Revenge in the Alley

                Leo stood in the dark alley, waiting patiently for the moment to be ripe. He drew in a deep breath and released it slowly as memories of his brother clouded his mind. They used to play in the streets of the city, goofing off and hanging out with friends. Those days had been left behind him; the Phantoms had made sure of that. No longer would he see his brother’s smile or grow old. The memory of his brother’s corpse was scarred into his memory.

                He checked his watch, ‘1:00 A.M.’ it read. Soon Jay and his two friends would turn around the corner acting as if they owned the entire world flashing their sharp knives at those who pissed them off. The loved the looks of fear and hatred that they received from everyone. They loved to be the talk of the city, or to believe that they were.  As thoughts of the Phantoms clouded his mind he checked his pistol to make sure that it was loaded. He looked at the bullets within the magazine and hesitated for a moment. Then the thought of the old woman that they had killed last week crossed his mind. The police had tried to link the phantoms to the murder, but they had no convicting evidence and the Phantoms roamed the streets without a care in the world. With his blood feeling as though it were boiling Leo slapped the magazine into the gun and pulled back the hammer.

                At the end of the alley the phantoms could be heard rounding the corner. They turned the corner and began walking in Leo’s direction. They stank of cheap liquor and grass that they had recently used.  Leo walked into the center of the alley and blocked their path. His mask and hood covered his face concealing his identity. Jay’s anger quickly flared as it usually did and he said, “What’s your problem, why the hell are you in my way?”

                Leo stood silently and stared at them waiting for the right moment. Billy kid, one of the other two guys by Jay’s side, piped in, “Hey ass-hole when Jay ask you something you answer, you hear me?”

                Again Leo said nothing. Marcus laughed, “this guy must be blazing hard Jay. Look at him he hasn’t  said shit.”

                Jay smiled, “let’s teach this fool some respect,” he said.

                Leo spoke suddenly, “ one must first understand his own words before teaching another.”

                “so the man can talk, but only in gibberish,” said Marcus as he slapped his leg and laughed.

                “You walk the world as if it was  your play-thing taking what you want and killing those in your path expecting nothing bad to ever come back to haunt you!” said Leo with apparent anger in his voice.

                “How dare you say that about us!” shouted Billy Kid as he pulled out his knife. Leo pulled out his gun and Shot Billy Kid in his leg sending him to the floor grasping his leg and cursing at the top of his voice.

                Marcus looked at his frien Billy Kid as he clutched his wounded leg. He turned to Leo and shouted, “You bastard! I’ll kill you!” Leo pointed his gun at Marcus and shot him in the head. Marcus fell to the ground dead.  Leo then turned the gun on Jay and pulled the trigger.

                Billy Kid watched as his two friends died. “You bitch!” he said though his tears. “I’ll never forget that you did this!”

                “Good, now you can tell the other punks in this city that we normal people are tired of dealing with your crap.” Said Leo

                “Why should I?”

                Leo pointed the gun at Billy Kid’s ankle and pulled the trigger. Billy shouted in pain and anguish. “Now you know a portion of the pain that you have caused. Spread the word  of the vigilante. I’m coming after all of those who disregard the lives of others. And if I ever see you in this city again I’ll make sure you meet Jay and Marcus in hell.” Leo then turned upon his heel and walked away slowly without remorse.

                “I’ll make sure they come after you! Do you hear me? You’re a dead man! I’ll kill you myself!”  Billy Kid shouted after him.

                “Then you shall meet your friends in hell soon,” responded Leo. He kept walking and vanished into the dark of the night.

Mourning for Shelly

My name is Kirk. This all started about three months ago when Shelly’s parents got a divorce. Both of her parents decided to leave her behind with her grandmother. Her mother left to peruse her dream and left for England. Her dad found a love for his drugs and hasn’t been seen since. After they left Shelly became very depressed and it was difficult to watch. I guess from the very beginning I knew that there was something wrong when she slowly began to act differently. At first she became really clingy, especially with her boyfriend. It seemed every day that she never wanted any of her friends to leave her side. I did what I could, given my massive amounts of homework my calculus class gives me on a daily basis, but I still think that there was a lot more that I could have done. Everyone always tells me that I did the best that I could, but if that were true I wouldn’t be here talking to you would I?

                The second thing I noticed Is she started arriving late to school. The only reason why I mention that is because she was a strait “A” student and was never late to any of her classes. She showed up to class with her sunglasses over her eyes and her homework incomplete. I know that this might not show up as some kind of red flag to you, but this was Shelly for god’s sake. Then her and her boyfriend broke up after I caught him making out with another girl. When I had told Shelly you would have thought that I punched her in the gut. She completely broke down and shut herself off from the world living almost completely within her house. I tried to call her, email her, text her, the whole nine yards. My friends told me that she would get over it soon and everything would return to normal. I find it to be sick how ironic the whole ordeal is. No one would have expected what would happen just two weeks ago, not even me.

                I had heard some rumors several days before that shelly had begun to use drugs and drink excessively. One rumor I heard was that David saw her smoking a bong and drinking a bottle of vodka not too far from the park. That is when I really began to worry, and knowing what I know I really should have. Once I could stand it no longer I walked all the way to her house after school. It didn’t take too long since her house was only just less than a mile away from our high school campus. Part of me wishes that I never went, but then again I’m glad that I was the only one to see what had happened. 

    I knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. when no one did I became suspicious. Shelly’s car was in the drive way and I knew that her grandmother was at work for the day, and given recent events it was hard to believe that she had simply gone on an afternoon jog.  I tried the door and to my surprise it opened easily. I peeked my head inside and announced my presence. I had been to her house many times before, hell we were best friends growing up, so I didn’t feel guilty for walking in when I got no answer. I searched her entire house for her, and to this day I still wish I hadn’t seen it. I found her sitting in a pool of her on blood in the bathtub. I knew she was dead, but I called the police in a hurry. As I waited for their arrival my stomach churned and I felt sick to my guts. She was pronounced dead on the spot and her grandmother was unreachable. Shelly died at age 17 in the middle of our junior year.

                At the funeral I as the first to arrive and the last to leave. My brother had to punch me in the face to bring me home that day. I myself haven’t been the same since she died. Part of me feels guilty for what happened, like I should have done more to help her. I guess that’s the real reason I’m sitting in this chair talking to you.

My novel: Project Legend

Synopsis:

During an attack on their home town two young brothers watch as their town is destroyed by the bandit clan known only as the Serpents. During the attack the brothers are separated from each other. Dakisuma, the youngest, is taken to be sold as a slave while his brother Hawkasuma is dragged away by the current of a mighty river. What journeys lie ahead as the brothers continue to live their lives?

Lunch Hour

Lunch Hour

Seconds seemed like hours as the class silently took their quiz. Mr. West sat at his desk in the corner of the room, his eyes scanned for signs of students cheating on their test. Samuel held his head up with his hand as he finished up his quiz. He finished last, English was his worst subject, and they had been studying Hamlet. He phrase “Tb be or not to be” bounced within his skull. To him the meaning was evasive; he finished and turned it into the desk. “You may now speak,” said Mr. West and the students all began to converse with their friends.

Tina turned to Sam and asked, “Have you heard anything from Rob lately?”

Sam shook his head, “No the last rumor I heard claimed that he was expelled.”

                “Him, expelled?” Tina asked in shock. “What for?”

                “As I understand it he and a few others got caught cheating on some test.”

                “That seems out of character for Rob. Are you sure we’re talking about the same guy?”

                “Trust me I wish we were not, but that’s what I have heard so far.” Sam quickly changed the subject and the continued talking through the rest of the class period. The bell rang and the students rang left the class to go to lunch. Students poured into the enclosed hallways and rushed to the cafeteria. Sam and Tina got into the lunch line and got their lunch.  Sam searched the room for his friends; Kirk, Dan, and Maria, at their usual table in the corner of the room.

“I can’t for the year to be over already. After I graduate this year I can finally leave this boring city and go somewhere I can have some fun!” remarked Kirk.

                “Yea three more months of this hell and we’re free for life,” said Dan.  He then turned to Maria and continued, “Well, that is everyone but you. You get to graduate next year.”

                Sam laughed, “Dude quit whining, it won’t make this dismal year pass by any faster. Besides after we graduate I leave for the military. Don’t you want to spend as much time with me as you can?”

                “Let’s change the subject,” said Tina. “Let’s talk about how Kirk’s favorite football team lost, again!”

                Kirk’s eyes narrowed as he growled, “Curse you.”

                “On that note I will be back in a minute,” commented Sam, “the last thing I need is to watch you two fight again.”  Sam left his backpack at the table as he left the cafeteria, but took his lunch with him. He walked through the corridor in the 100 block of the school and disposed of his garbage there. Then something caught his eye, he quickly turned his gaze to see it clearer. A man wearing dark clothing passed quickly by, almost as if in some sort of rush. ‘Strange,’ thought Sam. Thinking little about the subject, Sam returned to his own business and used the restroom. Feeling relived He began to return to the cafeteria when suddenly a loud gunshot rang through the halls. Screams could be heard originating in the direction of the cafeteria.

                Terror struck Sam’s heart as he came to realize that someone was shooting in the room where his friends were eating. ‘I need help’ he thought as his mind raced, ‘I should call the cops.’ He quickly reached for his cellphone and dialed 911.

                “What’s your emergency?” asked the operator.

                “There is a shooter at my school,” responded Sam.

                The operator’s voice changed as she asked Sam, “Sir Can you tell me where you are?”

                “Yea, I’m at Simon Edward’s High school.” Sam answer, his voiced filled with terror.

                “Sir Can you tell me your name?”

                “My name is Samuel”

                “Alright, now Sam what I want you to do is remain calm and find a safe place to hide. Don’t try to save your friends; there is nothing that you can do to help them.”

                Sam closed his phone. “You’re right; there is nothing that I can do. My friends are in the room with a gun in their face and there is nothing that I can do.” Sam closed his hand into a fist until his knuckles turned white. “To hell with that if I’m going to be a soldier I need to start now.”

                Sam returned his cellphone to his pocket and began to walk back to the cafeteria. Another gunshot echoed through the halls followed by the screaming of those stuck in the room. The thought of one of his friend’s lying dead with a bullet wound crossed his mind and his fear turned into a raging anger. Sam reached the cafeteria, he heard a man from inside screaming, “ you all deserve this! All of you stood by and watched as this bastard here bullied me into stealing the answers for the test. Because of you my life is ruined!” Another gunshot echoed through the hallway followed by a blood curdling scream of anguish. “While the principal thought it would be best to suspend me while they considered expelling me from the school, none of you cared enough to tell him that Craig forced me to do all of his dirty work.”  Sam slowly peaked inside the room and scanned the room for the shooter.

                Inside the students hid themselves underneath the tables protecting themselves from danger. Sam found his friends hiding underneath their regular table. Keith had his arms wrapped around both Tina and Maria; Dan covered his head with his arms as he watched the shooter brandish his weapon.  The shooter was standing in the center of the room, beneath lied Craig gripping his legs in pain. Both of Craig’s legs had been shot and were bleeding badly.

                “Robby please,” Craig begged, “Please don’t kill me. Your too nice do that, Right?”

                Robby laughed manically. “Do you really think that I’m going to let you live? After everything that you did to me you really expect to just walk away like this is some kind of fairy tale? Your stupidity is only challenged by your cowardice.” Sam watched in terror as he witnessed something he had never seen before, hatred within Robby’s eyes. Robby had been so kind before, but now they were filled with a deep resentment for Craig. At that moment Sam knew that he would have to act quickly.

                Sam moved cautiously toward Robby. Dan noticed Sam’s approach and shook his head. His eyes filled with terror as he tried to stop same Dan mouthed the words “Don’t do it, you’ll get yourself killed.” Sam brushed off the warning; he knew that no one else would take Robby down before he killed Craig. As Robby continued to monolog Sam kept moving toward him.

                His heart pounded, his body began to sweat, and his mind raced with endless possibilities of what might go wrong with his plan. He pushed his doubts aside and pounced upon the unsuspecting Robby. The gun fell to the floor as Robby attempted to catch himself as they fell to the ground. Sam landed on top of Robby and tried to pin him to the floor so he wouldn’t cause any more damage. Before Sam could put Robby into a full nelson, Robby slipped from his grasp and kicked Sam in the stomach. The breath left Sam’s lungs, but he grabbed Robby’s ankle and pulled with all of his might.

                “Let go of me you bastard,” shouted Robby, but Sam knew that his life would end if Robby was able to get ahold of the gun.  Sam lifted his fist and punched Robby in the inside of his leg just above the knee. Robby clutched his leg as the numbing pain filled his leg. Sam saw his chance, he sprang to his feet and kicked Robby in the head knocking him unconscious.

                The students were amazed as they watched Robby fall unconscious, the treat was lifted and they all left the building as quickly as they could, meeting the police and newscasters outside. The police checked for any injuries, but found that the only one injured was Craig. They quickly took him to an ambulance to seek medical attention for the bullet wounds in his legs. His injuries were found to be nonlethal, but he would still need physical therapy until he was able to walk upon his own.

                Sam found solace among his friends, they all had had remained together until their parents arrived to take them home. But before Sam could leave the media had learned of his heroics and flocked to him for answers to their questions.  They crowded around him like wild dogs attacking the same animal no allowing him to leave and pushing his family and friends away from him. “Samuel, why is it that you attacked Robert? Why did you act and not hide?”

                Sam looked at the cameras and answered simply, “I chose to be a hero, because it would have been worse to live in the regret that I had an opportunity to save a life, and chose not to be a hero.” The media, with their questions answered, let Sam leave with his family.