“You’re not my fucking father, Baker, so get off of me,” Payden hissed at me, and I pulled my hands away as she continued to unlock the front door to her old apartment, “Come in, I’ll prove he’s alive,” she said after opening the door. I hesitate before I took a single step into the building, not wanting to go any further, “Jimmy wanted money, so I left him money right there on the coffee table. He came to get it so now it’s,” she pointed to the coffee table, and once she set her eyes on it, she froze.

“Gone?” I said, with a smirk, looking at the pile of hundred dollar bills that were neatly stacked on the living room coffee table.

“He should have came and got it,” she said. She must really have been convinced that he was still alive. She turned around, and her eyes widened, “ZACKY, LOOK OUT,” she yelled before she pulled a pistol from the inside of her jacket. I swiftly moved before she fired the gun. I looked back instantly to see Matt fall on the ground, horror on my face.

“WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE,” I yelled at her, not believe what just happened.

“IT WAS JIMMY, HE WAS ABOUT TO KILL YOU,” she yelled back, frustrated. She was, she was completely delusional. I got behind Matt, not liking the amount of blood spilling from the bullet hole in his head, and started dragging him down the steps before I got my phone out and called 911. I had to keep myself calm as I gave them the address, and told them what my emergency was. I couldn’t wait in any traffic to drive Matt myself, so I had to get an ambulance. Once I was off the phone, I heard a car start up, and looked back to see Payden leaving.

I ran after her car until I reached the end of the lot, “FUCK,” I shouted, and took my phone back out, dialing Johnny’s number, and the fucker let it ring five times before he finally fucking picked up.

“Yeah,” he asked, his voice groggy.

“I need you to pick Saleigh up from the therapist and meet me at the hospital,” I instructed.

“Why, what’s wrong,” he asked.

“Just fucking do it,” I said before hanging up, and jogging back over to Matt. The sirens were already faintly audible in the background as I kneeled down by Matt, trying to wake him up. Payden shot him in the head, so I was hoping for the best, but I was expecting the worst. I couldn’t lose my friend. No, Matt wasn’t my friend, he was my fucking brother. He can’t be dead, he just can’t. He punched his chest before I finally gave up, kneeling over, and tears pouring down my face. I looked up to see an ambulance, fire truck, and police cars pull into the lot, and in front of me. The paramedics immediately jumped out, and went to the back to get the stretcher. The cops got out and started walking over, to talk to me about who shot Matt.

I’d have to lie.

The medics lifted Matt up on the stretcher, and carried him off into the ambulance, which took off, the sirens still blaring, “Sir,” one of the cops said, and I looked up at him before standing up myself, “we’ll need to ask you a few questions,” he said, and I nodded my head in understanding.

“We’re going to have to ask you who shot your friend,” the other police man asked me. He had a notepad open, and a pen out ready to take notes.

“He was wearing a mask, I don’t know. Matt and I came up here to get a few things for my friend, and he came in, shot Matt, and he ran off after I called you,” I told them, and the cop with the pad wrote down everything I was saying.

“Did you see anything else remarkable about the man,” the other cop asked, and I shook my head.

“Nothing. Not his skin color, hair, or anything. I was too busy helping my friend to catch his height,” I said, and they officer wrote that down as well.

“We’ll be in contact, Mr….”

“Hugh G. Wood,” I lied, wanting to leave, “and if you’ll excuse me, I have to get to the hospital, to make sure Matt’s okay,” I said, rushing off towards my car. I got in, and started the engine, and headed to the hospital. I had no doubt in my mind that the two police officers would try to follow me, but I didn’t really care. I only hoped that Johnny went and got Saleigh, and that they would be at the front doors so I could explain everything to them.

Once I got to the hospital, I parked in the first space I saw, which was considerably close to the building. I ran to the doors to see Johnny pacing around, and Saleigh sitting on the steps with a worried look on her face.

“Hey,” I said as I ran up to them, and Saleigh instantly stood up, and walked over to me.

“Zacky, what’s wrong,” she asked me.

“Payden shot Matt in the head, and I highly doubt he’s alive,” I said, it all coming out rushed.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Johnny said, looking at me like I was twisted in the head.

“I’m not, and we have to get in that fucking hospital to see if he lived or not,” I said, and headed into the building.

,,,

Brian

,,,

“I’m back,” Payden announced as she walked through the door. I looked up at her from the couch and opened my arms, telling her that I wanted her to come sit with me as I watched this reality show about Orange County wives.

“Didn’t see any clothes you like?” I asked, seeing as she said she was going shopping, but didn’t come back with anything. Now that I think about it, she hadn’t even been gone that long.

“The store was crowded, so I didn’t even go in,” she admitted, and snuggled into my side.

“Oh, then another time? Maybe you’ll let me go with you for once,” I joked, hoping she’s say no. Shopping was not my thing.

“Possibly, but you’ll have to hold my stuff,” she said, and I groaned.

“Deal,” I said, and then my phone started ringing, and I looked on the screen to see Zacky’s name. I answered it to hear him talking frantically.

“Brian, is Payden there,” he asked.

“Yeah, would you-“

“No, I would not. I need you to make a lie, and get to the studio, now. It’s really fucking important, man. Hurry up, but don’t bring her,” he demanded, and I sighed.

“Alright, dad. Be right there,” I said, and Zacky hung up. I turned to Payden, hoping the lie I have yet to make up would be believable, “My dad’s car is broken down somewhere around here, so I’m going to go jumpstart it really quickly,” I said, and she smiled before kissing me. I wondered why Zacky was so strict about me bringing Payden. I got up, and put my shoes on, grabbed my wallet and car keys, and left the apartment. I didn’t take any time with driving over to the studio, I was actually pretty reckless with it, and I quickly parked the car, seeing Johnny’s, Zacky’s, and Saleigh’s. I got out and turned the car off, locking it behind me as I made my way into the building. I found the trio in the break room, and gave them a questioning look, and they returned it with horrified looks.

“What’s just so important?” I asked, or hissed, rather, “what do you have to tell me here that you couldn’t tell me on the phone,” I asked, plopping down in a chair near the door.

“Matt’s dead,” Zacky said, monotonously. The words didn’t quite register at first, but once they seeped it, it’s like they weighed me down as I slumped in my seat.

“What happened,” I asked, barely able to choke the words out.

“Payden shot him in the head,” Johnny said, his eyes were clearly puffy, and I’d be sporting the same look soon.

“No, that can’t be true,” I said, shaking my head, “she wouldn’t do that, she loved Matt like a brother.”

“She thought he was Jimmy. I watched her do it. I watched her kill my best friend,” Zacky said, tears falling freely from his eyes.

“But….I don’t…..wait. She thought Matt was Jimmy,” I asked, just now getting what Zacky said.

“Of course she didn’t tell you,” Zacky said, “this whole time, she’s been thinking that Jimmy was still alive. Apparently he kidnapped her, and threatened to kill her along with all of us, after faking his death, and was only using Payden for her parents money,” he cleared up, and I shook my head.

“So what are you saying? Jimmy’s still alive?” I asked, wanting to understand completely, but not being able to.

“No, he’s not. I went to the cemetery and had his coffin dug up. Sure enough, there was good ol’ Jimbo. Our…Jimmy,” he trailed off, and I could understand him being upset about having to see his body.

“We have to tell Val,” Saleigh said, “she has to know, and Zacky, you were there, I think you should tell her,” she turned her head to look at him, and he quickly shook his.

“I can’t. I’m not good with that type of stuff,” he said, protesting.

“Zacky,” Saleigh continued in a soft voice, in which tears were audible, “I’ll go with you for support, but you have to be there to tell her,” she said, grabbing his hand, and resting her head on his shoulder.

“I-I guess,” he said, looking down, “I just can’t believe we lost him,” he said. I wasn’t able to talk, because my voice would crack, because I was already in tears, just not sobbing. I stood up, walking to the sound proof recording box, closing and locking the door behind me, and let my sobs out. Matt was one of my best friends, my brothers, and he got shot in the head by…my girlfriend.

I knew she was different from the time she came to stay with me and now. I was beginning to think it was me, but it was really the fact that’s she’s off her fucking rocker. She couldn’t survive in jail; no. She needed to get into the loony bin. I thought about it as I calmed myself down. I’d be giving her up forever if I did this, but it’s something that had to be done. I’d call them on my way home, when I got to the apartment, I’d act like everything was fine, distract her with a movie, then they’d come to get her and take her away.

,,,

Payden

,,,

It had been almost an hour already, and I was about to call Brian to see if he needed any help. I needed somebody here to get my mind off of what happened today. I shot Jimmy. Jimmy was dead, finally. He couldn’t hurt me or any of my friends. We were all safe, but Zacky seemed to be pissed off at me about it. He couldn’t understand, he didn’t. I heard the click of the doorknob, not jumping at the sound, because I didn’t have anything to be scared of anymore.

Brian walked in, giving me a huge smile as he put his stuff down and sat next to me, “So, do you want to watch a movie,” he asked, still holding the smile, which was a little creepy.

“Depends on which one,” I looked at him skeptically.

“Whichever one you’d like, you choose,” he said to me, and I nodded, heading over to the movie cabinet. I decided on Donnie Darko, and put it in the DVD player, and sat down with Brian, resting my head on his shoulder. He didn’t talk to me during the movie, which I took as him just wanting to watch it, until there was a knock at the door, “I’ll get it,” he jumped up quickly, and turned the light on as he passed the switch to the doorway. He opened the door, and was talking quietly with whoever was on the other side. Brian walked in with two men, one had a syringe, the other carried a cloth, which made me a little frantic. I stood up, and started backing away, “Payden,” Brian said calmly, coming over to me, and holding on to my arms, “I love you, I really do, but this is for the best. There’s something going wrong with your brain, and you need help, and need to be in a place where you can’t harm others. I don’t want to do this, but, you killed Matt. I don’t have a choice,” he said, and tears welled up in my eyes.

“But I didn’t kill Matt, I killed Jimmy,” I said, tears falling out of my eyes.

“Jimmy’s been dead for a year. Zacky got him dug back up to make sure even,” he said, and he looked like he was about to cry, “and this place is better than jail. I’m sorry, I really do love you,” he said, before placing a kiss on my lips, which I returned, and then felt a sharp and small pain in my neck before I blacked out.

,,,

Brian

,,,

I watched the two men slip the straightjacket on Payden after she was out, “We’ll get her in the van, you pack a bag of her things. Not a huge bag, just a few pairs of clothes and one pair of shoes,” they instructed, and I hurried to our closet, where I grabbed one of her bags, and gathered some clothes and her pair of sneakers that she always wore. I piled in some undergarments, and zipped up the bag, and went down to the van to hand it to the two guys.

“Here,” I said, as one of them took it.

“Okay, you can’t visit her at the facility for a week, after that, you can visit every weekend, and on holidays,” they said, “since you’re not family.”


“Yeah, I don’t think much of that’s going to happen,” I said before walking away.

It broke my heart in two.

,,,

A year later

,,,

We were all trying to live our lives as normally as possible. Val moved back in with her mom after selling her house and belongings, keeping a few of Matt’s things, and giving us the rest. Zacky and Saleigh were finally married, and they had their kid. They had a boy, and named him Ian. He was the most adorable kid ever. I went back to living alone, though Johnny came over a lot to keep me company.

I tried my hardest to not go and visit Payden, but I couldn’t keep my distance. I went to that fucking mental facility every day of the weekend and every fucking holiday. At first she refused to even talk to me, which I can understand. I was the one who called them up to come get her, but she went back to talk to me. She would get out eventually, but not any time soon, since she did commit murder after all, but the charges were placed on visual hallucinations.

I wish things could have been different. I really do. I wanted to have a normal life, like the one I had before Jimmy passed away. Everything was amazing, but he did die, and so did Matt. Now we’re all living our lives differently, trying to forget about the past, but no matter how differently we’re living, and how separate we all are, there’s one thing we all have in common.

We’re going to hell.

©Shannon.

Notes

So I wrote this with only the beginning and ending in mind, and I think it turned out pretty good, especially with the help of Saleigh (god bless her soul). This is the last chapter, sadly, and I'll eventually start posting the other Avenged stories that I have on Mibba already. Because these stories are already on Mibba, I'm not really doing my whole update thing, where I update once every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thanks for reading! It means a lot, because I did put a lot into this story.

xoxo, Shannon.