One Shot; Fatal Wound

Forever meant nothing to me,

until I met you.

--

"We should be safe for a little while… Do you remember where his room should be?" Cody's familiar voice filled the air, but with a worried tone telling everyone it couldn't be alright.

After so many times of Cody, who knew the time may come that even he was afraid? What in this beloved world could ever be wrong? Things were always so hard . . . but that was life.

"I don't know." A new voice, ahh, yes, someone you and I have not met yet. A little boy, nearly four to five years younger than the 'stand tall, stand proud' Cody. But with bloody wrists, arms, and several parts of the body injured by some unknown evil force among them.

The hall had a dreary exterior to it. Each inch was a shadow, and the walls were gray from top to bottom. Lights were nothing here, and gloom was more than just everything. Every other footstep became a blood print, a CSI sample, the sad thump onto the carpets of despair. Through the good days and the hard days, this lone corridor would never face the reality of this world.

"Gah! I just don't understand . . . where is he? How come he didn't come back..?" Thoughts spilled out of Cody's mouth, distress causing him to stop in his tracks to lean against the wall. His hands covered his face, rubbing off anything or any thought he could not handle without much success.

The boy next to him simply shrugged, staring blankly at the man. What was wrong?

"Dustin, I told you, you just can't do this!" Nick pleaded, "Do you even care about endangering someone else's life?" The young man questioned, staring hard at Dustin.

The room was small, a sort of dorm like room with a bunk bed and few dressers and desk. The room was not brightly lit, but a lamp burned in one corner of the room.

"Look, Nick, this isn't exactly my choice."

"Oh look, yes it is." Nick went on stubbornly, "You're killing off those innocent people for what?"

"Other not so innocent people."

"Who could you possibly be killing for?" Nick questioned with a glare, taking himself off the chair at the desk and placing himself sitting next to Dustin on the bottom bunk.

Dustin put his head in his arms, his arms resting on his knees. All of his body sat on the edge of the bed, totally aware that Nick was side by side with him right now.

"Family."

Nick sighed, bowing his head. He could understand his brother's pain. "Dustin, it doesn't take all of this just for your family . . . Why do they even deserve to see you again after what they did?" The boy asked, keeping his head down.

Unexpectedly, the teenage boy felt a pain on his head as Dustin grabbed his untamed hair and yanked him so close to Dustin their bodies touched… subsequently Dustin literally shoved him onto the ground.

Nick cried out in pain, a shoe thrusting into his stomach. Dustin had kicked him when he was already down. Hadn't anybody told him? Never do that . . . no, not that.

Dustin knelt down, Nick laying on his stomach, he took the boy's hair in his hand once more and drawled up. "Don't talk about my family like that!" he whispered the threat, driving Nick's head back into the carpet.

Nick whimpered and winced in through the suffering, but was glad to know he had an affect on Dustin. However, not glad it was a bad outcome.

Unhurried, the teen stood up once more, walking right back over to that same man who had just hurt him. He was not worried about the pain; it was only a state of mind to him; so he merely had to adjust his mind to relieve his pain. He wanted to help his dear friend . . . assist a brother.

"Dustin . . . it doesn't have to be this way . . . please . . ." Nick's words may as well of been worthless or millions of lives worth while for, but all together Dustin did not seem to care. He kept his back turned, fidgeting with his hands for a number of minutes.

--

"Do you hear something..?" Cody asked, standing upright once more. "Oh dear god, I hope that's Nick." He added in a whisper.

The younger boy next to him shrugged. He must have been shy or something . . . or was it the fact he didn't exactly enjoy talking while bleeding like the devil.

"It's got to be him..." Cody assumed, expecting to see Nick soon. He would breathe twice as hard, just to give Nick the extra oxygen to stay alive if he had to. Nick meant so much more to him than himself...

Bits of noises came from down the hall, sounds of agony. It came closer and closer each passing moment. …footsteps? Yes! There were 2 pairs of footsteps, one sounded like struggling while the other limping... or was it..?

"Arugh! Agh..! Let! Go!!" the few audible sounds what seemed to be more shouts and grunts came from another hall. Someone must be struggling! Question was; who was holding who captive?

At an instant Cody recognized Nick's little boy cries, and was immediately angry with the one who was causing Nick this new pain. What a terribly deed this person was doing, and Cody was ready to put a stop to it. So, parting with the younger boy drenched in dried blood in the hallway, the elder teenage, Cody, sped off down the hall and towards rescuing Nick.

Before Nick and Cody were ever in sight, Cody had yelled out, "Nick! Nick! Where are you?"

"Cody? Cody! Please, Cody, help! Cody! Co- mff!!"

It was obvious that Nick's screams were being muffled by something, and even more proof of Cody's intelligence that he was right, Dustin turned a corner with Nick. Nick was trapped in Dustin's grasp with a switchblade to his throat and hand over his mouth. Nick's eyes were wide and terrified. So obvious he was scared. Poor baby.

Cody stood in shock for a long time before realizing what was going on. But he could do no more but stare at Nick as Dustin slowly dragging his lover by them, only to let himself by. . .

Oh, Nick, I swear. . . I swear, I will save you!

How could Dustin, that guy he felt as a dear friend for many of many years, have turned so terrible, threatening to kill a life just to get by them unharmed. Watching Nick's worried yet scared eyes might as well of made Cody cry if he wasn't so strong.

And with the most force Dustin could ever build up at once, he removed the knife from the boy's neck and shoved him away.

Cody caught Nick in his arms, wrapping around him in a close embrace. Nick would be safer with him, and he could barely believe he'd let Nick wander without him. Nick's head was down, and arms down by his sides, simply letting Cody hold him.

"Dustin, leave. Leave now, and don't you ever return. If I ever see you again, I swear I'll murder you!" Cody vowed in a low tone, but making sure Dustin could hear as he slipped away. . . in fear?

Cody stood where he was for a matter of many minutes with Nick in his compassionate embrace. He ran his fingers through Nick's hair, and rubbed his back. He whispered soothingly in the boy's ear, and both closed their eyes.

The younger boy, dressed in black stained with blood and the stench of blood following hi turned the corner, waiting at the very end of the hallway. How long would this take? And what was going on between the other boys? He'd never seen stuff like this before, well, maybe. But it was awkward.

Nevertheless, instead of waiting, the youngest of the boys left, disappearing into the corridors.

"Nick, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you leave me. Your to special to me, I couldn't imagine life if Dustin had taken you from me. I don't want to loose you, Nick. . . I knew I shouldn't have gotten to involved but it's hard not to. And now, probably because of me, you've been hurt. I'm sorry, Nick, I truly am." Each word a soft as a blue bird's song, and each pause so dramatic yet the care of a loved one's heart. How could Cody have spoken those words to Nick?

"It's not you fault. . ." Nick argued, barely whispered the words as tears ran down his face full to the brim with despair. Cody couldn't be putting him through this!

"No, Nick. If I stay something like this could happen again. I won't let that happen." Cody told him, carefully pulling Nick away.

"No, no..!" Nick pleaded, trying to come back closer to his lover, but only to be pushed away again.

The shove was not immense, but hard enough that Nick had been pushed until his back was against the opposite wall. Tears continued to streak down the teenager's face. "Please, no! Cody, don't leave me..!" Nick cried.

"I have to. I'm sorry. . ." Cody slowly started down the hall, departing from Nick.

Nick grabbed his right elbow with his left hand, and left elbow with his right hand. His head was bent down to hide the teas, but any fool could tell he was crying. Nick had never felt more depressed, and fell limp onto the ground. He had never been so scared; scared that Cody would leave him.

The footsteps slowly disappeared, but the sadness Nick felt did not leave him. Each second that went by was merely another tear. He'd never cried so much. Not when in the orphanage. Not when shot. Nothing, so how could he be so sad about Cody leaving? And if Cody thought it was best, Nick knew he could not change those thoughts. It wasn't fair.

Cody was gone.

--

Author's Note:

I had arthritis pain near the end of this story,

So,

I apologize for any common mistakes you see or any other mishaps and shortage of story.

Hope you enjoyed!