Revenge or Revolution?

30.

When the gun hadn't worked, Brian took matters in his own hand. He took a nearby fire extinguisher and swung it towards Steve. It hit him in his head and he staggered back. Blood started coming out of his ears and back of the skull. The blow was fatal and he hadn't expected that. This kind of blow would usually leave someone unconscious but Steve's case was not normal. Because of the hematoma, the blow was fatal and it was clear that Steve would die today.

Mr.Patrickson couldn't believe it. Both of them knew that he was going to die today, but it was because he wouldn't be able to handle the pressure when he saw his foe. But he had been surprisingly calm and it didn't seem he would die. The fire extinguisher was unexpected. Technically, Brian didn't kill him but that's not how the world will see it.

'Mr.Patrickson...' Steve called out.

'Steve! We are going to take you to the hospital. Just hold on a little bit more.'

'This is it, Mr.Patrickson,' Steve paused to take a deep breath, 'we knew I wasn't going to come out of this night alive.' He smiled a little.

'We did know that. But I wasn't expecting you to be hit with a fire extinguisher.' Mr.Patrickson had started sobbing. He had lost another son today.

'It is actually perfect. Brian is now officially a murderer and you don't have to create a whole fake bullet scene. This way, Brian would be punished for what he did years ago to so many people. Our work here is done. We did it, Mr.Patrickson.'

The door swung open and Sandra saw a horrific sight. Steve laid there soaked in blood and Brian laid there unconscious probably from Steve's tackle. Holding Steve's head, was an old man in janitor's clothes.

'I heard the gun shot from my room and I ran up here,' the old man said, 'But I think he was hit in the head by that Fire extinguisher which caused him to bleed from the skull.'

Sandra ran towards Steve and placed him in her lap. She was crying profusely. It was her fault that Steve died. She had put her faith in the wrong person. She was warned that this would happen and she could have stopped it. But she didn't. Brian was a scum and everyone realized it very late. She couldn't stop crying. When she was finally with Steve, all she got were few moments.

'I am sorry, Steve. I failed you.'

'You don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault.' It was clear that Steve could hardly talk now.

'It was mine. I never understood that you were the one for me. I was an idiot thinking that you were the killer or you tried to drug me. I should have seen that it wasn't you. You were the best thing that ever happened to me.'

'Now is not the time to have remorse. I never showed any emotions. It wasn't your fault. I was a bit selfish then but not anymore.' Steve could no longer speak.

He put his hand on the floor and started drawing something. Sandra watched it as tears flowed from her eyes. She tried to decipher but couldn't make out at first but then realized that he had written 77.

'What does "77" mean?'

Steve put his hands on her face and uttered, 'You are beautiful.' And his hands went limp.

The world did not have Steve anymore. Everyone from the reunion had come up to the room by then. Brian had started to gain consciousness. Police had somehow arrived so fast. Everyone thought someone must have called them as soon as they heard the gunshot but in reality Mr.Patrickson had called them way earlier.

When the cops came above everyone pointed at Brian and explained what had happened.

'I did not do it! I merely swung the extinguisher for self protection!,' Brian was screaming and begging, 'Sandra, you believe me, right?'

Sandra didn't even look at Brian. She was just thinking about Steve's last sentence. He used to say that someone is beautiful whenever he wanted to describe a person who is intelligent as well as pretty. He hardly used the word. And he wrote 77 for her which she had no idea what it stood for. But she knew that he had taught her that she was much more capable than Brian.

'Kate, you have to believe me! I love you.' Brian was begging in front of everyone as the cops dragged him away.

Kate also felt heartbroken. How could she have been so naïve to fall in love with such a person? Her kindness had become her weakness. She had lost all of her hope in humanity. She walked towards Brian and slapped him with full might. Then, she ran away.

John ran towards Steve along with some paramedics. It was declared that Steve died due to a heavy blow to the head.