i hired a hitman on myself // joshler [✓]

XXIII

raz remained silent after his last message. i couldn't come to terms with what just happened. he was planning on killing ashley if i didn't kill tyler. but why?

why did it all boil down to me killing tyler?

i tried convincing myself that maybe raz was bluffing, he does work for the deep web, after all. or as tyler likes to say;

he's the 'scum' of the deep web.

with these thoughts, i sat there, in the dead of night in my broken down car with phone being the only source of light. my mind began to ponder on what to do next since i was fresh out of ideas.

i could start walking up the road in hopes of finding a gas station or house, but having a hitman and his undercover friends after me, that didn't seem like the best idea.

i could stay in the car where it's somewhat safer, but again, having a hitman and his friends after me, that didn't seem like such a great idea either.

if you took the part out where there was a hitman after me, the plans didn't seem so impossible, but again, i did want to live to maybe see tomorrow, so i decided to do something.

i got out of the car and used my phone as a flashlight. when popping the hood open, i really didn't know what i was looking at or for, it's times like these where i wish i could see my brother.

when i first got my license, he helped me whenever i had something wrong with my car or any kind of problem in general. he was younger than me, but not by much. it's been about seven or so years since i've seen him.

i miss my brother.

i tried reenacting what my brother would do at a time like this, but my mind would draw a blank. it's been so long, but i wish that wasn't the case. i'd do anything to see my family again.

i'd do anything just to see the sun rise in the morning.

with not knowing what to do about the car situation, i decided to scan my surroundings with my phones flashlight helping me navigate. i couldn't see anything other than trees, but whatever was beyond my vision was unknown.

i leaned up against the car and just attempted to put my mind at ease. i tried relaxing to the calm sounds of the silent night with only crickets chirping their own melody. it was working, for a minute or two,

until i heard a distant car slowly approaching.

it started off as a hum softly making itself known in the dead of night, but then it soon became more of a roar of the engine when it drew near.

as it was turning the slightly curved road my direction, i couldn't immediately notice anything as the beaming headlights were blinding me, but once i was able to clear my vision i noticed the lack of visible license plates on the black car.

i already knew the car was familiar.

the car stopped just a few feet behind mine as my car blocked most of the road, i wasn't sure whether to run, hide, or stay put. i figured tyler wouldn't try anything, since he let me go last time.

i can't say the same for dallon.

i backed away slowly from the car, making sure to keep my distance between it and me. the headlights and the car remained on, but i saw both the drivers and front passenger seat doors open.

tyler came out from the drivers seat and sarah followed him out from the passengers seat. they had obviously noticed me standing at the front of car as they both made their way over to me.

he stopped about 4 or 5 feet away from me and sarah stood next to him, they both had a look of annoyance on their faces. which caught me off guard since i thought neither of them had the intention to kill me.

tyler spoke up,
"hey josh, if you can do me a favor and just stand right there and don't move, i'd really appreciate it." he explained while using his right hand to further gesture what he wanted to say.

"why?" i asked him, and almost immediately he took a familiar looking pistol from his black holster and he looked to have aimed it to the left of me.

"just don't move." he shook his head and fired the gun afterwards, there was no silencer on the gun so the sound of the bullet firing really packed a punch in my ears from it being so loud.

i was startled, jumping back a bit, but not in the direction of the bullet. my heart was pounding it was clear from my facial expression that i was confused and terrified.

tyler casually put the guns safety on and knelt down to put it on the ground by his feet. he then stood up, and lightly kicked the gun over to me. i stared down at the weapon that was resting at the tip of my shoes for a few seconds before hesitantly picking it up off the ground.

i looked up again to find tyler watching my every move contently, but again he still looked rather aggravated by something.

i held the gun by its grip tightly in my right hand, as it gave me a sense of safety and defense, but i didn't aim it back a tyler and sarah, i simply had one word to describe just how puzzled the whole situation made me.

"why?" i looked at them while subtly shaking my head and squinting my eyes, tyler sighed and rolled his eyes a bit.

"so dallon can't say that i 'didn't try to kill you'." he quoted the last few words with his both of hands mimicking quotation marks. knowing that he clearly didn't want to do it did light some weight off my shoulders, but i was still shaken up.

"how'd you guys find me?" i change topic, questions them both. tyler and sarah exchanged looks that i couldn't read, but they looked back over to me after a few seconds and sarah spoke up.

"well... you kind of ran out on us when dallon was being a dick," sarah explained, though she didn't answer my question. and tyler finished off her statement for her,

"and there's still a lot you have to answer for."