Your Neighbor, The Villain

Chapter 11 - End.

Kevin rushed down from the sky and slammed his fist into the side of Rampage's skull, knocking him to the ground.

Immediately I started gasping and coughing, the air returning to my lungs as I breathlessly got up to stand next to Kevin. Rampage was motionless on the floor as I turned and smiled at the other boy.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital, tough guy?" I teased, squeezing his arm gently. He rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"It's been two weeks, Max. It doesn't hurt that bad anymore."

I giggled lightly. "And you just HAD to come back and save me, huh?"

He grinned, running a hand through his hair as he looked down at me. "Of course, I---"

"SHUT UP..!!" A voice roared in front of us, and I whipped around to see Rampage standing up shakily, his fists balled tightly and a pistol in his hand. We both instinctively took a step back, eyes wide with fear.

"Don't shoot," Kevin warned, backing up slowly. I tripped over a shard of broken glass and winced as I stumbled.

Rampage threw back his head and laughed, a harsh, rough sound. He swung the gun around lazily, as if choosing between who to shoot. Calamity and Captain Kind. Max and Kevin.

"No," he suddenly spat, bitter hatred filling his voice. "No, you two aren't the main focus right now. I have to get this goddamn building down, remember?"

I gasped and took a step forward, but the cold steel pistol jerked in Rampage's hand and I leapt back in fright. He snickered cruelly before flying up to the top of the building, taking something out from his back pocket.

Kevin glanced at me anxiously, before gesturing behind him with his hands.

"Get on my back," He ordered, and I complied, throwing my arms around his shoulders and locking my fingers together tightly. He took off at a mind-blowing speed, and it took all I had not to let go. The wind rushed through my brown hair as we sped towards the top of the building, the air getting colder as we flew higher in the air.

Rampage was already near the top, and I could finally see what was in his hand. A bomb.

Kevin noticed it at the same time that I did and tried speeding up, but the oxygen was thin and we were both starting to cough. Water streamed out of my eyes from the cold as I yelled at Kevin to go faster, and he erupted into a fit of coughs.

"Don't... please..!" I screamed at Rampage, who was cradling the bomb in his hands like a small child.

"STOP!" Kevin yelled over the wind. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!"

The villain just smiled at us and chucked the bomb at the window.

A defeaning boom echoed through the air, broken glass and fire swirling around us. I buried my face in Kevin's back as the smoke licked at my feet, winding around my legs in midair. He zoomed backwards to escape the scorching heat of the crimson fire and I lifted my face from his shoulders just in time to see Rampage falling through the air.

"DOWN THERE!" I could barely hear over the sound of the ringing in my ears, and I repeated myself again so my voice was audible. Kevin plummeted through the chunks of concrete and drywall to where the villain was nearly motionless, falling through the air. Burns covered his exposed skin, and you could clearly see some parts where the tight cloth of the suit had melded with his skin, turning it a brownish-black color. He was conscious though, his breathing coming in ragged gasps.

"RAMPAGE!" Kevin yelled, reaching his hand out to the man. The wind whipped around my ears as I clung to his shoulders. "RAMPAGE, PLEASE! LET US SAVE YOU!!"

He looked up at us. One villain. Two heroes. Falling through the air on a forest of concrete and glass, spraying from a broken building. The air cold and biting.

He gave us a small smile and closed his eyes, letting himself start to fall onto the concrete.

"NO...!" I screamed, me and Kevin scrambling forward to grab his cape. The ground was getting closer to us by the second, and my eyes scrunched up as I desperately grabbed for Rampage. I wasn't going to make it. I wasn't going to save him.

The suddenly, my eyelids flew open and I snagged my hand on an opening of the ripped cape, pulling it back with a snap just as Kevin flew in an arch over the dusty ground. I pulled the now-unconscious Rampage up to my level and wrapped my arms around his chest as we landed softly near the pile of wreckage at the end of the parking lot.

Panting, I released my grip on the villain and sunk to the floor, my chest heaving. I coughed twice and Kevin doubled over, groaning on the slab of concrete that topped the pile of building scrap off. I cleared my throat just as he stood up, gingerly helping me to my feet.

"We did it..." He murmurmed. "We did it."

"Woohoo." I croaked tiredly. We stated at each other for a second before laughing, his deep laugh mixing with my higher one. It was a beautiful sound. The prettiest I had ever heard.

Suddenly, a whistle rang through the air, followed by others, and then an immense amount of applause. I looked down in suprise to see a huge crowd gathered in front of the mountain of wreckage, clapping and cheering enthusiastically, the air ringing with the sound of their support.

I grinned and waved, and put my arm around Kevin's shoulder. He sighed contentedly and slipped his hand around my waist, gesturing towards the audience.

I smiled at him as the applause sounded.

We won. We did it.

Me and my best friend rescued a wonderful city, and saved a precious life.

...best friend?

Maybe a little more than that.