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?