I sat in our pink mini car and prayed to God that Carlos wouldn't cause an accident, because he drives like a drunk and that with only 20 mph.
"So, babe, tell me EVERYTHING, that happened in Italy. Because yesterday I fell asleep, sorry for that."
I laughed, glimpsing at the navi.
Twenty minutes from here is the location Matteo told me to go. The only instructions I received were:
•Come in sporty clothes
•The date won't include me
I began telling Carlos the whole story and his jaw dropped further and further, steering the car with only one hand, while gesturing wildly with the other. On purpose he let his nails clack every time, so one could hear his frustration.
"HE FUCKED YOU, DIDN'T HE?!"
He stopped driving and didn't care that the traffic light turned green.
"Well, yes..."
"HEY!" A driver screamed behind us and honked.
Carlos stuck his middle finger out of the window shouting: "CIERRA LA PUTA BOCA, YOU PISSY CUNT!"
My best friend pressed down the pedal, continuing his rant.
"Tell me the locations, girlie. I need to know every position, every mo-"
"We did it only two times...In a hotel room and in...an opera."
"WHAT?! O-O-OPERA?!"
With every O his voice got an octave higher. He hit his chest multiple times and then the steering wheel. I clasped around the seat belt, knowing that I would live my last seconds right now.
"It was a Soap Opera...Literally."
I chuckled, remembering the event two days ago.
"BITCH THAT WASN'T A SOAP OPERA. THAT'S A DAMN SOAKKKK OPERA?!"
Carlos made gag sounds and then cackled, viewing himself in the rear-view mirror to touch his curls.
I told him every detail and included the drama with Grigori and Ryan,
"What did 'dem children do?"
"There were no children, Car. Even if, we were on one floor only with Leon, Val, and those two from DAI."
"Right, BECAUSE YOU MADE CHILDREN THERE YOU WHORE!"
Then Carlos faltered.
"NO, YOU SWALLOWED THEM!"
I cried because of laughter, hitting his arm and he reached for his little handbag hitting me with it, having tears in his eyes.
"BAHAHAHAAAAA, CARLOS ENOUGH!"
"OH MY GAAAAAWWDDDDD!!!!"
We pulled into a little driveway, stopping in front of an old workshop. Above the garage door was a sign reading as: 'Kicking Ass With Ren'
"Girl, you sure you won't get killed in there?"
I shrugged stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut.
"See you later, Car!"
I headed to the old door, whose blue color scraped off.
Is he sure that this is the right location?
Before I could knock a man not fitting here at all opened up. Not much taller than me, Asian, white colored hair, black eyes, flawless skin, and a white uniform. A black and red belt was snatched around his waist.
He smiled slightly, stretching his hand out to me.
"Hey, Lara right?"
"Yes, your sign says you're Ren?"
Ren nodded, leading me inside. A box sack, mats, and other sports supplies decorated the room.
"Matteo wanted me to visit you."
"I know. He's an old friend of mine and you probably thought that this building is some kind of joke, right?"
I shook my head, not trying to be rude.
"No, it's just..."
"Isolated. I have a bigger training center in the city, but here is just for people I know personally or friends from friends."
Now that makes sense. Matteo wouldn't hire a regular trainer. But is he really that special?
"What kind of martial arts do you teach?"
Ren handed me a hand tape over.
"I'm a Muay Thai master. In Addition, I know Taekwondo, Karate, Kung Fu, Jeet Kune Do, and Hapkido."
Anyways...
"That's impressive...Can you teach me Muay Thai?"
He raised an eyebrow, took a sip from his protein shake, and took his uniform off, leaving him in simple black shorts.
Well defined and covered his whole body, giving him a more intermediating look.
"Muay Thai is very useful in a street fight if you practice it correctly. In my opinion, the most effective martial arts. Although is it hard to determine the most effective one, it varies from person to person. Eventually, you would even have to invent your technique.
"Did you ever invent one?"
He grinned. "Just some stunts."
"Can you show me one?"
"Why not?"
Ren ran towards three in a circle standing and punching bags. He kicked one in the stomach, jumping and basically flying into the air striking the face of the bag next to it. Still in the air, he grabbed the other bag's head, spinning with it and slamming it into the mat.
I stared at him in awe, while he stood up, acting like he did not just take three standing punching bags in three seconds out.
"Wow..."
Ren winked at me, gesturing me to come on the mat.
"Don't be scared, Lara. Matteo would kill me when I hurt you."
I laughed, knowing that he would probably break Matteo into two pieces with one movement as a reflex.
"Okay, let's start with the basics."
He taught me how to wrap the tape around my hand and I stepped on the mat in front of him.
Ren placed a chair in front of me and then grabbed after my shoulders positioning me in front of the chair.
"Your eyes need to face the opponent and your hips. Today, we will focus on your lower body only."
I followed his words.
"Now, don't kick the chair, like you would do. First step to the right or left of the chair with one foot."
He watched my movement carefully.
"Now bring your knee up, slightly over the back of the chair."
His eyes followed my footwork, as I executed the movement faster over and over again.
"So far good. Now let's warm up and go on."
Ren and I spent about half an hour warming up and he taught me many ways of how to kick someone properly without breaking your foot.
Eventually, my ankle hit the chair and I needed to take a five-minute break, to ease the pain.
"Your position is wrong, how often do I have to tell you that?"
"I'm a damn beginner."
I kicked the punching bag for a second time and he shook his head.
"You're dogged that's why you aren't that good."
I took some sips from my bottle, saying goodbye to Ren.
"If you want to, you can jog a round around the lake every day, it helps to train your endurance."
"Now?" I asked, sweating like crazy.
"Why not? It cleans your mind."
I said my goodbyes to Ren and began to jog around the lake, clearing my mind from all the worries since I was home now again. Suddenly a droplet of rain met with my hand and I stopped, looking up to the sky. White clouds turned grey and began shedding tears over me and other people going for a walk.
"Great..." I mumbled to myself but saw another jogger running either way.
Fuck it.
Autumn's leaves crumbled under my feet as I began running to make myself worthy of Ren's acknowledgment. Sometimes I'd slip, shredding my knees, but I ran nonetheless.
The rain droplets emerged, wetting my sports clothing. A sting in my waist told me, that I'm not used to so much sports yet and I was panting like a dog. I leaned against the tree, with my hands on my knees, watching the park emptying, promising a view of a church.
Wait...This church and rainy day reminds me of an event in my life that haunts me to this day. I wish the person was still alive and we didn't kill anybody...
Flashback 7 years ago (15 years old)
I tapped down the freaking stairs in my house like a mouse, hoping the car(s) wouldn't wake me up and get mad at me for not sleeping. For two hours I was awake, craving a midnight snack.
Suddenly I noticed that the light in the kitchen was on and the foil crackled. I pressed my body to the wall, tilting my head to catch a glimpse of who was in there. Nausea overwhelmed me not by cause of my hungriness, but fear. Gabriel fully clothed at midnight isn't a good sign at all costs.
"I already saw you, Lara. Go back to sleep, you have school tomorrow." He whispered and sat on the countertop, licking his strawberry popsicle. Gabriel could never separate me and Mom when he was high, so it was significant, he didn't take any drugs.
"I don't care, I can't sleep and am starving." I grabbed some blackberries and ate them. My goal was to ignore him as long as possible. Sadly is it impossible to never see your brother again and ignore the bruises on my wrist from yesterday.
"Why are you still in jeans, it's 11:40 PM. Or is it normal for a school quitter and jobless?" He chuckled, not taking me seriously, although I was.
"I thought about having a little walk." I rolled my eyes at how he left the kitchen, grabbing his leather jacket. He bit into his popsicle one last time and threw the stick into the bin. Freak.
I already got a brain freeze from just watching.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It's raining."
He shrugged. "Don't think I'll take you with me."
I rolled my eyes, brushed past him, and tensed, hoping he wouldn't hit me.
"I don't think I want to spend any time with you." Maybe...eventually...Sometimes I did enjoy his presence under certain circumstances. Right in the middle of climbing up the stairs, he snarled. I turned around to see him mischievously grinning.
"What?"
"Nothing."
He laughed silently, grabbing two helmets.
"No."
"Grab a warm jacket, you're coming with me."
I rolled my eyes, sneaking back down the stairs.
"Why so grumpy? Normally you're always immediately in for doing something with me."
Because you're an abusive asshole.
"I am already since one year like this, in case you haven't noticed."
"Puberty is hitting?"
"You're one year older than me, shut the fuck up, Gabriel."
I blamed myself for falling for his little tricks and joining him. The only place I should be at the very moment is my cozy bed. Secretly, there was a part of me that admired and loved him.
Either I need to change my good-naturedness and heart or he needs to change his behavior and drug consumption.
I put my coat on and cussed, as he flicked his fingers against my forehead. He glanced a last time at Mom's bedroom and grabbed his keys, leading me to his motorcycle. It stormed, wetting the narrow streets of our area.
I put on my helmet and Gabriel sighed, adjusting it for me.
"What? Do you want to crack your head or why won't you put your damn helmet on."
"If you wouldn't drive like a crackie, there wouldn't be such a problem."
"You really know nothing of road traffic. That's also why you can't ride a bicycle."
With that, he always teased me. Since we were little.
Flabbergasted I stared him down, climbing on the bike, as he started the engine quickly.
"Hold on tight, get it?"
"I'm no child."
I wrapped my arms around his torso and wondered what kind of event he was training for. Second question: where? My brother doesn't even have a penny saved up or something.
He started driving down the street and picked up speed. My hair fluttered in the wind, getting wet, just like the streets and everything around us.
"Careful," Gabriel warned and drifted into the traffic circle and turned in the worst direction one could at night. The woods.
"Gabriel, please not the woods. I'm begging you."
"What are you? A pussy?"
With a pounding heart, I climbed tighter to him even if I hated to touch him.
"You know what? Yes, yes I am a Pussy and you are a horrendous big brother."
He slowed down, halting the bike and climbing off. Out of protest, I remained in the seat, balancing my body with a foot to one side.
"Who will be at night in the woods? Slenderman? Michael Jackson?"
I kicked the air, as Gabriel lifted me and placed me on the ground again.
"Murders? Rapists? Kidnappers?"
"You think anyone will hurt you when I'm here?"
Right, since apparently he's the only one allowed to.
I scoffed and Gabriel started moonwalking backwards and grabbed after my shoulders.
I shrieked at the sudden motion and if not could get any worse he chanted a "hee hee" in my ear.
"FUCK OFF!"
"Are you still scared?"
I looked around. Twigs swayed in the wind, which whistled and sometimes gave the observer a glimpse of a full moon. Gabriel did the same.
We continued walking the creepy muddy way, between fir trees. Suddenly my brother stopped.
"What?", I asked.
"It's close to midnight, something evil's lurking in the dark..."
I panicked, clinging to my hoodie's hem. Evil. Lurking.
He pointed to the moon and continued marching.
"Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart..."
"Gabriel, I don't understand."
I was petrified, waiting for the intruder to jump out of a bush and chase us down with a chainsaw.
Gabriel got annoyed and hummed the last part of his next sentence.
"You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it..."
Silence.
"Why are you humming?"
He rolled his eyes and tried to give a hint with his next sentence.
"You start to freeze, as horror looked you right between your eyes."
Wait...
"Are you-"
Suddenly he shouted: "YOU'RE PARALYZED!"
I laughed and Realisation hit me, screaming my soul with him out: "CAUSE THIS IS TRILLER! TRILLER NIGHT!"
Although I continued singing Michael Jackson's Thriller with him, I felt a bit uneasy. Maybe there was actually something evil lurking in the dark.
I walked into him because for some reason I can't walk straight, especially not when I laugh. At home, we never get along, but outside? For some reason when my mother is not around Gabriel is a whole different person.
The old Gabriel. Who helped me with Bullies in first grade. Who I can be goofy around with. The one that would never disrespect with own mother.
Not the new one, who spends more time being high than with his family. Or random girls who are staying not more than a day. From my school. Even from my friend group. Hell.
"Where are we going?"
"A church."
"The abandoned one?"
"Yes."
"NO. NO. NO. THREE TIMES NO. I'M NOT GOING TO ANY ABANDONED PLACES. ESPECIALLY NOT AN ABANDONED CHURCH AT NIGHT!"
Gabriel fought his way through a bush and I followed, not wanting to be on my own.
In front of us was the abandoned church of our city, because it was vandalized about 10 years ago. I still don't understand why people destroy holy places, because religion doesn't harm you. Religious people who misinterpret do.
The previous church's colorful windows shattered on the grass and stones were missing here and there. One door has a hole in the middle and the other one was only halfway attached to the hinge.
"You see that?", Gabriel asked. Inside, you could see something bright. But not what.
"Yes...What's that?"
"I don't know. Let's check it out."
I swallowed the chunk in my throat and intertwined my hands in fear. My brother peeped through the door's hole.
"What the fuck...", he said breathy, and his eyebrows drew together, suggesting me to come closer. I bent down and lurked at him, catching a glimpse of the inside.
The creepiest thing wasn't the burned church pews, crosses turned upside down, or the destroyed altar. No, something worse.
At the other side of the door, there was someone in a crimson red robe, looking like a druid. In front of a mirror, with about 10 black candles around it. Or the huge amount of salt on the ground, portrayed as a pentagram.
Gabriel slightly opened the door and I grabbed after his arm. "Are you insane, Gabriel?!" I hissed, but he entered the church.
"Stay back, little butterfly."
To my horror the door creaked and the person turned around immediately, before punching the mirror, destroying it.
A deep rumble came out of his throat and he spoke something in a language I'd never heard before. Something that didn't come from our earth. Nothing normal.
"I don't cuss near churches, but what the fuck are you doing?"
Gabriel spoke up, nearing the person.
Suddenly the mysterious man bashed forward and pushed Gabriel onto the benches. I couldn't even comprehend the stupidity I was doing before I did it. I ran into the church, aiming for the altar on the right to grab something sharp due to the broken metal crosses.
The man began chasing me down, whispering something. I started crying tears of fear, rushing faster to the cross. A hand fisted into my hair and pulled me backward.
"NO!" I tried to free myself out of the strong grip, twisting in his hand. The sting on my hairline was tremendously painful and I tried to ram my elbow into him.
Until there was a blunt impact of something and the grip loosened. Before I could turn around the man lay on the ground. Not moving. With a brick next to his body it wouldn't take ten seconds until a pool of blood formed on the ground, beneath his head.
Without moving, I watched the blood-forming into a lake. Gabriel hurried to me, pulling me into a hug, my face was pressed into his chest and I could hear his rapid heartbeat.
"I'm so sorry..."
He apologized, grazing my neck and twisting a hair strain between two fingers of his.
"I'm such a horrible bad brother, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have brought you with me in the first place...No no no..."
Warmth flushed over me, for some particular reason and I sobbed into his chest.
"Are you hurt?"
"No...It's fine, Gabriel."
He kissed my forehead and I studied his face if anything had changed. His black eyes rested on me with the look I've missed so much.
"Let's get out of here."
He commanded, grabbing my hand and leading me to the exit.
"What about him?"
"I'll come back with my friends later. C'mon, let's hurry up."
One last glimpse backward made me flinch. The body was still on the ground, drowning in blood, while I might've just spotted a reflection in the broken mirror. And it was neither the one of me nor Gabriel.
Present:
Carlos ended up picking me up and giving me a ride home. I stopped in front of the mailbox and picked up a cube-formed package. I don't know what he ordered again, but please let it be something useful.
"I'm surprised you didn't get murdered, girl."
Carlos locked the door behind us and took the package out of my hands and placed it on the counter.
"What did you order, Car?"
"I didn't order that. I thought you did?"
He hesitated, after grabbing a knife. Unsure, if he should open it or not.
"No, I didn't. Open it."
Carlos sliced it open and then just stared dead into the box with a dropped jaw, slowly shutting his mouth with one hand.
"The fuck. The fuck. THE FUCK!"
He exclaimed, pulling out a piece of paper. A folded one, so he might be confused by another content.
I stepped next to him, looking into the box and an unimaginably bad smell covered my nose.
An unattached finger laid on the bottom.
I dug my fingers into the countertop, glimpsing at the piece of paper Carlos unfolded.
"He won't touch you anymore, yvggyr ohggresyl."