Generation 2: Chapter 4

A week later, I had realized that I had become paranoid. I would lounge around and glance at my phone anxiously, waiting for the moment when it would ring and I would have to fulfill what ever task was asked of me. Rowan and Rosi seemed worried about me, though I always assured them that I was perfectly fine, and no one else in the house noticed. Archer was too young and naive to notice anything different, and I had avoided Daddy like the plague since I had been young.Nothing out of the ordinary.

I decided then that a walk in the park might clear my head. Mama used to go out with walks with Rosi and I when we were younger. I hadn’t gone for a simple walk in years, but considering the fact that for the first time in forever, alcohol wasn’t solving my problems, and nice walk seemed like it would cure my anxiety.

The sky was dark and threatened to rain at any moment, but I wasn’t worried. Maybe if it did rain, it would wash away my fears. You know what they say about speaking of the devil. Or rather, thinking. It began to rain, and in seconds, I was soaked. It was then that I was a figure with a mass of black hair quickly approaching.

“URIAH!” The figure yelled. Her voice was high pitched, and very familiar. Wait….

“It’s me! Cora!” She said as she came upon me. Cora barreled right into me, and threw her arms around me.

I wasn’t sure how to react, so I awkwardly hugged her back.

“Oh Uriah, it’s been so long!” Cora said, pulling out of the hug, talking a hundred miles a minute, not even dismayed by the fact that we were both out in a downpour of cats and dogs.

“Yeah, um, it’s definitely been a while,” I said, not exactly sure what to say. Cora had changed. She had gotten taller, and her hair was no longer pilled in a large bun on top of her head. She was actually very attractive. Not that I tell her that…Or anyone that.

“You look so good! We have to go get coffee or something!” She chattered on, though it wasn’t as annoying as I remember it being. It was actually very beneficial…It gave me something to think about.

” Ooh! Let’s go now! I mean, I was going to meet up with Lars, but I’m sure he’d understand!” I gave her a half smile, and opened my mouth to respond, but was interrupted by my phone ringing. My heart stopped.

Damn.

I looked at Cora with a convincing sheepish smile and went to answer my phone. “Hello.”

“27 Winston Street. Elliot Caston. I want him dead. Tonight.” The person on the other line hung up, and I was left with a man’s life in my hands.

“Oh, no, my fridge is not running at the moment. Thank you.” I said into the phone as to not arouse suspicion from Cora.

“Prank call?” She asked, her mouth in a smile.

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure it was my brother. Listen, coffee actually sounds excellent,  just not right now. I’ve got somewhere I’ve got to be, and you’ve got to go meet with your brother, so how about tomorrow at 2?” I asked. Cora  seemed like she would a great distraction from all the problems I’m dealing with. Cora nodded excitedly.

“I can’t wait, Uriah! Awe man! I’m all wet!” She exclaimed as if she had just noticed.

“Tomorrow at 2. Bye Uriah.” Cora quickly bounced away, leaving me wet and dealing with the fact that I was about to commit murder.

———————————————

After the sun set, I arrived at 27 Winston Street with a gun under my jacket. I wasn’t exactly sure how I was supposed to do this. The thought of taking the life of another person held no appeal to me. I didn’t have the best morals, but they didn’t include killing people that were innocent in my eyes.

I pulled the gun out and held it in one of my sweaty, shaking hands as I slowly approached the front door. I took a large breath and kicked the door open. The inside of the house was shabby and there wasn’t a soul in sight.

Suddenly, on my right, a strong force knocked me in the face and made me fall to the ground, though I held my gun steady. I could feel blood on my cheek.

“He sent you, didn’t he?!?” A masculine voice said. I looked over to see who I assumed to be Elliot Caston. I tried to get up, a difficult task considering how disoriented I was, and held the gun out in front of me.

“Yeah. He did.” I replied, keeping my voice steady.

“Wants you to kill me, doesn’t he?!?” Elliot came closer towards me, fury and determination on his face.

“Listen, man. I don’t want to kill you.” I said, though I didn’t drop the gun.

“Don’t matter what you want.” Elliot said, popping his knuckles. I held my breath. Elliot rushed toward me, and, on instinct, I  pulled the trigger of the gun. The boom I heard was louder than anything I had ever heard before.  Elliot fell to the ground ,groaning in agony,  gripping his shoulder. Thank goodness I had terrible aim, or else he would have been dead.

I went up closer and put the gun directly in front of him.

He put his hands in the air, though he moaned and winced from the pain in his shoulder. “You’re not going to die since I didn’t hit any vital organs. I’ll wrap you’re shoulder so you don’t bleed to death, but as soon as I’m done you need to leave. Move to another town, change your name, your appearance, everything. I’ll tell him you’re dead. That way we both get what we need.”

“And what do I need, little man?” Elliot choked out.

“Your life.” Elliot said nothing more, and I wrapped his shoulder like I said I would.

I wasn’t a murderer tonight.

———————————-

It was around three in the morning when I got home. I quietly snuck into the house, praying to whoever would listen that I no one would be awake. I passed a mirror and got a good look at my face. A multitude of cuts took up the proximity of most of my right cheek.

Honestly, I deserved it.

I ran my fingers up and down the cuts, dried blood coming off on my fingers,  and winced the whole time.

Just then, I heard footsteps. I looked up to see Rowan coming down the steps, a worried look on his face. His eyes widened in horror when he saw me.

“Uriah. What happened?!” He asked. He put his hand to my cut cheek and I flinched at the touch. “Nothin’ you need to worry about, Ro.” I said, pulling away, and trying to look anywhere else other than his worried face.

“Uriah, Rosi and I are worried about you. Archer and Daddy haven’t noticed anything wrong, but we have, and, I’m not gonna hassle you like Rosi would, but….Don’t do anything stupid.”

I looked back at my wise little brother and gave him a smile.

“You always were smarter than me. You should make that your Senior Quote in the yearbook.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. I just want to ask you to do something.”

“Anything, Uriah.”

“Don’t try to help me.”