T͟o͟r͟t͟u͟r͟e͟

+ 7

Thump, thump, thump.

"My only choice is to stay still...and let the blood run out of me...slowly," my voice faltered.

I stood, giving her a gentle pat on the knee and left out of her room with the drawing. I crumbled it up in my hands and left the villa without a warning- the only sound of my descent the slam of the front door.

Grass is everywhere here. Grass and stones. Ants, fake flowers, real flowers, wild flowers on this grass hill. The sun is beaming down hard on me, and the trees whisper in the distance with the sounds of loud insects and other wild life.

I stared down at Jovan's grave.

I hold my hand on her name, sitting next to the grave with my legs folded underneath me. I release the paper underneath my palm and let it flutter away in the wind.

"This shit is harder than I thought it would be Jovan. At least you had an option," I whispered. I was the only one at the cemetery, but I might as well have a dozen witnesses the way I sat out in the bare open.

"I remember being so mad when Dad told you that you didn't have to be the next-in-line heir in case...something happened to me. That you could do what you wanted. I was so bitter being your older sister," I admitted, "Forced to get a kid. Forced to live a certain way. Helpless to do anything for Mom. But then...it took you dying," I paused for a moment, staring down at her name, "for me to realize that it wasn't your fault. It was his. Shit, even Mom's too a little. If she had fought harder...just a little bit..."

I yanked up a weed, holding it in my hand and inspecting it as I finally let the tears fall. "It's been a year...since you left me. Now I only have Aunt Kay."

I gave the grave a gentle smile. "She's married now."

I used the end of my shirt to wipe my face, my gun tumbling out. I picked it up, placing it on her stone. "I'm having a hard time with Cielo. Not only was I not ready to bring her into my life...her diagnosis is hard for us to both handle at times. I just feel childish dealing with her. Irresponsible. I feel like I'm playing the role of a parent, and honestly not a very good one. I can't let her end up like this...there has to be something more I can do..."

BLIPT BLIPT.

I heard the first soundings of automatic gunfire.

I ducked down, grabbing my small weapon, and laying flat as I looked across the perimeter of the cemetery. I slowly reached into my pocket to grab my phone.

I called up Gator, my top nigga; my breathing rough.

"What's up?"

"Camphor Cemetery. Jovan's grave. I heard gunshots, I'm on the side with-

Gunshots cut me off.

"I'm on the way!" 

I stayed to the ground. I didn't have any sort of advantage. I didn't even know if I was being shot at for sure. I was out in the open, my biggest weakness, and I didn't have enough bullets to fight off somebody with an automatic.

I heard tires squealing, hoping that it was Gator.

I started moving towards the shade of a nearby tree. Assuming no one was hidden in the tree line, I could camouflage in the woods and run to safety. Maybe even climb one of these bastards and look over the cemetery.

I kept moving slowly, my gun clutched in my hand, my phone in my back pocket. "C'mon, c'mon," I mumbled to myself.

I heard the gunfire again and decided to risk it, hopping up and running for the trees. I immediately started climbing, tucking my gun into my pants.