"THIRTY-EIGHT SPECIAL"
My ears were ringing.
I shook my head, trying to get my bearings. I think the alcohol was finally wearing off. There was a familiar weight in my right hand. My gun. The Thirty-eight Special had been fired. I looked over to Sandy, she was screaming something. At least, that’s what it looked like; my vision was a little blurred and I couldn’t hear what she was saying, just a dull tone muffling her voice. I looked back to the doorway, there was a man in a navy blue suit leaning against the wall in the hallway, clutching his leg as cherry red blood leaked out.
Fuck. I just shot someone. I fell backwards, fortunate that the couch was there to catch me. I needed to snap to attention, and fast. My hand was shaking so I put the gun away, unsteadily. That gun hadn’t been fired in over twenty years. What had I done? Suddenly, everything seemed so pointless, so futile. Maybe my time really was up and I’ve just been prolonging the inevitable, torturing myself out of some deep sense of self loathing. What the fuck do I deserve to live for anyway?
Steadily, the sound of Sandy’s voice came pouring back into my ears.
“FRANK!” She yelled, “You have to get out of here! Are you listening to me?”
She had been repeating herself for what seemed like eternity. Even when my hearing returned, I still couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge her.
Then, I heard her say something different.
“What the shit! What’s she doing?” screamed Sandy as she jumped behind the couch, followed by the distinct sound of a man punching a large side of beef.
Looking up, I saw Jennifer, in full costume, twisting a man’s arm around behind his back. I think I heard a ‘snap’ but I don’t honestly remember. She turned toward me and I could see her mask covering her face. That fucking mask! I didn’t think she still had it.
The man screamed. He had entered the apartment after seeing his companion get shot and was immediately disarmed by Jennifer. That damn girl was going to get herself killed!
“It’s okay, Frank! Night Cat is here.” She said, rather boisterously. She gave the man a sharp kick to the back of his shin, felling him instantly.
Another gunshot pierced the air and splintered the door panel next to Jennifer’s head. Then, before I could even react, she bolted down the hallway toward the gunfire. Two more gunshots rang out, followed by scuffled feet. I was completely paralyzed with fear, unable to move until I noticed the bleeding man leaning against the wall. Still clutching his leg, he reached into his jacket for his firearm.
I pulled my revolver out and roared, “Don’t move!”
He froze and stared at me. I had my gun trained on him, but my hand was shaking like a rattlesnake tail. The gun nearly fell out of my hands. He turned toward me. I saw it in his eyes, he knew I wasn’t going to be able to hit him. But he didn’t shoot. He spoke.
“Frank, you damn fool. Why’d you have to complicate things?”
Realization crashed into me like waves on a beach. These were Gurly’s guys. I’d even worked with these guys before. The guy I shot was named Rick. The one on the floor’s name was Jason, I think. Fucking Gurly set me up. It was so fucking obvious. It was Gurly’s drug deal that went wrong last night. He must have been the one who sent the guy to my place. Then I fucking walked right into his arms. Fucking idiot!
“What are you here for, Rick?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“My name’s Nick you fucking idiot.” He snapped.
“Fuck you, asshole. What does Gurly want?”
“We’re not here for Gurly, fuckhead. Gurly sold you out. Too bad his stupid bitch stripper couldn’t keep her mouth shut, this would have gone a lot smooth—“
He coughed twice, spit up blood, and fell to the floor, leaving a bloody stain on the wall behind him. I don’t remember shooting him, but the smoke was still emanating from the chamber of my Smith and Wesson, which now contained two less bullets than it did yesterday.
I looked down the hall, desperate to see Jennifer, but all I could see was a couple of bodies lying on top of each other. I hoped to God she wasn’t one of them.
This whole day had been one colossal fuck up.
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