Borderline

Chapter 25

"So, this is where you went to school?"

I nodded, taking it all in. "This place was a piece of shit. Still is."

I wasn't as scared of coming here as I had been before, mainly because I was no longer scared of Olivia. However, I was still scared of Carter. Terrified, actually.

I walked around back to the chain-link fence that surrounded the playground and easily crawled under the gate. I motioned for Eli to follow me.

It didn't take me long to spot him.

I was a little surprised he was here, since we still had about 5 hours until the set meet time. He was sitting on the pavement in the middle of the playground, smoking a cigarette.

He didn't look at me as he spoke. "Hey, Ry. Glad you could make it. If you don't mind, I'd like to start this meeting now, since we have everyone here."

"Fine by me," I said, trying to keep my voice even.

Carter put out his cigarette with his boot and walked in my direction. I met him half way while Eli stayed back and waited.

Carter looked at Eli for a second before meeting my gaze. "I see you brought a friend?"

"He wouldn't let me come without him."

Carter smiled, but it did nothing to ease my rapid heartbeat. "It's just kind of weird seeing you with other people, considering you don't get attached easily."

I shrugged. "People change, I guess."

"Don't I know that." Carter shook his head and let out a quiet laugh. "You were my best friend, Ry. And now look at us. We're mortal enemies."

"I didn't want this to happen. Carter, I swear, I-"

"Save it!" He screamed. "I don't believe you! You're a lying, backstabbing little bitch!"

I jumped at his sudden venom. "Fine, geez. I was just trying to explain myself," I muttered.

"You don't need to," he spat. "I know it was you, and I bet you enjoyed putting that bullet in Henry's head!"

"How was I supposed to know you had a brother?!" I yelled back. "You never told me anything about your family!"

"You didn't recognize the name when you got your 'assignment'? You told me you did research on everyone before you killed them! How did you not get that he was-"

"Do your realize how common your last name is, Carter? You never told me your parents names, and I didn't care at that point! It may have crossed my mind that he was related to you, but I would have never guessed you had a brother! So how about you just get on with why you called me here!"

Carter stared at me. "Fine."

Then he aimed his gun and pulled the trigger.

***

People have an interesting way of thinking.

For example, I always knew I would die at the hands of Carter Johnson.

Or, at least, I thought I knew.

I heard a scream, then a thud as a body collapsed on the pavement. I opened my eyes, which I didn't remember closing, and turned to see Eli laying in a puddle of blood.

I couldn't move.

"Do you understand now, Ryder?"

I couldn't move, and I barely registered the surprise that Carter used my full name.

"Do you understand what it felt like to learn that my best friend in the whole world killed someone I loved?"

My eyes blurred as I looked at Eli's motionless body, and I felt the tears fall hard.

"Where's Joshua?" I asked quietly.

"What?"

I turned back to Carter, feeling anger build up in me. "Where. Is. Joshua," I repeated, teeth clenched.

Carter frowned. "Does it matter? I just shot your buddy over there, and you're worried about some kid I took a few days ago?"

I slipped my knives from my sleeves and marched toward Carter, who started to back away from me. "Answer my question."

Carter watched me closely. "He's here, don't worry. He's dead, but he's here."

I ran at Carter and jabbed at him with my blades. "I don't believe you, you bastard!"

Carter fired a round, but it missed. "I'm the bastard?! You killed my brother!"

I nicked his shoulder, and I heard him hiss in pain. "And you killed mine. Now you won't even let me see his body." I stabbed at him again, making a deeper cut in his arm.

"Henry was everything to me!"

"You think I don't know that?!" I screamed. "You think I couldn't tell that when I saw you at his funeral?! You think that doesn't haunt me every night when I close my eyes?!" I ended each question with a slash at Carter. He fired another round, and I dodged it.

He said nothing.

"Do you know how many times I wanted to die because of what I did to you?! Do you know how many times Joshua had to take a gun out of my hands because I was going to shoot myself over what I did to your brother?!" I made a gash on his chest, but it wasn't deep. Carter went to fire another round but I pressed a blade to his neck.

"Me neither. I lost count. You have no idea how sorry I am for everything I've done. I hope you're happy, Carter. You've taken everything I had left from me except my own life. I hope I see you in hell, standing next to me in the entrance line."

I took my blade away from his neck and dropped my knives. Carter stared at me with a combination of fear and confusion in his eyes.

"Do it," I said, my voice becoming shaky. "Shoot me. Please." I pulled the blade off my back and tossed it to Carter. It landed at his feet. "Use that if you want to. You could make it last longer that way."

I pulled a gun out of my leg holster. "I'll even make it look like you killed me in self defense so you don't go to jail."

I aimed my empty gun and closed my eyes.

And then I heard the shot.