Standing there I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t have a plan or anything and I wouldn’t call the piece of a metal light post I had in my hand a plan. It was just on the ground and I thought it could at least provide some sort of aid. I probably should’ve formed a plan first. Especially since I was about to march into hostile territory. People feared and yet followed Manson. He had weapons unlike everyone else, if Ed had been right, and I had no one to stop him or his followers from exterminating me. Yet there I stood with only a metal rod in my hand, staring at Dean Manson with no idea of what to do next.
The long, green grass swallow up the edge of Lauren’s dress as her eyes widened to their limits. She kept turning her head to watch Dean Manson and me. I was sure she was waiting for the first move. Lauren’s hands twisted nervously while she bit her lips. Yet while Lauren seemed to be on edge, Manson’s smirk didn’t go unnoticed.
“I knew you would come.” Manson’s voice was smooth.
Manson pulled Lauren into his chest, which made her gasp as she fell clumsily into him. Lauren’s worried appearance just grew as his arm wrapped around her middle, making her appear fragile pressed against that thick man.
“I knew taking her would draw you in. It’s like killing two birds with one stone. I get to kill you and get have a lovely new, young wife to replace the one that left me while I was in prison because of you. It’s just an added bonus that I get to watch you suffer. Vengeance is a beautiful thing, boy.”
A chunky finger from his other hand glided over her jaw in a slow gentle stroke to tease me, not to be a comfort to her. Gripping the metal tighter, I made indents in my hand and I wished that I could do the same to Manson’s head. A grand grin formed on his face little by little.
“It’s the end of the line for you, Aaron. Kill him.” Manson shouted with a laugh.
The few followers Manson had there came at me. I really didn’t like the numbers in the fight. The supporters materialized from nowhere all as majestic as Manson himself. They crept up to me like animals hunting their pray, hoping that they could please their master and give him the prize. Okay so twenty against one was definitely not looking good. Manson sat down bringing Lauren with him in his lap. He appeared so possessive over her it just fueled anger.
As one went to hit me in the face, I backed up against another one. I struggled against their grasp, only to realize I was pathetic for not lasting long enough to save her and myself. Being held captive by a man with a stone grip, a woman got the opportunity to punch me in the left eye, making the world to go black. The real world came back to me one dot at a time. Unfortunately, the vision wouldn’t stay as a hard object was driven into my stomach. An ear-piercing yell in the distance made me know there was much more to endure. Biting down on my tongue to stop myself from screaming out, my face got in the way of another fist.
The man who had been holding me tossed me to the ground. Before I could get up to defend myself or at least attempt to use the metal object I had brought, the object was used on me. Feeling the metal strike my side hard, I bit down on my tongue. The group, working together, started to attack me, kicking me as if they were fighting for a soccer ball caught in the middle and even though it was pointless to try to get the ball in that manner, you kick rock-hard anyway. Hearing and feeling my insides blaring at my stupidity, I realized that at least a couple of ribs had cracked. I tried to bring my knees in to protect my remaining ribs, but before I could, I let out a yell as the metal collided with my forehead.
The world around me went black and swirled in and out. Warm and thick, a liquid that smelled of copper crawled down my face, falling into the crevice of my eye. Blood continued slipping down my face as I was lifted off the ground. My body throbbed all over, and I wasn’t sure what was happening or whether or not I would make it out of there with Lauren or even alive. My thoughts were interrupted as my body was dropped onto the ground, a groan escaping from my lips. I wasn’t able to hold back anymore. I was fighting to stay conscious.
“You guys may go into the house. I’ll take the rest of the matters into my own hands,” Manson said.
“You’re a monster!” Lauren’s voice sounded horrified, furious, and anguished, and I felt him kneel next to me.
“He never told you what happened that night, did he?” Manson’s voice was still unruffled as if he didn’t hear what Lauren had said.
I wasn’t sure if it was because blood was sinking into my stomach or because of the guilt, but I felt sick. She touched my cheek. It was gentle and understanding, as if his words never touched her ears either.
“It doesn’t matter.” Lauren’s words were soft on my ears.
“Oh, I know women too well to know you’re curious. You want to believe Aaron is who he pretends to be.”
“Aaron has only been himself!” Lauren snapped, her hands were still on my face.
The embarrassment of that night made me turn to my side to spit up blood, it wasn’t a lot, but I still heaved up the liquid none the less. I came there to save Lauren, not make her suffer more by watching me die. I so didn’t want to work so hard for the rescue to only ruin it by a mistake I made years ago. I promised myself I wouldn’t do anything like that again. Yet I knew she had a right to know and I had put it off for many months…
“With your last breath, Aaron, I want you to tell her the truth. I only know part of it myself. After all, it was because of that night that I had to spend those years in prison.”
I tried to open my eyes. One was swollen from when the girl smacked me while the other had dried blood crusting over it.
“You promised you wouldn’t hurt him I if I stayed with you!”
I could tell in Lauren’s tone she knew that was a lame excuse, but she was desperate, we both were. Through slits, I could see her just staring down at me for dear life. With enormous effort I took a deep breath. The new breath made me wince as it felt like knives stabbing my insides.
“That night, my friends and I—”
“Aaron, please just save your breath!” Lauren pleaded as she interrupted me.
“Don’t waste yours, Lauren, for telling this story is going to be the last thing he does, before I get the pleasure of finishing off this nobody!” Manson snapped at her.
I grimaced as Lauren’s shaky hand glided into mine, and even through the throbbing, I grabbed onto hers. I wanted to feel something other than pain. I interlaced our fingers possibly for the last time.
“I wasn’t quite sure what my friends were planning, and I didn’t really care. I had gotten into a pretty bad argument with my dad, which really made my mom upset. Horrible words were said and I regret them.” I paused as I wrapped my free arm around my chest feeling my rib ripple in tenderness. “One of my friends at the time started driving, the music was loud as the windows were wide open. Before we pulled up in front of a house.”
My heart put in extra work to keep my body working under all the stinging pain and embarrassment of my foolishness from a couple of years ago. I closed my eyes, my ribs sensitive with each breath I struggled to take.
“He was part of a ring of dealers, got to love drugs roots in small towns. There were older guys who made deals with high schoolers to get the younger crowd. My friend brought us along because it was a bigger shipment to pick up and they needed more recruits. We got into the house, since it was dark, it was hard to see everyone. But I could tell they were there. I felt all their eyes on us. My friend shook hands with this one big guy, who then shook me. Then he started talking about what he wanted me to do, and I just couldn’t take it, so I ran.”
I closed my eyes and took a straining couple of breaths.
“Just as I was rounding the corner, I saw a couple cops cars blaring toward the house. I ran away down the street, my heart thumping in my ears. That’s why I always felt back running out on you guys,” I took a moment to stop as my body ached and I wondered if I would finish this story without dying. “I ran out on my friends when they needed me before and I knew I was do
ing the same to you. It just brought back bad memories. The cops saw me and started chasing me. My friends got arrested that night, and some of the bigger dealers.
“I kept running until I came across an old warehouse I thought had been abandoned for years. I climbed on the old dumpster to go through the broken window. While I was hiding in there, I heard some voices. Then I saw a couple lights were on the other side of the place. Getting closer I saw a few guys standing together. Manson was one of them, and he was talking about getting rough with some politician. He was going to put the guy in the hospital just so a few regulations got passed.
“The cops came in and busted Manson. Even though they had been searching for me, they took him. One cop though found me and gave me the choice, either they’ll take me or…” I paused as I stared into Lauren’s eyes. “If I testified against not only the dealers, but also Manson, I was off the hook.”
Absentmindedly, my thumb traveled over hers while I told my little tale. A deep chest laugh came through quietly ‘til it was loud as thunder. My eyes clamped down as the injuries’ aftermath radiated through my body. If I had not been holding Lauren’s hand, I might have welcomed death.
“How adorable. Too bad you will have to die now, Aaron, and I get to keep her.”
Leaning my head flat on the ground as I took shallow breaths, a thought ran through my mind. A small smile formed on my lips making a few cuts reopen.
“You’re about to die and you’re laughing?” Dean Manson asked slowly.
“Yes.”
In the brief time I had spent with Ed, he had as much of an impact on my life as my foster dad. I laid there, hoping that the two men were both looking down at me at that moment grinning with pride. In Ed’s case it might be looking up at me, but cheerful none the less in his bizarre way.
“I’m not afraid of you.” I chuckled, feeling a little blood dripping out of my mouth.
That’s what high school teaches you, others made you fear them for power and their lack of security. School trained you how to deal with people.
“That doesn’t matter to me because you’re going to die.”
“You’re not a man,” I spat out, trying to control my breathing to feel less twinging nerves.
Ed’s face was fresh in my mind as he spoke to me in a hurry, yet his words had meant a lot to me. I was making my death less enjoyable for him. If I was to die right here and now, I was going to destroy his dream of seeing me die under his power.
“I’m close to twice your age, and you’re saying, you’re more of a man then I am?” I could hear him give another deadly snort, he was being selective with his listening.
“You shot a man in cold blood as he risked his own life for seven strangers. He took all of those kids in even though one was very sick and another was being hunted down. He died protecting us from you, but before he died, he shared some wisdom with me. A man isn’t defined by age, but by his actions.” I tried to peek at Lauren, wondering if she thought I was being a man or just a stupid boy.
Even as that thought came through my mind, I knew it was ridiculous, but I was still curious if she understood that I did what I was doing for her. That everything I had done in the past months was because of her. She really meant the world to me and I would do anything for her.
“What a bunch of nonsense!” Dean Manson voice became loud and gruff.
“It isn’t nonsense!” Lauren shouted, sounding furious.
Her warm body pressed close to my chest and an arm wrapped around me. I ignored the tenderness, wishing I could put my arms around her in return.
“I love you and—” I started.
“Oh stop this nonsense!” Manson roared to stop me from talking more.
I glanced over at Manson who was standing tall and livid. He moved his hand to behind him to take out something slowly. I started to sit up to try and push Lauren to the side as the gun came into view. My body throbbed as I stood up. I didn’t care about me; I was done for anyway. Manson pointed the gun straight at my chest, probably the same gun he used on Ed. The click of the gun echoed through my ears as my world went into slow motion.
Lauren tried to push me out of the way of the bullet. Grabbing onto her, I turned us around just in time. I cringed over her shoulder and she screamed. Falling to the ground, sensing something warm and sticky seeping through the shoulder of the back of my shirt, I smiled.
“Missed my heart,” I whispered to Lauren as she collapsed with me.
Tears streamed down her face as she tried to catch me from collapsing on the ground. I lay down slowly on the grass as a little sunlight shined down on us. The back of the leather coat grew moist as my blood seeped out from the wound. I couldn’t believe I was dying. Yet a small smirk formed on my lips.
“Hey look at me,” I held her hand as she leaned near to me, “Despite what we’ve been through, I’d do it again just to keep every last moment with you. There isn’t a single thing I wouldn’t do for you, I love you…”
The other night of us dancing came back to me. The words of that song finally sank into me. The love songs finally made sense. I used to not comprehend what the lyrics meant. People just say how romantic they were and stuff, then there I was actually dying as if I were part of the song, living the song. I gazed into her blue eyes as tears were building up and falling down her sad face.
“This is all my fault, Aaron,” she muttered, closing her eyes for a brief moment.
“I have one tiny trick up my sleeve,” I spoke to her in a hushed tone, Lauren raised an eyebrow yet I could see more agony in her eyes then curiosity.
Gently urging Lauren off of me, I pressed myself up griping the cool metal around my bloody fingers that was left carelessly beside me after being used against me. Standing up, I used the metal to get myself up. Manson was watching furiously and I aimed to act like him, strived to be unreadable.
“Can’t you just die already?” Dean Manson just asked causally.
I smiled at the stubborn man in front of me, who I realized was just as wilful as me. The strain felt horrible as my breath came hard and laborious. I nearly struggled to stop myself from hunching over. If I was going to die, I wanted to die in peace knowing that he was dead and couldn’t hurt the others or Lauren.
“Look at yourself. Just lie down and die. You’re just making this harder on yourself—making your death so much more fun for me, but worse for Lauren.”
I didn’t have to look at her, but I knew Manson’s words were true. Yet, I had to do make one last attempt. Feeling the metal digging into my hand, I felt calmer than ever. Lauren glided as if in the clouds, foggy minded and went over to Manson, just to drift her fingers along his face, dragging him toward her. It felt like the bullet had hit my heart as I saw her slide his face toward her.
Hesitantly, her lips met his. Seeing Manson wrap his arms around her to mesh his vulgar lips against hers, I realized what Lauren was doing. Securing an arm tightly so his grip was firm on her hip, Manson’s voice started as he kept his eyes glued on my girl that was forced alongside him.
“Is this a nice little pathetic attempt of begging for his life? There will be plenty of time for that, dear, and much more.” He turned to look at me, but it was too late. Using the last bit of my strength, I pushed the metal into his abdomen.
Two screams filled the air when there was just a tiny bit of the metal sticking out of Manson. He choked on blood as he pushed Lauren into me. We hit the ground together. She crawled closer to me as Goliath went down, bleeding to his death. I tried harder to glance at Lauren again as she sat over me, struggling to turn me over.
“Let me get a look at the wound.” She shook slightly bent over.
Grimacing, I made an effort to turn toward her. I wanted to scream as Lauren tried to take the jacket off, but we were interrupted.
“My… followers will not be… pleased to see… you still here with me here like… this.” He laughed through gurgles of blood.
Lauren put an arm around me to help me up. Biting t
he inside of my mouth as we limped our way away from there, I heard Manson calling to his followers. Lauren shook in fear. I heard him order his minions to find us, while telling some to help him. With every order, his voice grew quieter, less majestic. I kept feeling like I was fading out, just like him.
Rain began to pour down on us as clouds started to roll in while we wondered how we would escape at the rate we were moving. I questioned who was falling over more, Lauren or me. Finally, we buckled down by some weeds by a lake, which might had been the very same one we began our journey at. I closed my eyes as I lay down on the cool grass. The air became heavy, harder for me to breathe in. I felt Lauren fall next to me with an arm around me.
“I want you to keep an eye out. I told the others to come here and they’ll be on horses…” I struggled to talk.
I felt like I was about to lose consciousness. I turned to glance at Lauren, seeing her bend over me. There was a rip and blood pouring out of her side. I felt guilty realizing that I must have gotten her with the metal a little when I stabbed Manson. Lauren’s eyes showed tenderness as she looked at me; then she wiped her lips, which made me smile, she hated kissing him. Rain mixed with tears dripped down her face.
“Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay because I love you and would do anything for you no matter what,” her eyes filled in tears as she bent down to me while my voice sounded hoarse.
“Please don’t talk like you’re dying!” Lauren pleaded.
I pulled her closer to me so her lips were near mine. I wanted to be with her longer and I was being forced to leave her again. Unlike the other times I left her though, I wouldn’t be coming back. I wouldn’t be getting a welcome back hug like I had received in Pennsylvania. I loved her too much to leave her like that. Staring into her eyes, everything we went through ran through my mind.
Delicately, I touched her lips to mine for just a short moment, a whisper of a contact, but Lauren didn’t leave. This left me to say my parting words against her lips. My eyes closed as my mind stared to drift away. Feeling began to leave my body and I was only able to sense a slight tinge of warmth from her lips against mine.
“Falling in love with you was unexpected, but risking my life for you was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. Even in death I won’t stop protecting you…”
Epilogue