A Can of Coke

Midsummers part 1

Crickett

Feeling so desperate and terrified-- I sprinted to JJ's house. 

My legs pumped against the ground as I struggled to breathe. 

I wasn't a natural runner, but it didn't matter. I needed to be there. 

I wasn't even sure what I was going to do. I just needed to catch him just as he had been catching me. 

Turning the corner, JJ's house was in sight. His dad's car was parked out front and everything seemed eerily quiet. 

With my lungs on fire, I gasped for air while sneaking around back. 

I figured I'd peek through the windows before announcing my presence. 

I stepped onto the wooden porch and tried to ease away the creaking grunt each step moaned. 

The sun was glaring too much on the windows to see through them, so I cupped my hands around my eyes and pressed up against the class. 

Now being able to see, I peered through the window and saw JJ's dad collapsed on the couch and JJ looking down at him. There was a lifelessness behind his eyes that caused a shiver to go down my spine. 

Then, before I could do anything, JJ lifted a gun to Luke's head. 

"JJ!" I yelled while smacking my arm against the window. 

Startling him, he flinched, and pulled the trigger. 

BANG!

My mind was racing with white-hot thoughts as I bolted inside. 

Terrified I was going to see a dead body, I turned to see an angry Luke and a hole in the wall. 

He missed! Thank God he missed!

 "What in the shit are you doing you mother fucker?!" Luke angrily stood up and ripped the gun from JJ's hand. 

He then smacked it across JJ's face--causing him to fly to the ground in pain. 

"You worthless, pussy-ass, baby, good-for nothing--" Luke began kicking at JJ as he yelled a million profanities. 

I was so horrified at the scene I was watching, I instinctively ran and jumped onto Luke's back. I put him in a choke hold and held on as tight as I could as he thrashed and thrashed. 

JJ laid whimpering on the floor, too physically and emotionally beat to move. 

Luke dug his finger nails into my arms, which caused me to scream in pain, but I never let go. He gasped and choked for air as he continually ripped at my arms. I did't let go until his knees grew weak, and as soon as I released my grip he fell to the ground.

What the fuck just happened?

Catching my breath, I tried to calm myself and checked to see if Luke still had a pulse. 

"Oh thank God..." I sighed as I felt the steady beat of Luke's major artery. 

I then made my way over to JJ who was curled up in a ball on the ground. 

His face was battered and bloody and his shirt was covered in dark red stains. 

I kneeled next to him and began gently running my fingers through his hair. 

"Everything's okay...everything is okay..." 

I didn't believe anything I was saying. I was reeling over the fact that JJ was going to kill his father and how I almost did too.