Summer 2007
East Esserwich,
Forest.
Will rubbed his face in the heat, his eyes watering as sweat dripped into them. His Father, Johnny Senate, who looked just like him, was wearing a black cowboy hat with a cigarette poking out of his mouth, alight in the Summer haze. An axe rested on his shoulder and as he looked down at Will, he couldn't help feel proud of his Son for becoming a brilliant young man, something himself never was. Will's Father was originally from America and still kept his accent while living in England, he was very traditionally American and always kept his loyalties with them.
"Will, I dearly say I am proud of ya' Son." said his Father, patting his back hard, Will jumping forward a little.
"Oh my, I thought that somebody of yo' build would be able to take a pattin' from his own Father!" laughed Johnny as he stepped through the thick hay. Will grinned and slapped his Father back on the shoulder.
"This it Father?" asked Will, pointing to the forest with his axe.
"Aye it surely is." Johnny replied, gripping his Son and leading him into the forest. The present atmosphere had changed into a dark, suffocating, humid one. It surrounded both of them, un-nerving Will. Something felt wrong to him all of a sudden.
"Ugh, Father, are you still not scared of places like this?" asked Will, stopping in his tracks. His Father stared at him and laughed, for a moment it looked as if he could of killed Will.
"Now why would I be scared Will, don'tchu worry bout' a theng, come on." said Johnny, stepping back a little to gesture his Son along.
Both of them began to make there way deep into the forest. Johnny could feel his Son's fear so he started a conversation with him about a girl Will had mentioned to him before.
"This Yazmin, what she like?" asked Johnny, fidgeting his thumb up and down the axe. Will wished he hadn't asked that question.
"She's just a girl Father." mumbled Will, his footsteps becoming heavier through the undergrowth.
"Well now, hold up now there boy, every time you talk about that girl your eyes laight up brighter than nuthin." said Johnny, waggling his finger. Will looked at him and grinned.
"I met her last year while taking our mock exams, she seemed weird to me at first but you know if you dig deep at somebodies layers, another personality comes out? Well, I found out that she's a beautiful person. A little strange like but bearable." explained Will.
"Doya love her?"
Before Will could answer, a rustling came through the trees and two men appeared with shotguns. Johnny's face sharpened and he raised his axe off his shoulder and into his hand, patting it in a way to intimidate. Will knew that Johnny had extensive knowledge in body language, he knew that he could manipulate peoples emotions by a single movement of his own body. The two men before them were no strangers. They prowled the forest day and night, they thought they owned it and this wasn't the first time they had met the two men before.
"Well well well," sneered the bulky man, his accent also American, "Looks like you can't stay outa our property can ya boys?"
"As a matter of fact, I've come to tek my boy axing." Johnny replied, stepping closer to the men. The skinny, weedy looking one stepped forward and loaded his shotgun.
"Don't fucking move shitface!" shouted the weedy man. Will felt tremors through his heart, his Father better be careful or they could both end up injured or even worse, dead. Johnny raised his arms and smirked.
"Come on now boys, we're both American, ya don't wana hurt a fellow Yankee now do ya?"
"What did you just say?" hissed the bulky man, also loading his shotgun. The word Yankee must have offended him.
"I say we shoot the bitch and his pet dog!" spat the weedy one, nudging his bulky partner.
"Shurt the fuck up Courtney!" shouted the bulky man, slapping Courtney on the face. Courtney moaned for a moment and whiped the blood of his face, it must have been a hard slap to inflict such damage. It made Will aware that these were powerful men they were dealing with, but somewhat dumb.
"Sorry Sir." whispered Courtney, now moving forward towards Will.
"That's it boy, my name is Sir, you obey to me as Sir!" commanded Sir, trudging through the mud towards Johnny. Will began to step back but his Father grabbed his wrist.
"No!" screamed Will and just as the last word left his lips, his Father launched his axe in the direction of Sir but before it hit, Sir and Courtney blasted two bullets straight into Johnny's heart. He fell to the floor, gasping for air, his eyes filling with tears. What seemed like play-fighting turned into something more realistic, he couldn't believe it. Will's eyes watered but he remained strong. Sir and Courtney were frozen.
"Fuck Courtney, why did you fucking do that!" Sir shouted, punching Courtney to the ground. He scuffled to his feet and they both began running, not batting an eyelid to Will, it was like he didn't exist anymore, without his Father.
"Dad!" shouted Will, it was the first time he had ever called his Father, Dad. He ran over to his side and held his face in his, blood beginning to seep out of Johnny's mouth. He was barely alive, all he could do was remove his cowboy hat and place it on his Son's head, he took out the burning cigarette in his mouth and gave it to Will and patted him one last time on the shoulder.
"Dad, I love you." whispered Will, his manly voice breaking into a heartbreaking cry. His Father dying to the sound of his Son's pained whimpers, heartbreaking his soul forever.