Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Retaliation

Honestly, not the most interesting but I wanted to know more about this one memory that was mentioned in the chapter: Leaving It Behind.

So enjoy or not, that's up to you!

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Donovan slammed the magazine into the paintball rifle before slinging it over his shoulder. The house around him lay silent as if taunting him as his brothers had. Their parents had gone out on a date leaving all four boys at home.

But that's not where they all planned to stay. After an hour, Brock announced to Donovan that he had to stay home while the rest of them went out. Donovan protested loudly, but the counterargument was that he was too young. Donovan shouted that he was only two years younger than James but he knew there was more than that.

At fourteen, James had already hit a growth spurt and looked more man than boy. At twelve, Donovan still stood on the skinny side and so his brothers had left him behind with the threat of a beating if he tried to follow them. 

So Donovan stayed behind, but he planned to show his brothers that it was a terrible mistake. Dressed in all black, Donovan headed out the front door. The night spring air held the scent of dirt and a bit of the sea. A chill swept across the base, stirring up clouds of dust.

Rifle secure, Donovan climbed into the railing of the porch. He reached out and grabbed the lip of the roof. Adjusting his grip, he let his body swing, holding himself up only by his fingertips. Pressing one boot to the railing, he hoisted himself onto the roof ledge. James had sprained his ankle trying to climb to the roof that way and falling. Since then it had been forbidden for them to climb into the roof. Donovan didn't care. This was war.

Donovan crawled across the rough roof shingles, up to the apex. At the top, he flipped over to the other side and positioned himself for an attack, rifle snug against his shoulder, his sights aimed at the road to their house. He didn't know when his brothers would be home. His parents varied when they returned, so he knew his brothers wouldn't stay out too long so they wouldn't be caught. It meant Donovan had maybe two hours to wait, but again he didn't care.

It was almost an hour later when Donovan spotted his brothers making their way back. Wispy clouds drifted across the face of the moon, but they weren't strong enough to block out the light. He could perfectly see his brothers' silhouettes and shifted the gun, aiming for them.

When they were a few feet from the front gate, Donovan fired. The shot hit Brock in the chest and he let out a grunt of pain. Using the moment of shock, Donovan aimed for James hitting him in the shoulder. But when he swiveled to Clint, the second oldest was already diving for cover behind a hedge, closely followed by the other two.

"Donovan! What are you doing?!" Brock yelled.

Donovan didn't answer. He waited. When Clint made a dash for another hedge, Donovan fired, nailing him in the leg. James darted towards the gate, but Donovan pelted him with two shots to the stomach, making his brother stagger and fall behind the fence.

Donovan knew that with their numbers, their best strategy would to be flank him and he had no intention of letting that happen. So he whipped the rifle from one side to the other, keeping them from getting close and doing more than taking cover.

When James burst from his hiding spot, screaming like a madman and running to the house, Donovan laid him out with so many shots his brother was going to be black and blue all over. At the same time, Clint vaulted over the fence, sprinting to get under the cover of the porch, but Donovan managed to get in a couple of hits on him.

Only when he felt a hand clamp over his ankle did he realize what James and Clint had been: a diversion. Donovan flipped onto his back, ready to fire on Brock, but his older brother ripped the gun from Donovan's hands.