Chapter Seven: The Night
Justin, Morgan and Drew were all walking down a dirty old road where the branches of trees were overgrown and hung low, the air was cleaner here though and very peaceful. The night was brightly illuminated by the stars and moon; hidden only by a few branches every now-and-then that hid the sky from the trio.
"Its such a beautiful night" Morgan said as she jogged ahead a little and twirled.
"Don't mind her, we don't let her out of her cage often" Justin joked.
"Screw you" Morgan sneered.
"So you two have been friends for how long?" Drew asked.
Justin looked up at the sky and took in the sight of the moon glowing brightly in the sky, "I'd say almost fifteen years now" He continued to look upwards, still admiring the moon, "That's about right, isn't it Morgan?"
"Yeah, I believe so" She replied as she walked just a head of them.
"Wow, fifteen years and you act like your worst enemies" Drew shook his head, "How do you `keep it together'?"
"We only joke like this, we've never been too serious with each other" Justin looked at Morgan who had stopped and turned to face them both.
"Yeah, Justin and I have a connection."
"A connection?" Drew cocked an eyebrow.
"Yes, since we met we've been like family. I can live without him in my life and he cant live without me. We support each other when we need it, back off if we want to be alone. You could say that we're twins."
"I see," Drew said as they started to walk again.
"Liar" Justin smirked.
"You're right, I don't really understand, but you two seem too so that's good enough for me"
"So what should we do tonight? Its still early and I'm getting bored" Justin said as he pulled Drew and Morgan closer.
"I have an idea" Came a deep voice from the bushes. "Who said that?" Justin asked as he looked around.
"I'm not sure Justin" Drew responded as he too began to search the area.
The man stepped out from the trees and faced them, his face concealed by the shadows of the branches. He was a mean man about Justin height and build. "I did" he said coldly.
"M-Matt?" Drew squinted and made out his friends face. "What are you doing here?" He inquired.
"I'm here to get rid of a problem" He gazed at Justin.
"What problem?" Drew asked.
"Justin. He took you away from me, and now I will get rid of him so we can be friends again" Matt took out a gun from his belt; it was a slender item, that looked like a nine millimeter.
"What the hell?! Where did you get that?" Drew yelled as he took a step forward.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, you touch me and I swear I'll put a bullet in his head." Matt twitched the gun, telling Drew to step back.
Justin stood there in shock, if he moved he would be shot, yet if he did nothing he would still be shot. He breathed heavily and thought for a moment before he spoke, "Matt, think about this. You don't have to kill me to get Drew back"
"Oh shut up fag" Matt beamed.
"He's right Matt, we were always friends and we can still be friends if you just put the gun down" Drew pleaded.
Morgan was confused here was a guy holding a gun ready to shoot her friend; he looked drugged and very angry. She reached into her pocket and slowly pulled out her cell phone as she maneuvered behind Justin who was terrified from her perspective, and with good reason. Flipping the top open she dialed 911 slowly so as to not look suspicious. She moved in closer to Justin as the voice on the other end answered.
"911 emergencies, how may I help you?"
Morgan lowered her head a little so she could speak into the mic of the phone. "Me and two friends are being held a gunpoint and need the police here now"
"Ok ma'am, what is your location?"
"We're on lakeside road," Justin whispered.
"We're on lakeside road apparently" Morgan said, "Please hurry, this man is messed and ready to kill; I'll leave the line open until the police arrive" With that Morgan stuffed the phone in he pocket upside down, just enough so that only the mic was left exposed to capture the events as they happened.
Morgan stood up and walked slowly beside Justin, wrapping her arm around his but never taking her gaze off Matt.
"Someone here will die tonight" Matt gestured with the gun at Justin. "I guess its up to you who that happens to be, Drew"
"I won't choose either of them, and neither will you, so put the fucking gun down," Drew demanded.
"Don't tell me you're a faggot too" Matt aimed the gun at Drew now. "Did you fuck him? Did it feel good?" Matt got dizzy for a moment and lost focus, but quickly regained himself. "Huh?"
"Matt, I'm not gay." Drew said s he calmed down and smirked. "If that's the thing that bugs you, then you have some serious issues man"
"Liar! That's the whole reason you two spend so much time together, your both fags and now you will both die" He shifted the gun back and forth between Justin and Drew as if it were a `roll of the dice' decision.
"Dude, calm down. The only reason Justin and I spend so much time together is because he's been helping me with school work."
"He's telling the Truth Matt" Justin said taking a few steps forward. "You were his friend long before I came into the picture and you will remain his friend long after I'm out of it. But think about what you're doing"
"Oh you are right about that" Matt grinned.
"Matt, I don't know you, in fact I barely know drew. But what you are doing is wrong, Justin may be gay but that is no reason for him to die. Why is it so important to you that Justin is out of the picture? What is really going on here?" Morgan asked as she moved closer, trying to buy some time.
"Who the hell are you?" He flinched.
"I'm a friend of Justin. Now please answer my question"
"Because Drew is mine." He yelled.
"Excuse me? I'm not yours" Drew voiced.
"He loves you Drew" Justin said. "Its true, I can see it in his eye's. He's gay and in love"
"I'm not a faggot! I'm not!" He turned the gun back on Justin.
"Yes Matt, you are. You may hide it behind your homophobic attitude but deep deep down you love Drew as much as I do. But its goes much further then that doesn't it... something happened to you to hate homo's as much as you do." Justin cocked his head to the side.
Matt's hand started to shake and he began to sweat. "I'm not gay" He began to cry, the tears flowing slowly down his face.
"Matt, please tell us, we do care" Morgan reassured.
It was just then that they heard the sirens off the police vehicles approaching. Matt listened for a moment before gripping the gun tighter.
"You still have time to stop all this Matt. Put the gun down and no one has to get hurt," Drew was pleading furiously now. "Just put the gun down and talk to us"
The police cars barreled around the corner and slammed on the brakes. The lights flashed as the policemen jumped out of the cars and drew their guns. "Sir, drop the gun!" One of them yelled.
"Matt, do as he says or they will shoot you" Justin bellowed
"No." Matt uttered. He looked at Justin and pulled the trigger.
It was one big flashing moment everything went silent and the world seemed to almost stop, Justin felt Drew pushing him hard to the side and stepping into place to receive the bullet, at the same time the police fired at Matt who stood in shock to see Drew about to take the bullet.
The bullet pierced Drew's chest and sent him flying backwards, his feel lifted off the ground from the concussive force, as he flew back he grabbed onto Justin's arm sending them both crashing down to the ground. Drew let out a cry of agony from the searing heat of the bullet puncturing and melting the skin.
Matt to went flying backwards, slamming into the ground hard, his grip on the gun releasing. He felt his back snap the moment he hit the ground but was to weak to cry out. His eyes became cold and empty as slowly, little by little, his blood drained from his body.
The Police officers had attended to Matt and Drew as they all waited for the ambulance's to arrive, and Morgan and Drew were taken to the police cars to answer questions about the incident. It was difficult for Justin to concentrate as he watched the officers talk and bandage Drew, but he did his best to explain everything.
"Oh, my phone!" Morgan chimed.
"What about it?" Asked the officer, who was about thirty years old and stood at six feet with short dark hair.
"I haven't shut it off since I made the 911 call, they must have heard everything!" She explained. "I think it would help you out"
The officer asked for the phone from Morgan, then talked to the woman on the other end for a few moments. She explained that the conversation had been recorded and she could supply them with a copy, with that the officer hung up and returned Morgan's phone.
When the ambulance's arrived on the scene, the paramedics jumped to work examining both men. It didn't take long for them to determine that Matt was dead, but doing their duty they tried unsuccessfully to revive him, before rushing him to the hospital.
Drew however was going to be fine, the bullet had hit him in the upper right chest, just missing the lung, though there was tissue and muscle damage, he would recover. Justin let a sigh of relief as they put Drew into the ambulance and drove away, knowing he would be ok lightened the burden on his heart, though in some strange way, he couldn't help but feel bad that Matt had died, even after everything they just went through.
"... We'll take you home" was all Justin heard as Morgan took him by the arm and set him in the car. She was very quiet during the ride home, only glancing at him every now and then.
Justin walked into the house with Morgan and the police officer. "Mom, are you home?" he asked.
"Yes I am" She replied from the living room.
"There's a police officer here, he needs to get Drew's address; there's been an accident"
Beth ran out of the living room and stood in the entryway staring at Justin. "What happened?! Are you in trouble?" She queried.
"No, Drew's been shot," he began.
"What?!"
"Ma'am, its important that we get the boy's address so we may contact his parents, he didn't have any ID on him, so we need your help. To avoid more complications we decided to drop your son and daughter off first." The office said.
A knock came at the door and Mr. Wilson answered the door. There stood the officer and he a lump formed in both men's throat.
"Mr. Wilson?" The officer asked?
"Yes." Mr. Wilson responded.
"I'm afraid I must tell you that your son was..." He mumbled off.
"My son what?" Bruce Wilson groaned.
"He's been shot, and taken to the hospital."
Bruce and Kim Wilson stood in the hospital waiting room; it was a cold room, bland and empty, filled with chairs and a few end tables that housed weeks old magazines. They both felt so helpless and had very little answers, that is, until Justin and Morgan walked into the room with Mr. And Mrs. Ellis behind them.
"I'm sorry it took so long to get here" Justin said to them.
"What happened to our son?" Kim asked teary eyed.
"Matthew happen, he held us at gun point, Drew took the bullet for me" Justin's head dropped and he turned away. "I'm sorry, I should be the one in there" She whimpered.
The room fell silent and no one dared talk, Justin didn't seem to be in any state to say anything, as if his feelings were contained up until that moment. It was intense for everyone because they had heard nothing since Drew was admitted, but they did know Mr. And Mrs. Carter we're on their way.
___________________________________ Well there you have it, finally Chapter 7 is complete. I'm also very sorry that I had to put such a depressing chapter up on Easter weekend; however I had planned this chapter out for a while, so I wanted to get it out of the way. At least now we know a lot more then we did when we first got into this whole ordeal. But I have also made more questions. Please email me! Thanks, Darren