Path to Our Future part 8

Gwen

So I’ve had a brother again for a few days now and we’ve really bonded a lot in that time. He says it’s a blood thing, not sure what that means but I love him. Now I’m standing in the living room of my father, who is a very hard man by the look of things. I mean he’s nice and gentle but there is something in him that screams a warning but I can’t place what it would be. As I said I’m standing in his living room surrounded by new family after my brother just exploded all over the place.

“Can someone tell me why baby bro just lost it, I mean I get that his friend is hurt but it’s not like he knows exactly who did it,” I ask and I am getting looks from everyone now.

“That’s the problem; Guy doesn’t know who is doing this. You’re brother has some problems and you might want to sit down because this is going to take a while,” Daddy, I get to call him that, tells me as I get sat on the couch with him and Momma.

Ever read a horror story that they live in the end but something is wrong with them, that is what my baby brother life sounds likes to me. His ladies are sweet and loving but seriously why does a friend have to try to kill you? And why the fuck does everyone think letting him do all this shit by himself is alright, he’s just one kid.

“I’m sorry but you all gotta explain this. Shit goes wrong and everyone looks at my baby brother? No wonder he’s pissed off half the time. If I had to fix all the shit that happened with everyone around me at all times I’d fucking lose my temper and burn houses down,” I tell them and get some odd looks when Daddy speaks up.

“You don’t understand it fully; I don’t want him to go do it. None of us do,” He tells me a little sad,” It’s going to get him killed and that scares me more than I can describe.”

“Guy doesn’t like his friends and family to have problems, he throws himself at everything we have trouble with and the success rate is staggering. If we could pull him back we would, we’ve tried but that drives him away,” Momma says sadly and I’m done waiting.

“Okay girls get a fucking car and take me where my brother is going,” I order his ladies standing up and grabbing a coat.

“That might not be the best idea Gwen,” Momma says trying to stop me but his girls are grabbing coats and keys.

“Backing up my family IS the best idea Momma,” I tell her quietly as we head out the door.

Jesus I remembered what it would be like if my family was still alive, I mean Daddy is pretty nice but Momma is kind of soft. We’re heading down the road towards a hospital or something as I’m in a van with Kori, Mathilda and a little red head named Rachael. As we were getting in the van I saw some tigers tattooed on Rachael’s side.

“So you got a tiger tattoo like Guy,” I ask and all the girls laugh.

“We all have them, he got them first,” Kori tells me with a smile in her rear view.

Damn that baby brother of mine has some funny girls, they all laugh and start telling me about some happier things that he’s done to lighten the mood. When they get to him proposing it’s a laugh riot as all of us are cackling about it, it wasn’t funny then but they are laughing now. I’m just hoping I can help with all these people that seem to be screwing with my brother’s life?

Destroyer

Weak, one hundred twenty one. Soft, one hundred twenty two. Pathetic, one hundred twenty three. A waste of my abilities, one hundred twenty four. A waste of my time, one hundred twenty five. I can hear movement in the building, footsteps sound like hers something is off. I pause my pushups and wait till I hear something more definitive.

“Oh big brother, I know you’re working out,” I hear my sister call extending the words like a child.

“Yes I am, what is it they want now,” I reply, one hundred twenty six.

“Well he wants me to send a final message and he has a location for us. It’s finally time,” I hear her say as she enters the room.

I stand and note her appearance, black hair a little messy and clothing a little off. I shake my head and she notices my expression of distrust.

“Brother what are you upset about now,” she asks leaning against the wall.

I cover distance faster than she can react and put my fist through the drywall next to her head. My fist passed through easily and I felt the breaking of the drywall from my hand but it’s her face that I’m most concerned with, she’s afraid of me again.

“You slept with the client,” I state coldly,” And you didn’t ask him about payment for the other one, I’m not doing this for free.”

“I only slept with him because you won’t sleep with me,” She says pulling away from my arm as I remove it.

“Because you are my sister I care about you, I brought you in on this and got you out of that hospital. However I will not allow you to make a fool of my reputation and ply my skills for free,” I tell her brushing off the drywall.

“After I send the message and we get the job done we’ll get paid and then we’re gone,” she says trying to show me her softer side.

“Did he tell you that or do you assume he will pay us,” I ask looking down on her.

“He’ll pay or I’ll go over all sweetly and cut his balls off so he can choke on them big brother,” she tells me sweetly hugging me around the waist.

Guy

Helmet in hand I’m marching through the doors of the hospital and find out where Ben is at the admission desk. A quick run up the stairs, fuck elevators and waiting, I am on the right floor and heading down the hall when I see Ben’s Mom and Dad. His Dad is a taller white guy but his Mom is a short Native woman who has always had a smile on her face till now. I slow my pace and while his Dad remains seated his Mom is up out of her seat and rushes to me. A slap, a beating, a mauling, I’m ready for it all. What I’m not ready for is a woman hugging me.

“Oh Guy this isn’t your fault, don’t do this to yourself. Ben was trying to help but that doesn’t make it your fault,” Mrs. Scranton tells me and I’m a bit stunned.

“Ma’am I need to see him,” I tell her and get walked to his room.

What I see next causes me some pain and a whole lot of rage. There’s Ben sleeping soundly save for the brace on his fingers, the bandaging on his nose and face, I can tell they taped him up and put something on him to keep him from moving with his messed up ribs. The clincher is the shoulder stab wound, all the bandaging they did to put him back together but he looks like he’s still fresh. The final bit to this scene of my friend in a hospital bed is Heather; sitting in a chair with her head slumped on Ben’s hand as much as possible quietly sleeping. I move next to her and simply watch the two of them quietly sleep, him much deeper than her as she rouses a little and bolts upright from her chair.

“Guy I’m so sorry I dozed off,” Heather tells me standing on shaky legs.

“Hey I think you need more than a couple minutes rest. You call Kori frantically then pass out. You’ve been pushing too hard,” I reply trying to console my ex.

“You push harder; he wanted to prove himself to you again. He said you lost your faith in him or something,” Heather says and immediately notices my face,” I know better Guy, you drive yourself to the breaking point but never others.”

“Yeah well that’s about to change,” I tell her getting a sad look.

“End it please, justice or vengeance or whatever you want to do to make this ‘right’ but please Guy,” Heather says with a sad look in her eyes,” End this.”

I lead Heather out of the room and find more people in the hall waiting for us as Gwen along with my girls have shown up at the hospital. I relay all the information I have
save for one thing, Heather thinking it’s Taylor because it was her plan. They don’t need to come after her for shit in her past and if I need to I’ll bring that up when I can and in my own way. I am feeling travel tired and after letting Mr. and Mrs. Scranton know that I’ll handle this when the cops won’t we head back towards home. My girls head back to their homes while Gwen is being settled into Katy’s room. I have my sister; despite it all I still get to say that and smile. I start to head to bed when my door opens and I see a female figure work her way into my room, blankets get pulled down and I feel a lot of soft and warm pressed against me.

“I get to sleep here now,” Katy tells me quietly.

“Yes, yes you do,” I reply and kiss her forehead.

“I want the bitch, I don’t care about anyone else but that bitch answers to me,” Katy says quietly and I contemplate what she’s asking as we fall asleep.

Monday morning and word of what happened to Ben spread like wildfire. Sadly for Taylor, if he is pulling this shit, it didn’t work like he thought. People are banding together, everyone is watching everyone else’s back. There is an assembly set up and the A/V club has already made arrangements for me to pull off something ridiculous. Fifth period rolls around and everyone is in the assembly, everyone except me and a small group from the A/V club lead by Hideo. He’s running me down a route and swears that this has been cleared by Mrs. Jackson and Coach Campbell. I shake my head, I like a grand display but this is a bit much with me on Pale Horse waiting. I’ve got everything set and I get the signal and start my route. I’m focusing on the route but there are camera men shooting video of me and I’m heading towards the gym when the doors pop open fast and I’m inside and in front of the whole school. I thought the students could deafen but take a Harley bike and put it in an acoustic oven like a Gym and you can see people screaming but you don’t hear shit. I cut the engine and I hear music, its familiar when I make out Kid Rock’s American Badass. I set my bike upright and smile at my people and pull my hood up onto my head which get’s more cheering, not sure why when they can’t see my face they cheer harder but who fucking cares. I walk over to Principal Jackson and with a smile take a microphone and get a hug. I step back to center stage and address my people.

“Over a week ago one of us was attacked here, on OUR turf. Now another one of us is attacked, one of my close friends. Well guess what,” I state building my momentum,” They should have come for me. You want to scare people I’m right here leading the charge.”

My words garner some applause and I see Mrs. Jackson debating the wisdom of making myself a target.

“Mr. President a word if I may,” I see they set up microphones for the students on stands and I nod to the blonde girl,” How do you condone violence begetting violence?”

“I condone defending yourself and the people around you. If we don’t stand together when one of us is hurt then people will come when we are alone and we will suffer for it. Anyone else,” I ask and see a black kid take another microphone.

“Yes, you were elected in a landslide last year and now some think your popularity is getting to your head,” He says and I chuckle.

“God I hope it’s getting to my head. I cared about a dozen people last year that was it. Everyone could just leave me in peace and I’d have been happy. Now I’m here with all of you behind me and I will look out for what is best for all of us,” I state again and people like my responses.

I let Mrs. Jackson take the microphone back and she dismisses us and I walk my bike back outside and when I’m back at the parking lot I shake Hideo’s hand. We’re laughing a little when the rest of the crew catches up to me and it’s a good feeling.

Tuesday and Wednesday come and we’re feeling a bit better about the world around us save for one thing. Nothing is happening against us or more particularly me. I thought something more would happen and we’re about to leave school when I get a text from Lajita to come to Rachael’s school right now. It’s middle of school on Wednesday and I’m not only out of class thanks to no real classes after lunch and down the road with a courtesy text to Kori letting her know that I’m busy. I get to the school and while nobody decided to involve the staff or faculty I head to the library at Lajita’s invitation to find Kamran and a few of his goon squad standing around, I crack my neck and as I approach one of the goons cuts me off trying to place his hand on my chest. I grab the thumb and twist outward bending his arm in a backwards direction before beginning what would be a series of hard strikes to vital areas when Kamran himself stops me with a word.

“We are here in protection Guy, I am not your enemy here,” He tells me quietly.

“You need to tell your people then to not fuck with me,” I state and let his friend go.

“Guy,” Lajita says breaking through the macho,” Rachael was attacked, I don’t know who she was but she did… something and now Rachael won’t talk to me. I asked her if I should call you and she nodded.”

I let Lajita bring me to a computer cubicle where Rachael is sitting in the chair with a distant look on her face. I let her sit while I address Lajita and her people.

“You and Kamran,” I ask skeptical.

“He has people and he has earned my trust. When I found her I asked for him and he brought them,” Lajita says motioning to his three goons before taking my face in her hands,” I am your friend; you need to see your friends still. Find who did this yes but remember we will fight with you.”

I nod and turn back to Rachael, she hasn’t moved and I ask her simply if I can take her home. I get a light nod and slowly lead Rachael out of the school and to Pale Horse. The most anything she shows me on the entire ride home is that she is behind me and her arms are wrapped around me tightly. I don’t know what happened but I will personally fuck someone’s world for this. Rachael’s parents aren’t home and I get her inside and close the door after us before seeing something oddly confusing, Rachael has dropped her bag at the bottom of the stairs, her coat is a few steps up from that. The trail of clothing she leaves is all the way to her bedroom and I see her standing naked in front of me and while I like the sight normally it’s her slightly far off expression that has me not stripping naked and taking her right there.

“Rachael I need you to tell me what happened,” I ask closing her bedroom door.

“We need to have sex now,” Rachael states.

“Not just yet honey, you need to tell me what the bitch did,” I state and that’s where Rachael begins to look pained.

“She pinned me to a wall and she fingered me,” Rachael says quietly but I hear her.

“Wait, she fingered you,” I ask getting a nod,” Did you want her to?”

“No, I don’t want anyone else to touch me but you and the girls,” Rachael snaps now bursting on the defense.

“And I love you for that but why are you afraid of me,” I ask taking my coat off.

“Because she… she made me….,” Rachael wants to say something but she’s scared.

“Did she make you orgasm,” I ask pulling my shirt off and I get a sad nod in response,” Was it better than me?”

“What NO,” Rachael bursts again.

“Did you want it to happen again,” I ask another hard question.

“NO I don’t want anyone else, why are you asking me this,” Rachael snaps at me with a little venom.

“Because I’m trying to figure out what you did wrong and why you’re so distant,” I reply pulling my pants down and kicking them away leaving us both naked,” You didn’t want it, you don’t want it again but you’re acting like you have guilt over it.”

“I came because of someone else,” Rachael tells me saddened.

I move her to her bed and lay her down softly so that she’s relaxed before moving onto the bed with her.