checkmate

(3RD POV) "Is this how it ends?"

Leo's heart was pounding in his chest as he walked towards the designated meeting spot. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach, knowing that he was putting himself in danger. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to face this stalker head-on.

As he approached the spot, he saw a figure standing in the shadows. He couldn't make out their face, but he knew it was the stalker. Leo took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Who are you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The figure stepped forward, revealing a face that Leo recognized all too well. It was someone he had known for years, someone he had trusted. But now, they looked different somehow. Their eyes were cold, and there was a dangerous glint in their gaze.

"You know who I am," the stalker said, their voice low and threatening. "And you know why I'm here."

Leo felt a wave of fear wash over him. He knew he was in over his head, but he couldn't back down now. He had to find a way to get out of this situation, to outsmart the stalker before they could hurt him or his loved ones.

Thinking quickly, Leo tried to play it cool. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, trying to sound confident but at that point... he wasn't so sure anymore.

The stalker narrowed their eyes. "Don't play dumb with me, Leo. You know exactly what I'm talking about. And you're going to pay for what you've done."

"So now I'm the bad guy?" Leo impulsively chuckles in a manner of stress and anger. "I'm the fucking bad guy?!" He repeats but louder this time. He was annoyed, angry, and tired as hell. He wanted it to be over. "You destroyed my fucking life!"

"You destroyed your own life, Leo," The man says with annoyance laced behind his voice. "You did this to yourself"

"You gave me the gun" Leo points out knowing exactly what had happened.

"You shot the guy" He retorts.

"And the guy shot me soon after, How could I ever forget?"

"It was absolutely awful, that I know but that's not really why I'm here. I'm here because you did something unforgettable and unforgivable"

"What are you talking about?" Leo questions in confusion and curiosity.

"You don't remember shit because of your stupid little addiction, You gave your life away to the fucking devil, and yet I still have one question in mind, why? What was all of this for? You screwed up everyone's life because you are a miserable, pathetic, narcissistic asshole"

"What the hell are you going on about? I don't remember Shit after I was shot, well sort of. Most of it's a blur anyway"

"You don't remember because of all the unknown substances that you downed. You ruined everything"

"What's the point of all this Theodore? I don't have the time to deal with you"

"You killed Malcolm!"

Leo froze. He froze in fear and shock. Leo's mind raced as he tried to process what Theo had just said. Malcolm... he hadn't thought about him in years.

Malcolm had been a friend of his, someone he had partied with back in the day. But Leo had lost touch with him after he started using harder drugs. He had lost his way and lost all his friends because of the choices he willingly made.

"I didn't kill Malcolm," Leo said, his voice shaking.

Theo advanced on him, getting closer and closer until Leo could feel his breath on his face. "Yes, you did," Theo said, his voice low and dangerous. "You gave him those drugs. You were the one who got him hooked on that stuff in the first place."

Leo's mind was racing, trying to remember what had happened. He had been in a haze of drugs and alcohol back then, and his memories were fuzzy at best. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was some truth to what Theo was saying.

"I... I don't remember that," Leo said, his voice barely above a whisper. "There is no way.."

Theo sneered. "You don't remember because you don't want to. You don't want to face the fact that you ruined your own life and the lives of those around you. But I'm here to make you face it, Leo. I'm here to make you pay for what you've done."

Leo's heart was pounding in his chest as he realized the full extent of Theo's anger. He knew that he was in deep trouble and that he had to find a way out of this situation before it was too late. But he didn't know how. All he could do was wait and hope that someone would come to his rescue.

"That's impossible, I couldn't have killed him"

"You're in denial Leo, you're ashamed of it but regardless you cannot run away from the truth"

"There's no fucking way I did!" Leo yells at him. "I don't have it in me to kill anyone!"

"I know you fucking did it, Leo!" The other man yelled back.

"I didn't do it," Leo says but quieter this time. No matter how many times he said it, it didn't seem true for whatever reason. Life was hard on him and so was the drugs he took. He was missing half his life, he could barely remember whatever happened two years ago. Leo didn't like the feeling of parts of him being gone but he couldn't help it. He'd get flashbacks now and then but even so, there would always be a part of him missing whether it was good or bad.

Theo takes a deep breath as tears continue to fall down his cheeks. "Malcolm liked you," He said. "I liked you too, you were great. We enjoyed your company and before all that... you were a really good guy Leo"

Leo stands there, his head was a blur and his eyes were overflowing. He didn't as anything as he continued to listen to Theo's words. "I don't understand" Leo whispers. "I don't understand..." He repeats. "I don't understand" Again he said it. Leo didn't want to believe it, he couldn't. He didn't want to believe that he hurt his first two real friends.

A broken yet menacing grin appears on Theo's face as the waterworks continue. He pulls out a Glock from his pants and points it at the man in front of him who seemed in a daze. "I came here for one thing and one thing only," Theo told him.

Leo's expression was unreadable but there was a noticeable hint of sadness behind his eyes as he stared at Theo. "I remember some things, but not everything. It's all still a jumbled mess in my head." He tried to explain himself but it came out as a mere whisper. He knew he was lying to himself but he didn't want to admit it.

Theo let out a bitter laugh. "So convenient for you, isn't it? You get to remember just enough to shift the blame onto me."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "I'm not trying to shift the blame. I screwed up, and I'm willing to take responsibility for my part in this. But you can't deny that you had a role in it too."

Theo clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger. He wanted to lash out at Leo, to scream and curse and make him feel the same pain that he was feeling. But as he looked into Leo's eyes, he saw a glimmer of remorse and regret that made him pause.

"It's funny..." Leo continued. "At some point, you said that you'd take a bullet for me, didn't know that you'd end up with the gun in your hands." He said as he had his eyes focused on the ground. "One night you were in the church giving your life away to god yet regardless you ended up with years of holding a grudge just to shoot the guy who ruined it all. Life is a twisted thing"

"Where are you going with this?" Theodore groans wanting to shoot him already but something deep inside was stopping him so he hasn't pulled the trigger yet.

Leo moves his eyes up to look at the armed man. He walked closer as Theodore tensed up. "You're quick to come after me even though you're not much of a saint yourself," He said with full confidence in his words. They knew that Leo was right. "Yeah sure I'm the bad guy but what about you? You're not one to talk" He placed his hand over Theo's which was holding the gun. He moved it to his head, it was practically touching him. "Shoot me," He said.

Theodore froze. His hand was slightly shaking and the tears had stopped but his fucked up expression didn't go away. Theodore was angry, he was so angry but he couldn't pull the trigger "You wanted me all this time, you want me dead so kill me. Fucking do it- shoot me" Leo says with a flat tone. "If you don't put a bullet through my skull right now then all this would've been a waste and that would be a shame"