I can't Hurt You - Marcus Lopez Arguello

37

After Billy had left, Marcus and I shared a cigarette in silence. We looked up at the ceiling, the walls, and maybe even the tv with the stupid sci-fi film still playing, anything that could possibly occupy us. Marcus desperately needed a distraction from all the drugs and I needed a distraction from my hangover headache. There wasn't much to distract us though. That is, until we heard pounding in the next room we knew Billy's dad was staying in. There were thumps and clatters and many more indescribable noises that we heard. That made Marcus and I sit up and look at each other in confusion.

"Is Billy-" Marcus said before I cut him off.

"Shh!" I shushed him, putting my finger up to my mouth so I could identify if those noises were Billy or not.

There it was again. A thump and a clatter of different objects, some seeming to be very heavy.

"We have to go." I said as I quickly stood up grabbing Marcus's hand and dragging him with me.

I rushed us all the way to the room next to us. The door was slightly open, which made me stop in my tracks. Billy planted the device. That's what got him into this shit. His dad must've caught him.

I snapped out of my trance and opened the door to see Billy choking his dad with a belt. They were both grunting and struggling to fight against each other.

Where the fuck did he get a belt? Was he wearing one on the way here? No, I would've noticed. Then again, I was high most of the way here.

I looked around at the damage the fight between the two family members had caused. The mirror was shattered and lamps and other objects were flipped over and thrown.

"Fuck you!" Billy yelled at his dad who was struggling to breathe but still putting up a fight as he fought him.

"Shit." I muttered as I let go of Marcus's hand and ran over to help Billy.

I rushed and tried to help him pin down his dad.

Though he deserved it, I wasn't gonna kill Gene. Billy deserved the glory of that revenge, not me. If anyone was going to put an end to his life, it would be the person who's life he ruined.

We both worked together to pin him down but he was strong, squirming at every chance he got.

"Help!" Billy yelled to Marcus.

"I don't-" Marcus said trying to make up an excuse for how undeniably high he was before Gene broke out of our grip.

He threw me to a wall making me land on the floor and kicked Billy to the ground, grabbing the belt he had in the process.

"Cocksuckers!" He screamed at us.

He leaned down towards Billy and started to beat him with his own belt.

"All I ever wanted was obedience from you, peckerhead!" He yelled at Billy in between hits.

Billy started screaming as Marcus stood there, as high as a kite, not knowing what to do. I grabbed onto the nightstand next to me and helped myself up slowly. I needed to help Billy because it's clear no one else would.

"You couldn't even succeed at that!" Gene kept yelling as he was now kicking, punching, and strangling his own son.

Suddenly, it was like Marcus snapped out of his high. He quickly grabbed a wooden chair and hit him in the back with it, making it completely shatter from the force being used. Billy's dad then turned around looking furious. Without a second thought he punched Marcus straight in the nose.

"What are you, his boyfriend?" Gene mocked as Marcus stumbled onto the couch face-first.

He then went back up to Marcus and turned him around so they were facing each other, with Marcus still pinned down on the couch.

"No, he's not, but he is mine." I said as I tackled him onto the floor and stuck my knife deep into his arm.

Blood gushed everywhere as he screamed. He wasn't done fighting yet though, and neither was I.

Billy then ran up to us which made him turn his attention away from me. He stood up quickly and threw Billy against a wall. Marcus took that as an opportunity to break a glass ash tray looking bowl on his head to distract him.

"Mother-" He started before I cut him off by tripping him.

"Son of a-" He said before his head made contact with the sharp corner of a coffee table.

He then got quiet. Everything got quiet. Marcus laid on the couch in shock and tired. Billy laid on the floor all beat up and half-dead. I was on the floor out of breath as well before crawling over to Billy's dad who was gushing blood out of his head. I stuck out two fingers and put pressure on his neck with them, getting all of my clothes and hands full of blood. Who cares? It wasn't the first time, nor will it be the last.

I felt no heartbeat coming from the bastard. That's when I turned to Marcus and Billy. I was met with both of them looking at me tirelessly.

"Dead." I muttered, out of breath as hell.

I slumped back on the bloody table, finally able to catch my breath and take a break. Billy looked at his dead dad on the floor, his tired expression turning into a shocked one. His expression changed as soon as I said he was dead. He slowly crawled over to his dad and I. He stared at his lifeless figure and tried not to let any emotions seep through his facade. He soon failed and tears started leaving his bright blue eyes. He started whimpering and breathing unevenly as he rubbed his head. He was having a panic attack. I crawled over to him quickly, grabbing his hands.

"Hey, hey, It's okay. Look at me." I said comfortingly.

He looked at me in a scared sad way.

"It's okay. I'm right here. Everything's gone now. No one can hurt you anymore." I comforted.

He continued to cry as he tried to level out his breathing. I pulled him into a hug so he could feel my breath and match it up. He hugged me back tightly as he sobbed. After a couple minutes he could finally breath, so he looked down at the dead bastard on the floor and let go of me so he could speak to him.

"I never asked you for anything. I- Why couldn't- Why didn't you- Why?" Billy stuttered through his sobs.

"Sh sh sh, it's okay. You're good." I said as i went on for a hug again and started rubbing his head soothingly.

His sobs turned into screams that sounded painful.

Though they weren't cries of physical pain they were still pain. They were cries of pain due to years of pent up emotions about abuse coming from someone who was supposed to love you.

Marcus came up to us slowly from behind and joined us in a hug. He rubbed Billy's shoulder trying to get him to calm down.

"Shh. We have to hide the body." Marcus reminded, still trying to sound comforting.

I pulled away from Billy and looked at him.

"Yeah, we can't get caught Billy." I whispered in agreement.

"W- we made so much noise. Shh." Marcus explained as he got Billy to finally calm down.

"Grab his hands. Grab his hands and Marcus and I can get the legs." I said as I helped Billy up.

He did as I said and we all dragged him across the room with team effort, a trail of blood following the dead body.

"What- what did I do?" Billy stuttered.

"It wasn't you. I did it." Marcus took the blame so Billy could feel less guilty.

"No, no, whatever happened here stays here. No one knows how he died. For all we know he was murdered by one of the mobs he owed money to. Understood?" I asked as I looked back and forth between them for reassurance.

Marcus and Billy both shook their heads.

"Good." I said as we all looked back at the body and continued to drag it.

Long live the murderers high on acid.