Look Into The Abyss

Then, Daryl lets out a loud, high-pitched scream. I turn to see Melissa's lips spread wide, her teeth clenched, and Daryl bucking against her. Everyone stops and looks at Daryl as he screams. Blood starts to flow from Melissa's mouth and Daryl's hands press against her face. Then, Dozer screams. Angel's hand is down his pants, her arm muscles flexing. She must be crushing his testicles with her fist. Bull and Charlie both turn to look at Dozer. Charlie steps back from Melissa and Bull drops Valerie's body to the table.

I spring to my feet bringing my hands in front of me. The chair drags behind me as I dash to my gun. Charlie yells and tries to run at me, his cock wet and hard pointing in front of him, but stumbles with his pants around his ankles. The chair falls to its side, twisting my ankle. I pull it after me, sliding my foot on the ground. Dozer crumples to the floor, his hands squeezing Angel's shoulders, his eyes bulging from the sockets. I finally reach the gun and almost trip over the chair sliding after me.

Bull grabs the shotgun beside him and starts to turn it towards me. I aim and fire in one motion as I stumble backwards. The shotgun blasts uselessly towards the ceiling as the bullet hits him in the chest. I fall into the table and stick my foot out before I crash into it. The table slides under me and starts to tip over. I throw my other leg into the air with the chair dragging on the ground and plant it behind me. I drop to my other knee and turn the gun on Charlie. He's stumbling towards me, one hand pulling his pants up his legs, his cock erect in front of him. I aim at his chest and fire. He's pushed back and his body folds over as he falls to the ground.

I look to Melissa and see she's pulled her body up onto the pool table, her mouth splattered with blood. Daryl is curled into a ball, his hands grabbing at his crotch. I aim the gun and shoot him in the head. Then, I look to Angel and see her lying on the ground looking up at me. Dozer is several feet from her sitting on his knees. I aim at his head and fire.

I sit still for several seconds allowing time to slow down again, watching the bodies for movement. Melissa is sobbing as she lies on the table. Angel stands up and walks over to me.

"You got 'em," she says. "Good job." I look up at her as she stares down at me, her eyes alive and tender. She smiles at me and reaches her hand down. I grab her hand and stand up, dragging the chair behind me. Angel lays her hands on my chest. "You're not gonna arrest me now are you?" she asks. I smile down at her.

"Joe?" Melissa moans across the room. She's squirming along the table, her hands still tied behind her back. "Joe, help me." Her face is streaked with tears and blood.

"Can you untie her?" I ask Angel. She nods and walks over to Melissa. I drag the chair behind me and walk to my keys. I pick up the keys and unlock the handcuffs at my ankle. Then, I unlock the cuff still around my wrist.

Angel finishes untying Melissa. Melissa jumps off of the table and runs over to me, new tears falling from her eyes. I grab her shoulders before she can embrace me. Startled, she looks up at me, her arms still reaching to grab me. "No," I say and shake my head. I look over her at Angel standing by the pool table. "I'll take these two outside to the car. You start pouring liquor on the floor and find a match." She nods and walks to the bar. Melissa is still looking up at me and crying.

A couple of hours later I'm in my car driving. I don't know where I'm going. Angel is in the seat beside me, her head leaning against the window, staring into the waning night. We took Melissa and Valerie to the hospital, leaving them outside of the emergency room. Valerie was starting to wake as whatever drug they used was wearing off. Melissa cried some more and then got angry. She was yelling at me, calling me names, throwing a fit right outside of the hospital. I shut her out as I've done so well before. I got in the car and started driving away. I just keep driving.

I turn and watch Angel staring out of the window. She gave me her quick life history. Charlie was her dad. He killed her mom. She's nineteen, a high school dropout, and has nothing back there to stay for. That'd make two of us. I don't know why she chose to help me.

"Why?" I ask her as the morning sun starts to break the horizon.

Still staring out the window she replies, "Because."

I guess it really doesn't matter anyway. Nothing really matters except moving on and getting my life back. I want to take control of my life. I want to stop allowing things to just happen to me. I want to make things happen for me. I want to feel again.

Angel sighs beside me. "I love the sunrise," she says. She turns to look at me. A few strands of hair dangle in front of her eyes, and she tucks them behind her ear delicately. "Don't you?"

"Yeah," I reply, "Yeah, I do."