Tonight is the night we die

Chapter Twenty-Eight . PART 2

JAKE'S POV - FIVE YEARS AGO

Two years that the others and I responded to that weird message online. We ended the Bitter Devils more than one year ago. Once we were done, no one genuinely wanted to say goodbye. We were a good team and to each other, we were that family we lost long ago. It was less lonely, less quiet, and less sad to stay together. To me, it was pure bliss. The group of friends I was spying on and envying in that fast food with that cold burrito, I was part of one now.

A whole new world was there for us to discover together. Elijah showed us how to have fun while staying discreet. What normal people had, we could have it too but adapted for us. It was shady warehouses, buildings, and undergrounds, it was even shadier people, living a normal abnormal life. Theo rarely joined us, he was doing his own things, disappearing for days;

One night, the reality of our world took us back by surprise. We were going home, back to the place we were all sharing together. It was not luxurious but it was enough. We were leaving another party, happening in a sort of underground. It was isolated, out of any normal people's eyes. You would not worry particularly about the people you were crossing paths with. However, the people that passed by us, I had a feeling we should be worried about them. They looked at me and I looked at them. Once they were behind me, I turned around, my gaze needing to stay on them. The taller guy pulled out of gun out of the inside pocket of his jacket and pointed it toward us. The bullet that would come out of there was destined for Elijah. I didn't have to think twice about what to do. I threw myself in front of Elijah as soon as the finger pressed that trigger.

It didn't hurt right away. I felt on the ground and the most plausible thought to me was that the bullet magically disappeared in the air. Then it hit, it burnt and it was hell. It pierced my skin and like a balloon, the air was escaping me little by little. Just like all my blood. I remember that warm sensation on my hand and the redness as I looked with surprise, not understanding it was my blood :

" Jake, stay with me ! " Elijah commanded.

I did not stay with him.

I woke up when I got brutally put on the large kitchen table in our house. Everybody was rushing around me, the lights right above me were blinding me. I looked down, I was shirtless, blood gushing from the wound, down there, on the right side of my stomach :

" What's going on ? " I mumble, confused.

" You've been shot, it's alright, it's alright, we got you, ok ? " Felix said in a panic, not convinced at all it was "alright".

" The bullet is in there, we need to take it out ! " Elijah exclaimed.

" No, no, no, no " I begged, putting my hand on my wound and starting to sit to prove to them I was fine. All it did was hurting, an agonizing pain. I gasped but no sound came out of my mouth. My back fell back loudly on the table.

" Don't move Jake ! You're gonna be fine ! " Jane said but just like Felix, she didn't believe it for a second. It was not encouraging, that's for sure.

" You need to go with your fingers, fish it out ! " Felix rushed to Elijah " He is dead if he keeps it ! Might as well kill him while trying to do something and help him ! "

" Drink ! It's gonna hurt like a bitch ! " Jane slid a hand behind my back to elevate me a little and force me to drink straight vodka. The wound was putting my whole body in so much distress that it was like drinking water :

" We need to do it fast ! " Felix yelled, freaking out, his hands in his hair, looking at me, white as a sheet.

The taste of blood went up in my mouth, mixing with the taste of vodka. I coughed, my throat burning as if I was spitting fire. I felt the blood rolling down my neck, or maybe it was tears. Or maybe it was both mixed into one :