Beyond My Choices/Issue 18

Issue 18 - See You On The Other Side
Chanel

I stare at Jay, as he quickly pushes the gear out of park and into drive. “Jay, don’t tell my you’re actually going to try to drive out of here.” He stares at me and gives a simple nod.

“If one of us is leaving here alive today, it’ll be you.” My heart stops.

I open my mouth, until I realize there’s nothing I can say to stop him. His eyes are full brown, mixed with bloodshot. I notice his legs shift, and the engine roars as we blast. Multiple shots fire, as I creep my head down low, as I avoid any silver that flies in and out through the windows. I slightly lift my head, as I stare outside the windows. A lone truck sits outside, firing away as I hear the screams of Jay continue on and off.

I continue to keep my head down, as adrenalin begins to feel my body. The rush of everything is just so quick; I can’t even feel the tears flow down my face. The car slowly begins to decelerate, as the pleads of Jay begins to die down. “Jay, we got to keep going!” I scream. My voice filled with guilt and tears. Could he actually be dead?

Bradley then dawns upon me. What if this is real life? I can’t even comprehend how Bradley would take this news. Quickly I come back to Earth, as I stare upon a tree that lies ahead of us. “Jay!”

I scream once again, hoping he has some sort of life miracle restore him back to full health. Within second I find myself pounced up against the roof of the car, and finally back down on the rough ground.

Blood rushed through my veins, from the ground up to my brain. I struggle as I attempt to open the car door. It doesn’t budge, and I stare ahead at the multiple air bags, which seemed like they popped as fast as a lone piece of popcorn. I attempt to push open the door once more, until I realize the truck is flipped. “Help!” I scream.

I continue screaming hoping someone will save me. Even if it’s the douchebags, that caused this mess. ''I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die'', is all I can think of. I stare up as I hear multiple gun shots fire off. Why would they be firing at us? We’re already done for.

For a split second I feel hope but soon it dies. I didn’t ever think I’ll go out like this. I reach up as I pull myself up. I hear a yell, but I can’t make it out. The sounds of four wheels drag along the road, as it speeds down. Then I look down. It’s Jay, and he’s covered in blood dead. There are at least six bullets to the chest and one lone bullet daggered up inside his skull. Tears begin to flood my eyes, as I can feel the adrenalin begin to fade away. Is this what death feels like? Because I don’t like it one bit.

***

Teague

I quickly come to a stop as I stare out. A truck sits outside, as the loud shots ring and blasts its way through my ears. A loud buzz feeling triggers an alarm throughout my head, as I use my palms to cover my ears. The ringing doesn’t stop. Perks of going to Afghanistan for two tours.

I finally get a better visual view as a car drives between the lines of fire. Driving quick and fast, I notice a man. By the blink of my eye I see its Jay, screaming as he pedals. The screaming stops and a pierce cry I could barely hear feel the air. I quickly rushed to the back of Escalade, and immediately a small grin dawns upon my face. I see my sniper rifle. The same one I used for the tours. I have been exited to use it for the past three years, and I finally get the chance.

I quickly check the rounds, eclipsing the mag counting each bullet from one to 20. I quickly sprint to the edge of my truck, setting the sniper against my shoulder. I image at least five Taliban squandering around, asking to get killed. I find myself with my finger upon the trigger as I narrow down upon a young man’s head. He looks no older than 19. I press down slightly and my I hear my heart beat.

Were those guys I murdered earlier, any less young then this man? I hold my breath and for a breath silence, everything shadows out. I fire.

<p class="MsoNormal">I quickly duck down, as a much louder noise pops throughout the atmosphere. Not only twenty feet away from me, have I seen a terrifying sight of a car that has just collided dead on upon that base of a tree. I attempt to run to help, but I’m quickly stopped by bullets that fly my direction.

<p class="MsoNormal">Amazingly, I head a name. Aurel is that only thing I can think of. The bullets stop as I get a chance to lean up to get a better view. There were four men; including one witch I can only assume one is dead. The car begins to pull, and speeds off. I expect shots to fire as I quickly duck but there’s nothing. I turn my attention back upon the car as I hear a cry for help. It’s a girl and I rush over as fast as I can.

<p class="MsoNormal">I reach my head over the window, where I see Jay dead. A bullet in his head to already has done my job. I stare at the back where the sounds came from and it’s Chanel. Her eyes widen, and for a second it looks like she has forgotten what just happen. A small smile. I smoothly jump upon the flipped car, and dip down low. My hand on the door, I lift, and it lifts up with ease. I expected it to be stuck.

<p class="MsoNormal">I reach my hand out and Chanel grips my arm. “You okay?” I ask. She doesn’t respond. “Come on, let’s get you back.”

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">Aurel

<p class="MsoNormal">I feel the rush of my gun begin to slide off of my fingers as I fire recklessly towards the car in front of us. I turn towards my masked friends. “Explain to me why the hell we’re doing this again!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“You know, same Ol’ Marcus.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Ah, okay.” I say as I nod my head. I re-aim my assault rifle as I fire one shot. I can see it splat through the man’s face. He has peanut orange colored skin and a rough patch of hair under his lips. I fire again which lands in his chest. I stare at my bud that stands with too much courage in the middle of the road.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Get out of the fucking road Peter, you dumbass.” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Fine, whatever,” Peter says as he begins walking back. I turn my head for a split second until I hear a shot. “Who shot that?” I say as I’m furious with the mini-heart attack that just occurred.

<p class="MsoNormal">I look at the faces of my two buds. Despite not being able to see their physical features, but only their eyes. I can tell their jaws are dropped. I turn, as my eyes widen. Peter lies dead on the ground with a bullet upon his head. “Hell nah, we got to get the fuck out of here!”

<p class="MsoNormal">I quickly run to pick up Peter’s body. Grabbing him roughly by his arms and dragging him towards the car. “You think he’s dead?” I hear someone ask.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yea, even if he is I’m sure he would have no brain waves; therefore making him as good as dead.” I say without looking.

<p class="MsoNormal">I remove my black mask. As I take in a deep breath. “Anyone want to explain who the fuck shot him?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“It was some random black guy.”  I hear him say. “You must have not seen him?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“No dipshit, if I did I wouldn’t be asking this shit Craig.” I respond hostile.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Look, let’s just go back and explain what happen to Marcus.” Craig says. “Okay?”

<p class="MsoNormal">I nod my head. “You know he’s going to want us out first morning tomorrow to find them.” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, unfortunately,”

<p class="MsoNormal">I stare at the dead body that lies upon the floor. It’s insane how young a person can die. He wasn’t nothing but 19. Only 8 years younger than me. I can’t help but not feel guilt for him. And to think my final words to him were basically calling him a dumbass.

<p class="MsoNormal">My guilt for him doesn’t last much long, as I’m already used to it. “You know, a few days back there was a report of a few guys not coming back. Later on, they found them dead in the middle of the road.” Craig says.

<p class="MsoNormal">“No shit,” I begin. “You think it might have been that same dude?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Who the hell knows?”

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">Bradley

<p class="MsoNormal">My back aches upon the back seat as we draw nearer to the bar. In front of the bar I notice Teague’s Escalade. We come to a stop and take turns getting out of the car. “Always the best feeling when you get out of a car full of people.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, happens every day doesn’t it?” I hear Kiara blurt out.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I can’t tell if that was sarcastic or not.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s your decision boss.”

<p class="MsoNormal">I continue ahead of them as they continue to ruffle. I feel the rusty palms of the handle. I guess you get that a low when you live in the north. The door opens ahead of me as I see Tom, and Teague surrounding a cherry eye Chanel.

<p class="MsoNormal">“What’s going on?” I stare around confused.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Brad, you mind talking to me in private?” Tom says.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sure,” I say as I begin walking towards the corner of the room. “What’s up?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Look, so today I guess Jay took Chanel to some museum, and he ended up getting bit.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Wait what?!” I say as I feel emotions feel the air around me. “Well, where is he? We can amputate his arm.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Look he got bit around the abdominal area, and they encountered more problems. Jay took the wheel, got shot a few times and that when Teague came in to save Chanel.”

<p class="MsoNormal">I sit down upon the ground with my back against the wall. I don’t care, as I can’t even think right now. “So you’re telling me there’s no way we can bring him back!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“No,”

<p class="MsoNormal">“So what’s next? We got to find out who the hell did this!”

<p class="MsoNormal">I stand up and begin pacing back and forth. “Let’s go back to the crash site, and see if there still there. Then we’ll find-“

<p class="MsoNormal">“Brad, calm down man. If we’re going to do this as a team we’re going to have to be more patient with this. Don’t get me wrong, I want to get back for Jay’s death too, but you got to trust me.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Calm down? In this past fucking month two people have died that I cared for. Not to mention two people who have saved my life as well. If I have to I’ll go alone.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, well everyone has lost someone before. And you know what? There are at least a hundred people out there who want to get the chance to just say thank you because you saved their lives. And if you just go alone, then they will never get that chance to, because you’ll be dead.”

<p class="MsoNormal">I take a seat again. “I know Tom; I don’t know what going on through my head. Funny thing is, I don’t even really feel angry about Jay’s death.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“What do you mean? Y’all were so close though?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I mean just the fact people have to go to those limits to get pleasure. And we were close but I have the same relationship with everyone else. Sure we were best friends, and I’m sad he’s dead but I seen it coming. Sure I cared about him, but I scared about other people too you know.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“That’s good to know Brad, you know that?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, I know. I’m just getting tired of people judging me upon one person. Like why not just talk about everything else going on upon the world, you know?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“You should actually make a show called zombie global news. I think you’ll make a good host.”

<p class="MsoNormal">For a slight moment, I forget about what happened to Jay, or even what I was talking about.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You know, I really needed this talk man.” I nod my head in acceptance. “You want to be my co-host?” I ask laughing.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Be an honor… Boss,”

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">Dante

<p class="MsoNormal">“You must have never been hiking before, have you?” I say to the slow pacing Carrie Ann. She glares at me, her eyebrows pointing towards her hair that hangs smoothly.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I have before. My Mom used to take me down the redneck country, and my sis and I used to roll around and play in the mud.” I stare back at her and chuckle.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sounds like something, my brothers and I would do.” I continue smiling at her.

<p class="MsoNormal">I approach a log which I climb over with ease. I wait for Carrie. Her small palms aren’t strong enough to life her. I extend my reach out to her, which she grabs upon with ease. I used the rest of my strength to lift her up, almost falling down in the progress. We both laugh.

<p class="MsoNormal">I stare ahead at small tunnel. It’s dark, with a hint of light, as shadows formed by a large tree that stands in front of it surround the walls. “Come on,” I gesture her to come forward.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Come on, aren’t we supposed to be looking for some rabbits or something?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, but come on let’s just check it out!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Fine, and after that we’re going to get one little rabbit and we’ll be done.”

<p class="MsoNormal">I nod my head towards her. “Well are you coming or what?” I ask her. She nods her head towards me, and we both begin forward.

<p class="MsoNormal">“So tell me,” I say noticing my voice sounding much commanding than usually. “What else did your Father teach you when you were in the woods?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Let me think.” I stare back at her and can’t help but stare at her dimples which glitter when the sun gleams off of them. Her index finger rests on her puckered lips. “Well one thing for sure, he taught me how to kick some ass.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Some ass? I don’t think bootleg karate classes at the age of four counts as kicking ass.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“It was kung-fu, and I was seven okay.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sure you were.” I say as the both of us come towards the tunnel. I breathe in the air and can’t help but smile as I see the brown sticks stand out from the green grass.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">Aurel

<p class="MsoNormal">“Open the damn gates Leo!” I say.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, yeah relax. What happen? Someone got your panties in a bunch?”

<p class="MsoNormal">I shake off his response, forgetting he isn’t nothing but 20. Only looking to party, and cause any messes he can find or do. He grinds and pushes down on a level, as the large black walls which always remind me of Hitler’s black barriers. They open up, and our camo jeep cruises between the two green bridges that separated the black roads to the brick houses. Brick brown building match and parallel each other from each side.

<p class="MsoNormal">Many guys sit outside, playing games such as cards, poker, and even dice. Ahead, we soon make a right turn, and the streets are still similar. Something I always never liked about this place. Everything is the same, hardly nothing unique about it. We finally pull between two more jeeps. I stare around and chuckle out of the blue. I can’t help but look at all the damn jeeps we have around this place. I’m the first out, and soon I’m followed by Craig, and Kelp.

<p class="MsoNormal">“What do you want us to do with Peter?” Kelp says. I turn to him.

<p class="MsoNormal">“We’ll handle it later,” I put my hands on my waist. “We should probably just talk to Marcus about it first though.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Sounds like a plan.” Craig says.

<p class="MsoNormal">I see a few papers lie upon the ground. It takes me no more than a few seconds to reach them. I pick them up, having to scatter for a few of them. It’s a flier, and I stare at the wooden bulletin board that barely hangs on the corner of the road. Must have been windy, I say to myself. I begin to walk, until I come to a stop. The paper reads Safety in Baltimore. A child runs, as he’s being chased by his Father. They look happy, but it’s all just a damn lie. At the bottom of the paper reads ''Issued by Lionell Irvin, Alfred Bujnowski, and Delrose Shepard. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">I shake my head. I stare at the name Delrose. Doesn’t ring a bell, but the other two I do. “Are you coming or what?” I turn to see Craig’s lips closing. “Yeah, in a few,” I take my time setting the fliers in a trashcan next to the bulletin board, and jog back to Kelp and Craig.

<p class="MsoNormal">I enter the double doors. I hate touching the steel handles. Rust always manages to find itself on my hands, or some douchebag decided to leave their bubblegum somewhere on the handle. The three of us come to a counter, where we’re met soon by Leo.

<p class="MsoNormal">“How the hell did you end up here before us?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well, considering the fact I’m much younger than you, and it took you at least a total of ten minutes to read that paper, I found myself on shift and sitting here at this desk.”

<p class="MsoNormal">I smile. “Smart ass,”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Anyways, what can I do for you?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“We need a meeting with Marcus ASAP.”

<p class="MsoNormal">He flips through a few sheets of paper attached to his clipboard. “Sorry but you’ll have to wait.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Come on, this is urgent.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Look rules are rules. Marcus is a busy ass man, and he’s in a meeting right now. If anything you’ll just have to wait at least up to two hours.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Two hours?” Kelp says. “Fuck”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Alright,” I shake my head.