Page 52 of The Forever One
The side gate on the other side of the yard clanks open, a dark figure casting a shadow across the grass.
Everest announcing he’s awake and ready for another just as he reaches the doorjamb and takes two steps.
Kai slapping his two hands on his best friend’s shoulders and squeezing with a wide grin taking up his entire face.
These are the things I notice as I simultaneously reach for the gun at my ankle, aiming it at the figure across the large space from me.
By the time I get one shot, two others have already gone off, thepop popof a silencer making it impossible for neighbors to be alarmed.
My head snaps to the side just as anotherpopsounds off. Kai pushes Everest to the side, landing on top of him like he’s shielding him from the intruder. Adrenaline courses through my body as I pull the trigger two more times and see the figure drop to the ground.
Kicking the discarded gun to the side, I crouch beside the guy who is now actively bleeding all over Ev’s lawn and press my fingers to his artery. I’m met with a steady pulse so I slap the guy a couple of times to wake him.
I’ve got fucking questions and I want them now.
“Who sent you?” The guy smiles, blood smeared across his teeth, pupils dilated like the devil.
“Your mother.” I don’t have time to deal with this motherfucker and just as I’m about to punch him in the face, I notice the tattoo on the side of his neck.
The Kastellanos symbol, a brand for their soldiers, of the letter K in an incomplete circle tells me everything I need to know. Rising to my feet as quickly as I can, I put another bullet right between his eyes before running to Kai and Everest.
There’s blood everywhere.
The stairs, the wooden footpath, the green grass.
Kai rolls off of Everest, his entire front painted red, Ev’s back and head soaked in blood.
“Are you hurt? Are you okay?” I’m slapping Kai, who looks dazed and a little out of it.
“Check on Ev. I’m… I’m fine. Check on Ev.” I don’t believe him but my need to make sure my brother-in-law is still alive is stronger than my doubts.
“Everest. Hey, buddy, talk to me.” He’s passed out cold, a large gash along his hairline tells me he ate the ground with the full force of Kai’s weight behind him.
Careful not to hurt him any more than he already is, I check for bullet holes by lifting his tee shirt so I can stop the bleeding.
There’s so much of it.
There’s nothing there, but if I didn’t know his shirt was originally yellow, I’d think it was a bright red. Still, there’s nothing along his back or shoulders. No holes, no sign of entry or exit, which means he took it in the front and maybe the bullet is lodged inside.
“Fuck!” If that’s the case, I need to turn him over so I can stop the bleed.
“Kai, can you help me turn him over by holding his neck steady?” I’m looking around, trying to find a piece of wood or something that could hold Ev’s neck steady, but there’s nothing.
Fuck it, I can’t let River’s brother bleed out. I just can’t face her or Petal and tell them he’s gone because I couldn’t save him.
“Kai, man, I need your help.” Annoyed, I turn to Kai and see him leaning against the stairs, his hand holding his side, blood seeping between his fingers, over his pants, and onto the ground.
Oh, fuck no.
Unfocused eyes look at me, a small, regretful smile at the corners of his mouth, as Kai licks his lips and tries to talk.
“Is he okay?” His words are barely a whisper and the brick in the pit of my stomach grows heavier with every second that passes.
“I… I don’t know. Kai, you took the bullet.” It’s obvious, but for some reason, saying the words out loud urges me into action.
Ripping my shirt off, I ball it up as tight as possible and press it to Kai’s wound, trying to stop the bleeding, or at least slow the outpour.
“Don’t you fucking die on me, man. I swear to fuck, I will never forgive you for that.” Kai chuckles at my words and I ignore the trickle of blood that seeps out of the corner of his mouth.