No Way Out

Warning: Contains violence, guns, blood and minor signs of psychotic behaviour

I look at my brother in arms. Gun in hands, we smile at each other. We might be going through hell, but there’s no one I’d rather die with than him.

“You remember the plan?”

I scoff, “What am I? Fucking stupid? Yeah I remember the plan. Go in, kill the bastards, take back what’s ours.”

This plan took days to formulate, I couldn’t forget our goal even if I tried. We travelled all over the damn country trying to set things right. I’m almost giddy with excitement. Excited that we’ll finally be able to turn our lives around, I’ll be able to look at my buddy and know that we’re going to be safe after all of this. I lost so much, put my loved ones through so much fear… This ends now.

The only thing in our way now is this double door and the goons behind them.

“Ready?”

I only smirk.

“Always.”

We both dash towards the double doors and kick. The doors fly open. Men shout in confusion and fear.

“Grab your guns! Go go go!”

It’s too late for them. Bullets fly at them, piercing their limbs, I see the blood spray out. It’s maniacal how I relish in it. But I don’t care. I can’t care. These bastards have been in my way for too long now. So my finger holds down on the trigger. Again. And again. And again. I can see the terror on their faces, hear their skin tear and feel the thud beneath my feet as each one drops around me like flies. Dirty bastards. All of ‘em. They can all go to hell. I’ll fan the flames in the same hell they put me through so I can hear these evil bastards scream my name for mercy.

“Where’s your boss? Give me the fucking traitor and I’ll consider letting you live.”

I shout at no one in particular. And I think even these guys know I’m bluffing. Of course I am, they were all a part of it. They thought that they could not only get rid of me and my buddy, but that they’d live to tell the tale. Hell no. I keep him in the corner of my eye and I can tell he’s got me too.

It’s almost cinematic, weaving in and out of hiding spots, they don’t see me coming. A bullet flies by my head, before I can shoot back, another bullet whizzes past again. The guy behind me dead.

“Jesus Christ, you moron, are you tryna get me killed?”

“Focus!” He shouts back.

He was always tryin’ to act tough and level headed. I just know he’s as fucked up as me. It makes me laugh. I know I look crazy, laughing my way through dead bodies. Hide, peek, shoot, hide, peek shoot, reload. A part of me knows I’m sick. I know how fucked up it is that I can take a life without even thinking twice. But this is survival. This is what I need to make sure my future, my baby’s future is safe. May the Lord forgive me, but I’m sure He understands.

“Hey, I think that’s the last of them.”

My buddy’s voice calls out and I ease up. Can’t be too careful though so we lay low and make our way to the back. My gun tight in my hands, I make quick sweeps, kick bodies that I suspect aren’t dead.

“That guy better have been right about it being here.”

He scoffs and points his chin at a silver briefcase. Perfect. Maybe it’s the adrenaline but I make a run for it. Unclipping and throwing the lid back.

“There it is… Come here, beautiful.”

It’s heavier than I thought it’d be. Turning it over, I watch the sunlight make the jewel glow. A beautiful black stone that I’m almost sorry to let go of.

“Now this… This will make us the richest muh’fuckers on the planet and then some.”

I bring the jewel up high like a proud son, “I killed so many assholes for this jewel, I’m not letting no greedy fuck get their grubby hands all over it. Not unless we become millionaires.”

“POLICE! PUT YOUR GUNS DOWN!”

“SHIT!”

My heart’s sudden pounding makes me sick. There’s too many cops, how the fuck did they find us? There’s tens of guns pointing at me. I can’t do nothing, not yet. So I comply, place my gun down, put my arms up. I feel pathetic. So fucking pathetic… I look over at my buddy and we both look at each other with our hands up. I hate how sad he looks, like he’s almost sorry for this. I shake my head lightly. It’s not his fault.

“It’s okay, we’ll figure something out.”

He only nods in response and turns back to the barrels pointing at us. A few officers step forward but their guns are still up. What should I do? What can I do? Even if I take one of them as hostage, there’s so many of them they’d just shoot me. Fuck! As I’m brainstorming, I realise that they’re already putting my hands behind my back.

No no no no. NO! I didn’t do all of this just to be arrested again. I went through so much just to take back what’s mine. I killed the bastard who was keeping it to himself, I was going to make millions! These assholes think they can just stop me? I struggle in the cuffs, but even then I know that they won’t hesitate to shoot. I can tell they think of me like scum. Multiple officers follow out the warehouse. If I run, they’ll shoot. If I fight back, they’ll shoot. Shit!

“Quit squirmin’” The motherfucker behind me says.

I turn back and scowl.

What the fuck?

Behind the police officer, I see my buddy. But he’s not in cuffs like me. He’s… he’s shaking hands with the commissioner…

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING? BASTARD-” My voice turns hoarse.

They all turn to me. He looks at me with the same forlorn look from earlier. No way. No fucking way. He looks away, the commissioner patting his back and they both walk away.

“HEY! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME-”

They’re dragging me away. Kicking and screaming, I swear and spit at my former buddy. How could that asshole betray me? We spent nights talking about how we’d always have each other’s backs but this whole time… This entire time, he’d been plotting this shit.

“YOU WANNA KNOW SOMETHING, ASSHOLE?”

The door slams shut. He keeps walking away but that’s okay. Let him go. Let him walk off. I’ll still have the last laugh. The car started and we slowly made our way past the man who broke me.

“I KILLED HIM.”

His head snaps in my direction. That's what you deserve, bastard.

“I KILLED YOUR FUCKING BROTHER. AND I’LL KILL YOU NEXT-”

Burn in hell.