"This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S. Government. Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restric...
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"You know you don't need to do this," Mali croaked as tears strayed down her face, trailing down past her jawline, cascading over her heart as it clenched in pain. The painful thought of her little brother going out into the evening with the worst intentions. The one day she feared all year round, Purge night was by far the scariest night for everyone not wishing to participate. Hell, even a good bit of participants were scared. Whether it was that they didn't get their business done or they lost themselves to the dreadful night.
Tonight, just as many other citizens, Calum had business to take care of. Revenge upon the one who so terribly wronged him.
Two years ago on Purge night, Calum's mother, Joy, and unborn brother, Jaxon Rayne, were killed in a break in. Someone the family had great trust in had tipped off someone about how to get through the family's security and when they got in, Joy was gone before David got the chance to fire. So was innocent, little Jax.
Ever since Calum has worked and searched to find out who let this happen to the family's innocents. Turned out to be his, no longer, friend Daniel Radby. He'd tipped off a gang member how to get in. Calum was furious and made it his mission to make sure Daniel paid for what he did and cost the family, which was irreplaceable. For the next half year Calum spent his free time training, learning, and studying the road ways and buildings, all while keeping track of Daniel. He wasn't going anywhere but his grave if Calum had anything to do with it.
Calum sighed, "Mali, yes I do."
"C-Cal, n-no you do-" she stumbled over her words, getting cut off by her vengeful brother.
"No, I'm going out there tonight and doing this for mum. For Jax," he reasoned.
Those last few words surely got to her. Mali had gotten close to Jax, and especially her mother, even before out of the womb. She couldn't wait for the little baby to be present, for her to dress up and coo at. However, she didn't expect a man, a stranger, to walk around her home and control her thriving fantasy. When he'd attacked it was close to the end of the dreadful night, they'd gotten Joy into the emergency room fairly quick considering the day and condition. She'd lost too much blood and little Jax lost oxygen just as fast as his mother. David couldn't handle himself. He lost two precious pieces of his family and committed a crime. He'd felt the guilt for years. Never went away really, but he did put on a face for his other children for the sake of their sanity.
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Ashton didn't choose to go out into the annual horror night because he had any business to take care of or any revenge he'd spent years on planning out to a 'T'. Actually, he kind of believed what the purge had stood for during the past few years. Population control. The government wanted this night to "reduce criminal activity", or so they say to the public. To anyone with any sense to 'wake the fuck up'. as he'd say, would realize that they wanted to drill down the population. To stop so much of their paychecks being spent on welfare and taking care of lower class families. Ashton had believed that purge night was meant as a time when the government could freely kill off the lower class without question. Obviously that didn't work oh so well since citizens who actually paid attention knew what they were doing. The didn't make much of a stop to it either, to be honest.
Ashton liked to go out with his group of 'friends', friends meaning people he hangs out just to vandalize and murder people with once a year. They weren't the only group that went around but they weren't unknown. Ash wasn't typically the favored one in the group. They'd think hes a bit too caring and concerned, but that's because hes the only one who actually gave a shit about his family.
Ashton was spending his afternoon at his own small apartment, that was by no means 'safe', packing his weapons for the night into his duffel bag. He'd always pack himself an extra pair of black, skin tight jeans and a black t-shirt simply because he doesn't want to go home to his family and have to explain to his 9 year old brother why he had holes in his clothes and was covered in his own fluids along with the unfortunate D.C. citizens. Lauren understood and knew what the night was for and why people participated, not that she had approved of what her brother did. Little Harry was too young to face the horrors of the night just yet. They'd explained to him what it was but not in much detail.
ring ring ring
"Hello Jason," he'd answered his alarming cell with a sigh.
"Ash, Colin wanted to make sure you knew the location this year and that you were about ready for the night ahead," New location?
"What? When was the new place thing decided, Jason? Goddammit. Just tell me where the hell he's changed it to now," He was livid. Changing their meet up spot? What the hell? Then not telling him anything until an hour before the sirens go off! It wasn't like Colin hadn't done the same before. Every two years or so Colin would find somewhere more closed off and decide that was a new place for them to come to.
There was a rough, dull conversation in the background followed by ruffling of papers before Jason spoke again, "Independence Avenue, 1064 parking lot."
Ashton had let out a deep, aggravated sigh, "I'll be late but alright. Be there about 5 after 7."
Was it dangerous for him to be getting there late? Yeah, but what more could he do about it? They hadn't told him of the new place before so he didn't have time to reroute his travel. You cant change a hour and 10 minute drive to less than an hour before the sirens.
The night awaited both the boys. Both with different intentions. However, as they slid into their dark apparel and fled out of their living quarters just before the sunset and security systems shut off the world, they were both thinking and hoping that they would get through the night in one piece and hopefully have a little fun somehow.
get me to a decent number of reads and votes and i will update.
this is one of my favorite works ive done and i hope to continue writing it.
