The Angel Trumpet

10.

Heavy breathing, sweat dripping down, and blood stuck onto my skin as if it was like wet clothes on a cold day. I hold my gun tight ready to aim whoever comes through the house next. It's me against them all knowing what will happen if I don't finish them. I can't screw this up I owe it to myself and them.  A man rushes in with a semi-automatic gun keeping his finger on the trigger as bullets pierce the dry walls slowly. Ringing occurs in my ears when he trades out the gun for a semi-automatic pistol letting the bullets fly rapidly close to where I am. There's a wire I rigged in the hallways and when his foot gets caught a shotgun blows straight through his skull. One down, four more to go. I ran to the backyard seeing Conor shot on the ground with a pool of blood next to him.

Oh God what did I do?

I reach for him but someone creeps up behind me and before I could react they stab me in the back twisting it further in making me roar out in pain...agony. My knees hit the ground but I try and reach for the knife in my back but the person yanks it out stabbing my shoulder. The sound of my coughing is the last thing I do before closing my eyes...

***

Gasping I rise from the bed throwing the covers to the side checking on Conor feeling my heart pound out of my chest. Once I reached his room and steady my shaking hand I peaked through opening the door an inch seeing he was sound asleep, I closed it heading to everyone else's room seeing their okay too. I just couldn't shake what I was reliving in my head. My back slides down the wall in the hall as I take three breaths in and three breaths out. I started counting backwards telling myself everything was okay. That I was okay and everyone was still alive. Then it catches up to me. I checked on Conor first. Not Leo, Tobias and Pito. He's invading my mental wall I built up and I don't know why I haven't stopped it. I should have stopped that kiss...the kiss. And his words, "It's worth it" repeats so much I feel like i'm actually going to vomit. I need to create a bigger wall a much much much bigger wall that he won't ever get across from.

My hands guide me back up as I stand with my back still against the wall. The pounding gradually slows down and the shakes I had are almost gone. I head back to my room like nothing happened opening the door closing it gently behind me. Climbing back into bed ready to try and sleep again, I have those flashes of getting stabbed then Conor laying lifeless all over again. A sigh leaves my mouth knowing laying here isn't good for me. My cover gets tossed to the side again as I grab a towel heading to the backyard into the pool. I lay the towel down on a chair slipping off my t-shirt only being in spandex shorts and bra.

I knew no one would see me since it's still the crack of dawn diving into the pool carefully.

The water rushes over me as soon as I go under reminding me of one summer here in California.

***

Summers ago

"Run!" My mom giggles as grandpa Louie is chasing us with a water gun squirting cold water at our faces.

My dad grabs hold of me dunking me into the pool having my mom jump in after.

"Dad!" I cough out, "I almost drowned!" A smile surfaces as he swims to me starting to dunk me again but I swim away hiding behind my mom.

"Ernesto don't you dare." She says stern wagging her finger at him.

He does it anyway dunking her instead laughing until she does it to him.

"I told you not to do it!" She lets him up for water as he flails his arms every being dramatic.

Grandpa Louie laughs hysterically holding a tray of lemonade now putting the water gun up. One cup is filled with water since lemonade isn't my favorite flavor and he knows it. "Come out and get hydrated. I'll get the stakes onto the grill in a bit." He says smiling contently.

***

Current time

Those were good times...really good times.

I swim a few more laps around the pool tiring myself out.

The patio door opens and it's Pito with two water bottles.

"I thought that was you." He says tossing it to me and I catch it getting out.

His eyes follow the curves of my body being the first time he's ever seen me this way, wet, barely clothed and vulnerable.

"It's five in the morning. What are you doing up?" I ask grabbing my towel wrapping it around me.

"Heard splashing." He shrugs watching as I sit down.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep." I open the lid to the water bottle taking a few sips then place it near my foot on the ground.

"Is it about the house burning down or living in your "boyfriends" house."

I shake my head looking at the ground conjuring up what needed to be done next.

"Tomorrow we start "working" on site. We need to get at least three renovations done to do what I'm planning next. Afterwards we need to move more product here but it's going to be tricky because of the law situation."

Pito nods calculating as well but then a light bulb goes off in his brain.

"What about Xavier? He can get our product here in two days."

I nod liking the outcome.

"Two days and another to talk to a bank owner to get a bank account setup under an alias name."

We both smile at each other piecing it together then my smile fades when I see Conor yawning at the patio doors ready to say good morning. I stand making Pito stand turning where I'm looking to understand why. "Go ahead and get washed up I'll make us breakfast like old times." I show him a faint smile in appreciation walking past Conor avoiding eye contact.