Family, Love, And Friendship

Rescue & Life After The Gang

4 weeks later, there is a commotion outside. I laid in my bed and listened to the yelling, unable to  move because of the night before with Snake, when I heard gunshots and screaming. What,  what’s going on? 2 viper members come rushing in, grab my arms and violently drag me out of bed, then out of my room, they drag me towards the commotion, I begin to realize either I’m  being sacrificed, or going to be used as a hostage bargaining chip. As we get closer I let my body go limp, so all my weight is being held up by the Viper members, from my arms and shoulders. They drag me with ease. When we get to where we need to be I’m just hanging, no energy, or sense of fighting will within me. I’m placed on my knees. I just stare blankly at the floor, my head hanging low, while the 2 members hold me on my knees, by my shoulders. I soon realize who the other people are, they are law enforcement, and they are trying to reason with, and get the gang to  let me go. But instead 1 of the 2 members next to me draws their gun and puts the barrel to the back of my head. The conversation sounds distant, and I can’t make out every word, my hearing is focused on the gun to my head, not the conversation. The voices get louder, and I hear the member slowly putting more and more pressure on the trigger, it clicks. I prepare myself to be killed but it doesn’t happen, I hear more gunshots and the gun is abruptly removed from my head, and I hear him hit the floor. Gunfire erupts around me, when I feel a hand grab my arm and pull me out, I keep stumbling as they rush quickly, almost a run, we get outside and I briefly feel the warmth of the sun, it feels incredible, I hadn’t felt it since I got here. I was pulled further, the warmth faded. I was taken to a waiting ambulance just beyond the trees, when the hand let go, my legs gave out, I was then lifted by the paramedics onto the stretcher, and loaded into the ambulance. The hand that had pulled me earlier was now connected to a face, a person, who I hadn’t been able to see because of the gunfire. He was extremely young, maybe 21-22 years old, with raven black hair, and the prettiest shade of  sapphire blue eyes. He rode with me to the hospital, and stayed with me until my family arrived. While I was happy to be free and see my family, it just doesn’t feel right, now that survival isn’t a worry. I feel different. What do I do now? I'm so used to the gang’s way of life and after everything, I no longer feel my old self as a part of me “Ezrin!” “Sion, Kei, how are you?” I act like I’m still my old self, so I don’t scare or worry them, “we’re good, but are you ok? it’s been so long, we’ve missed you so much Ez” “I... I’ve missed you to” they climb onto my hospital bed and hug me. Maiko is watching in the corner and the twins are being held by my parents. I force smiles as we catch up the boys tell me so many crazy stories, from horseback riding to school, and everything in between. When they finally leave hours later with my parents and other siblings, I’m left alone, and conflicted. how do I live this life again with my changed self? without worrying or hurting them. I just don’t know how. If Leo were here he could probably help me sort it out, he always was a great listener. Thinking about him and the fact that I got out alive but he didn’t, brings tears to my eyes. I still love him, that's the only part of this I know for sure. I guess I’ve come to accept that part of me, but everything else has changed, and I don’t know what to do with it. Funny how the 1 part I hated before, is the only part I know for sure now. I’m unable to sleep with my mind racing, after 2 months I’m discharged and return to the place I once called home. But now it just feels like an unfamiliar and foreign area to me. I take the time to re-explore and relearn the layout. Nothing much has changed here. I go to the stables and find the stall where Stardust used to be empty, when I go over to Lightning he looks at me for a few seconds then starts making happy  noises, so he remembers me huh, I put my hand out and he comes to me and rubs his head against  mine then up against me when I get closer, I look over to Stardust’s old stall, Lightening did to  then started to make a sad sound, that’s what I thought Stardust was gone, either dead, or  somewhere else, that was until Lightening tried to push me back little by little, I opened his stall  door and followed him, he led me to a special tree, one that had been there since my family got this place 100’s of years ago. He then put his head down and nudged at the ground, so that’s where Stardust is. Sion came over “hey Ez, what are you up to?” He then looked at Lightning and put the pieces together “oh Stardust, he died from a heart condition that appeared shortly after you were taken, we buried him here after cremation because it just felt right, with him being part of the  family”. I said nothing just looked back at the ground where Lightning was nudging, now with his  front right hoof, he still had his head down and was making the noise again. I’d have to go back to  school soon, but I honestly don’t want to, after finishing up my catch up/relearn exploration. I went  to my room and laid down in my bed and took a nap until supper time, then went to eat and  returned to my room without offering to help clean up. My family tried to talk to me, but I didn’t  answer and I just tuned them out anyway. When I left the eating area without talking or offering to  help like I used to my family was completely silent. I laid down in my bed and went back to sleep  not bothering to wash up. 2 days later it was my 1st day back at school, I was set up with after  school help as well to get me caught up, but it all just felt like a prison, like I was back there being  told what to do and where to go, so I stopped listening and just thought about the happy times with Leo instead, as I stared out the window. I tried to attend the after school help at 1st, but after a few weeks I just couldn’t find the will or strength to continue, and I wasn’t able to pay attention in class either. Hahaha I really have changed, I’ve become the complete opposite of who I used to be, not caring about my appearance, my grades, not feeling like doing things, and quiet never coming out of my room unless I have to, and not wanting to help out my family like I should, not to mention the fact that I don’t want to talk or listen to others at all. I know I swore to Leo that I’d  make him proud by living a semi-normal life, but the way I’m living now can barely even be considered living. After I gave up on everything, I stopped going to school and just stayed in my room, only coming out for meals and to use the bathroom, and even then, I’d grab my food and return to my room to eat. So many people asked me about what happened while I was in the gang, but I never told them anything, what’s the point it will only hurt them. I’d just walk away every time without saying a word. This was my life now, once in a while when I’m feeling down, or in need of something to numb this pain, if, if only for a while, I’d spend the night in the streets trying to pick up guys for some relief. Eventually I left home altogether and lived on the streets selling my body, it was the only thing I knew for sure I could do anymore. I still remember the look of pain in Sion’s eyes when I left, he tried to run after me, but Kei stopped him, and held him back. I never returned home, however I did visit Leo’s grave often, while trying to figure out what to do. I hadn’t given up on myself completely yet, it wasn’t until I was nearly beaten to death, that I decided I had to turn it around for myself. So I went to a local homeless shelter and got a bed, some clothes and food. I stayed there for 2 months while I searched for a job somewhere, I got 1 at the local grocery store stocking the shelves. I got help and re-enrolled in my school to continue and finish my education, and graduated at 19. I then got a new and better job, and worked my way up the chain of command for a few years. Then I decided I needed more discipline, and I saw it as a way to possibly set myself back on a good path, instead of a low paying job to another low paying job, so I joined the military, and returned home 4 years later. Now feeling much better about myself and my abilities, and having learned much, from my fellow soldiers and commanders. The most important lessons to me were about self-respect, and learning how to overcome and push through obstacles. After I returned home, I chose to go for more schooling, and become a crisis social worker, helping those who like me, were struggling and needed a way out. I also decided to do volunteer work on  the side during my off months, helping in disaster areas, and setting up big important events. I worked as a bodyguard and security a few times, for some important officials, and celebrities. By the 
time I turned 30, I was well known as a hero and leader, I co-owned a special charity that I started  with a military buddy of mine, to help raise awareness for the support and treatment for survivors  of traumatic experiences, we helped decrease the amount of homeless people on the street from 25% of our entire country’s population to only 2%, we helped put more safety measures in place so that streets like Salchirino aren’t a death sentence, and brought crime rates and violence down by 45%. I finally found my place in this world, and was living the life I promised Leo I would. I kept my sexuality a secret for a while, but then decided to open up about it, because people like me need to know that it’s ok to be who we are, and as it turned out, me doing so saved over 679,000 lives. Not just those who are gay, but those who feel different because it’s not the norm. When I turned 45 I lost my parents, by then all my siblings were all grown up, but the funeral was hard for everyone. As time went on, I watched as all my siblings did well and made names for themselves. When I turned 75 I was ready to go, as I’d done well, and made everyone around me proud. I waited in my hospital bed, slowly dying of cancer, until I took my final breaths surrounded by my friends and family. THE END