Pointed At My Heart

Preface

The wind was icy cold where it sliced past my leather jacket and through my thin, white tanktop. It made my black hair whip around, hitting me in the face several times. My hair was suddenly covering my face, creating a curtain of black. Squinting my eyes, I whacked the strands from my face with one hand, the other still on the wheel. Thankfully, the black curtain parted, now I could properly see where I was driving. Just to be sure, I took a pin from my pocket and placed my hair in a bun since I couldn't stand not being able to see. It made me feel weak and vulnerable, not what someone like me should feel.

I turned the corner into an alley that was heavily 'decorated' with gang graffitti and jammed the brakes. My black and red Audi R8 stopped right in front of a large group of people. I took out the keys, stuffed them in my pocket and jumped out. The group of around twenty people stopped socializing and turned towards me when I started to walk--not before I caressed my beautiful car, of course. I smiled when everyone was in orderly rows. Out of respect, the entire alley fell silent, silent enough to hear a pin drop. Still smiling, I pulled the pin from my hair, letting my pitch-black locks flow gently and gracefully down my shoulders.

"Hello, everyone. I'm glad to see,"--I shrugged off my leather jacket and shoved it to the nearest person-- "that you're all behaving. It's an improvement. Now, shall we get to buisness?"

There was a chorus of agreement before I gestured to my right hand man. He nodded and spoke, "There seems to be a problem--" I raised my hand up in the middle of his sentence.

I grabbed a lollipop from my pocket, unwrapping it before popping it in my mouth, "Does this little 'problem',"--I made quotation marks with my fingers--"have something to do with the Midnight Jacks?"

Richardo nodded, "Yes, it does."

"Then, shoot." I chuckled silently at the double-meaning behind my words.

"You don't mean literally, do you?" His eyebrows scrunched and he instinctively reached for the gun in his pocket.

Laughing, I shook my head no, "I meant for you to tell me, Richardo."

"Okay, then. Well...,"--He scratched the back of his neck--"the Midnight Jacks were reportedly seen on Narrowbrook on Sunday."

"They came onto our territory?" My eyes widened.

"That's not all, they're also said to be attacking sometime--" Richardo was interrupted by shouts at the opening of the alley and curses from members of my gang.

"Why, hello. You must be the leader," A voice as smooth as velvet spoke from behind me, making my head whip towards it, "you look just as pretty as they said you did, Your Majesty." The guy looked to be in his early twenties, maybe only twenty one. Behind him, in the opening of the entrance, were a group of gangsters, about twenty more than our group.

I scrunched up my nose in distaste, "Jack, what the hell do you want?" I asked the leader of the Midnight Jacks.

He wrapped his arm around me from behind so that my back was to his chest and leaned in close to my ear, "You." With that one word, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a gun.

"Let me go!" Obviously, I yelled and struggled but he only clamped a hand over my mouth, muting my cries of protest. He started to drag my wiggling, shaking form towards the opening of the alley. The closer he got to the entrance, the more I struggled. Finally, I bit down hard on his hand. He yelped and loosened his grip, giving me a chance to escape. I took it.

I ran.

Right into Richardo.

My body collided with his and I grabbed the back of his jack for support. I laid there in his arms for a while, gratefully taking in his familiar scent, his protective arms, his reassuring feel. But the moment lasted too short. Richardo suddenly let go of me, running in front of me.I didn't have a chance to react. Richardo fell to the ground, clutching his chest.

"Richardo!" Someone screamed. I looked around, searching for the person who screamed his name. And found her. I stared into the puddle of blood by Richardo's body. I saw myself, I was the one who screamed. Yet, when I did, it sounded distant. As if I wasn't the one speaking.

My mind raced. I didn't really know what happened next; I was too shocked by what had happened to Richardo. Richardo... The man that was like an older brother to me. The only person that was ever close to a family member. For Richardo, I let my defenses down; a lone tear streaked down my face. I was frozen in place, staring down at the unconcious body, not knowing what to do. People around me were fighting, yet I paid them no attention. I paid Jack no attention though I knew he was coming to get me. I knew when he reached me since I could feel his arms around me. But it was like I was looking from a distance, not in my own body.

I knew that there would be no one to help me. Yes, I was the leader but we were outnumbered by many. Many of my members were on the ground, unconcious while others were fleeing. Jack strolled away with me in his arms. He moved casually, as if none of the fighting around us was happening. This time, I didn't struggle. I was too engrossed with the image that replayed in my head. Richardo getting shot. Richardo getting shot. Richardo getting shot. Richardo getting shot. It replayed over and over, haunting my thoughts, haunting my will. I was too haunted to even care that Jack threw me into my Audi and jammed my keys in. I was too haunted to even notice him take my keys from my pocket anyway. I was too haunted to notice him turning his gaze from the road onto me. Heck, I didn't even notice him start to drive yet here he was.

Jack had taken a cloth, a funny smelling cloth. It was a nice looking cloth, too. The cloth was a red color. Much like blood... I knew it. I knew that I couldn't distract myself with some stupid cloth. I just couldn't stop thinking about Richardo. I let out a laugh. One that held no amusement or joy. It was one that held a bitter edge. One that the miserable would humorlessly laugh a cruel laugh at their pathetic lives. And that was why I was thankful when Jack placed the drugged cloth over my mouth. The darkness overwhemeld me and I welcomed it with open arms.