The Peacekeepers

Part Two; Chapter Thirty-Three

The Pain of Loss

Alice and I have been through so much these past few years, stuff that would kill or break most people. Not us though. We've always believed that we were unbreakable. Maybe even indestructible. Alice has kept her security, sanity and, to an extent, her innocence despite all she's seen and been through.  

I always thought that she was stronger than I was. I snapped and killed a man. I abandoned her just to build my strength and skills to beat Crimson. I'm done fighting. I just want to be with Alice. To grow old, watch her fall in love, have a family and become "Uncle Drake" to nephews and nieces. I just want her to live a full life. Nothing more, nothing less.

She insisted on carrying the photo albums. I was in the middle of handing them to her when the sound of running footsteps made me drop them.

"Alice run!" I shout. It was too late. I felt the solid impact of a baseball bat on the back of my head. I stumbled and fell face down. Run Alice. Don't fight, just run. I'll deal with these assholes.

I started to get up but felt a swift kick to my ribs.

"Stay da fuck down bitch!" My attacker shouted before kicking me again and hitting me in the back with the bat. I see two or three more guys advance on her. I get a good look at their bandannas. God damn them! Fallen King bastards! Run Alice! One of them tries to punch her but she flows completely around it, deflects it, kicks his ankle out, stumbling him then strikes with a quick left and right hook to knock him cold. Good job kid.

I try to recover but three more large men lay on me and restrain me. I struggle and squirm but to no avail.

"Get the fuck off me!" I shout. "Dammit, I'll kill you! I'll every last one of you! Don't you dare touch her! Run Alice! Run!" I squirmed even harder but they had me pinned good.

She knocks out one more and breaks the arm of another but an excessively large one came up behind her and restrained her brutally. Her bones cracked effortlessly under his strength. She lets out quick squeals of pain. I'm barely able to move or even breath for that matter with all this weight on me.

"Get off her you motherfucker! I'll rip your head off and shit down your windpipe! I'll kill you, you hear me? I'll fucking kill you!" They all laughed at me and my helplessness. There's only one other time I've ever wanted to kill someone this bad. He got beat to death.

"You are not in any position to make threats." A Hispanic voice that was soft and silent but cold as the grave said. I see just his shoes until he gets on one knee and looks at me. His cigarette burning softly, jutting out of his mouth. He pulls it out and his expressionless face went to pure rage in a instant as he spits thick phlegm on my face.

"When I get outta this-" A kick to my face cuts me off mid sentence.

"Shut the fuck up!" He shouts. He got me good. Blood trickles from my face and a tooth falls from my half open mouth. I about slip into unconsciousness but he slaps me awake. He gets nose to nose with me. His voice falls into a whisper.

"Do you have any idea who you fucking with homeboy? The motherfucking Fallen Kings asswipe." His voice raises into a roar yet again.

"You practically beat my men to death but that's not enough for you! Then you take it upon yourself to beat down the mercs that I hired with my gold, my supplies, my drugs and my whores! We have a simple policy boy! You fuck with us and we will kill you! Do not fuck with us! If you do, we will kill you!" He was breathing heavily now. Panting, trying to catch his breath. He began to speak again, this time in his normal tone of voice but he had a small twisted smile.

"But this time." He said. "This time I'll make an exception for someone as... exceptional as you. I'm not going to kill you, oh no. See that little girl over there homey? How much does she mean to you?" I clench my teeth and glare at him with a look of pure hatred. He laughs at me.

"Oh no, I think I made him angry, what do you think guys?" I heard exclamations of agreement and laughter from them all. Sick, barbaric bastards.

He leans in close to me. His mouth is so close to my ear I can hear his lips coming together and separating and his tongue moving with each word he speaks. The smell of body odor, marijuana, opium and tobacco lay heavy on his breath and body. I feel sick.

"How much does she mean to you? Really, how much? I bet she means the world to you don't she? I'm going to do worse, much worse than kill you. I'm gonna kill this bitch. After I'm done having fun with her than is. Or during maybe. I haven't really decided yet. But you're gonna get to watch me make her scream." His tongue goes into my ear then down my cheek. I feel puke go up my throat.

You sick piece of shit. I will kill you. He presses his nose against mine and laughs in my face. I'm getting sick of all the damn laughing. I manage to move my head enough to clamp my teeth down on the tip of his nose and rip all the way down to the nostrils off.

He shoots back in pain and with the last bit of will power I had I spit his flesh back at him. In a blind fury he kicks my face a couple more times and stomps it. I'm done for. I can't stay awake. I feel myself drift off as I pray for death. Please be bluffing. Kill me... just don't hurt Alice. Please don't hurt my sissy. Please. Not her. She's all I got.

He walks up to my screaming and crying sister and punches her in the face. I hear her scream "no" over and over again, begging him to stop. Begging him not to hurt her. He pulls out a large hunting knife and presses it against her throat. He reaches for her with his free hand. The last thing I hear before losing consciousness is fabric ripping and frantic screaming...

Please let me be dead. Please God...

Let me die...