Deja Vu (countryhumans)

"...Hang On,"

(Oh the cover contest ends January 1st btw lol)

We get to Earls house, and my heart breaks when I see Rose with a black eye. She seems ok though, and greeted us with a smile. However, Earl is more somber.

"Hey Grey... you... you doing good?" I ask. Roman looks at me and silently shakes his head, telling me he is most definitely not good.

"That... that f*cking a**hole.... He can't... he can't get away with this... god... god f*cking dammit...," Earl says. Ok, very much not good. I take him aside.

"Earl, it's ok, Rose is ok... you said she recorded a video of the attack right? All we have to do is turn him in ok?" I say. Earl is breathing heavily.

"I had a memory... Rose showed me the video and I had so many memories.... I know him... I know him... he...," Earl said, obviously distressed. I sat him down on the couch, sitting beside him and holding his hand.

"What did you remember?" I ask.

"Guns... we were both holding guns... and that... that smile he had.... that f*cking smile... Reich...," Earl said. Suddenly, after saying that name, his eyes went wide. "Reich... Reich.... THAT F*CKING MONSTER," Earl screamed, leaping to his feet. I grab him and hold him in a tight hug, but he's fighting to get away. "I'LL F*CKING KILL HIM. I'LL F*CKING KILL THAT SON OF A B*TCH!" He screamed. Everyone rushed into the room hearing these screams. Roman immediately joined the hug, slightly shoving me away, but I don't mind.

"It's ok dad, we called the police, Rose is ok!" Roman exclaimed. Earl was crying now. I wonder what he remembered about Brawn (or apparently, Reich) that made him so upset. Roman lead Earl away, and I start to follow, however the glare Roman shoots me screams just stop, you've hurt him enough already. I know that I should probably leave it to Roman to help his father... but I hate seeing Earl like this. However, I stay behind with everyone else.

We hang out for a while, and Miller, Lucky and I describe the hidden library we found. Everyone is rather excited, yet extremely nervous about this discovery, and we agreed to just keep it between us.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. I decided to answer it.

Now, I've never actually seen Brawn in person before, but the smile the man at the door had screamed trouble.

"Is Rose home?" He asks immediately. I shake my head no. The mans eyes squinted into a glare.

"Liar," he said.

Before I could react he punched me in the liver, which hurt. A lot. He ran inside and pointed a gun at Rose.

"There are two bullets in this gun. We're going down together," Brawn says. I panic. And in my panicked state, I push Brawn. And he pulls the trigger, his aim thrown off.

And I guess Lucky's luck ran out.

Lucky fell to the floor. Not dead, but still with a bullet wound in his shoulder.

The next events happen so fast, I can barely recall them. I guess Roman heard the commotion and called the police, and Earl got Brawn's gun. He looked about ready to shoot, but instead just held it at Brawn's head to keep him detained. Meanwhile, the rest of us rush to Luckys side. Axel and Miller are trying desperately to stop the blood flow, and I'm holding him close as if he's my younger brother.

"B-Buddy... I don't want to die like this...," Lucky cried.

"You're not gonna die Lucky, just hang in there-,"

"But if I do...," Lucky said, staring out the window to the garden. I nod solemnly. I carry him outside and sit in a small patch of flowers, still holding Lucky close.

"There... it's nice out," I say. Lucky smiles and nods.

"Thank you... thank you for being a good brother," Lucky says. I nod, smiling despite the tears flowing from my eyes. Soon, an ambulance arrives. But before they can take Lucky away, Miller gives him a bundle of flowers he picked. Lucky in turn gives us the keys to his apartment.

"You find that damn Atheneum... good luck," Lucky says. I nod.

"Thank you lucky...," I say.

"... well? Where's the quote?" Lucky asks. I smile.

"'When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on,'... FDR," I say. Lucky nods.

"I'll try,"