Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

The Importance of Life

Jazmyn

It all happened in such a rush, leaving the protest and being rushed to the hospital. I wanted to see if the guy actually got arrested considering the police weren't doing anything about him before I stepped in. Too worried about the peaceful protestors and not caring about the boy walking around with a automatic looking to start some trouble. But I was taken away before I ever got to see what came of him or the other people who were also shot. It was instinct to check my men and see who needed medical attention before leaving the scene. But they decided I needed to be worked on before I could worry about anymore else.

So they rushed me to the nearest hospital already over worked from the corona virus. I don't even get put under as they take the bullet right out of my leg. Luckily it was just muscle and didn't rupture any bones or veins or ligaments. My calf might be a little deformed for now but it'll heal in time. It's going to be a while before I can walk on it with the torn muscles but I have been through this before, I'll get through it again.

It gets into the morning hours after a really long night. I try my best to see if anyone will tell me details of what's going on but I couldn't find anyone to hold a meaningful conversation before being called off somewhere else. So I sit in my room to myself wondering if my family knew I was here or if Anthony knew. I gave them his number for a emergency contact but I haven't heard if they got ahold of him or if he was coming. I don't even know what to tell him, I'm sure he'll be mad. He didn't want me to go but I had something telling me I needed to be out there tonight. And I'm happy I was because they were about to let this guy tear up the town.

At about 0600 I hear some commotion in the hallway and I look up. I see Anthony followed by doctors and nurses rushing down the hallway ignoring their pleas for him to stop. He busts into my room still arguing about being on this floor even though people really aren't supposed to be.

"Anthony" I yell as the room falls silent. Everyone's eyes fall on me as the intensity fills the air.

"Jazmyn tell these people I'm the one you called because your family isn't from around here" he begs.

"He's with me" I assure them and they reluctantly step down. They remove themselves from the room and Anthony turns to me. His eyes red and his face broken, torn up by what he knew, and more by what he didn't know.

We just stare at each other not really knowing where to start. I know he was hurting and he knew I was too. But it wasn't for the same reasons.

"What happened" he finally questions.

"The protest was peaceful, I swear it. There was looting but not in the part of the city we were in. Then this kid, he came out of nowhere and started shooting into the crowd. No one was trying to stop him so I did. I tackled him but he shot me in the leg before I got him down" I explain.

"You're not in the army anymore Jazz, you can't just jump in front of a gun without a bulletproof vest or anything to defend yourself" Anthony argues.

"That kid was going to kill so many people, and the police were just sitting there, watching. He had nothing but hate in his eyes as he mowed people down in the crowd. They didn't give a damn about the lives he was going to take, they weren't going to stop him. So I did" I defend.

"That's not your job" he begs.

"Well someones gotta do it" I insist.

"You could have died" he whispers.

"My life is no more important than anyone else's there last night. Yes I could have died but he could have killed more people should I have failed or did nothing. I risked my life because I'm not above any of those people, my life is not more import than theirs. Those were people's sons and daughters, husbands and wife's, brothers and sisters out there who may not be going home ever again. I might not be a solider anymore, but I will always fight for my people" I remind him.

"I can't lose you Jazz, not after all we've been through. You did your time, you did everything you could to come here and not worry about being shot at" he sighs.

"Going to that protest I knew there was risks. There was people from out of town with the pure intent to reek havoc in this city. But there's no point in sitting at home acting like there isn't a problem in this world right now when there's people willing to risk their lives for change" I say.

He just shakes his head as he sits on the side of my bed. I can tell he had been struggling with this. How he got in here through all these Covid protocols is beyond me. I'm sure he forced his way up here. But this has nothing to do with him. This was all me.

"Do you know how hard it was to get a call that you had been shot? They didn't tell me where or if you were okay. They just told me that my girlfriend is on her way to the hospital and that I should come as soon as possible.

My heart sunk Jazz, I thought that after all this time the bullet finally caught up to you. I thought that everything I did to try and keep you here had failed, and that you were gone.

I-" he trails off as he turns to me. He had tears in his eyes as he starts to hiccup. "I thought you were gone" he whimpers.

"Come here" I demand as I open my arms. He crawls in them as I pull him into my chest. "I knew how to disarm him. He was a kid who wasn't trained with that kind of gun. Yes I was shot but my wounds will heal. It's not the first time I've been shot and at the rate I'm going, it's not my last either. But I'm here and I'm still fighting. And something I will always fight for, until my last dying breath, is you Anthony" I insist.

"I can't lose you" he whimpers.

"I'm here. And I'm hurt and I'm knocked down but I'm still going to fight" I promise.

We just sit there in silence until he calms down a little. Once he was good he sits up a little as I hold his hand.

"I need to ask you something" I insist.

"You want to know the damage, don't you" he questions.

"I do" I nod.

"As far as I know there's two dead and three more shot. But if it wasn't for you it would have been a lot worst" he assures me.

I sigh as I shake my head. "Did they get him" I wonder.

"Thanks to you, yes. I overheard someone else who was brought in with you talking about what you did. They said you were the only person running towards the shooter, like a maniac" he teases as I smile.

"Yeah. I didn't really think it out but I didn't need too. The right thing never takes too long to figure out. How to do the right thing... that's a different story" I chuckle.

"So you're going to be okay" he asks.

"They got the bullet out and stopped the bleeding. I'll need some help getting around for a while, but yes, I'll be fine" I assure him.

"And all of this before your family comes into town. Your brothers are going to shoot me in the leg for letting this happen to you" he scoffs.

"I don't know what you think this is, but if anything I take care of you" I smirk.

"Yeah but you're brothers are still going to kill me for letting you run into a bullet" he argues.

"And I will happily take a bullet for you too" I joke as he furrows his eyebrows. "Too soon" I ask.

"Very much so, yes" he shakes his head.