Short Stories From a Camera

Mustache Man's Final Minutes

I start to get nervous. Why, oh, why did I get mixed up in all this? But I know exactly why. 

"Charge!" Elliott yells, startling me. 

I'm rushed forward by the rest of the army, all of whom are screaming battle cries. We clash with the Wolfums half way through the clearing. As I start to fight, I think about when life was peaceful. I get lost in my mind and what I see, what my mind is showing me, I have seen before. But this time, it's like I am seeing it in a totally different perspective. 

"Mom? Where are you and Dad going?" I ask, in my timid five-year old voice. 

Mom's chestnut brown curls bounce around her shoulders as her head turns towards me. She smiles and puts a hand on my shoulder. 

"I wish I knew, I wish I knew," She says as Dad's bulky figure grabs her wrist and shoves her into our blue family SUV. 

Her big, blue eyes stare wide eyed into Dad's cold, brown ones. He slams the door, despite Mom's efforts to stop him. She bangs on the door and I feel fear, because I know that she knows where Dad is taking her, but she doesn't want to go. Dad turns towards me before getting in. 

"Don't tell anyone that we left, you hear? Don't tell no one!" He says as he brushes his black hair out of his face. 

I nod. Dad gets into the car and revs the engine. I see Mom mouth that she loves me and that I should be good and listen to Nana. I nod at her and she relaxes a little. Then they're gone in a cloud of dust. 

"Bye, Mom," I whisper. 

I stare down at my weak knees and pull a hand through my black hair. Black. Just like Dad's. My hand flies to my stomach as I come back to the battle. Someone had slashed my stomach. I try to focus on the fight, but I can't because my mind reels me back in and shows me something else. I walk down the hall with a nervous smile on my face, trying to look more confident then I am. 

"Hey, Metal Mouth!" 

My lips close around my braces as the biggest bully at Forest High School, Luke Smith, steps in front of me. 

"I said, Hey, Metal Mouth!" 

"My name is Benny," I mutter. Luke laughs. 

"So? I don't care what your name is. You have braces, acne, and your parents left you. All I know is you'll never be as good looking as me!" As Luke says this, he brushes his hair back, like he's a pop star or something.

"Stop being an idiot, Luke!" Abby says as she walks up behind me. 

Her brown hair and blue eyes remind me of Mom. I think she is beautiful. Unfortunately, so does Luke. 

"Hey beautiful, can't talk now," Luke says to Abby, "I'm finishing up with Metal Mouth here, but maybe in a second." 

Abby snorts. "Do you seriously think you're impressing anybody by picking on other kids? You're not, so stop." 

While Abby tells Luke off, all I can think is, Abby is standing up for me, me of all people! My heart beats a little faster. Then my arm starts hurting. The battle is still raging on around me and I got hurt, again. But before I can refocus on the battle, my mind starts tugging on me again. I'm back at my wedding. Abby walks down the aisle with her normal pep. Her dress is beautiful and she is beautiful as well. She reaches the alter and we turn towards the priest. As the priest starts talking, I look at Abby through the corner of my eye. It feels like yesterday that I fell in love with her. She sees me looking and smiles. I look back at the priest, feeling like that teenager in the hallway all those years ago. 

"Benny White, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" 

"I do," I say. 

The priest turns to Abby. 

"And do you, Abby Benson, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" 

"I do," Abby says with a smile on her face. 

"Then you two are officially married. Benny, you may give kisses to the Misses." 

I lean over and kiss Abby. Then I get a leg full of pain. Wolfums run around me, slashing me as they pass by. I kneel over in pain. I feel another slash, then my arm doesn't hurt anymore. I look over and I see why. My arm lays beside me. I fall over on my back. A figure stands above me, sword raised over head, with both hands holding on tightly. 

"Abby, Mom, I'm coming," I whisper to myself. 

Then the sword comes in contact with my heart and I see a light. I float towards it in peace.