Lost Minds

18

Sitting like ducks.

That's a good word for this.

They are standing in a circle, lost as hell, trying to track us in a place they've never been.

If they knew we would go this way, don't they know where Daxon lives? Why didn't they do their research and get accustomed to the forest environment?

This is lazy hit-man tactics. I know people in movies who did it better.

I guess the fake will always be much more exaggerated than the real.

Daxon takes the first shot and one falls to the ground dead, as the others all point there guns wildly in our direction.

My heart pounds heavy in my chest as my finger trembles on the trigger.

Shoot.

I push in the piece of metal and the gun goes off. A hit-man guy crumbles to the ground as he holds his leg. He cries out, shooting in my area. I duck but a pain goes off on my arm and I clench my teeth.

This is alive. This is living. Nothing is numb as we exchange gunshots between us.

I hop up, not hesitating as I release bullet after bullet towards the men. None of my shots hit home and kill them but they all injure them and Daxon finishes off the job.

This feels right, like I'm at home. Like a kid who finally gets that tablet for Christmas.

My shoulder aches from the constant recoil and my ears ring as shot after shot booms out of the gun.

I'm a terrible shot but these aren't exactly dummies that don't move. The last man standing ducks behind a tree trunk and silence stretches between us.

"Daxon, you need to stop now!" The guy shouts. Daxon chuckles beside me.

"For hit-men, you guys are really chatty." He yells.

"You won't succeed. They already know what you're planning." The mans shouts through the forest. Daxon's chuckles fade.

Planning? They? Interesting.

"Do they tell you guys to try and reason with me?" Daxon's voice carries in the trees. I glance at him.

"You're a reasonable boy who's been hurt. I don't want to have to kill you." The hit-man says.

That's a bit subjective considering we're literally trying to kill each other.

"They run their mouth way too much, you shouldn't even know me." Daxon lowers his body, and motions me to follow him. We crawl, avoiding snapping branches. The forest already is loud enough by itself.

"But I do and hate will swallow you alive. Daxon, let go." We reach the other side of his tree, as I duck behind some as Daxon continues getting closer.

Hate will swallow you alive?

My mind flashes images of Daxon's cold eyes and freezing expressions. His scowls and quick change in attitude.

I knew something was up with it. Something's always wrong with people who involve themselves with me.

My eyes widen as Daxon leaps to the opposite side of the tree, his feet twisting and turning to achieve balance as he lands. He brings up his gun immediately, as does Mr. Hit man.

"I don't want your lecture." Daxon spits, holding his gun up steady and strong. My shoulder throbs and my head hurts already after shooting and he looks unaffected.

I shake my head. With experience comes tolerance.

"I used to be like you, lost trying to figure out how to deal with my pain. I found this job and as much as I hate to take another's life, it's a factor in my life I would never change." Mr. Hit man's gun trembles in his hands.

Ok and?

"I didn't ask for your sob story either." Daxon fires as the shoot throws his shoulder back and Mr. Hit man looks down at his chest. A bullet hole above his heart bleeds and he clutches it.

Why are they always so easy to kill? They stand there and talk to him about changing his ways instead of doing their job.

My eyes meet the dying man's gaze and we stare at each other.

His flame of life dims by the second as he opens his lips and mouths something to me.

I furrow my eyebrows at him and watch as his lips spell, Sorry for you. His body limps to the ground, looking the same as his co-workers.

Was that message meant for me? Or did death make him delusional in his last moments?

Whatever it was, he's gone now.

I get up from my hiding place and stand beside Daxon. I look over the forest as the dead bodies of the hit-men pile in one spot while this one lays here.

"How do you get rid of the bodies?" I ask

When he killed that Moe guy, he came back to school like nothing had happened. No news on it, no police knocking on my door, nothing.

It puts me off he can just do whatever the fuck he wants to but, I want a piece of that so as long as we share, I'm good.

"I have people on my side too. Let's say I've known them since forever and they're always watching. They should show up any second now to clean the place up, lets go eat." Daxon yawns, stretching his arms over his head, walking back towards his building.

My feet refuse to move as the adrenaline drains from my veins.

I didn't kill anybody but my actions pushed them into death.

My knees give out from under me as I fall to the forest floor with a plop. I stare down into my hands as they tremble and feel a small grin appear on my lips.

That was absolutely amazing. The gunshots to the blood and the life fading out of that man's eyes. Pure ecstasy.

I begin to laugh. Burst of laughter bubble up through me and I hold my sides.

This is what I've been suppressed for. This is what all those meds and therapy sessions tried to keep me away from. They tried to make me numb but I've broke free.

I can't let them stop me now.

My laughter calms as I breath heavily.

I won't let them stop me.