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| The 4 boys at a trampoline park. July 17, 2023 |
October 11, 2023
I know, that was probably my sign but I'm getting stir crazy and I want to go. But I promised myself to be extra careful. I need to check things out before I head over. But first I will call him back and see if he will deliver the message.
<pause, phone rings, and rings, and rings>
September 11, 2023
Well, this sucks he didn't answer. I slightly pull back the right corner of the drapes where I have a clear line of sight of the front office. I do not move the curtains. I do not disturb the air conditioner. I'm frozen like a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. It must have been a straight hour before I decided to go over to the office. Honestly, it did appear to be business as usual. But I need the right timing. And the timing for now was perfect because the family of 6 right next to my room decided to leave. They are really noisy and every time they went out they carried so many bags I thought they were checking out each time. The mom and kids are standing in front of my door while waiting for their dad to come out. I seize the moment and open my door, step outside, close my door and stand behind them like a human shield.
They pay no mind to me standing here. All the children are oblivious to what's happening around them. Mom is staring at her phone. I take a tactical pause before I move. But then I suddenly see 2 men locked on me. They are standing at the door of the front office. I do not move. One of the men walks out and the other one is behind him. They do not run, their walk is smooth and deliberate. My mind is racing with many thoughts of what to do. I am strapped but if I take out my gun we are all going to die. I am not that cruel. They are getting closer, just several doors down. I began to retreat back inside my room but then dad walked out of his room. I turned and pulled him out of the way. His body, acting as a bowling ball, knocking all his kids to the ground. His wife fell backwards over the parking stop. I slammed the door as bullets struck the wood frame and wood shrapnel exploded everywhere. I never choose a motel without an egress so I run towards the back of the room while grabbing a table chair. I whip it over my shoulder and chuck it as hard as I can at the rear window. The chair shatters the glass but it's not tempered. Jagged pieces still surround the opening, but I don't have time to be picky and I dive through the opening. The curtains entangle me and I summersault to the ground, down the embankment, until coming to rest by a tree. More gunshots ring out and the bullets strike the tree trunk above my head. I am in a bad spot.
Through the panic I remember the motel clerk telling me about the ghost trail back here. I scamper around the tree, away from the bullets at the same time reaching for my gun. I turn back and return fire trying to hold them at bay. They attack back. I scan the forest looking for the haunted trail. There was something, it was about 25 yards away. A woman! A woman waved me over to her for safety. I can't believe my luck that a stranger would help me through this chaos. I scanned my area and grabbed a bunch of rocks and piled them onto the curtain. Then I quickly tied a knot. The end of the curtain looked like a big ball. I then lassoed it and threw it as far as I could in the opposite direction. Momentarily the gunfire was redirected. It was my chance to run, and I took it. I ran towards the girl as fast as I could. The gunmen realize my ploy and began to shoot back towards my direction but it was too late, I made to the girl and she directed me down the trail. It was a haunted trail.
"Where did he disappear to you buffoons," the angry boss demanded.
"He ran down there," one of the buffoons said.
"Then why didn't you follow him?'
"We tried boss but something prevented us from going down that trail. I don't know what it was."
"Incompetence," he said. "I know my no good sister in law paid to kill my brother. He was a lowlife but he was still my brother grab her from the car and bring her down here, now!"
I thanked my savior for providing me safety. I didn’t know what else to do. I had no money on me, no identification to show who I was, and nothing of value to hand her.
“I’m sure there is something we can find you can sacrifice for the greater good.” She said.
I stopped in my tracks. I didn’t like how she said that and frankly I think I could find me own way out.
“Wait,” I said. “I can find my way down this trail. I promise you I can come back ad pay you. I am indebted to you. But those guys are coming after me and I do not want to place you, or anyone else, in danger.”
She turned to me. Her outfit was clean. But we were in the mud. I was wet from the dew and sweat. She was dry and pristine. I had obvious injuries. She looked pure. “You need not worry about them or anything else ever again. There is a higher purpose for you to serve. We cannot waste anymore time. And you cannot leave.”
I took my gun at from my waistband and pointed it at her. “Look, you saved me. I’m grateful but I’m not asking if I can leave. I am telling you that I am going. It is as simple as that.”
She stated at me perplexed. Her brown skin was pure and smooth. She reached out her hand and placed her palm over the opening of the barrel.
“This is a gun? You are primitive in my world. You are lower than the dung that a dung beetle rolls. You cannot control me with this weapon. There is no control here. Pull your trigger and find out. But you only have one attempt.”
I have been around. She wants me to shoot. I obliged. I fired the remaining rounds but she did not waver. I took a step back, reloaded, and shot again. 1 round, 2 round, 3 rounds, 4 rounds, 5 rounds and so on. I screamed and shouted over the loud bangs. She did not move! I reloaded and shot again over and over. She did not move! I went to reload again but there was nothing else to load.
“haha,” she laughed. “Are you done? Is it my turn now?”
She walked over and wrapped her fingers around both wrists bending my hands towards me chest. I dropped the gun in pain. There was a loud snap. Both my wrists crumpled into a heap. I feel to my knees. She lifted me up by my hair until my feet left the ground with her left arm. She used her right fist to punch my face in. I could feel the grit of my porcelain. I bit my tongue. Blood was steaming from my nose. She smacked my face and the crack of my jaw send chills down my spine.
“I will see you in hell,” she said.
By broken body was lifted about her head and she violently threw my down the hole. My body banged the left and right sides of the well like walls. My bones broke with every crushing blow until I hit the bottom. But I didn’t lose conscience. I want to lose consciousness. Why am I still alert? Put me out of my misery!
Slowly my bones began to mend. Breaking them was easy but now they are being stretched and put back in place. My rolled up muscles were pulled back over the bone. My flesh stretched and tightened. It was eructating pain. Until, I wasn’t. I was back to normal. Standing in a pit of chaos and destruction.
I felt hands on my shoulders. I looked to my left shoulder and then my right. I could see it was that beautiful brown skin again.
“Are you ready for round 2,” she asked.
She then proceeded to crush my clavicles.
I hope there isn’t a round 3.
1,283 words
