I Am Cameron

Crucifixion

I try to keep my head still, the ringing that reverberates almost unbearable. The ringing doesn't dim down but I force myself to open my eyes anyway and check on Trinity. I needed her to be okay.

I slowly lift my arm up and try to shake her awake.

"Trinity," I say, my voice rough and pained. "Trinity wake up."

She groans before coughing, her mobility better than mine. That's a relief. I try to look around and see what happened. We were on a four-lane road just past an intersection that had little to no activity. Our car was still on the right side of the road, but it was turned all the way around. Thank the heavens we weren't in a ditch or upside down. Thank God Trinity didn't seem hurt. I try to unbutton my seat belt and get out, but Trinity swats my hand away.

"Don't move until the ambulance gets here," she says, her phone already up to her ear. I was in no mood to argue as she talked on the phone. I let my head rest on the driver seat behind me, wondering how this happened. There wasn't a car on the road before and I looked away for less than a second.

There's a knock on the window, probably the other driver who I hoped wasn't some drunk student getting back from the same party that we were. I turn my head to the window and freeze. A crooked smile crosses his face as he looks down at me, enjoying my pain like he's always done.

"It's been too long Cam," Austin says, opening my door and dragging me out. I try to signal to Trinity to stay hidden. I don't think I can protect both of us.

"I can't believe it took me so long to find you, but it was worth the wait," he says shoving me to the ground. I groan, more than sure the was a sliver of glass stuck somewhere along my left arm. I was annoyed. Does he know how much this suit cost? Ignoring that irrational thought that just popped into my head, I notice two other men coming out of the giant all black Chevy Silverado that barely looked dented compared to the encaved side on the Audi I was driving. I have no idea who these men are, but the fact that they stood next to Austin was more than enough reason to hate them.

It shocked me how not scared I was. Hell, I was angry. Of all nights, why tonight? Why couldn't he wait one day to try to kill me? I wouldn't have gone down without a fight, but tonight I'm not the only one whose life is on the line. I make it my job to not bring attention to Trinity in the car, who was staying silent. I almost sighed in relief.

"It's a lot of work, you know. Getting out of jail, calling in favors from my old cop buddies. Finding out you were in Virginia took a while, at least, until you got out of the hospital," he says with a smirk, walking over to me as I slowly stand up. "Those cameras are really helpful. Then," he says, pausing only to kick me in the stomach.

I fall back onto the road, making sure my head didn't collide with the ground.

"I had to find your phone number. That took a bit of effort, but I'm sure we both know that I found it eventually. Once you got your precious license in February, it was all too easy learning your address. It took all of March before I was cleared to come to this state. I just had to wait until you were alone," he says.

Even as he punches me, I sigh in relief. He hasn't noticed Trinity. Thank God. Is it's just me then I don't mind. I can take it again and again as long as it means that they don't hurt her. I don't even care if they kill me--

"Stop," I hear the familiar voice yell. My eyes open wide as I gasp for air. My heart began racing, my fear shifting into overdrive as we all turn to look at Trinity. I shake my head no as the men's faces shift from confusion to delight. Austin smiles down at me maliciously.

"So this is why you were all dressed up. You had a date," he says, connecting the dots. "

Your little girlfriend was mighty quiet for a while," he says, his voice lowering and his eyes becoming narrow slits as he turns to look at Trinity.

"You can't touch her," I say, my voice low as a threat and a warning. I knew she wouldn't let them touch her, but I also knew I'd do whatever it takes to make sure they can't. I'm not letting them hurt my family.

Austin's eyes, seemingly illuminated from the joy of beating me instantly darkens. 'How dare you have the audacity to speak over me' his eyes challenged. I stand tall and broken, not willing to back down.

"I said you can't touch her," I growl, my eyes glaring into his and my face fixed into a permanent scowl. "I'll kill you if you try."

At this one of the men in the back starts heading towards Trinity with a greedy grin on his face. I don't know how I got to him so fast, but I swing my arm hard and fast, not caring what I break in the process. The man loses his balance as I wind my hand up and hit him again. I glance at Trinity for only one second -- her hands covering her mouth-- as the man fell towards the ground. One thing I realized when up close is that they reeked of alcohol with a hint of meth hanging off their clothes. They weren't in their right mind right now and unfortunately for them, neither am I.

I'm pulled away and slammed against the front of the truck, Austin fuming as I struggle against his grasp. I try to break from his grip, lifting my knee to his stomach and striking the inside of his elbow with my own. He grunts lightly each time, letting me know that even if it wasn't much damage, it was still damage being done and that needed to be done.

I notice the other man in the background falling onto the Audi before Trinity lifts her leg and kicks him in the face.

Good.

Immediately after, she falls to the ground, visibly trembling even from here. I take a few punches, blocking a lot of them with my arms, not caring for the numbness in my glass arm. It's only half a second, but I see an opening that I would be stupid if I didn't take it.

Before I even had the chance to take the shot, the police sirens wailed their echo, reaching our ears. Austin turns to see where they are. Once again, I use this opportunity and punch him in the throat. While trying to breathe, I strike his sternum hard and follow up with a headbutt. I probably had a concussion, but I didn't care as I ran to Trinity. Not able to be considerate and fight for our survival at the same time, I grab her by her arm and pull her up. Surprisingly she didn't attack me and just followed suit as we ran towards the police sirens, their cars in full view now. I don't want to look back, but I do. I'm so glad I do.

I push Trinity behind me, letting her use me as a shield as I blocked her from view. The echo was loud and the ringing in my head was unstoppable as I fell back from the momentum. Trinity was calling out to me, her voice panicked and hoarse as she led us off the road and out of sight of Austin.

"Cam, was that a gun? Cam, get up, please," she says frantically, her breathing uneven. Her golden eyelids sparkled just as brightly as the stars in the sky. Did I ever tell her?

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are," I say. Trinity furrowed her brow not following what I'm saying.

"I loved being a part of this family, the good and the bad... and the Oliver," I say with a smile.

I don't remember much after that. I remember Trinity. I remember the bright lights and floating. I remember pulling up to the house for the first time with Gran and the twins and meeting Oliver and Trinity for the first time. I remember the uncertainty of all things that I know to be certain now. I just don't know why I'm remembering the beginning at the end. I wasn't born at that time, but that's when my own life started. That's when I became Cameron and when people first saw me and not the alibi when confronted by police. In the span of six months, I lived my life.

I think I understand how someone can die for the right reason now.