When I woke up, I was in my room. Talk about…strange. Even though last night happened, I’m having a hard time actually believing it. I blinked a couple of times and instantly my head started pounding. I clutched my head silently and sat up. I looked around and I saw Chris slumped against the wall, asleep.
I quietly laughed to myself and climbed out of bed. I started to stretch a little but once I felt all the aches from the bruises, I stopped. I shook it off and quietly tip-toed out of the room. Once I was out of Chris’s hearing range, I ran down the hall, down the stairs, ignoring every protest my body made and I was about to search the entire house but stopped dead when I reached the living room.
Matt and Ryan were sitting on the couch staring into space, each of them looking equally sick with anger and regret. Despite what happened last night, they shouldn’t be feeling that way. Things like that happen all the time in gangs so it shouldn’t be this big of a deal.
When they saw me, their eyes widened like they just saw a ghost. They probably thought they had but I’m not dead yet. And I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.
“Nate…what…why are you awake? And walking?” Well, clearly my bones haven’t failed me, Matt and I’m a stubborn girl who isn’t going to give up until Turk and Nathan are dead with their heads mounted on my fireplace. Now is not the time to be forgiving.
I ignored his question and only paid attention to the determination that was clouding my mind. “Where are they?” They each exchanged a glance and Ryan finally answered, “They’re in the basement.” Perfect.
I stormed into the kitchen and went over to the utensil drawer; I took all of the contents out and lifted up the fake bottom. Underneath was my father’s gun. Before he disappeared, he carried this gun everywhere. Coincidentally, he left it home that night. I gripped the gun tight, took a deep breath, and stomped over to the door that led to the basement.
When my hand reached the handle, I got one single order from Ryan, the first order. “Don’t kill them.” Without even looking at him, I opened the door and said, “No promises.” I trudged down the stairs, not caring if they heard me or not. When I reached the bottom, I heard all sound mute. I stepped off the last step and took a breath, a weak attempt to let out all anger. But that could never release the anger that I have inside of me.
I turned towards them and the sight of them made me want to laugh. They were both tied to kitchen chairs with old, boat rope. They had gags in their mouth, just like Matt, Chris, and Ryan did just hours before. Ha, the irony.
The sight of me probably wasn’t the best either. I still had on the dress from the night before, my hair was a bird’s nest, and my make-up was smeared. I looked like a zombie.
“Well, hey there.” I smiled sadistically and took another step towards them. The gun twirled on my finger, making them flinch every time the tip was in their direction. Obviously, they couldn’t respond so I took the liberty to walk up to Turk and crouch in front of him.
“So, I was thinking. Why spare you now if you’re gonna die anyway? But then it just came to me: I could make the tiny remainder of your life miserable or—”
“We could make you a part of the gang.” I looked up and saw Chris come into the light.
“Chris, are you crazy?!” Was he seriously stupid enough to take two people who tried to kill us and put them close enough to do it again?!
“No, we lost your parents Nate; we need them. They could help us get everything back under control.” I felt tears fill my eyes but I fought them and said, “Chris, I don’t know what drug you’re on but you cannot do this! They haven’t given us any reason for us to trust them!”
“Nate, trust right now is not the main thing. We need men and they’re available. I’m not about to let them walk away when they have potential so they might as well stay.”
I looked at over at them and took out the knife that I have in a secret pocket in my boots that I had slipped on and walked over to them slowly. I made my way to the middle of them, and cut through their ropes. When I was done, I dropped the knife on the floor, daring them to do something. I waited a long, drastic moment but just like I thought, they did nothing. I looked at them and glared, then walked back up the stairs and went to my room to change into some workout gear.
***
I worked out for what seemed like days but I couldn’t stop. Every punch or kick I forced myself to throw was aimed at Chris, Turk, and Jake. I felt so betrayed right now, it was like Chris had gone mad. I’m still expecting him to come to his senses and see what he’s doing. He couldn’t honestly think that those guys were even good enough to be in the gang, they let the people they were trying kill overpower them. That’s the worst mistake in the book!
I did a spinning round kick into the punching bag while aiming my favorite pair of metal stars when I heard the door to our little gym open. Without thinking, I turned toward the door and threw a star. I pierced the wooden frame just centimeters from the person’s face. The person stepped back, shocked. I smirked at them, still ready to launch another star.
“Turk, is it?” He took a step out of the shadows of the hallway to the fluorescent lighting of the gym. He was shirtless and dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and Nikes. A big contrast to the black jeans, leather jacket, and military boots he had on hours before.
I hate to admit but the boy was fit, he wasn’t all wimpy like he seemed with his normal clothing on. All a part of the allusion I suppose.
“Yeah, I hear that you’re called Nate around here.” I confirm his open statement by narrowing my eyes. He took a step towards me and in an instant his arm lurched out to grab my remaining star. I sidestepped him and threw my star at the wall while side kicking him in the shoulder blade. While he was in shock, I pulled my pocket knife out of my sports bra and wrapped my arm around his neck and kicked him in the back of the knee, forcing his body to fall to the ground. I press the knife to his very exposed neck.
“Only my family calls me Nate, its Natalie to you.” I drop the knife to the ground and the clang of the metal filled the silence of the room. I walk out of the gym to get showered and dress and hopefully, not kill anyone in the process.
