LPS: CFFs - Crime-Fighting Friends

Chapter 17: The Worst Luck

The next day, Xavier was up bright and early getting ready for school, when he heard noise downstairs. Confused, he rushed down the stairs to see what the noise was. Bristol was hurrying to get himself ready to go outside, and Xavier wondered why.

"Dad? What's happening?" Xavier asked Bristol.

"The police just called me, and there's an emergency. I have to go. Stay here, okay?" Bristol explained. "I'll take you to school after I get back."

"Okay..." 

Xavier watched as Bristol rushed outside, got in the car, and drove away. Xavier hoped everything was fine, and as much as he wanted to see what was happening, he didn't want to make his dad upset, so he stayed home where it was safe and patiently waited for Bristol to return.

Bristol drove quickly to the scene where the police were trying to apprehend a young teenage boy. The boy was covered in blood and carried a knife, as if he had just attacked someone. Bristol helped the officers hold the boy down, then went to inspect the crime scene, which was a small house that was completely trashed on the inside. Two cats were hiding in a corner until they saw Bristol and came to see him.

"Our daughter..." the male cat gasped. "Where is she...?"

"I don't know, sir. I'll help you look for her." Bristol replied. "Where did you last see her?"

"She was just out here getting ready for school, when suddenly she disappeared!" the mother answered.

Bristol sighed and looked around for the daughter, until he found a dark purple backpack on the floor with papers and books spilling out of it. If the daughter was getting ready for school, she must've had her backpack with her.

Bristol kept looking, but didn't find anything, until he saw a bright orange flicker from the corner of his eye. He stepped closer and saw a girl with orange and black hair on the floor, struggling to move.

"Sh-Shyla...?!" Bristol gasped when he saw her. He carefully helped her up, although she collapsed as soon as she tried to stand. It was very clear that Shyla was dying.

"Bristol...if you see Xavier...tell him...that I loved him..." Shyla struggled, tears running down her face.

"Darling!" Shyla's father yelped when he saw her.

"Oh, honey!" her mother joined in. "We need to call an ambulance!"

"Mom...Dad...I'm sorry...I'm not going to make it..." Shyla coughed. The light slowly faded from her eyes. "But I'll...always...love....you...."

Bristol sighed. He knew Xavier was still dealing with the loss of his mother, and now he'd have to deal with the loss of his new friend as well. He didn't want to have to tell him, but it had to be done. He looked over at Mr. and Mrs. Burton, who picked up their dead daughter and carried her away.

Bristol went home slowly so he'd give himself enough time to come up with a way to explain Shyla's death to Xavier. He knew his son would be heartbroken; he could already see it in his mind, but if he didn't tell Xavier the truth, it would only break his heart more.

Bristol went inside to find Xavier waiting impatiently by the window, immediately looking at Bristol when he came in.

"What happened?" Xavier asked him.

"Son...there's no easy way for me to say this, but...Shyla is gone now..." Bristol sighed.

"W-What...?" Xavier hesitated quietly.

"I'm sorry...I wasn't able to get to her in time to save her, or else I would have." Bristol said. "Before she went, though, she told me to tell you that she loved you."

"She...loved me...? And yet...I can't even have her...?" Xavier sniffled. "Wh-Why is everything so unfair?!"

Bristol hugged Xavier as he cried, wishing he could have saved Shyla so his son wouldn't have to go through this. There was nothing he could've done, though.

"Why do I have the worst luck? First Mom dies, then Shyla dies...what's next?" Xavier sobbed. "D-Don't tell me all of my other friends are going to die, too!"

"No, Xavier, I doubt that would happen. Just please, stop worrying about it, okay? Everything is going to get better soon." Bristol attempted to cheer Xavier up. It wasn't working, though.

"You might as well just admit it, Dad. I'm a bad luck magnet..." Xavier sighed.

"Xavier, don't say that! It's not your fault! These things happen, it's part of life!" Bristol tried again.

"Whatever...I'm going to my room..."

Bristol watched as Xavier walked out of the room. Bristol wanted to cheer him up, but he didn't know how. If there was a way to bring Allie and Shyla back, he would, but it just wasn't possible.