Just the Beginning

40

ANA

When I wake up I find myself on the couch downstairs. I sit up and look around. Chase and Jada are cuddled up in the recliner. Both of them are sleeping. I look for Matt but I can't see him. I'm sure he's okay but there's still a pit in my stomach.

I stand up slowly and start to walk around. The sun is starting to set. The house is practically sparkling because it's so clean.

"Matt?" I whisper as I walk around, "Matt where are you?" I walk all around downstairs, making my way around to the front door. I see something outside the window and have to stop to look. And that's when I see them.

Matt's standing out front, right outside the door. His hands are up and there's a gun against his forehead. I recognize the man but can't remember his name. It was some sort of nickname. No way someone would name their kid that.

I try to gather my thoughts and breathe but there really isn't time for that.

"Chase," I say loudly, "Jada wake up!" I watch both of them snap out of their slumber with confused looks on their faces. "He-he has a gun-" I stutter, "he's pointing it at Matt. Call the police-"

"What?" He stands, "what's-"

"Call the police!" I yell, "I've got this." I hear Jada yell out my name and tell me no as I run towards the door. I swing it open and put my hands in the air.

The man looks at me, "that wasn't so hard was it?" Matt turns to look at me.

"What are you doing? Go back in-"

"You're looking for me?" I ask, "great. I'm right here!" Raj. That's his name. He reaches out and grabs my arm tightly, pulling me towards him.

"NO!" Matt snapped at him pushing him back. I hear the gun shoot. It hurts my ears. The ringing is paralyzing. It's loud and vibrates my ear drums. I'm on the ground now. When Matt pushed him, Raj took me down too. I sit up slowly, grabbing at my sides. They hurt. I hurt.

"Matt?" I turn my head to see him on the ground. Red stains his shirt. "Matt!" I cry out as I lean over him, covering the wound with my hand. "Chase, call the police!" I scream, "someone help me! HELP!" I turn around again to see Raj getting in a car down the street and speeding off. All I could see was the letters AZ and X on the license plate. I think the numbers 5 and 8 were in there too but I can't be sure. Blue car. Old.

Chase runs through the door and stops in his tracks. He's on the phone. I only assume it's with 911. I look back down. His eyes squeezed shut. His jaw clenched.

"Matt?" I cry while keeping pressure on the gunshot, "Matt, baby look at me! Look at me. Keep your eyes open- Matt! No! Matt, look at me! Look at me, you're gonna be okay." His eyes shut again. "WHERE ARE THEY!" I scream at Chase, "Where are they!? He's bleeding! It won't stop!"
"They-they're coming," he drops the phone and runs inside. He comes back out with a towel, "here- here put this on it." I can't even look at Jada. I'm sure she's freaking out too.

There they are. Finally, I hear sirens in the distance. They turn the corner of the street and Chase runs out onto the road to stop them. The paramedics ran to us with a gurney. They make me move aside and pick him up before rolling him quickly to the ambulance. I try to follow but I'm stopped by a cop asking questions.

"Please," I cry while trying to get to him, "I need to go with him!"

"You need to answer some questions-"

"I will answer them at the fucking hospital!" I scream at him, "now move out of my fucking way!" I feel like I'm going crazy. I've never yelled at someone of authority. I push past him and climb into the ambulance. The doors close.

He has an oxygen mask on. They're working on temporarily stopping the bleeding, at least until we get to a hospital.

It takes forever. I couldn't tell what was going on in the ambulance. There were so many people talking, machines buzzing and beeping every second.

All I really got was the bullet didn't go through so surgery will most likely be needed. I know he's on the line though... between life and death.

Please just hold on, Matt. Please fight.

God this can't be happening. Is this really happening? Oh my god I feel like I can't breathe. What if he dies? What if he doesn't wake up? What if his last moment was again, trying to protect me?

I couldn't live with myself.