Page 121 of Savior

I was met with ragged pants. “I’m here, kid.”

“What the fuck was that?” I reached back toward the porch, feeling along for his boots.

“Everything’s just fine. Get—get Kate in my truck. Can you do that… for me?”

“Angel?” Kate cried out. “Angel, where are you?”

Headlights kicked on from behind us, and Kate began screaming. Angel had managed to make it back up to his knees, a growing red stain spreading across his chest. As he fumbled for his holster, a second blast sent him sprawling face down onto the porch.

I worried I’d dislocated Kate’s arm as I dragged her away from the open door before moving back onto the porch for Angel. The motherfucker with the gun could take me out right now, but I wasn’t leaving him out there alone. “I’m right here.”

My ma was always rescuing wounded animals when I was a boy; said the trick was to keep your voice low and calm.

They’re scared already, Jamie. You don’t want to make it worse.

He lifted his head and reached for my hand, letting me drag him over the threshold. I reached up and flipped the lock, knowing it wouldn’t be enough to keep them out for long. The headlights streamed through the window, just enough for me to see how bad it truly was. Both bullets had hit him in the back and torn through his chest.

“It don’t hurt, Jamie. Don’t hurt a bit.” He began coughing violently, and a line of blood ran from his mouth and down toward his chin.

“You’re a shitty liar, old man,” I said through my tears, leaning over to take both of his hands in mine.

“Daddy, I need your shirt. We can use it as a tourniquet,” Kate begged as she crawled over.

“Katydid.” Angel shook his head. “Ain’t gonna do me a bit of good right now. You know what I need for you to do?”

“What?” she wept, lowering her cheek down to his.

“Need you and Kota-Bear to take care of your old man for me.” He swallowed, forcing the corner of his mouth up into a half-smile. “Ain’t the easiest gig in the world—”

“Don’t—” I choked on the rest of the words.

Don’t leave me.

Don’t make me figure this shit out on my own.

“Hey,” he said softly, bringing his hand up to cup my face. “It’s time, kid. Your ma’s been waitin’ on me for a long-ass time. Someone’s gotta keep Mikey in line up there.”

His hand fell away, and he reached into his pocket before pressing the keys to his truck into my hand. “Run,” he whispered. “I’ll hold ‘em off long enough for you to get her out of here. Go out the back door.”

“Angel, no.” I shook my head.

“You wanted to be just like me, my boy, but you were so much better. Might not have been my blood, but I was proud to call you mine.” His body began shaking as the shock from blood loss set in.

I pressed my trembling lips to his forehead, fighting to stay strong for him. “I love you, Charlie. Take—take care of Ma and Mikey for me.”

“Love you too, my boy,” he said through chattering teeth. “And Katydid, you tell that sister of yours that I couldn’t have asked for better granddaughters. You made my life worth livin’. Now, go.”

“Ain’t leavin’ you—”

“Now ain’t the time to play superhero, Jamie. Take the g-gun—” He exhaled loudly, but didn’t take another breath.

The heavy tread of boots hit the front porch, and I reluctantly let go of his hand to reach for Kate’s. “We gotta go now, sweetheart.”

She covered Angel’s body with hers and shook her head. “We can’t leave him. We can’t leave him for them.”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek as my resolve began to crack. “I can only carry one of you, darlin’. We gotta keep you and that baby safe.”

With that, she let go and reached for me. I had her climb onto my back like I did when she was a child, and we crawled under the windows, making our way to the back door.

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