BANG! BANG!

"Huh?" I say quietly to myself as I wake up to a loud knocking on my front door. I look around me and realize I must've fallen asleep on the couch. I look at my clock on the T.V. "2:36? Who could be so panicked at 2:30 in the morning?"

A severely disturbed yet familiar voice came from outside the door. I was not yet fully awake so I couldn't quite make out words or who it was. "They must be a boy if the voice is so low," I thought to myself. "I know who it is but I just can't quite remember his name…" I would find out as soon as I opened my door.

My closest friend Erik Burr burst through my door as soon as I turned the knob. He looked so freaked out. His bright blue eyes were wide with terror underneath his shaggy black bangs. I'd known him since we were 3, and I'd never seen him so terrified in my life. Joey was out of breath and panting heavily.

"What's going on?"

"You got to help me, Faylin! They're after me!"

"What? Who? Slow down!"

"It's Mark Bane, and his two buddies!"

"The rugby players? What the hell did you get into?"

"Nothing I did on purpose! My mom and Dad started fighting again. I hopped out the window like always and was walking to your house when the three drunkards showed up and tried to beat the crap out a' me! So I ran! I had no idea what I was doing and just came here out of habit!"

"Ok then. Wait- what day is it?"

"What?"

"What's the date?"

"October 27th. What? Is that going to help us?"

"SHIT! Um, ok. Plan. You-"

CRACK! The sound of splintering wood filled the street as the three drunken high school students threw their weight at my front door.

"Ah!" I squeak in surprise. "Forget them. Pay attention. I'm going to go get my .22 cal pistol, while you go out there and-"

"WHAT? I AM NOT GOING OUT THERE! THOSE THREE ARE GOING TO KICK MY ASS! MAYBE EVEN KILL ME! NO WAY!"

"CHILL! I have a plan! I'll shoot a couple of blanks to scare them off! Yell 'No' abnormally loud when they're about to start. It will only take about 2 minutes!"

"You promise? Two minutes? That's it?"

I grab his hands and squeeze them tight. He looks like a deer in headlights, but they seem to calm slightly as I gaze with truth and promise. "I promise. You will not be hurt."

He takes a deep breath. "Alright, I'll go."

"Go out there and kick some ass."

"Okay. If I got to the hospital, I'm blaming you"

"Go!" a sudden burst of pain racks my body. It's time.

He stumbles out my front yard that is soon to be stained with blood.