Chapter 39: Betrayal

It was a few weeks later, when it happened. To say it was unexpected, would be a gross understatement. It was a Saturday afternoon, and we were at home, grabbing some lunch. We had been working all day. Jane and I, sat at the kitchen table; eating peanut butter, and jelly sandwiches. The front door opened, and we looked at each other, thinking: 'John.'

We were wrong. Jr. appeared in the doorway, and I could see a couple of his delinquent friends, behind him.

I looked at him, thinking, "I wish I had changed the locks, like I wanted."

I said, "What do you want?"

"I came to tell Jane I was sorry," he said in a voice that anything but apologetic. He sounded either high, or drunk. Probably both.

I stood up, and Jane did, too.

Jr. moved into the room. I could see that his buddies (Josh and Kurt), had a tire iron and a baseball bat, in their respective hands.

"Okay. Why don't you just leave, now," I suggested, trying to think of something. Jane was behind me, and was slowly moving towards the back door.

"I don't think so. You owe me something. No wait. I owe you a little something right guys?"

"Yeah. Gonna show these two a thing or two. That's what we're gonna do," said Josh, the one who attacked Jane (with Jr.) over a year ago.

Jr. reached into his back pocket, and pulled out a knife.

Jane yelled, "Brett!"

I turned, to see her opening the back door. I decided that discretion, truly, was the better part of valor. I ran for the door.

Jr. yelled, "Get them!"

Jane and I were out the door, and I tried to slam it behind me. I noticed a shovel leaning against the house. I grabbed it, and followed Jane.

Jane ran for the side of the house, and I could hear Jr. and crew, behind us. We got around the house, and Jane had to slow down to climb over the chain link fence. It was not tall, but she could not jump it. She had to climb over. I just jumped over it, next to her, and dropped the shovel to help her over. We were not fast enough, and Josh grabbed her. He tried to pull her back over. I yelled, and roughly pulled her to my side. Jr. and Kurt took the opportunity, to climb over, too.

I was helping Jane up, when I noticed we were in trouble. Quickly I grabbed the shovel, and tried not to let them know how scared I was. Jane scrambled to her feet, and Josh got over the fence. They had us neatly trapped; in the corner of the fence, and the side of the house.

They looked to be enjoying themselves.

Jr. said gleefully, "Now you are going to fucking get it. You, and that bitch sister of yours. We're going to fucking kill you. Then we're gonna fuck, and kill, the skinny bitch."

"Yeah. She is gonna fucking get it," Josh added.

Soon as Jr. had mentioned hurting Jane, I forgot any fear for myself, and got mad.

"I will kill you, if you touch her. The only reason I didn't, last time, is she asked me to stop. This time I won't," I promised.

"You wish, fag. We are going to fuck you up," Jr. boasted.

"Then, come on. I am tired of listening to your voice. If any of you make it out of here, I hope you enjoy prison. That's where you are going to end up," I told them, trying to put a little fear in them. As angry as I was, the three of them scared me. I would not, however, let them know how scared I was.

"They won't do shit," Josh said.

"Yeah. It's our word against yours. Cops don't give a shit about kids fighting," said Kurt.

"Then, come on. It's you three against me. What are you waiting for?"

I wanted them to come to me. I was afraid that if I moved from the corner, they would get behind me. That would leave Jane open. If I got them focused on me, enough; hopefully my sister could slip away, and get help.

That prompted them to start making feints, and little charges at me. I just stood there, and waited. This was no little fight. I felt that I was fighting for my life, and Jane's. I was going to hit hard, and hit to kill. I waited for my opportunity. Really, I just wanted it to be over, and to get away. I was sick with worry over Jane, and furious, at the same time.

Josh gave the opportunity to me. Both he, and Jr., tried to charge at the same time. I managed to lash out, and land a solid blow to the side of Josh's head. I wielded the shovel like a staff, in an over hand blow. He collapsed to the ground. I managed to spin the shovel, and ward Jr. off too. Jane screamed in fear. She then started to scream for help. I knew that she was not terrified, she still had enough presence of mind, to pick up the bat Josh had.

I looked Jr. in the eye, and said in a cold voice, "You're next."

It did not make an impact. I do not think he even noticed his fallen companion. He was definitely high on something, they all were. Josh started to get up on his hands and knees, as he lay by my feet. I swung the shovel around over my head as hard as I could, and clipped him on the back of his head, and neck. He fell to the ground again. Jr. and Kurt ran at me, and I brandished the shovel to try and keep them at bay. It worked for a while, then they got impatient.

Kurt hit my shovel with his tire iron, and Jr. took that chance to try and cut me. He did. I felt a terrible burning sensation across my side, and I yelled out in pain. Spinning I swung my shovel around to try to keep him away, and I aimed the end for his head.

Jr. pulled back, and that was perhaps the biggest mistake he ever made.

The tip of the shovel caught his neck, and blood sprayed my face, as it bit into his flesh. It was surreal. I could see his skin open up, and sort of peel back, like it was being forced open from the inside. I would have nightmares for a long time, with that image burned into my brain.

Jane's screams took on an almost hysterical nature. A tremendous pain flashed on my burning side again, and the wind rushed out of my lungs. Kurt had hit me, with the tire iron, right where Jr. had cut me. I went to the ground, in pain.

I was stunned, but almost panicking, for my sister. I had to get up, and do something. She would not be able to fight him off. I looked up, getting to my hands and knees. I saw Kurt draw his tire iron back, to hit me again, and there was deafening boom.

Kurt was knocked off his feet, and landed some distance away. I looked over, and saw Mr. G. standing off to the side, working the pump on his smoking shotgun. Curiously, I watched the empty shell fly through the air, and land on the ground.

Jane rushed over to me, crying, and trying to get me to lie down. Mr. G. came over quickly,