Shadowwolf: Wow, another chapter…WRITER'S BLOCK KISS MY PO! HAHA!
Brad: *shakes his head*
Shadowwolf: I don't need your comment. Thanks to Sakura again! I LOVE YA LIKE A SISTER, BUDDY! *cough* I don't own anything so don't sue me. Okay? Jeeze…leave me alone…Please enjoy this chapter and review! ^-^
1,000 EYES
Good-bye and Good Riddance
The victory over the rebels was an unhappy one. It was, as we'd suspected, Jeremy who was shot in the beginning. Alex, Jet, and Rick found him quickly and brought him inside before anything got worse.
I walked down the hall with Rick and Nathan at my side. Rick cleared his throat nervously.
"He was in a bad way, Sirus…"
"Where was he shot?" Nathan asked.
"Once in the chest and once in the arm. He was bleeding pretty bad," Rick sighed, "I honestly don't think he's gonna make it."
"Was he awake before you came to get us?"
"Yeah, I guess he was," he sighed again and became fascinated with some dirt on his finger, "but he sure didn't know what was going on."
"What exactly happened, did he tell you that?"
"No, but a few of our supporters did. According to them, he was on his way back to the base from the hangar. The crown had already gathered outside, and when they saw him someone recognized him and opened fire."
"Were those shots we heard from that?"
"I think so…they said he dodged four of 'em, then took two…" He cleared his throat as we came to the doctor's room.
Rick opened the door and we filed in. It was gloomy in there. Just a sort of bad feeling all around the place. Jeremy was awake and looked confused. I walked to the bed and knelt down next to him. Rick joined me.
"How're you feeling?"
"Sirus, not good. I can't remember exactly what happened, but it hurts…" He looked very sick and pale. I took his hand. It was cold and clammy.
"Well, hand in there. You'll make it." I tired to be as convincing as possible, but he shook his head.
"No, no I won't make it. I know I'm dying." He coughed painfully and clutched his chest briefly.
"Jeremy, thanks for what you've done. You've been the best friend in the world to me." Rick choked out. He was on the verge of tears.
"I don't know what I would've done without you." He nodded and smiled weakly. Then he shuddered painfully and groaned. This was it.
"Jeremy, I know we were going to vote on a new name for the Backdraft, and you were awfully excited about it…go any ideas?" I asked, hoping to take his mind off the pain. He looked up at me like an excited child. He'd always had sort of a childish way about him.
"I was…was thinking, maybe, the Shadow Serpents…" He paused, and for a second I thought we'd lost him. "Y'know…I," He coughed again and gripped my hand hard, "just…like…"
"It's a great idea, Jeremy." He smiled up at me and collapsed. It was so sudden I almost couldn't believe it. Sure enough though, his hand was limp. I let it go and stood up. Rick also stood and backed up against the wall. He looked sick. Nathan focused on the floor.
Jet, Alex and Jack walked inside in mid-conversation. It stopped when they saw our faces. Alex looked from me to Jeremy's body and to the floor. Jet nodded slowly and closed his eyes. Jack put his hand on Rick's shoulder.
"You heard him, Jeremy has just given the Backdraft a new name…" Everyone was completely silent. "We are now known as the Shadow Serpents." No one seemed to disagree with this at all, and Rick nodded. "I'm glad you're all okay with that. You must realize that as Jeremy's last wish, it would be our name, even if he'd suggested the Fuzzy Pandas. I hope you understand this reasoning." They all nodded at me. Slowly, Jet, Alex, Jack, and Rick left the room. I stopped Nathan before he could get out.
"What is it, Sirus?"
"Get your arm checked out. I don't want it to get infected…" He stared blankly at me, and then nodded.
"So, you knew it was me that missed that shot…" I nodded.
"Okay, I'll get it checked." I walked out the door without another word. Going down the hall, it wasn't long before I heard sniffling noises. Quietly as possible, I walked to Rick's door and knocked on it.
"O-One s-s-second, Sirus…" There was a lot of scrambling inside.
"Don't worry about it…"
"I'm s-so s-sorry," he opened the door, "you h-have to see m-me like th-this…" I walked in and sat down in a chair near the door. He closed it and I noticed why he was crying.
Jeremy's personal things were all spread out on the bed. His clothes, house keys, wallet, books, and everything else he liked to keep here. I watched Rick as he wiped his face with his arm and sat down in a chair next to me.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Rick, he was you best friend."
"I know…"
"I'm going to leave you alone, to sort things out, but if you ever need to talk…"
"Thanks." He nodded.
"And, I'm serious about his, if anyone, anyone, gives you any trouble, let me know. I'll deal with them personally." I stood up and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me sadly.
"Th-Thanks…I will…" Rick sniffled. I opened the door and walked into the hall, closing it. Nathan was outside waiting.
"How's he taking it?"
"Not so good, but better than I thought he would…how's your arm?"
"The doctor said it's not too bad, I just got grazed by the bullet." As Nathan said this, Alex walked up to us.
"Sirus, I need to talk."
"Okay, talk then."
"Privately." He shot a glare at Nathan.
"If it's important that I hear it, it's important that he hears it." Alex was pretty frustrated with that. I saw him turn red and make a fist in one hand.
"You've got to get us better protection. Jeremy's dead, and Nathan's wounded. I can only imagine how much worse it'll get."
"What are you talking about?" I blinked.
"I, for one, do not want to stand around like a sitting duck and get shot to death!" When Alex said "sitting duck" Nathan flushed.
"Are you calling Jeremy a sitting duck?!"
"That's what he was! Don't you think?" I actually had to hold Nathan back with my arm.
"Alex, since when are you afraid of getting shot? You've been in many gunfights before-"
"But a friend of mine never died from one! It hit hard this time…that's all…"
"It hit you hard?" I scoffed. "What about Rick? He was Jeremy's best friend…"
"Well, I…you don't get it."
"I'd say you're just making poor excuses for your cowardice!" Nathan spat.
"I refuse to continue on with this if I don't get some kind of protec-"
"You don't have to stick around! We don't need you!" Nathan was a deep red and sweat was gathering on his forehead.
"He's right. If you're too cowardly, we don't want you here."
"Great, I'm leaving then." Alex stormed off down the hall to his room.
"What a jerk!" Nathan turned to me and I nodded.
-
Nathan and I were explaining the recent events to Rick when Alex came out of his room with a full bag. He glared at us, then smiled.
"I'm so glad to be leaving."
"And we're glad to have you leave." Nathan said in a harsh and taunting way.
"Jet owns the Helcat, doesn't he? You can't take that…" Rick commented, but he didn't sound like himself and his voice was distant.
"Yes, unfortunately, he does. And thanks to you, he's mad at me anyway. My real friend, Marek, is taking me home in his Saber Tiger." He said it almost like we were supposed to be jealous.
We walked down the hall with him, and Jack and Jet joined us on the way. Everyone stopped at the front door.
"Good riddance…" Alex said as he opened the door, his bag flung across his back.
"Isn't that what we should be saying?" Nathan asked Jet casually, purposely loud enough for Alex to hear. Alex shot one last glare at each of us before walking out and slamming the door hard.
"You're not just gonna let him leave, are you?" Jack asked as he chewed on a toothpick.
"Yes, I am…but if he causes any more trouble for us, it'll be the last thing he'll do." Jet, Jack, Rick, and Nathan nodded in agreement.
Shadowwolf: I really hope you enjoyed that chapter! I should have the next one up soon! Until then, in the not-so-famous words of Deathdragon, PEACE AND LOVE!