Post by biancaconradie on Aug 13, 2014 22:28:15 GMT
Decisions
~~Today~~
The cold wind nipped and rain lashed at my face and body. Stinging below my right eyebrow dwarfed the pain around my lips which still felt ragged and bruised. My face looks worse than it feels, well, that’s what I tell the people that asked. My family, worried Mum, angry Dad and scared little sister. Eyes trailed me. Like always now, baggy slacks and hood. Just another classical thug with intimidating stitches on his face. What would I be doing here in a hospital? Finishing something I started? No. I’m here for Justin like I should have been last night. Should have been for the last couple of years.
See me and Justin; we grew up in the same neighbourhood. He was a brother to me. We played football in the street and on the sports fields on Saturdays. Often people would think we were twins, both tall and slightly muscular for our age. Although my brown hair and green eyes were overshadowed by his jet black hair and cold blue eyes, I’d like to think my personality was far more charismatic and willing than his. Aggression is one of the things I don’t like about myself. Justin was the type to hold back and analyse which contributed to why we grew apart as we got older.
I was John, one of the lads. You would see me with my group messing around at spots we called ours, making loud noise and being unpleasant. Too menacing for some people, who went out of their way to get out of ours. Scaring old pensioners wasn’t what we wanted but to be honest I did get a kick out of it. Went to parties got wasted, smoked and got the girls. Living life to the max, until it started to get more violent and intense.
He was Justin, a guy I used to hang with. He would have his group that shifted around and seemed to enjoy their own company. They would laugh and run about with some girls but never make eye contact with us. You could say he was popular in the group and always had a girl in his arms. Justin’s group would walk past and the two groups would often shout insults but Justin and I wouldn’t. It was like a silent contract.
It was fine until Justin and Garry started to argue more. Garry didn’t like Justin because I used to be friends with him. Justin didn’t like Garry because he was my ‘new best friend’. Justin seemed like a lanky giant against Garry’s short and stocky exterior when they squared up, barking back and forth until people jumped in and pulled them apart. It was funny then but now not so much.
~~Yesterday~~
I felt fresh, just out of shower. My parents sent me up to the shop to get some milk and bread.. A beautiful Saturday morning, the crisp fresh air burnt my nose but I gladly sucked it in as I ran up the street to the local shop. Whistling with a spring in my step, I cruised down the aisle. Today will be good I thought to myself. I got to an open till and was serviced quickly, nothing was stopping me today. Checking my bag as I strolled out, not paying attention to the world I walked into someone. Silently mortified, keeping a straight face as I looked up.“Sorry mate,” I offered
“It’s alright, it’s me... Justin?” he responded happily, “Are you walking home now?”
“Yeah, how have you been man?” I asked
We walked almost all the way home and chatted, it was like old times. Just as Justin belted a hearty laugh I spotted Garry and waved him over, only realising my mistake when Justin visibly cringed. He stalked towards us, not breaking eye contact with Justin. I felt queasy and Justin probably felt worse.
“Well, well, well, nice to see you too,” Garry hissed
“Shut up man, how you doing?” I replied, uneasy.
Garry suddenly looked at me smiling, “We are going to meet a couple of guys at the park at 9pm, bring him.” Turned on his heel and walked away
We stood in silence, a breeze made me shiver up my arms and legs then up my spine to my neck. What am I going to do? What is he going to do? The thoughts circled my head but were interrupted by Justin.
He sniffed, “Meet me in between our houses at 8:45?”
“Yes, only if you’re sure?” I said
My voice was lower than I would have liked it to be... We walked home in silence.
~~Today~~
Shuffling onto the lift I caught a glance of my face in the mirror. It was fitting for the hospital. Looking at the list of floors, one: Childs ward, no. Two: Maternity department, no.
Three: Neo-Natal Unit, no.
Four: Intensive care unit, yes.
Shoving my bandaged hand towards the button I quickly decided my middle finger would hurt less and went for it. I moved to the corner so other people visiting, with damp moods and sad faces could get on. Then off at each level until it was only me and an older lady, who edged away from me slowly and thought I wouldn’t notice. “Jeepers, I’m not going to mug you on a bloody elevator in a hospital!” I thought to myself as I scowled at her, “don’t get your knickers in a twist!”
~~Yesterday~~
8:45pm, it’s started to get dark. We walked in the darkness in-between lampposts. I was enchanted by my shadow. Getting long, then short and disappearing. Only the sound was our feet and distant noises. The cold breeze and darkening skies put me on edge; in fact the entire situation put me on edge. We got to the outside gate of the park.“I don’t like this John,” Justin stammered
“Yeah I don’t either but just come on!” I said quietly and too harshly, “They will think you’re a wimp, just come on for a wee while”
Justin looked up and nodded then walked forward through the gate. We shuffled through the park into a clump of trees, we walked through the clearing and got jumped. Two people were holding me down and three guys including Garry was hitting Justin, who was on the ground too.
“STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” I shouted
I got a swing at a boy and my hand crunched from the hit and he looked stunned and rolled over. Shit that was Luke, a mate. The other guy hit me in the face; he probably didn’t want to be hit too. We were rolling on the ground trying to hit each other when I felt something collide with my face. My head whipped to the side and I fell over. I could see Justin on the ground; they were kicking his limp body on the ground. Luke and the other boy backed away from me shocked by the blood pouring down my face, they turned and ran. Assholes.
“GARRY! Stop! Please!” I shouted but my voice faltered
They stopped and turned towards me. The two guys with Garry ran out of the park. Which left Garry standing; Justin curled up on the floor and me lying on my back shaking. He walked towards me and I shuffled back away with my elbows, he caught up quite fast.
“John, I’m sorry I had too to get into the Gang,” he whispered, “this was the only way”
He went through my pockets and used my phone to call an ambulance as I shut my eyes. I was discharged from the hospital at 3am with messed up face, broken hand and a lot to explain to the police and parents of both of us. I’m not a grass, ‘it was a group of hoodies, no idea who they were’
Hopefully Justin wouldn’t grass.
~~Today~~
The ward warden stopped me and then escorted me to Justin’s room. He’s breathing was shallow and his face was covered with bandages, he’s arms and mouth had tubes in. He had the tubes up his nose to help him breath. Of what I could see of his eyes, was swollen and purple. If hanging around with the people I may think is cool, who drink, smoke and create havoc which means people get hurt. I’d rather not hang around with them at all.