A Tail for Two - Chapter 13
I couldn't figure out what they were waiting for..
Check out some illustrations done by our very own, Eon Snowpaw! Thanks for illustrating the story, buddy.
Feeling Free: http://www.sofurry.com/page/201172/user
Luke: http://www.sofurry.com/page/200396/user
"Falling" for Him: http://www.sofurry.com/page/200393/user
Kidnapped: http://www.sofurry.com/page/200395/user
I couldn't figure out what they were waiting for.
After I put my cloths back on and shut out my sadness I had nothing left to do but wait anxiously. I wasn't a killer and I knew that, but I would change anything about myself for love. Many may think it's wrong to become someone else because of love, but I think it's perfectly fine. If we don't make sacrifices for love, then what do we make them for?
I had been sitting there for at least twenty minutes without hearing anything from Ralph or Frank. At first I thought they were scared of me, but then I remembered that they still had the gun. After realizing that fact I contemplated whether or not I made the right decision by killing the Fox; it would either lead to my freedom or my demise.
I stood up, sick of waiting around for something to happen, and my made my way over to the mirror. I looked directly into it, focusing on the eyes of my reflection and hoping that I could somehow see through it. I curled my paws up into a fist and decided that it was time again to take action. I wasn't going to sit around and be a coward; I was going to demand some respect.
"Whenever you're ready you can get your asses out here and face me like the men you aren't. If you're going to kill me then kill me, but if you're not then don't keep me here like your slave because as I just proved I'm far from it. You can ignore me all you want, but I'm not going anywhere. I hope you realize that I know who you're after and there is no way you're getting to Cyd; I won't let you."
There was nothing but silence in response. Gears began to turn in my head as I thought of another plan. I didn't have any idea on how I was going to make them open that door, but the second they did I would make sure that I got that gun. The only thing I could do until then is piss them off enough to open the door to my 'cage'.
"I actually think it's kind of sad that you can't face me. Ever since I've left Vegas you two have done nothing but sneak around. You should try growing some balls and stand up for yourselves." I paused once again and waited for a response. As I expected, the handle began to move and the door was pushed open. Ralph stood in the doorway and I could tell by the expression on his face that he was furious; not only did his plans not go through as he wanted, but I was standing here rubbing it all in his face.
"Come on, we're leaving," he said as he grinded his teeth together roughly. I took a few steps back without turning away from him. I was afraid, yes, but I overplayed the part a bit as I executed my idea. While he was focused on his anger I made my way back towards the corpse to retrieve the knife. Ralph pulled the gun out of the back of his pants and pointed it straight at my face; his anger was growing rapidly. "I'm not playing games with you Nate!"
I collected my thoughts quickly and I knew that I had to make a decision right then and there. Either I continued to make my way to the dagger while risking my life or I do what he suggested and keep myself safe. As much as I hated it, I chose to leave the knife behind. I knew that I'd come up with another plan, but I wasn't sure if he'd pull the trigger.
I attempted to ease my way out of the doorway cautiously, but he shoved me alone with no sympathy. I knew he had underestimated my capabilities, which he was not happy about whatsoever. He led me back around to the front of the building where the van was still parked. I looked at it, knowing that it was our destination, but I put on my "I'm not going near that" face anyway. He gave me another shove forward, this one a little harder than the last, and stood in place. I looked up at him, scoffed, and continued towards the van.
I stepped in, one foot after another, and sat down in the same spot as I had on the way over. Instead of driving, Ralph decided that he wanted the responsibility of watching over me. I assumed that Frank was the one driving, seeing how he followed Ralph's every command. The van hit a pothole on the left side and the entire vehicle and everything in it popped into the air for a second, all but Ralph. His concentration was on me, dead center; he didn't look away for even a second.
When he cracked his knuckles I realized that he didn't have the gun on him any longer. I wasn't quite sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. Of course it was good because he didn't have a killing device in the palm of his paw, but I knew that he could turn his fists into something just as deadly. My once peaked confidence was slowly draining, and I could feel it, but I tried to just focus on everything that made me angry. I tried to use all of my built up emotions to keep myself strong.
"You know I didn't just pick that fox up off the street," Ralph said to break the silence, "he's been a good friend of mine for a very, very long time." I sat and stared without saying a word. A few more moments of complete quietness passed again. "You couldn't even understand in the slightest on how bad I'm going to hurt you after all of this." I wasn't sure if I should focus on the pain I was going to face or on what he meant by "all of this". We were headed somewhere that was going to bring nothing but pain to me and I knew it, but I couldn't seem to figure out where exactly that was. Something was about to happen, something bad.
"So let me get this straight," I began, still trying to hold onto my courage, "you can kill my brother and it's perfectly acceptable, but when I kill one of your friends it's a crime?" I looked at him with a complete façade. On the outside I was brave, but I could still feel a hint of the coward inside of me. He smirked at me and it seemed like he was about to crack into laughter. He saw right through me.
"You think you're a tough guy huh? You think you can just say whatever you want to me and I'm just going to let it slide? Well you don't know what you're getting yourself into." He stood up with a powerful stance, but didn't walk towards me at all. He began to speak again and I couldn't help but look up to him and listen.
"Here's what's going to happen. Frank is taking us to your little boyfriend's house. When we get there, he's going to go inside and kill him. Piece of cake. After that, we're going to go back to your favorite little nightclub. You see, there's a room below that building that is virtually soundproof. No one will be able to hear your screams while I'm torturing you. Cake. When I'm done there, and you're begging me to end it for you, I might feel a little considerate. I might be a nice guy and kill you right then and there on the spot, but then again I could take it a little further. I could bring you all the way back to your hometown in Arizona and take you to see your mommy. Don't you love family reunions? Hopefully she'll like the look on your face as you slowly bleed to death right in front of her. Cake. When she looks up at me with the tears flowing down her face, I'll just smile. When she asks me "why are you doing this?" I'll just laugh. Maybe after that I could lie a little to her as well, just to put the frosting on the top of my plan. I could tell her that you were the one who killed Luke. Nah, she wouldn't fall for that would she? Maybe I'll tell her that I was the one who killed him. Sure it's not a total lie, I was behind it, but how do you think she'd feel looking at the man who killed both of her sons? Hopefully she doesn't mind too much, at least not before I kill her too."
He sat back down on his seat and gave me a big grin. A tear rolled down my cheek, but I didn't bother to wipe it away. I just stared at him in disgust, with all the pride drained from my body. "You see," he began, "I think it's best if you just cooperate with me, unless you do want your mom dead as well." He chuckled for a few seconds and then looked away from me, but I didn't look away from him. My insides felt as though they were spinning at 100 miles per hour. The knot in my throat didn't budge an inch and I just wanted to cry. I tried and tried to hold it in, muffling every sound I made, but I couldn't contain the horror I was feeling. I sat and I sobbed and Ralph enjoyed every second of it.
After about ten more minutes, the car slowed down to a halt. The sliding door swung open and Frank looked in with bright, excited eyes. "You boys ready?" he asked us with a very loud whisper. Frank looked at Ralph and Ralph to me. It was easy to see that I was the only one that wasn't so giddy.
"It's show time," Ralph said to me as he jumped out of the van. I took a step out and looked up at the beach house that I slept in not too long ago. It looked just as peaceful as it did the first night I was here and I knew that the police line that was soon to come would ruin that look. I kept my head down and tried to stay as distant as I possibly could. Frank turned to me and cocked the gun in his hand. He laughed his little hyena laugh and walked towards the front side of the building. I was about to yell for Cyd, to warn him about the intruders, but didn't. The images of my mother's face popped into my head and I just wanted to keep her safe. Cyd was going to die, I was going to die, and there was nothing I could do about that, but I still had a chance to save my mom; only an idiot would ruin that.
Frank slowly lifted the front door open. I wasn't surprised to see it unlocked; most people in this type of neighborhood keep their front doors unlocked. I guess they just figured that if everyone around them could afford the pricy houses, they had no reason to break in and steal anything. If only that was the motive. Tears began to build up in my eyes to the point that I couldn't even see two feet in front of me. The spinning feeling came back and I grew very, very nauseous. I continually repeated the lines "I love you Cyd" and "I'm so sorry" under my breath, just quiet enough so Ralph did not hear me. I kept my head low and I braced myself for the impact to come. Although I didn't think it was possible for anyone to prepare themselves from this much pain.
"Look up there," Ralph said to me, pointing at a second story window. I lifted my head, rubbed the tears out of my eyes, and found myself looking into Cyd's bedroom. Our bedroom. I watched it carefully, hoping that Cyd would come into view and tell me that everything was alright. As farfetched as it sounded, I still hoped for it. Suddenly, a shadow passed by the window it was a tall figure and I could tell from first glance that it was Cyd. He was home. "Here's where it gets good," Ralph added.
I've never really believed in god. I was always the type of guy who believed only in what the facts pointed towards. Go ahead and say "The Bible is fact", but I'm not going to fall for that. Show me proof that Jesus or someone who knew him wrote that and then I'll believe it. If you're just going to tell me this is what happened because The Bible says so, you might as well just save your breath. I believe in what I can see right in front of me that has no questions behind it; it is what it is. Anyway, I digress. The point is I was never really a religious fellow. I have nothing against religion or people who believe in all of it, but me, myself am not a big supporter. At this moment at time, at the exact second that I saw Cyd in the window, it all changed. For the first time in my entire life I crossed my hands and began to pray. I would do anything in my power to make sure that Cyd was okay, and praying was the only thing I had left.
My breath slowed and I could hear my heartbeat inside of my ears. Ralph was staring anxiously and I was still praying silently. The only noise that could be heard was the faint sound of the ocean water crashing against the beach shores. I took another breath in and it seemed like the entire world was moving in slow motion, before the explosion of a gunshot was sounded and a bright light lit up Cyd's entire room.
That sound would echo throughout my brain for the rest of the time that I still had left.