Because Mom Wasn't Enough

You tried to kill me with a shotgun. Bang! Now we're even

My breath turned to a white cloud as I exhaled and it dissipated into the cold air. The rail was covered in rust, and it flaked off in my hands. I stared at my skin. It was red. The color I've seen so much of recently. But then again, when was red not one of the most common colors in my world? I was really dizzy; probably from lack of sleep. When was the last time I slept? I couldn't remember. I shook my head, trying to clear it. My eyes kept drifting to the ledge. The water. My phone was now somewhere deep in the abyss. But I was up here. Vic and the guys were somewhere in the city, maybe back at the hotel. Where was Danny?

"Are you okay?" Collin asked from beside me. I looked up at him blankly.

"It's red." I said. I held out my hand to show him the red marks left by the rust.

"Good power of observation."

"Everything's red."

"What?"

"The rust. My skin, my blood, it's all red." I looked out across the water. "Even the water's red." Collin pulled me closer to him.

"That's just the lights from the city." I shook out of his grip.

"No no no. It's the water. It's all red, everything, all of it. I...I gotta get out of here!" Why is it all red? Why red? Why such a horrible color? Why can't he see it!? I stood up barely hanging onto the rail behind me the only thing keeping me on the edge of the bridge. Just let me fall...

"Whoa, stop. Come here, no, don't jump!" Collin said, starting to panic. He grabbed my arm, holding me back.

"Dare me to jump off this Cali bridge." I heard behind me. I spun around, almost tripping off the edge. "Betcha never had a Tuesday night like this." Danny stood there, twirling a Bowie knife in his hands. "Keep it up, keep it up!" He encouraged me. He jumped up for each phrase and sustained the devilish grin plastered across his face. He waited a moment for my reaction. His guys were holding my guys in a choke-hold. He lightly dragged the blade of his knife across one's neck and hit him in the head with the handle. "Let's raise our heads! Take a look up in the sky and I see red!" I cringed as he took a step closer. I jumped over the rail and took a step towards him. "RED for the cancer!" I took another step towards him. "RED for the wealthy!" I surveyed the guys behind Danny. There were four and they all had knives. I yanked out my gun and took a shot at one of his guys. He dropped. I took another, and he was dead too. Collin shot one and I shot the last. But Danny wasn't phased. He stood there looking more deranged than I had ever seen him before. His eyes were black and his face was smeared with blood, more than likely mine. His tongue darted out to wet his lips. "RED for the drink that's mixed with suicide!"

One last shot at his disgusting little head. That's all I needed. Danny dropped to the ground, eyes rolled back in his head. Blood dripped from his skull and formed a pool around him. I walked up next to his body.

"Everything is red." I finished for him. The blood continued to pool and it soaked into my shoes. I knelt down next to his limp, yet still warm body. His eyes, though glazed over, continued to bore into me. Why did he do this? What has he done to me? I reached behind his jacket and found his gun. It was made of gold and had six rounds. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to process everything. I put the gun back in his holster, and instead, pried the knife out of his hand. I stood up and handed it to Collin. "Thank you." I said. "For everything." He nodded but didn't take the knife.

"I don't think I need that..." He said. He looked dazed as he looked around at all of the dead men.

"Collin, go home. You don't want to be in a gang. This isn't what you wanted was it?" He shook his head.

"You need to go home too." He said. I scoffed.

"I can't." He took my hand.

"I'll walk you back to wherever you're staying." I was too tired to argue so I told him the name of the hotel and he started dragging me to it. The rest of the guys started home as well. Collin held my hand all the way back to the hotel and brought me in. I started up to my room when the lady at the front desk called over to me.

"Excuse me? You're with Fuentes, right?" I nodded sleepily. "I'm sorry but your father checked you two out this morning. You can't go up there." My eyes grew wide and I was suddenly awake.

"H-He checked out already?" She nodded.

"They were out all night looking for you. I'm sorry, they took your bags as well. You can use our phone to call them if you want." I shook my head. I just pulled Collin out of the hotel and onto the sidewalk. We were out all night and the sun was already rising up in the sky. He sat against the hotel wall and I dropped my head into my hands. I needed sleep.

"He left..." I sighed. Collin put an arm around my shoulder. "He left me here. I'm here...but he's on his way home... Why?"

"I don't know." We sat in silence. I didn't know what to do now. I had nothing left, not even my phone. This is why I didn't want the guys in the first place. I had everything I needed and now that I have nothing, I don't know how to survive anymore. I'm useless now. "Where do you live?" Collin asked. 

"San Diego." He sighed and I rubbed my eyes. I felt him grab my arm and drag me up with him. "Hey, what are you doing!?" I yelled at him.

"San Diego is this way." I groaned and took my arm back, but continued walking next to him. This would be a long walk. We didn't say anything for a while. I slipped my hand back into his.

"My name is Jo, by the way."

A/N: I couldn't wait to get this chapter up. There's only a few more chapters left! Except Jo seems like she's going a little bit cuckoo...but have faith in her! I haven't decided whether or not to write a sequel yet, but I'll let you know.