip on the knife. I yelled out in pain as a gash opened up on my collarbone.

“Damn, I missed.” Alex smirked, trying again to drive the knife into my heart. I swerved just in time and kicked at Alex’s hand, knocking the knife out of his hand and making it fly across the room to a corner. Alex whirled back around to face me and I saw fury flash in his eyes. He stepped forward and swung his right fist in an uppercut towards my abdomen, hitting its mark. I exhaled sharply and dropped to the ground. Why the fuck is no one helping me? I thought as I gritted my teeth, gasping for breath.

“Why are you doing this, Alex?” I wheezed, looking up at the looming figure before me.

“I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time. In case you didn’t know, I’m part of the local gang here in Huntington. Oh, and guess who the leader of our little gang is?” Alex said, crouching ‘till he was eye level with me. “That’s right, Ticca. Remember him? Tried to fuck your ‘girlfriend’.” He said, making air quotes. “Yeah, he told us about you and said that he wanted you dead. So, if I’m the one to do it, I get lots of good shit he promised us.” Alex grinned and stood back up. He walked over and picked up the knife.

“I thought you were my friend.” I gasped.

Alex walked back over to me and laughed. “Yeah, you thought. Like I said, I never liked you. It was all an act so Ticca could get his revenge. Anyway, I’m done talking. This is the end for you, Gates.” Alex smirked, picking me up forcefully by the collar of my shirt. I struggled to get out of his grip, but he held on tight. “Goodbye, motherfucker.” He raised the knife again and thrust it into my stomach. All the air escaped my lungs and I gripped the flesh over the open wound, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. The corners of my vision started blurring and I strained to look at Alex one final time. He let go of my shirt and I collapsed to the ground, still clutching my stomach, warm blood seeping through my fingers.

All of a sudden, time seemed to stop and a vision appeared before my eyes. In it, I could see Ashlynn. My beautiful Ashlynn. She was with Zacky on the couch at my house, crying in his arms.

“I can’t believe he’s gone.” She said and burst into a fresh wave of tears.

Zacky caressed her cheek, trying to get her to calm down. “I know, baby. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all my fault. I should have followed him to the bar.” Ashlynn said.

“You didn’t know, Lynn. Don’t beat yourself up over it.” Matt said. He was sitting on the floor next to Ashlynn and was resting his forehead on her knee.

“Yeah, but still...” She trailed off with a sigh, resting her head on Zacky’s shoulder. “I just wish there was a way to bring him back.”

The vision ended abruptly and I was back in the bar.

Alex picked me up forcefully by the collar of my shirt. I struggled to get out of his grip, but he held on tight. “Goodbye, motherfucker.” Alex said. What the fuck? I thought. Did time go back? He raised the knife, but this time I had time to counter it. I grabbed the knife, ripped it out of his hands, and shoved it into his own chest. A look of shock came over his face as he looked at the knife, blood starting to pour from the wound.

“How did you-” Alex said.

“Karma’s a bitch, huh?” I smirked, grabbing his hands that were still gripped on my shirt and shoving him to the ground. I turned around and headed for the door.

“This isn’t the end, Brian. The others will come for you.” Alex mumbled, gasping for his last breaths.

I glanced over my shoulder. “Then let them come.”

Notes

Next chapter up, as I promised :D