Recurrence | 𝐰𝐥𝐰

8.

As they were in the middle of explaining what they meant, the sound of gunshots disturbed me. Immediately an unsettling feeling came over me.

"...Malik." I then whispered to myself.

"Malik!" I suddenly screamed, running out of the house barefooted. The others were quick to follow behind me.

I heard the sound of a car speeding off. "Malik." I cried a little, running up to the others standing on the corner. I pushed them all aside to see Malik covered in blood.

But not his blood. Pierre's.

Malik was on his knees, trying to keep pressure on where Pierre had been shot. Right below his chest. "Stay with me bro, come on. You're gonna make it." Malik told Pierre, sounding like he was only trying to convince himself.

Pierre coughed up blood, his body shaking in shock. His eyes looked glossy as he looked at the night sky.

"The stars..." Pierre barely got out.

"Come on breathe. We're taking you to the hospital, okay? Everything's gonna be fine." Malik told Pierre. Pierre shook his head no.

"Bro...listen bro, I love you. You gon have to push through without me." Pierre struggled to speak. "Stop. Stop talking like that. You're gonna make it." Malik nodded.

"It's okay. Promise me...promise me you'll take care of my grandma and my- my little girl." Pierre hyperventilated a little while speaking.

"Pierre-" Malik tried to speak. "Promise me!" Pierre told him. "I...I promise." Malik said, obviously becoming emotional. A small smile of relief crossed Pierre's face.

He looked back at the sky, taking an unsteady breath...his last breath.

"Pierre." Malik shook him a little. When he didn't get a response, he continued to yell at Pierre to wake up. I looked away a little, sobbing.

Eventually I kneeled down, pulling Malik off of Pierre's body. Malik immediately broke down in my arms, hugging me very tightly. He hadn't held me this tight since our parents funeral.

Some of the others were also emotional and trying to comfort Malik. Malik let out some cries that I had wished to never hear again.

2 a.m.

I laid in my bed, staring at the ceiling. It didn't feel real. I wish I could go to sleep and then wake up to everything back to normal. Even my parents.

Occasionally I cried. For Pierre. For his grandma. For his daughter...she was only three years old.

I slowly looked over at my phone when I heard it ding. After a few minutes went by, I grabbed it and looked at it. It was text from Tayleigh.

𝐓𝐚𝐲: You good?

I'm sure she's aware of what happened. So why would she ask if I'm good? I thought to myself.

𝐌𝐞: Did you do it?

𝐓𝐚𝐲: No

𝐌𝐞: Did your brother do it? Cam? One of those guys you're always around?

Tayleigh started typing but eventually stopped and didn't respond. I stared at the screen for a few minutes, waiting for Tayleigh to respond but she never did. I suddenly broke down into tears.

Again.

It had been like this for the past few hours.

I curled up into a ball and started to cry myself to sleep. My body barely gave in but I was tired. Exhausted. Just as I was about to fall asleep completely, my phone buzzed.