Page 117 of Heathens

“Fuck!”

I try to shoot again, but he’s too quick, already rushing at me.

I sprint to meet him, both of us crashing into each other in the air and scattering across the floor. I try to scramble to my feet, but in the blink of an eye, he’s grappling me on the floor. I swing my arm up and my fist connects with his chin, the bone making a thunderous crunching noise as it shatters, rocking his head to the side. He grunts as he snaps his neck back toward me, his jaw loose and hanging open. He looks like a broken toy.

I wrap my legs around his waist and violently twist my body, flipping him over and pinning him to the ground. I manage to reach the gun and aim it at his head. But when I pull the trigger, the hollow clicking sound spurns me on to pistol whip him instead as a roar erupts from my throat. All the grief and anger I’ve pushed down for so long finally comes bubbling to the surface.

I have to make it out of here alive. Sofie has to make it out of here alive. I will not let thismonsterbegin his true reign of terror over this city.

I’m hitting mindlessly, without any real purpose beyond causing pain, sending blood and viscera flying into the air. Letting go feels amazing, and I lean into every single strike to make him hurt as much as I do, but that’s what gives him the window he needs.

My empty gun is knocked out of my hand as Rene snaps my arm in a heartbeat, following it up by shattering my nose with his palm. I collapse backward, grabbing my face as blood pours out of the wound.

I try to cry out to her, but that single moment of weakness is all he needs, and he scoops me over his head, rising to his feet and hurling me against the far wall with absurd force. So many of my bones crack and snap that I lose track, but I’m almost certain there’s a piece of my rib puncturing my lung.

“You’re pathetic, Dominic!” He calls from across the room. “How hard is it to shoot someone in the fucking head?”

I pull myself forward with one good arm, struggling to reach the other gun in the middle of the room In a desperate hope it’s still loaded, only to see Rene’s snakeskin boots slide in front of me as my vision blurs. He kicks it out of my reach as I catch sight of Sofie’s limp body splayed halfway across the floor, barely moving. When he reaches me, he crouches down, tipping my chin upward. There’s pain in his eyes, but I can’t tell if it’s mockery or real.He’s really kind of fucked up like that.

“See, the thing about loyalty, Dominic, is that even after someone as smarmy and weak as you betrays me, I stillfeelsomething for you.“ Rene strokes my cheek.“I want you to know, that when this is all done, I’m going to tie your pretty little girlfriend to your own bed and fuck her until she’s nothing but a broken little doll.” He lets out a satisfied sigh. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a redhead. Maybe I should make you watch this time.”

I try to struggle, choking on the blood pouring down my face.

“You didn’t get to see what I did to Selene, did you? I sent you a tape, but you never watched it. I thought I was being considerate. Thought you might want to see her final moments.”

“I’m gonna fucking kill you,” I sputter, blood drooling from my mouth.

“Shame.” He shakes his head as he grips both sides of my skull. “At least you’ll look exquisite mounted on my wall.”

I can feel him pulling, my vertebrae snapping and muscles tearing as I face death once and for all. The worst part is knowing that the last thing I’ll see is Rene’s hideous yellow eyes.

SOFIE

Rene's Mansion

There’snothingafterdeath.No “other side”, no bright light, no angels.

Nobody is waiting for me with open arms.

No Charlie, no Sam.

Only emptiness.

I feel a deep sadness staring into the black, like something has been hollowed out of me as the light dims, and all I want to do is fade into stardust.

Like so many others before me.

And then come the memories: days on the beach with Charlie, wrapping him in my arms and listening to the sound of his laughter. Moments at the dinner table as I watched the dimples form in his cheeks.

He was always smiling.

I can feel Sam’s arms around my pregnant belly while I fix myself breakfast, his warm breath on the back of my neck. I see all the days we laid in bed and stared at each other until one of us started to laugh.

None of this hurt to remember, not like it did before. It’s just laid out behind me, a testament to the fact that I lived, that I was here. That I loved and was loved in return.

But that was all before, and all that’s left of me now is bleeding out on the ground.

A violent heat.

---