Book- Misunderstood

Chapter 16

Not even days after the occurrence of the 'Odd Robbery' as Rea called it, gangs seemed to fly into a chaotic struggle against each other as if something had torn the piece apart. Some streets, some shops, and even alleyways were now stations of fighting between two gangs, shooting and yelling always heard throughout the night. The police force had to put everything on hold in order to apprehend gang members and martial law was declared. It was decided that we were now allowed equipment that wasn't standard issue, that we were now allowed to fire up on gang members in order to stop conflict. Many speculated that this was a cold, heartless decision but with the bloodshed that was currently painting the grounds of the city, it was only a matter of time before all hell broke loose and the city went into some civil war. Either way, Rea and I were some of the few who were yet to be crippled, killed, or stopped by unforeseen circumstances. As far as I was concerned, it was my job, but Rea had said different."It's up to US Jack. IF we don't stop this, a civil outbreak of violence from the populace or even from the population of other cities could break out. When one city breaks out in cold blood murder among it's citizens, it's only a matter of time before the world falls by domino effect."He had looked at me as he buttoned up his shirt over the bullet proof vest, a kevlar issued to what was left of our police force to ensure less casualties. He holstered his pistol as he stared at me, his uniform now consisting of more protection with spaulders and pads along his elbows and knees, key joints that could be the defining line between life or death. I on the other hand just used the issued kevlar vest, answering his question with a joke."Well this isn't communism so I don't think it will work like that..."Rea just shook his head and pointed at me, his eyebrows lifting as if to emphasize his words."This isn't a joke man. It's really serious. What do you really think?"I stopped a moment and began to slowly think over the situation that was currently at hand but I couldn't come to a full conclusion. So I voiced my thoughts as I walked with Rea, leaving the office toward the police car, twin pairs of shotguns inside."Really if the city falls, thats when theres a problem and the government gets involved. Whatever's going on though with these gangs has to do with something we don't know or haven't figured out yet. By this point, anything we can do is speculate what we can do to quell this or figure out what's causing this."Rea nodded as he started the car, the engine roaring to life to go down to it's soft hum, the car shaking ever so discreetly as he pulled the gears to reverse. He looked at me as he held his hand out, curled in a fist toward me, his eyes solemn much like the first time I met him."Partners till the end man. Watch my back and I'll always watch yours."I smiled at the strange gesture, almost making it seem like this would be the last time we would ride and fight together. Nonetheless though, I still fist bumped my partner, thinking that he was just being crazy. Soon we sped off with new purpose towards one of the alleyways that was cause for the most disturbance where officers were being pinned by the gunfire, having been locked outside between to fallen dumpsters. They provided ample cover but with the consistency of the gunfire, it might not be long before their sanctuary is pierced by a stray bullet and they either bleed out or die instantly. Either way, time was of the essence and we were already late to helping them. Rea drove up, parking the car on the outside of the building a little ways from the alleyway, parking it across the street behind a few cars in a food market. I got out first and quickly took mark, searching for any person that looked like they could have been a part of any gang, Rea coming out after, using tactics of checking his surroundings as if he were from a SWAT team, looking around quickly, shotgun in his shoulder, the barrel to the ground. After making quick work of what surrounded us, we closed the doors and quickly ran toward the building, the street deserted as gunfire filled the air with sound, small shouts, curses from people that were only so far away. When we had crossed the street, we slammed ourselves against the buildings side, doors next to us, ones we would need to quickly enter as to take anyone by surprise should there be a threat and more so, to escape any danger that may have come to us. I grabbed the handle on the right door and Rea looked at me, his shotgun at the ready, nodding at me. I swung open the door and within a moment Rea had told me it was clear, moving like a shadow against the sunlight as I entered the dark room. It was eerie, the room silent compared to the outside as if it lay in a different realm apart from the world outside. Had I not been on duty, I might have stood entranced with such a phenomenon. We slowly began to step through the dark spaces, boxes hanging high above us, a crypt of forgotten products, waiting to be shipped to a retailer to be sold, each step seeming to echo for a single moment, then dissipate. I felt that with only the single sound of ones voice, chaos would break loose within this place, that all hell would erupt forth from the boxes. This was the first time I began to see things. I stopped and recoiled when I noticed Rea, who had been by my side was gone, the shelves seeming to have disappeared all around me, holes appearing in this building all around, vortex's that swirled endlessly, expanding, growing more and more. I stared in shock, and began to feel a fear well within me, growing like the vortex's did, my eyes furrowed at what I was seeing, until suddenly from this vortex's, I heard something. Snapping. Ripping. Tearing. Screaming. It sounded like someone was yelling into my ears, into my very head, my eyes burning with a strange pain that threatened to envelope me. I felt my ears and they bled, blood that bubbled like it had been heated, my insides feeling as if they were slowly being baked, scrambled, crushed, and stirred like eggs in the morning. I fell to my knees as I began to look at my hands, the sounds not letting me hear what stood before me. I looked slowly up when I felt something gaze at me, and I felt my heart sink. There, seeming to exist before me, were twisted shadows, all that looked like a grotesque creature showing muscle destroyed by necrosis, eyes hanging by strands of hair, intestines tied all around it like it had been a sash, it's mouth hanging open as if the jaw was elastic, slowly expanding as I began to see millions of eyes stare back at me, and all sound stopped. I slowly reached to my belt, pulling free my holstered pistol, and pulled by the strings of fear like the puppet I was, aimed it at the beast as I began to hear laughs. Twisted. psychotic. merciless. unending. Then I heard it speak, it's voice like the legs of spiders along my very skin, crawling over me in thousands. It was disembodied, I couldn't understand it."A.........yo..........f..........t"I stared at it in growing fear as I slowly began to squeeze the trigger, the same disembodied words working around me as it spoke again and again, relentlessly. Suddenly, everything stopped and the world was around me again, Rea looking at me with confusion and fear as I held my gun, shaking."Dude. What the hell is wrong with you? You blanked out on me and had a look like you had just seen the grim reaper... Are you alright?"I merely stared at Rea for a moment, looking around quickly as my heart slowly began to calm down, it's rapid beating slowing with relief as I began to conclude that whatever just happened, was over. I nodded to Rea as I looked at him, feeling the weight of horrifying thoughts cloud my mind."Man, you aimed that gun at me. I honestly thought you were gonna shoot me... but I'm really glad you didn't man." I felt my voice catch in my throat when I had heard this, looking at him with eyes that spoke apologies in place of my voice. I had aimed my weapon at my friend in the chaos that ensued my mind. How could I have done this, even if I hadn't been in the right mind? I slowly looked at the gun in my hand, as if looking for a meaning to it, the soft patting on my shoulder waking me."Let's go Jack. Don't worry about it."When I had looked back at him, he smiled wide like I had cracked a joke, and my mouth hung slightly open as I had tried to speak. I would have told him what happened but I remembered that our job was to save the two officers. I shook my head and I felt the seriousness come over me slowly again. Though it wouldn't drown the fear I felt now for the time that such a fit of Schizophrenia may occur again, not now, not after. We walked on.