CAUGHT OFF GAURD

CAUGHT OFF GUARD: CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

MAIN CHARACTER 👆🏾

DAVE💕

I get to tell this part-- with help, cuz I'm not much of a writer-- since I stayed slightly more rational through all of this than Tyson, and a whole lot more rational than Cole.

Khalil had just let me into the backseat with Tyson, and Cole was buckling himself into the driver seat when I heard them.

A pickup truck with two guys in the front cab and three in the bed swerved over into the wrong lane, yelling all kinds of names and shit. We found out later they were all high school students from the Spring Branch area of Houston also know as the rednecks.

As they swerved in close, yelling, I could see Khalil's confused face and when Khalil turned back to look at them a closed fist swung an empty Lone Star Beer bottle down from the back of the pickup. I watched closely as it shatter across the top right side of his head while the guy yelled, "HEY FAGGOT!"

As they raced away I heard him exclaim proudly, "GOT him!" to his buds who high-fived him.

I watched in stunned disbelief as Khalil's head snapped sideways from the force of the blow. His eyes rolled back in his head and his entire body seemed to short-circuit, twitching and wobbling around like jello for just a moment, then he crumpled down to a sitting position on the street with the car door trying to close on his ribs.

His head came to rest on the car seat facing the back and a piece of beer bottle fell off of his shoulder, clinking on the metal door.

A little "Agh!" escaped my gaping mouth.

Another car coming not far behind the pickup had watched it happen and pulled in at an angle to shine their lights right on the side of our car, lighting up Khalil and the interior as they screeched to a halt just about five feet away.

I swear, we were all in complete shock.

Neither Cole nor Tyson even realized what had happened, since they couldn't see out above the roof line from their side like I could.

They stared dumbfounded, uncomprehending or just stunned for a few seconds at Khalil lying there, just as the other car turned their lights on Khalil before they came to a stop. I was pulling myself up to look over the front of the seat to see Khalil's bloody face just as Cole saw the blood start spreading out over his black leather seat.

I still get chills all the way to my toes every single time I remember Cole thundering in gut-wrenching horror, "NOOOOOOO!!!!"

His color drained away from his face as he raised both hands, palms out, like to stop something or warn someone, then his body jolted around like he was being electrocuted as he scrambled to get out of his seat belt and across the console.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO, Khalil!" he yelled. His eyes were bugged out and he was shaking violently as he tried to get to Khalil, banging the steering wheel so hard with his knees it made the car roll like a boat, making Khalil's limp body move around a little.

During that, Tyson cried out, "Khalil! Oh my god, Khalil! OH MY GOD! Lemme see him!" as he almost crawled over Cole's back to get to him from between the seats.