Through the depths

Chapter 9

Darien

Darien rushed out of his house. Jasmine sounded so terrified on the phone, a fear that transmitted into him. She would've never called if it wasn't an emergency, not after how he treated her. When he heard Khalil's name his stomach dropped. Khalil was a good kid, he knew he was. He prayed Tate didn't get him involved in no mess. Within minutes he reached Candace's home. The front door was wide open with minimal lighting streaming out. As he pulled into the small driveway, he spotted the body lying flat at the front door. Adrenalin kicked in, Darien jumped out of the car and rushed to the door. He approached the person and flipped the body to its back. Darien sucked in a breath and moved a hand over his mouth. He wanted to vomit by the site before him. He went to reach for it again but couldn't approach it. The sight and smell of fresh blood sent his stomach into a swirling motion. He bent over and empty his stomach of his dinner. Once he was done, he looked up to find Candace standing at the door. Her hair slicked down from sweat, she stood biting her nails vigorously as she stared at the lifeless body emotionless.

"He dead, I told Yazi she couldn't save that boy," she said.

Darien swallowed, hearing Candace mentioning that Khalil was dead pulled him out of his trance. He moved fast to check Khalil pulse, sighing in relief when he felt the faint movement. But would he make it? Darien has never seen anyone this close to death. Khalil laid with blood shut eyes, his nose swelled up twice its actual size. His jaw was slightly shifted to the left, and a thick layer of blood was coming out of his mouth.

"Candace get me a towel, anything you can find to help with the bleeding?" he ordered, jumping into action. Candace stared blankly back at him, like the words that left his mouth were foreign to her.

"Candace!" he yelled, she jumped at the sound and slid down the door. Bringing her knees to her chest she began to rock back and forth.

"He dead," she kept repeating. Darien stood, he searched his pocket for his phone. He needed to call someone, get help. Khalil would not make it if he didn't get him to a hospital soon. He wanted to call it in, but he knew if he called, they would take their time before arriving. There was never a rush of emergency in Crowburry, they always expected to show up to collect bodies. Darien quickly changed his mind about the phone call and sent Jasmine a text instead explaining Khalil was hurt and was taking him to the hospital. He knew the risk, he should not attempt to move a body that appeared to have broken bones. It's never certain what aggravation that movement may cause. He could imagine Khalil had something broken, but what choice did he have.

Moving his body slowly and carefully, Darien lay him in the back seat of his car. He checked his pocket for his keys but then remembered he never took it out of the ignition, the car was still running. Jumping in, he pulled out of the parking lot. Candace still sat on the floor at the open door. Darien made a mental note to send Cassidy to check on her later.

 ***

Darien stretched on his seat. He looked down at Jasmine who was asleep peacefully with her head on his lap. The rest of her small frame took up another seat at his side. She'd arrive at the hospital hysterically after Darien brought in Khalil. Her eyes were red with tears, her hair in a messy ponytail, she wore a long overnight shirt and tennis shoes. Darien could tell she left her hotel room in a rush. He knew it was wrong, judging by the situation, but he couldn't help it when his eyes landed on her perfectly natural round breast that moved flawlessly as she walked. He felt shitty for doing so. Here she was strolling in worrying over her baby brother who may or may not be fighting for his life, and Darien was staring at her braless breast and toned legs. She cried herself to sleep in his arms. Darien has never felt so helpless, watching her this broken tore his heart apart. She didn't deserve this, she didn't deserve to lose her twin or to have her little brother initiated. He felt dirty and evil for mentioning to her that she would lose her brother. When the words left his mouth, they were out of anger and his frustration towards her. He never meant for them to be true. Now as he watched her sleep with her knees curled to her chest uncomfortably, he realized he'd give anything to take those words back.