Misfortune

Chapter 54

"August, you weren't supposed to find out like this, being out here like this......it's not safe. Come here," I open my eyes as he takes another step towards me, Angus's radiant hair blows through the wind as he does. 

"An-ngus," I choke on my words, trying to not vomit. James crouches down in front of me, lifting up his hand to my face but I'm quick to smack it away.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!"I stumble forward as I pull myself up, he tries to help me, but I avoid his touch. My whole-body shakes as I swallow down another round of vomit. The tears that won't stop running warm up my face as they roll down my cheeks. I try to avoid seeing him, his eyes but I can't seem to stop staring. My head lifts quite a few times as I sniffle up the buildup snot in my nose. James's brows curve with worry as he inspects my state. 

"August, I did what I had to. He was a danger to you the minute he put his hands on you, please just try to understand."

My jaw trembles as I try speaking but nothing comes up, everything seems to grow quiet. My mind fills up with the memory of my brother as I close my eyes while bringing my hands over my ears. 

'I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear anything right now; I just want him back. Oh God, please just bring him back, you can't take him from me. Not Angus, my brother. My fucking other half, you can't do this to me. '

"Let me take his place," I weakly cry out. "Please I don't want to do this anymore, I don't want to live in a world without the only person to ever truly love me, I can't. I can't." 

My eyes shot open as I feel James's hand caress mine. I push him away from me with all my strength, sending him back a few inches. His mouth parts open as if he really expected me to want him to comfort me after what he's done. I stare him in the eye as I see him for what he really is, a monster. 

I take in a breath before beginning to speak but before I can the faint sound of police sirens fil my ears. My heart drops as we both turn our heads to the sound. My body reacts before I can even think and in a flat second, I'm taking off to the front of the house but before I get off the front lawn, I'm suddenly being tackled down by a heavy force. My chest and chin strike the cold ground as I collapse. James drags me towards him by the collar as I try crawling away. He flips me around without an effort as he pins me down with eyes full of tears. 

"August, what are you doing? Are you seriously trying to leave me?" He yells in disbelief as I struggle to get him off of me. Due to the sirens, house lights instantly turn on as people begin stepping out of their houses to see the commotion. As if he's blind to everything but me, he stares deeply into my eyes with a disdain expression. My chest falls up and down as I cry out for help. Everyone coming out of their houses just stand on their front lawns in their robes, too terrified to approach us. I turn my head to the see the first police car to reach us, a man in a black bullet proof vest starts to run towards us. Once he's a good couple of feet away, he draws out his gun. Terrified of being shot, I let out a shriek. 

James completely ignores the officer as he grabs hold of my jaw, pulling my attention back to him. "August," he grits my name through his teeth as if he's running out of patience. "August, don't do this to us......to me. I need you."

"Get down on the ground," I can hear the officer warns as tears roll down the sides of my face. 

Ignoring him once more, James takes in a deep breath before asking," Do you even love me anymore?"

The sirens grow louder as more cops approach us. I can hear people yelling for the officers to do something as James just stares down at me like a mad man. 

"August, please," He pleads once more. My eyes draw into his as my mouth parts open to speak but before I do, a loud blow knocks him down as blood splatters on my face. My ears ring as my eyes focus onto the night sky above. I can hear the grass shuffling as people begin approaching us. I stay lying on the ground, too weak and afraid to even pull myself up. A cold gust of wind flows over me as I fall into a void. 

I can't hear anything. 

I can't see anything. 

I can't breathe properly. 

I can't focus on anything. 

I can't feel the officer's putting handcuffs on my wrists. 

I can't hear them explaining to me my rights.

I can't answer them.

I don't want to. 

I don't want to do anything. 

Be anything. 

Feel anything. 

The first officer to arrive takes away James, ignoring him as he groans in pain from the gunshot wound in his shoulder. I'm forced into the backseat of a cop car as the officer handling me slams the door in my face as if I'm nothing. He's right to feel that way. They all are. I'm not the victim here. The EMT'S parked in the driveway bring out a body bag as they rush over to the back of the house. A few more of them bring out a stretcher as they go over to James. They sit him down in their van and begin helping him. 

"No..." I mumble weakly. My heart races as I fall back into reality. "Don't help him!" I yell as I bang onto the glass window. My banging alerts the officer handling me as he begins walking over to the car," Hey! Cut that shit out!" He yells but I ignore him. 

'They can't help him. Let him feel that pain, let him bleed out and fucking die! '  

"STOP! DON'T HELP HIM!" 

The louder I yell; the more people begin staring at me. The officer handling me finally gets to the car, opening it and striking me right in the face. My head hits the seat next to me before blacking out.