🌸GIA🐰

Dead or Alive

The abuse went on until Gia's mother managed to call the cops one day when things got especially violent. Gia was now thirteen, Ember being eight, and Toby being seven. Bradley was drunker than ever, and Nicole feared for her life. Kids in hiding and herself by the landline, it seemed to ring for what felt like forever.

She swore and panicked under her breath, frantically looking around to see if Bradley was coming her way. "Come on, come on, come on, fuck! Pick up, damnit!!" Gia's mother gasped once she finally heard a low, comforting voice on the other end of the line. "Mrs. Fitzgerald, is everything alright?" "Y-yes—it's m-my husband—He's drunk again and—I'm s-so, so scared!" She begun to sob. "I'm on my way. Don't leave the house."

Elsewhere, Gia and her siblings went to take cover in hopes that their monstrous father wouldn't find where they were hiding. Ember and Toby were scared, but naive if anything else. "Gigi? What's going to happen to Daddy? Will they fix him? Will he still be apart of our family?" They looked up at her hopefully. Gia sighed. "I don't know. But whatever does happen, I'm going to need you both to stay strong for me, okay?" They nodded as she hugged them both close to her—as this might have been the last time she would get to.

Finally, both the police and Mr. Rivera had arrived at the scene—just in time to see Brad grabbing a stashed gun that he wasn't supposed to find. "Mr. Fitzgerald. We're going to have to ask you to put the gun down." He jerked in their direction, tightening his grip and aiming it at the squad. "Don't fuckin' move!" "Mr. Fitzgerald. We know you're hurting. Why don't you put down the weapon and talk about it with us." "Why the hell should I listen to you?" "We can help you. But first, drop the gun. Ok?"

He hesitated, looking down at the floor before letting it fall to the ground. "Brad. Why do you want to hurt your family?" "They're not...my fuckin' family! You shut yer' mouth! You don't know what yer' fuckin' talkin' about!!" He snapped back into his rampage to tackle the nearest officer to the ground with him. The others pulled him off and forced his hands behind his back. "I suggest you do what we say before we have to use...greater measures." "So this is what help is?!...Fuuuck you..." With all the strength Bradley could muster, he flipped over and kicked the cops restraining him with his strong legs, making them reel back—just in time to quickly stab them and kill them instantly.

Gia and her family crept out from their hiding places to see the commotion. Unfortunately though, Bradley still saw them. "Hey, bitch!" Nicole jumped and froze in place, not even looking where her husband was. "Yer'...dead. YER' FUCKIN' DEEAAADD!!" he screamed as he charged at her, knife ready to pierce through her pounding heart.

Suddenly, he was interrupted at being tackled to the ground by a familiar teacher. Both Bradley and Orlando tussled and grappled at each other on the ground, Orlando easily overpowering him with his feline strength and sending his knife clattering across the ground. "It's over, Bradley. Give up." Seeming that Bradley was filling with resolve, Orlando slackened his grip. That was all the opening Bradley needed to sock Orlando in the gut, hard. He doubled over groaning in pain. 

"Mr. Rivera!!" Nicole howled. Seizing the opportunity, Bradley rushed to retrieve his knife and aiming to plunge it into Orlando's chest. He quickly swerved out of the way, the knife cutting into his shoulder instead. He roared in pain, but quickly shook it off. As Bradley readied to strike again, Orlando clamped his fangs into his throat with a feral growl.

Bradley let out an airy groan before going limp on top of Orlando. He pushed the body off of him and got up as blood poured out of the throat. Gia's eyes widened as she took it all in, but quickly covered the eyes of her younger siblings before they had a chance to process what just happened. The family mourned, but they knew this is what had to be done.

Nicole quickly rushed over to Orlando and tightly embraced him, signaling the kids to get into the house so more cops could carry away the body. Her eyes were full of tears, and she was shaking. Orlando held her steady as she tended to his wounds. "I've never...had anyone do something like that before...Mr. Rivera...you're crazy." She let out a shaky laugh as he smiled. "Please. Orlando is just fine."