Break Free & Be Broken (26 page)

Jade presents another warm sigh to the cold air, only to have it be eaten up and swept away. "You're probably right. I just hate being away from him. He can get a little wild, you know? Especially on his own. And it's not even that I don't think he can win... it's just... it's my fault we’re here tonight. He shouldn't have to finish this alone."

"I really don't think you need to worry. He doesn't seem like the type to just throw his life away. If he can't win, he'll give up and come find us."

Jade stares off into the woods. "He won't give up. Not this time. I've never seen this side of him. He's never been this reckless. Normally, we would have left the second we found you and discovered the situation was fucked, but not tonight. He's either going to kill Juxtapo or die trying, and I can't let him do it alone. I have to go back."

I rub my arms, trying to slow the chill that is creeping on me from both inside and out.

"I have to." She says again, cementing her words into reality.

Shit. If she goes back, I'm going back-there's no question there-but the thought of returning to the badger’s den does not sound appealing. I'd rather just take Jade away somewhere we both can be safe... but look at her. She’s determined.

Okay. I've done a good job not prying till now. Despite my curiosity, I’ve been decent enough to leave her and Sage's personal matters alone, but if I'm going back, I want some answers. “Will you tell me something?” I ask.

“Sure.”

"I just don't understand. Why is this so important? Why does Jux have to die?"

"Because.” She looks up at the sky, “He raped me."

"Oh... I... I'm sorry."

A black chunk of burning tar, choked up from the dead lungs of Satan himself, sizzles through me, landing in the pit of my stomach where it froths and boils, filling me with an over flux of hatred and rage. The red hot emotions ignite within, roasting me from the inside out, turning my blood to magma and my soul to flame.

Jade says nothing more and neither do I. I wish I could, to comfort her, but there are simply no words to match such a grisly wrong. The way Jux abused Krista starts to replay in my mind, only now instead of Krista, it is Jade in his rank, disgusting hands, and there isn't anyone there to save her. The thought is so terrible-so horrifying-that it takes the greatest amount of restraint I've ever achieved to suppress the murderous scream flexing in my throat.

The fire inside me will not cool. It continues to heat: more fire!- more flame!- melting away mercy, melting away weakness, melting away everything but an all encompassing lust for revenge. Jux is a man that needs to be dead! He's as worthless to the world as he is to himself. And I was next to him... with a knife at hand, talking with him as if we were friends... GOD DAMNIT! I should have gouged out his fucking eyes and cut off his ears to cover the holes. I should have sawed off his dick and balls, fashioned them into a noose, and hung him from the ceiling so I could skin him while he suffocated. I missed my chance, but it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that he dies, and I'm in it to win it now.

“Will you tell me one more thing?” I ask, grave in voice and unified in will. Never in my life have I been more sure of what it is I have to do.

She lifts her chin.

“What are we still doing here? Let’s go kill that fuck.”

The corner of her mouth tilts up to smile. "You don't have to help."

I climb to my feet, extending out a hand to help her do the same. "I know, but I want to. More than anything."

She takes my hand and I pull her up. "All right. You know how to use that?" She nods to the pistol in my hand.

"I mean... I know how to shoot. But-" I look over the gun. I've yet to check if there's a safety, "is there a safety?"

Jade takes a quick look. "Right here." She says, flicking a small switch on the side. "And now it's off."

"Thanks."

She clenches her jaw. "Lots of people dying tonight. You sure you’re ready?"

I take a deep breath and stretch my neck. “I’m ready.”

She gives me a skeleton’s grin.

Chapter the Fifteenth

Were I out here alone, I’d be completely lost. But not Jade. She leads us with the surety of one on a trail. We don't move nearly as fast back in as we did out, favoring silence over speed. I can't say I'm not pleased by the decision. My muscles still ache. Even if she wanted to go fast, I'm not sure I'd have it in me.

By the time we get back to the cabin, I'm able to start seeing bits of murky gray appear in the overcast sky. Day is coming. The cabin looks as dead as ever. Just like before, there are no signs of life. Jade watches it for a time, then signals me back further into the trees.

"Doesn't look like Sage has made it back." She whispers.

"Me neither, but that doesn't mean-"

Jade silences me with a finger to my lips. "I know what it does and doesn't mean. All I was getting at is that we are going to have a fight on our hands, with Juxtapo, at least."

"Isn't that why we’re here?"

She smiles. "That's right. I think it's time you showed me that underground entrance."

I nod. "Okay. Then we gotta go back to the farm house."

"Of course."

We give the cabin a wide berth as we make our way around. We’re moving swiftly now, though my body doesn't complain as much as I feared it would. He's decided to come through for me, and I couldn't be more grateful. Finally, all my hard work is paying off. Finally, I am doing something worthwhile!

When we reach the tree line before the farmhouse, Jade readies her weapon and signals for me to do the same. I point my gun, put my finger on the trigger, and we move. We jog right up to and through the back door. It seems like we’re moving too fast, but at least the speed is making it hard for me to process what’s to come. Despite what’s happening, I’m calm, almost like I'm watching myself in a dream.

Jade sweeps around the house like a pro; I do my best just to stay alert and follow. Room by room we check the house. There is no one. After establishing the coast is clear, we proceed to the stairs that lead to the tunnel. When we get there, Jade signals for me to take the lead. Without hesitation, I comply. The tunnel is my proving ground: the place I came to life! I’ll happily take point. I've been given another chance to shine; this one quite possibly my last.

We creep with a devil’s step down the stairs, making no noise whatsoever, listening with the full length of our ears. The only sound the world affords me is that of my heart. Thump. Thump. Thump. It's a war drum, marshalling me into battle.

Once again, I find myself with gun in hand, the potential to slay lain out before me, but this time, even if Fear manages to sink its claws in me, I will not let it impede me. This time, I have purpose. This time, I have cause to fight-a reason to stand and pull the trigger-and this time, I
won’t
fail.

This is where I start to win!

Joe's body is in the exact same position I left it in. That’s gotta be a good sign. It appears no one has been down here. That doesn't stop me from moving carefully and slow, but we make it to the end of the hall without even the slightest interference. I signal for Jade to stop before we take the turn at the end.

"I think the entrance is just ahead." I whisper. "But I'm not a hundred percent sure. I was unconscious when I was brought down here, but I know there will be some stairs."

Jade nods her understanding and I move ahead. Beyond the turn is a door. I stop just before reaching it. The thing stands tall, taunting me with wicked possibilities and daring me to enter. Here we are. Enemy territory. The enemies base, in fact. We've arrived at the threshold of Bowzer's Castle, so to speak: the place where we win or fucking die.

"You ready for this?" Jade whispers.

I check my gun. "I think so."

"Wundabar. Then let's go."

Oh fuck. This is it. I'm filled with terror but I nod my head. "And Chales..." She smiles, "Just in case we don't get the chance to speak again, thank you."

I hate the implication those words give life to. We can’t lose! The thought of defeat infuriates me, and I use that anger to crush terror’s spine. "Of course we're going to speak again, Jade, all of us: you, me, and Sage. I'm not going to let you down. I won't."

She draws up to me slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. I expect her to whisper something-some sweet goodbye you only wish to your dearest friend-but she doesn't. Rather, she plants her delicate lips on my cheek, gracing me with the loveliest kiss time has allowed. All the pain I've endured in this life-all the wounds I’ve procured dodging the clock... it will all be worthwhile if I can help guide this sweet girl to victory.

How wonderful, all this will be, if we are able to win.

How terrible, it all will be, if we don't.

Jade pushes past me in order to take the lead into the monster’s teeth. I must admit, I'm grateful. I need her strength at a time like this. I wasn't going to ask, but given the magnitude of the situation, I think it is both wise and fair that the one with more experience takes the lead, and she is certainly more the warrior than me. I've got her back, and I'm going to keep it safe.

She puts her hand on the doorknob and eyeballs me, making sure my gun is up and ready. I put both hands on my piece and draw it up, finger on the trigger, preparing myself to eliminate any threat that may appear. The sight of Jade tucking her rifle into her shoulder-barrel raised and ready to kill-engorges me with valor.

We can do this. We are going to do this.

Jade coaxes the door open gently. A short distance on the other side there’s another turn. There’s a lot of blood on the ground... must be near the place I broke my nose.

Oh man. Here we go.

We move as grave mice to the corner before the turn. Jade sets up at the edge of it and turns back to face me. She tilts her head toward the turn and walks her fingers up imaginary stairs; seemingly asking if that's what I think lies ahead. I nod confirmation that it is so. She gives me a tight lipped grin and holds up a finger.

One.

I take a deep, calming breath; then steady my gun. Time to be strong.

She holds up a second finger: two.

I stare into her eyes-her fiery, intrepid green eyes. If all other sights were withheld from me and all I got to see till the end of my days were those magnificent orbs, I would never feel that I missed a thing.

Three.

Gun up, Jade snakes around the corner. There's a bang-an earsplitting bang-amplified to an ungodly level by the tightly enclosed cement hall. The sound explodes through me with such fury I’m disoriented momentarily... or maybe it's what I just saw that's disorienting. At first, I thought Jade shot because her gun sparked and popped, but it flew out of her hands... and then she spun to her knees, grabbing her face. I think she screamed, but I can't say for sure due to the ringing that has dominated my sense of sound.

I keep my gun hand ready to kill while using the other to pull Jade to her feet. As soon as she's up, I start pulling her back. She’s crying and holding her eyes. All I see beneath her hands is blood.

"My eyes! Chales, I can't see!" I see the words on her lips more than I hear them. She moves her hands long enough for me to get a view of what's beneath.

Fuck.

So god awful is the sight before me that the only logical thing I can think to do is put my gun against my head and pepper the wall beside me with chunks of skull; but I don't. I pull Jade tight against me; partly to protect and comfort her, partly to hide what I just saw. Her eyes are a bleeding, ravaged landscape of cuts, scratches, and shrapnel. Her right eye-the one that was nearest the gun-is completely wrecked by metal. The left, while no doubt swollen, lacerated, and bloody, still seems to be intact, or at least... there isn't a chunk of steel embedded in it.

As the ringing in my ears fades, the volume of Jade's wailing grows. "Chales, it hurts!" She cries.

"Shh!" Maybe it’s not nice to shush someone in the midst of such great suffering, but I had to. Our survival rests entirely on me now, and I'm going to need all my senses to get us out of this. She isn't able to stop crying, but she manages to quiet to a light sob.

"You're going to be all right." I whisper. "I'm going to get us out of this. Just hold on, okay? Hold on and don't let go." She nods vigorously, softly weeping through her mangled face. There's a steady flow of tears leaking from me as well, though mine are just water. Hers are blood.

Poor thing. Welcome to hell.

I back up slowly, trying to keep my gun from shaking as violently as the rest of me. Bad guys are coming-of this I am sure-and when they come, I must stop them.

A man jumps around the corner. I fire, one! Two! Three times! The first bullet chops into his thigh above the knee, releasing a thick dollop of blood on both sides of his feet. The second, raised by the momentum of the gun, hits him in the crotch, while the third-following the same upward trajectory-slams home into his chest. The result is a man blasted backward in a mist of his own juices: dead before he gets to hit the ground.

I begin trotting backward as the man falls, pulling Jade along with me. It's time to start putting distance between us and our pursuers. I don't know how many shots I have.

We need to escape.

I'm startled when I suddenly bump into the door. I throw my hand back to find the handle but keep my eyes glued ahead. A second man jumps around the corner. I don't aim, I don't think; I just flinch, and I fire. Head shot. The bullet sinks in to a fountain of crimson. The man crumples to the floor and is dead.

I find the handle, yank open the door, and pull Jade through, slamming it shut behind us. I start moving faster now-two hops and we start to run. When we pass the first turn and no longer have the immediate worry of being attacked from behind, I break into a full sprint. Jade's movements are unsure and wobbly at the beginning, but I keep her hand squeezed tightly in mine, guiding and leading her best I can, and before long, she gets into the swing of it, matching me stride for stride. God... she really is amazing.

The whole fucked up spectrum of the night starts blaring out before me. I'm running for my life in a long, musty tomb of cement as the only hope this angel has to see another day. Me. Chales. A man who could barely manage his own life, and now I'm responsible for someone else's. The thing is, I never mattered, but if Jade dies, this world will be an uglier place. The problem, of course, is that the world is already chock full of ugly. I'm not sure it can take anymore... so I guess I matter now.

We don't slow until we reach the grave of Francis-not so I can pay my respects-but because I smell danger. "Why are we stopping?" Jade whispers, voice choked with pain. It hurts me to hear so much hurt in her, but I'm glad that, for the time being, she isn't completely lost to her agony. I could really use her help.

I glance back down the long hall, making sure it's empty before I take the time to respond. "We're almost back to the farmhouse. We need to be quiet." I only look at her long enough to see her nod her understanding, and then must look away. The sight of her face is simply more than I can bear. "Can you see at all?" I ask, staring at the floor.

"Only light and dark."

Damn. Less than I'd hoped. I squeeze her hand for reassurance. She returns it in kind.

"I'm going to get us out of this."

"Please hurry."

I lift my gun and we keep moving. I can't look at Jade without being overcome by the desire to vomit, so I do my best not to. My eyes remain forward, doing their duty as guides, forging our way out of this hell. My brain says to take it slow and stealthy but my heart is telling me to fucking escape. We move as quietly as we can without utterly abandoning haste. I'd be quieter if I could, but we are so close to getting out of this... I want more than anything
just to get out
.

We make it to the stairs and up into the house. I've never been so focused or alert. It's almost as if I have a half second head start on time and can begin to react to things before they unfold. If someone appears, I will slay them, but the house is silent, and as far as I can tell: empty. We make it to the front door without hearing so much as a creak. I pause just before I open it. I should check the window first-make sure no one's outside. It's still too dark to see very far down the road, but in the realm of what I can see, there is nothing.

The unmistakable sound of a door squeaking open howls out an alarm behind us. I don't hesitate. I rip the door open and, holding Jade for all I’m worth, we run.

Just a few steps out the door is a set of stairs leading off the porch. "Stairs!" I yell, but the warning was insufficient. I was barely able to react to them with full vision; Jade stumbles when she hits them and starts to fall. I don't allow it. With strong arms I keep her on her feet and we continue to run. She heard the door, same as I, and needs no encouragement to sprint for all she's worth.

When we're twenty yards from the house gunfire sounds off from behind us. I immediately pull Jade to the left, toward the trees. If we continued down the wide open road we'd be sitting ducks! I should have thought of this to begin with! Puffs of dirt explode at our feet as the bullets flying at us hone in on their mark. I pull Jade faster.