The story below his my creation, but I do not endorse any of the events described in it. Racial/sexist expressions are used only for the story, and are not supported by athor. Please, have fun reading, and leave me review if you can...
As a news helicopter flew over a small town in the outskirts of Montreal, the wail of sirens could barely cover the so-many sobs let out by the survivors. The city had burned down to nothing in the matter of hours. Dead corpses laid all along the road, blood staining the concrete. Several police cars laid overturned, and an ambulance was on fire in the middle of the street.
Chapter 1 : On fire
What had led this peaceful suburban town to this extreme limit of terror? To know, we need to go back, way back, into the events.
It all started one day, at the local high school. A normal day in this yet calm Canadian suburbia. But, for a fifteen year old girl, this morning was no normal morning. Sabrina, a student at the local high school, had been followed from her home by some strange guy with a black outfit and a Mohawk hair style. As she turned in a smaller street, the fat guy got closer, along with two other, and she felt his hands on her hips, then on her breasts.
She screamed the louder she could, but no one seemed to be nearby. The man pushed her down on the street, and pulled her pants down. As she felt his penis searching for her anus, she screamed more. But still, no one was there to save her.
An hour later, high school front yard.
''Hey man, Sabrina here already?''John asked me, a look of concern on his face.
''Nope... She should've arrived much earlier.'' I answered, not giving much attention.
''Damn, she's missing all the fun...''
''Anyway, this party suck-ass...''
''Too much rock-loving skateboarders...''
''Hey, there she is...''
The girl in question walked to us, her clothes ripped off by parts, a look of pain on her face. She had tear marks on her cheeks, and her eyes were red.
''Shit... What the fuck happened?'' John asked.
''Nothing'' She said flatly.
I approached her, and looked at her.
''What happened to you? I'm not going to say anything... Just... tell me...'' I explained, trying to comfort her.
''Look Shawn... I don't wanna fucking talk about it...''
''But you need to... C'mon I can help you whatever it is...''
''I got... raped...'' She whispered.
As she said that last word, she shed in tears, crying loudly. I patted the back of her head, and she cried on my shoulder.
''Who did this to you?''
''Some skateboarders...'' She squeezed in between sobs.
I looked up, tears wanting to gain me too. I looked once more at Sabrina. She was a girl I didn't knew that intimately, but she was a good girl. And I hated seeing her suffering.
''Yo John... Go get Mitch, we are going...''
''Were?''
''We're gonna those motherfuckers that did that.''
''Hell yeah my man...''
John ran inside the building to get Mitch, one of my friends. John was six foot, mildly muscular. He was of Portuguese descent, and wore at the moment a pair of baggy jeans with a white tank, along with a white doo-rag.
Soon, he came out of the school, followed by Mitch, a tall, large, Caucasian guy in sport clothes.
''What's up fellas?''
I fingered Sabrina, and he understood immediately.
''Fuck...'' He muttered.
''Okay, Saby, what were those dudes looking like?''
''They had... dark clothes, and their... leader... had a big Mohawk. They headed south after they...''
''Got it. J.S., stay with her.''
''For sure man.''
''John, that car of yours ready?''
''It's at the garage...''
''Fuck this, we're going there on foot.''
''Yeah!''
We ran across the street to the south, were Sabrina lived. If those assholes were still out there, they were dead men. As we ran to our maximum, ignoring what our bodies told us, my heart pumped faster. Skateboarders had always messed with us a bit, but this time, this was too much. After half a mile of sprinting, we saw three guys looking just like what my friend had told us, walking on the sidewalk, laughing about something obviously very hilarious.
I approached.
''Hey yo, any of you into raping?''
They looked at each other in a paranoid fashion.
''A little blond chick, fifteen minutes ago, rings any bells.''
The fat guy with the Mohawk started spouting near nonsense talk. He was probably stone.
''Yeah... Some bitch named Sabrina... Damn she was good... Tight ass...''
He must've seen the fire of revenge burning in my eyes, because he backed off a bit. I slid my knife out of my pockets, and flipped it open.
They back up a bit more, but Mitch knocked the first one to the floor. I took the Mohawk guy, while John punched the last one in the face. I dropped my knife, this being only for scaring them.
My fist smashed on the guy's face hard, them I sent him another blow to the jar. He fell on the floor, and I slammed my fist a few more times to his face. The violence of the hits made his head knock to the ground. He cried out in pain. I got back on my feet, threatening him once before leaving.
''If you ever approach her again, you're a dead man.''
He didn't answer. We walked back to school, trying to calm us down a bit before we went back to Sabrina.
''Girl, you ain't got to be scared about that son of a bitch anymore.''
''He's... dead?'' she asked, terror in her voice tone.
''No... Of course not... We just taught him and his friends some respect 101 class.''
We walked in. Emy, Sabrina's best friend, ran for her. I spotted Sam, a tall black guy, near us. He wore his usual baggy jeans and throwback jersey. We knuckled up.
''What's up man?''
''Saby, she's got some problems... Nothing we couldn't handle thought...''
''Those motherfuckers got it coming to 'em...''
''Yeah... Guess all these assholes are the same...''
''Might be.''
I prepared to add something else, when somebody bumped into me. I turned around to look at him. A damn skateboarder, a blond haired, short guy, chewing a gum his mouth wide open. I had my share of these assholes for the day. Plus I had already seen him with the ones we had beaten up that morning.
''Hey, yo, excuse me motherfucker!'' I barked, angry as hell.
''What are you sayin'?''
''You heard me.''
''You better apologize.''
''Cause you bumped into me? I don't think so.''
''Fuck you ''wigger''.''
He received both me fist and Sam's fist in the mouth at the same time. He stumbled back, and I hit him once more. He was knocked against a locker, and fell on the floor. His girlfriend Suzy came rushing to him, a worried look on his face.
''Why for fuck's sake did you punched him?'' She shouted angrily.
Before I could do anything, Sabrina ran past me and jumped on Suzy.
''You fucking bitch!'' Sabrina yelled.
''God-damned slut! You got it coming to you! Hope you got banged hard in the ass!''
Sabrina was about to punch Suzy, when I grabbed her and took her away.
''Calm down! She ain't meaning what she said. We're just all messed up with this shit.''
Sabrina slowly calmed down in my arms.
''Look girl, I don't think Suzy's done nothing wrong.''
I turned back to Suzy, who was now next to two tall skateboarders. Mitch, Sam and John stood behind me.
''You motherfuckers better get out of here while you still can!'' I shouted.
As the two guys slowly turned around and walked away, Suzy made a strange face, and resigned.
''Suzy... I know you are a good person... Join the good camp, or you won't be spared.''
She nodded and walked away, not wanting to face us.
Soon enough, a bunch of teachers arrived. While our crew split up, as if nothing had happened, I walked back to my locker. There was no way the teachers were going to get us. They were way over their heads in this.
I turned the padlock, my hands still shaking from the emotions. As I grabbed my coat, a tall person I could identify as the principal stood near me.
''May I talk to you, mister, in private, in my office?''
''Look, I got a lot to do right now...''
''This isn't a choice.''
''Ah fuck...'' I muttered under my breath.
I followed him to his office, knowing that there was no point in outrunning him, as they would catch me anyway, at a time or another. I sat in front of his desk, and he sat behind it. This was the normal question session, which all of us hated like hell.
''Look, I don't care what you do outside of the school, this is the police's jurisdiction. But beneath these walls, I am the law. And I don't take kindly to people who beat others for any reasons.''
I nodded silently. He continued.
''I could nail you with a judicial case, but I might be more... kind... if you accept to cooperate and explain us the whole event. I want names.
''I ain't gonna talk.'' I said flatly.
''Well then...''
''I ain't gonna talk about my crew. Neither am I gonna give details about the other crew. The only thing I can tell you, are the exact facts, without names or accurate description.''
He kicked back in his chair, pondered a bit, and nodded slowly.
''This sounds fair to me.''
''Good.''
''So, what is it? Why is this school having so much violence problems?''
''Let me give you a little teen 101. First, you got two main styles. Skateboarders and hip-hop. And both are different from more than a dozen aspects. And both are quarreling endlessly. Without getting into the details, I can say that one part, the skateboarders, pushed this little feud to a turning point.''
''May I just ask you what was this turning point?''
''A rape.'' I said, calmly, coldly.
''In our establishment?''
''No. Outdoors. But all parties implicated were students here.''
''And why are you involved in this?''
''I asked for no personal questions. But I can still say that I... knew... the girl that got raped. With this whole affair going public in the school, shit is going to get messy. I can tell all the hip-hops are gonna walk around, beating anybody wearing skateboarder colors.''
''But, can I get names? At least of skateboarders?''
''I ain't snitching.''
I walked out of the office. I wasn't in a mood to bargain. This was enough. That day, I felt like I was burning from the inside. I was mad.
I got to my friends, and gave a knuckle up to Fernando, a Mexican guy I knew.
''What's up holmes?''
''Shit. Bad shit. Theses skateboarders are done. But I feel it ain't gonna be long until we get to do some more ass kicking. These people really doesn't seem to give a fuck about anybody.''
''Fuck... I guess it's 'bout Sabrina...''
''Yeah...''
''You still... feel something... toward her, right?''
''Sort of...''
''If you need my help, I'm always down. I can't stand skateboarders.''
''I'll do that. Just watch your back. You never know when they'll hit.''
He nodded. John came to talk to me.
''Hey Shawn...''
''What's new?''
''Not much.''
''John, I figured we should be careful with this. These skateboarders are getting more and more violent.''
We walked to the end of the locker row. I saw a skateboarder, and felt a force applied to my neck. Then I saw he was holding onto my chain, trying to steal it.
''Yo motherfucker, don't touch shit you don't have money to pay!''
He insisted. He knocked him to the floor, and kicked him.
''Bitch! Don't you ever touch that again.''
We walked in the party. We split up. Sabrina arrived, changed up with new clothes, probably gift of her friends.
''You okay girl?''
''I'll make it.''
''Anybody giving you shit?''
''No... Not specially.''
''What you mean?''
''You know... They always laugh a bit at me... It's normal...''
''No it ain't! Who is it?'' I roared, frustrated.
''Nobody in particular...''
''I see... We can't do much against that...''
A scream was heard at the other end of the hallway. We walked to the corner, and saw a tall brown haired skateboarder in front of a girl. The girl was Suzy.
''Bitch, you want to run to the other side? Alright! But look at this!''
He slapped her, and she stumbled back, a hand on her mouth.
''Aw... No fucking wigger here to protect you?''
I stepped in the hallway, and approached them. He turned to me, and tried to punch me in the face. I dodged rather easily. I sent him a blow to the mouth. He responded with a solid right to the jar. I was propelled backwards, and fell on my back. He tried to kick me, but I rolled sideways then rushed up to my feet. I sent him my fist to the mouth once more. He back up. I knocked him out with two more hits.
''Son of a bitch! I see you beating a woman once more, and you are a dead man.''
He walked away, limping a bit from the general pain in his body.
''Thanks...''
''Don't mention it.''
We walked back to the crew.
''They attacked her!'' I barked.
''That's fucking enough!''
''Yeah!''
''Look, I vote we get the girls the fuck out of here, get the rest of the crew, and get up with a plan.''
''I'm down player...''
''We're all with you man...''
We left the girls outside. I sent a last smile to Sabrina.
''We gotta do this... It's no longer a choice.''
She nodded, a look of concern in her eye. I made another frantic smile, and turned to my friends.
''Does somebody got a plan?''
''Fuck this, we go through, and take out as many as we can. They attacked two girls, and fucked with us numerous times.''
''Yeah!''
''Hell yeah!''
Everybody approved. It was violent, ruthless, but it was all we could think at the moment. I walked back in, followed by my crew. We were seven. John, Mitch, J.S., Fernando, and Sam, plus Joe, a solid football player who happened to be a friend.
''Okay... This is when we pop in and bust all these lousy-ass motherfuckers. Everybody ready?''
''Yeah!''
Sam wielded his baseball bat, which he had taken from his locker. John had a pole used for a removable soccer net. Mitch had nothing but his fist, but he was by far the strongest of us. And we all knew he had a hunting knife in his pants, if shit went too hot. J.S. grinned at the heavy-looking knuckle duster he held. He had bought it in a small shop in downtown Montreal a few months before. Fernando looked down at his own baseball bat. Joe had nothing, but, knowing him, he'd pick up the first thing in his way and use it as a weapon. He could be very soft when it came to his girlfriend, Sarah, but he was a hell of a berserk when it came to revenge.
I cracked my knuckles, and spun the heavy lead pipe I held. I had been hiding that in my locker since a while. It had been for a science project, but I had kept it, with this increase of violence.
We walked inside the party, weapons drawn, ready to wrestle.
''Hey yo, skateboarders, you are going down! No matter how much! YOU ARE GOING DOWN! You are going to pay for what you did to Sabrina!''
As the crowd scattered, students trying to run away from the havoc, we walked straight to a bunch of skateboarders standing in the middle of the room. I swung the lead pipe toward the first one's stomach, and he went down in one shot, moaning in pain. I kicked him as another skateboarder fell to the floor, Mitch in front of him. J.S. was going berserk on these motherfuckers. Fernando swung the baseball bat on one's mouth. John finished the guy with a good steel pole hit. Sam was taking another down, his bat making a characteristic sound. J.S. Knocked the last one down with his knuckle duster. Blood dripped from his opponent's nose. Mitch knock another skateboarder that tried to enter the room to help his friends.
I looked around. Unconscious bodies laid everywhere. Blood stained several spots, and we could hear people screaming in the background. But we didn't gave a dime about it. We walked slowly to the exit, our weapons still drawn.
Chapter 2 : The point of no return
Two weeks later, Mitch's house
Looking paranoid, we were now specializing in that. From my vantage post at the second floor window, I looked around the front yard, flipping my knife in my hands. We had taken refuge in Mitch's house, and we left it only to go to school. We protected the girls, and ourselves in the meantime. Every day that passed, we followed Sabrina, Emy and Suzy, as well as any other girl that were with us, and made sure they got back to the hideout safely. We had no choice. They had threatened to burn down our parent's houses. So, to prevent this, we moved in Mitch's house, as is parents were gone for two months in a trip to South America.
We were getting paranoid, but not without reasons. Numerous times, skateboarders had tired to attack us, but we had scared them off wielding various tools. Everything was alright that way when another step was taken in the direction of war.
I was at school, with Sabrina, Emy, Sam and J.S., when a guy passed by me, and grabbed my arm. He held it lock, and slipped a knife out of his pockets. He tired to stab me in the stomach, but I kicked him. Sam finished him off, and we ran to the safe house. This was no time to stay at school. This time, they had tried a direct attempt on my life. On our lives. This was unacceptable.
That's why, an hour later, the whole gang was standing in front of the ''Gerald Thompson Gun Shop''. The flickering sign warned us that the place wasn't all that legal. But that was what we were looking for. Not all gun shops were ready to sell firearms to fifteen year old teens. We stepped in.
''You got semi-automatics?''
''You mean like pistols?''
''Exactly.''
''Nine millimeter?''
''That'll do for starter...''
As we took possession of our weapons, I grinned widely. This time, they wouldn't stand a chance. I didn't wanted to kill anybody, but they had tried first. They had threatened the very life of our girls, of Sabrina. And I was indefinably mad at them for that.
''Now, they won't have a chance!''
''Yeah!''
''Y'all okay with this?''
''For sure!''
''But I want y'all to remember one thing... Don't use it unless someone's life depends on it. Don't kill for fun, to make it short.''
They nodded. Slowly, I had became their leader, their guide through this. I smiled to Sabrina.
''Don't worry girl, we won't use it unless it is necessary. I bet they'll run off when they'll see 'em anyway...''
''Yeah...''
Her voice tone suddenly turned softer as she continued.
''Shawn... I just wanted to thank you... for all you've done...''
''I had to beat them anyway... and I wasn't alone.''
''No... I mean for me... You always cared for me, always made sure I was alright.''
''Yeah... Well... To be totally honest... I always... felt something strong about... you...''
She didn't answered. There was no need to. She just smiled. The prettiest smile I had ever seen in my life. I smiled back.
''Sabrina... I...''
''I...'' she said at the same time.
We both stopped and gazed at each other.
''I love you...'' We said together.
My heart sank. Her eyes started getting watery as she moved closer to me. She leaned her head on my shoulder as I passed my hand in her blond hair. I warped my arms around her. It felt warm. She lifted her head a notch, and our lips met in a shy manner. Then, I pressed forward, and the kiss became more and more intense. As her tongue slipped in my mouth, a fresh taste took me over. The taste of love.
So that how it all started. That's why nearly half of the school packs heat, and the other half, were soon going to, for their survival. And that's how I finally admitted my love to Sabrina. If I could have stopped time, I would've done it there. With us in relative safety, and with Sabrina with me, world was perfect. Even if we had to pack firearms to keep what we had been able to reconstruct from our old world.
But my life didn't stopped there. Neither did the events. And, once more, it was the other camp that set the fire of war.
As we were walking in the shopping mall, in a bigger town not far from home, we checked the new arrivals at the local jeweler. We were mostly window shopping. I held Sabrina's hand. She smiled to me. I smiled back. Behind us, the entire gang as well as Suzy and Emy were following. Everywhere we went, we went there together. Was saw a bunch of skateboarders not far from us. They didn't knew us. And I wanted it to stay that way.
We passed by them without looking much at them, but still without showing any sign of fear. It wasn't the time to get nagged by some skateboarders. As we passed by, one of them laughed at us. I turned to him, by instinct. He stopped smiling. A look of fear was etched on his face.
Then it all happened. I heard a small metallic noise. In the crowd, I saw something flash. In total confusion, a gunshot boomed. As we observed each other to see whether it was them or us that had fired the shot, a moan of pain was heard to my side. I turned to Sabrina. She looked lost. Her eyes looked empty. I felt the contact of her hand in mine slip, and I saw her fall on the floor. I turned back to the skateboarders, unsure if what I had seen was real.
Then it clicked. I saw a gun falling on the cold tilling, and one of the skateboarders started shaking nervously. Then, he turned around and ran away.
I turned back to Sabrina. She was laying on the floor, her hair scattered around her. A dark liquid I could identify as blood was flowing on the floor. A small sized hole was marking her chest.
''Damn... Sabrina... You okay?''
My question was stupid, I can now say it. All she could manage to say was a ''yes'' that sounded more like a moan of pain than an actual word. I leaned toward her. I heard a phone dialing tone. It was Mitch. He had his cell phone.
I took Sabrina's hand, and felt the coldness in it. Several minutes passed, with nothing being said. Two medical technicians ran in, and took Sabrina to the ambulance. I hopped in the back, with me girlfriend. All the way to the hospital, I held her hand, and kept telling her that she was going to make it. The truth was that I was saying that partly to convince me too. As the ambulance turned the corner to the hospital, a sound way too familiar ringed in my hear. A long and uniform beep. I glanced at the electro-cardiogram. It was near flat line, like in the movies. My heart nearly stopped. The med with me immediately tried to reanimate her. The vehicle stopped, and another med ran to help us. They took Sabrina inside, and I was left on the sidewalk.
I ran inside, knowing that they wouldn't let me in the operation room anyway, but still, it was the only thing to do. I ran after the cart holding Sabrina. As it arrived to a room, the door slamming shut behind it, I tried to get in.
''No sir... No visitors in operation unit.''
''Fuck this, I'm her boyfriend!''
''No exceptions sir...''
Before I could register his answer in my head, I saw the electro-cardiogram inside the room. It was completely flat. I could here the beeping noise. As a doctor motioned his lips, I could read what he was saying.
''We lost her...''
In my head, the words made like a nuclear warhead. Without thinking, I pushed aside the technician barring the way, and rammed the door, opening it in a loud thud. The doctor looked at me in a sad way.
''She is... dead... sir...''
There were no doubts possible. She was dead.
I lost control, barking nonsense as I slammed my fist in the doctor's face. I felt arms grabbing me from behind, before my nerves let go. Then, all I could see was a pure white.
Chapter 3 : The grim reaper
When I woke up, I felt something at my arms. I was restrained in a bed someplace. I opened my eyes to the world as memories came back to me. She was dead. I freed myself of the strains, and got to my feet. I limped to the door, unsure of what I was doing there. To the difficulty I had to walk, I had been in this position for a long time.
I arrived face to a doctor.
''Ah... Sir... You are awake.''
''Yeah...'' I said in a harsh voice.
''Look, we...''
''I know.''
''But...''
''Look, I don't need a fucking doctor to tell me that my girlfriend is dead! Damn, I've seen her die!''
''Yeah...''
''Were are my clothes?''
''In the bathroom.''
I walked back to my room, and went for the bathroom. I slipped my hand in my pants, and reached for were I usually placed my gun. It was absent from it's emplacement. I turned to the doctor.
''Were is it?!''
''The gun?''
''Fuck yeah!''
''We kept it... We are going to take it to the cops.''
''Motherfuckers! Give it back to me right now, if you value your life!''
''...Why? So you can kill the ones responsible for you girlfriend's death? I won't give it to you!''
''Fine then... But be sure to lock your doors at night... You never know if you'll find your two daughters alive in the morning...''
He looked scared like I had never seen somebody been. I led me into a small office, and dug in a drawer. He threw me the pistol, and the clip. On his desk, I could see a picture of him, a little younger, with a woman of his age, and two children. Two girls. Turned out he really had two daughters.
''Thanks...'' I said simply, as I walked out. I went back to the bath room, retrieved my clothes, and got dressed.
I walked out the front doors, fresh air coming to me. She was dead. These skateboarders had killed her. They had fucking killed her. I couldn't believe it, even after seeing it.
In the taxi that took me back to my hometown, I watched outside as the background changed quickly. As the taxi sped through main street, and turned to pass the school, I made it stop. A large pillar of fire was floating above a nearby house. The school had several windows broken. Two hip-hop kids were beating a skateboarder in front of the school.
I walked to Mitch's house. As I stepped in, the first person to come for me was John.
''Hey man... Sorry 'bout... Sabrina...''
''This isn't your fault.'' I said flatly, without emotions.
''I know man...''
''Were are the other?''
''Mitch is in the back. We were waiting for you. The others should be back soon...''
As he said these words, the others, including J.S., Sam, Fernando,Joe, and Chris, John's cousin, stepped in, carrying various tools in their hands. Most notably, a gas bottle, and a barbecue lighter. Then I knew who had set the house near the corner on fire. It had been a skateboarders house, I knew it.
''Hey man...'' J.S. hollered.
Everybody greeted me, but a thick layer of grief was separating me from my long-time friends. The air in the room was nearly insupportable. They did not knew how to take this, neither how to talk to me about it. I broke the silence.
''Alright, were is my bag?''
''What for homie?''
''I'm going...''
''No way man... Not after what you've been through. We ain't letting you down.''
''This is my fight...''
''Sabrina was our friend too... And You being one of ours means we gotta do this as a team. We will fuck up these assholes to the last one of them!''
''Y'all sure you wanna do this?''
''No discussion, let's kick some ass already!''
''For sure...''
Seated around the kitchen table, a large map spread across the surface, we were trying to find a suitable plan of action. After several minutes of trying in vain, we were getting trigger-finger itchy.
''Look, there is no plan for this. I suggest we do it like we always did. We roll through, take them down, and stab out. We do this until the entire city is empty of these motherfucker. We'll find the one that capped Sabrina, he ain't going nowhere.'' John said.
''Hell yeah!''
''Time to get strapped boys...''
Several gun cocking sounds were heard in the house.
''Were are Emy and Suzy?''
''At the hospital...''
''Okay, J.S., give them a call, tell 'em to lay low until this is over.''
''Alright...''
After this was done, we checked one last time our arsenal, and we stepped out of the house.
''My take is we roll to the school, shooting drive-by all the motherfuckers we find in route. Then, we hop out and storm the place...''
''Sounds like a plan.''
During the ride to the school, we were all nervous. We hadn't asked for all of this. But, even worse, the girls, they hadn't deserved it at all. One of them was dead, for this stupid gang war's sake. The fact that she was my girlfriend was irrelevant at the moment, at least from an impartial point of view.
But from my perspective, it was a whole different deal. They had taken Sabrina's life. I would take their's one at a time. What would this bring? Safety to this town, and a brighter future for the others. But, mainly, the reason I was in this car, holding my gun, ready to shoot, was totally vengeance. My personal egoist vendetta. This quest for the revenge on what they had done to a girl that was no longer of this world.
But her memory had to be honored. By this act of violence, this incident would be placed on the map. And Sabrina's fate would never be forgotten.
As John started Mitch's car, Mitch himself took place in the passenger seat. I climbed in the back, and Sam followed me. The second car, Joe's, was holding Joe as driver, along with J.S. and Fernando as passengers. We all had a nine-millimeter handgun, or a .40 cal pistol, except from J.S., who had a Mac 10 fully automatic. Chris go by at the last minute, holding a large shotgun. He hopped in the second car. At the start, the skateboarders used to insult us by labeling us as wannabe gangsters. But now, ironically, we were the ones with the guns, ready to kill for what we had faith in.
''Alright, let's get this done with...''
''Hell yeah...'' Sam said as he cocked his gun.
We knuckled up one last time.
''This time, we are going to triumph.''
Everybody approved, and the two-car convoy got moving. Why had Sabrina died? Why her? Why not me? Now, I felt so lonely, alone in what I had to go through. At least there was my crew. Always down for me. Like brothers. Brothers in arms...
I cocked my .40 caliber pistol as the cars rolled past the empty streets. There was nobody outside. Too bad, we'd get to kill them all at school...
As the cars parked up in front of the establishment, we all got out. We had concealed our guns, except from Chris, who had his shotgun. He hid it behind his back the best he could. We walked in the locker room. Soon, the tiles and walls of this room would be stained with the blood of skateboarders. No matter if they had something to do with Sabrina's death or not. They were all going down.
As we stepped in, we walked to the usual gang of skateboarders standing by the entrance, harassing everybody that got in. A girl walked in, and these assholes insulted her. I slipped the gun out of my pants. So did the others. It was payback time.
As the gun were drawn, the girl screamed and ran for cover. By the time she ran away, we had already started blasting. I aimed and shot the first one in the stomach.
''Motherfuckers!'' J.S. yelled out as his automatic weapon ringed in the hall. Fernando and John were blasting to the left, Mitch and Joe to the right, and the rest of us in the middle. My bullets dug deep holes in our opponents' skin, making them scream in pain. A dozen bodies fell to the floor. Blood had sprayed onto the entire zone, but we cared less about it. We walked forward to the mess hall. As a few skateboarders turned to us, Chris pumped a round in the first one's head. I shot one down. Fernando gunned another. As Mitch capped the last one, the silence took place in the gigantic room. A few screams were still to be heard, in the background. Two skateboarders hidden behind a table tried to made a run for it, but John and I shot them before they even got close to the exit. As blood dripped on the tilling, spilling to our feet, we walked quickly to the gymnasium.
A few of them were playing soccer in the first gym, along with some girls.
''Girls, get the fuck down!'' I shouted as shots started to echo in the room.
A first one dropped to the ground, Joe's gun still smoking. Sam shot down the second one. We were ruthless and cruel, but that was the way life had made us. These were the repercussions of Sabrina's death. The consequences of the innocent people's murder.
As the last one of them dropped dead, we walked out, the girls still in shock. One day, they'll understand why we had done this for.
We kicked the library doors open. Two skateboarders were sitting at a nearby table. I recognized one. I had seen him before. Then his face flashed back in my mind. It was... him... Sabrina's killer...
Without any words, I grabbed Chris' shotgun, and pumped a round into it. I aimed for the second guy's head, and pressed the trigger heartlessly. Half of his head splattered onto the table. Sabrina's killer screamed in disgust, and, later, in fear. I pumped my gun once more, and readied it for another blow. As it lined up for the murderer's head, he started panicking.
''Man... I'm sure we can... talk this over...''
''What for? You killed my girlfriend!''
''It... it was an accident...''
''Yeah... So is this...''
I squeezed the trigger. The last thing I heard before the detonation was the killer, praying god for his sake. But god had forgotten him. Like he had forgotten Sabrina. In the end, was there really a god somewhere in the sky, watching our every step?
The blast took away most of his cranium, and left brain matter on the table, along with flesh and bones. He was dead. I glanced one last time at the body, to be sure he was going to stay down. We then all ran out and got back to the cars. As the gang got back to the hideout, I walked away by the sidewalk. My place was no longer with them.
''Shawn... Were are you going?'' John asked.
''I'm leaving. Plain and simple. I don't know where to, and that doesn't matter now. Nothing does... Y'all be happy. Don't ever let the cops catch you, they won't understand. From now on, we don't know each other. I'll bring the cops on me, and leave town. That'll let you enough time to figure out what to do next. After that, I'll be powerless to help you.''
''Alright...'' The others answered, resigned.
''No way man... I'm coming with you.'' John said, not resigning that easy.
''Look, you always had my back since day one. And that, I'll never forget it. But what I want is no longer in this world. I don't give a fuck about dying. You still got things to keep going for. I don't. Sabrina's dead. My world is dead.''
I turned around, pain hitting my heart. I wasn't going to be able to return to real life. Anyway, the police would catch me. I still had one last thing to do.
''Shawn...'' John called.
''Yeah?'' I said, tired.
''Take this... It'll come in handy...''
He threw me his handgun. I had two handguns and Chris' shotgun. I packed them inside my coat, hiding them the best I could.
I went for the first car to stop at the corner. I placed a hand on the handle, and pulled it. As the door popped open, I aimed my first pistol at the occupant's head.
''Sorry man... But this car is mine...''
I pulled him out of his vehicle and took his place. I sped off before he could even get back to his feet. As my foot started feeling heavy, I squeezed the gas pedal. I floored it, and took a sharp turn. The car tilted a bit, but it straightened up at last. I took another 90 degree turn, and was nearly propelled out of my seat. The car ran over a stop sign, but nothing else happened. How long was I gonna do this?
I steered the car into the opposing street, and floored it. As I sped over 200 kilometers per hour in the inverse lane, I did not even felt an bit of fear. To say the truth, I wasn't feeling anything. No more. Not since Sabrina's death. She had not deserved this shit. We had not. But especially her. She was just a good girl at the wrong place, at the wrong time. All of this because of that motherfucker that raped her. Without him, none of this would have happened. I would not have beaten him, the skateboarders wouldn't have tried a murder attempt on me, and we would not have ended packing guns, in either camps. Sabrina would not have been shot to death in that shopping mall...
I felt my heart beat raise as an oncoming car was in sight. Was I really going to do this? Why was I going to do this? For her? I was not sure she wanted me to end my life to join her. She loved me too much to hope that. But life without her was impossible, like a growing hole that can't be repaired. Like a wound that would never heal.
I tried for a second to imagine life without her. It was inconceivable. I could not live with the knowledge that she was dead, that I would never see her again. No. I could not. As the car sped even a tad more, I started shaking.
Sabrina was in heaven. She was waiting for me with open arms. The gates to paradise were wide open. They were right in front of me, a blinding light in the darkness of my heart. My love was there, I was sure. There was nothing more for me in this world of hurt. All that I needed was up there, with god.
I saw one last image, before the final impact. The clear blue sky, the sun shinning like the gates to heaven. The sound of birds singing. The roaring of the engine. The other car's occupant screaming. A loud crash. Them, a short burst of pain to my head. It was the end. I was dead too.
A face slowly drawn itself in the white surroundings. A face I knew for being so pure.
''Sabrina...''
''Shawn...''
Epilogue
The Montreal press, Saturday September 15th
A second slaughter in a scholarship institution in a year. Yesterday, a unprecedented bloodshed took place at the local high school of a small town north of Montreal. A group of teenagers, believed to be students, irrupted in the room wielding guns. As they killed a good part of the students, they were reportedly heartless and violent, as stated by a witness.
Just minutes after the mass murder, a car crash cost the life of a teenager believed to be in connection with the shooting. He held a considerable supply of weapons on him. No other victims were recorded.
But, not more then an hour later, as the news spread throughout the small town, riots started to take place at random location. The suspects were allegedly wearing hip-hop related clothing, and were shouting nonsense about a woman of theirs that had been murdered. The story, which had spread through the Internet, quickly gained numerous other cities, and such riots are currently taking place in various countries. To now, the identity of the girl whose murder is claimed to be the ''skateboarders'' work is yet unknown officially. But several sources claim this person to be a local teen student that had reportedly been assaulted earlier in the month. We will keep you informed on the last developments of this story, and on whether it was a vendetta or not.