SMOSH EXPEDITION: The Secrets of Sacramento (Book Six)

Chapter Fifteen - The Rise of the Titans

Anthony Padilla

   Screams filled the air. We stood there frozen in horror, having witnessed it in front of our very own eyes. The red lightsaber was protruding out of the boy's back, glowing wildly as Mark pushed it into the boy's chest even deeper directly through the heart.

   Billy spat out more blood. His knees wobbled, but he was still holding onto Mark's shoulder.

   "Let Mark go... please." Billy gurgled, struggling to keep his balance. "You can fight it, Mark."

   Mark's eyes suddenly turned from red back to their normal dark brown ones. He gasped the second he realized what he had done. Billy then lost all of his strength, his grip on the man's shoulder slipped and he fell back.

   "Oh God. No, NO! NO!" Mark wailed, pulling out the sword out of boy's chest and casting it away to catch him. "Jesus, God, please no!"

   "BILLY!" Ian and I cried, rushing over to the boy whose head was cradled in Mark's arms. And the rest of the group rushed over as well.

   "Fuck" Mark looked up at me, eyes swollen with tears, he was trembling. "A-Anthony... I-Ian... Oh God... I d-didn't mean to... Oh Christ..."

All I could see in Mark's eyes were regret.

   "Let us through!" Brent yelled, "LET US THROUGH!"

   The teen pushed his way past through the others. He had Charlie with him. He fell to his knees upon seeing this brother's horrible state. He took his brother from Mark and gently rested his head on his lap.

The boy was pale, as if all the life he once had in him had drained away. He had thick eye bags under his bright blue eyes and was covered in sweat, his breathing rugged, looking at the burn lightsaber wound on his chest.

Brent was restless, he tore off his sleeve to cover the wound. "Billy – no." He sobbed, pulling Billy close to him, hand tightly holding his brother's, "You're gonna be alright."

The boy shook his head, a gesture that stung my heart.

   Charlie climbed up the boy's arm, unable to utter a single word. But the furs under his beady eyes were wet. Ian knelt beside the siblings, his hand going under the boy's torso. I immediately knew what Ian wanted to happen, I joined him and grabbed Billy's leg.

   "Hang in there, kid." Ian sniffed.

   My eyes were welling, "We're gonna get you outta here-" I pulled his leg up.

   "N-no... No, it w-won't m-make any difference." Billy refused.

   "We won't let you die!" My friend said, his voice faltering.

   "It's too late for that." The boy sighed and gave a weak smile.

   "Don't leave me, Billy." Charlie whimpered, his paws tapping the boy's shoulder.

   "Billy..."

   "T-t-take c-care of C-Charlie f-for me... w-will ya?" He had his eyes half shut, but his head was turned to face his brother.

   "Don't say that. Please." Brent said.

   "A-at least w-we got the gang back to-together... o-one l-last time." The boy wheezed. "I-it's gr-great seeing I-Ian and A-Anthony again."

   Ian and I were crying waterfalls. Both of us held his other hand, with my thumb on his pulse, feeling the beat of his heart getting slower.

"Don't go." I muttered, my cheeks covered in tears.