One Regret

*~Riley’s Perspective~*

“Hey, we need to take Katie.” I said to Ice.
Ice gaped at my leg. “What the hell happened?”
“Nothing. Just a run in with some H.S.C.’s and a couple of H.S.J.’s... COME ON ERIKA!”
“Coming, sorry!” She shouted back, walking down the hall with Katie.
I did a small smile, and then looked at Sam. “Let’s go- before Dizzly starts to track us.”

*~LoneWolf’s Perspective (Redgie) ~*

“Kyle, stay here and help kill all the H.S.J.’s I’m going to take Scout with me to take down ROTS.” I said picking up a pistol and then putting a clip in it.
Will had been my step brother, and I personally wanted to take his life. He had been a close friend, as well as a brother and we had set an alliance with each other’s gangs.
“Alright, come on Scout, let’s go. The rest of you, kill the H.S.J.’s.” I shouted over all the gunshots. Some shots even flew past me, but they did not hit me. Man, am I one lucky guy.
*~Sam’s Perspective~*
“Come on, we don’t have time!” I shouted, as Shannay started to ask questions about why Riley was shot in the leg. “We don’t know when Dizzly started tracking us; he could be here are any-”
Just at that moment, we heard gunshots from outside. I sighed and looked to Riley. He then glanced at the floor, then at Ice.
“Go, Ice. You’ll be a distraction.” Riley commanded. “We’ll follow you out.”
“ROTS… I- I’ll die!” Ice gaped at him.
“GO!” He commanded again.
“No!” Shannay cried, stepping closer to Ice. “Why does he need to? You don’t command him!”
Riley smirked. “Actually I do. Do as your shot-caller commands. Or are you still loyal?”
I looked at Ice, and his shoulders got loose in defeat. “No, Riley. I’m not.”
Riley looked at me, for my answer, so I stepped forward.
“I am.” I said.
Erika gaped at me, in shock. “Sam!”
“It all comes down to this, Erika. Whose side are you on?” I asked her.

*~Katie’s Perspective~*

I stared at my mom, and then peered over at Sam. There were more gunshots from outside, and I clutched onto my mother’s sleeve.
She sighed. “I don’t want to be on anyone’s side.”
“Are you with us or them?”
“I really have to choose a side?” My mother gaped.
“Well, you running with a gang. So you obviously chose a side. Which side?” Ice asked.
“She does not have to say it out loud.” Riley’s voice was louder than anyone’s. “Her answer is her actions. Like all of you.”
“Riley! You get out here!” A man’s voice yelled from outside, angry and powerful, and I cringed.
I studied Riley, and he didn’t even flinch at the sound of the man’s voice, like I had.
Sam stepped toward him. “What are your orders, sir?”
Riley looked at him, and did a slight nod. “We jump the fence out back.” Then he looked at my mom, then at me; his eyes softening. “You may join us, only if you want.”
We all jumped the fence; Riley helped me over, and then he left with Sam. Riley told my mom to head back to the house, and try not to be seen.
While we were walking home, my mom glanced down at me.
“Katie, if anything happens, you have to run, okay? Just run.” She told me. “Do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but can I hit them, if they touch me?”
She smiled. “Yes, you can. But then run away.”
When we got to our house, my mom went upstairs to grab something. I looked around the kitchen, for something to eat. I grabbed a fruit snack from the Pantry, and turned around. A man stood there, towering over me. I frowned. “Why are you in my house?”
He put a finger up to his lips, telling me to be quiet. So I was.
“Where’s your mom?” He asked.
“I don’t know.” I lied.
“Alright, come with me, okay?” He said, extending a hand towards me.
I took it, ignoring what my mother had told me. This man seemed nice, and he didn't look dangerous. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere fun. But you have to be quiet. When I tell you to do something, you do it, alright?”
I nodded. “My mom would want me to know where I was going-”
“We’ll call her later. Come on.”

*~Riley’s Perspective~*

Sam had shown me disrespect, by telling me he was leaving the gang. I had punched him and he’d punched me back.
“You changed your mind in 15 minutes, you bastard!” I shouted. He’d told me he was still loyal to me, back at Shannay’s place.
I hit him again, but he didn’t have time to block my next hit, which made him stumble and fall to the concrete ground.
“RILEY?”
I stopped kicking Sam for only a moment when I heard Erika’s voice, but then went back to kicking him.
“Riley, stop!”
“Riley. It’s over.” When the new voice came in, I stopped.
I got out my pistol from my back pocket, and turned to face my enemy.
Redgie stood there, with his arms around Erika’s neck. She held frantically onto his arm with her hands; a pleading look on her face.
He smirked when I lowered my gun a little. “It’s over, Riley. You have no one left. You’re out of pawns to play. You’re at a check-mate. Give up, ROTS.”
I held my gun up straighter. “You’ll die, first, before I ever give up.”
Redgie laughed, coldly. “I’ll kill her first.”
M and John both held up their pistols up to Erika’s head. Behind me, I heard Sam get up, slowly.
“Fine.” I said slowly. I knew Redgie would not kill a woman or child for no reason. “She’s not one of mine. Do what you want, Redg.”
Redgie threw Erika aside, right to the ground. “Well then, ROTS. Now what? Shoot me and my gang members will kill-”
I pulled the trigger on my gun. Redgie took a step back when the bullet hit his shoulder, but did not fall. Wow, stupid move Redge. I cocked my pistol knowing another bullet would be needed. But, unfortunately, both of Redgie’s men were on me with their guns. Man, he wasn’t kidding.
They both shot. Erika screamed.
I fell back, knowing I’d been hit but couldn’t find out where. When I sat back up, I discovered I’d been shot in the stomach, and in the shoulder near the heart. I finally snapped out of the shock, and pointed the gun at Redgie. I shot him, and had no doubt that he was dead before he hit the ground. The two gang members backed away but found their confidence again, and shot back at me. I was hit again, but this time… I stayed down. I couldn’t move. I didn’t have the energy. I… I was dying... I could feel myself losing energy and fast. My breath was rugged and then…
Nothing. I wasn’t breathing. But in a way, I was. As I looked around, I found that I wasn’t in the same alley as I had been. I was in it, but no one was there. No one was there who was supposed to be. Erika was gone, and so was Redgie. I started to walk out of the alley, feeling that there was something out of place. When I walked out onto the street; there was no one there; like an old ghost town. That’s when I spotted Ripple, who was heading to one of the side stores. “Ripple!”
He stopped and turned towards me. “Riley...?”
I rushed over to him. “Hey! What’s going on- where is everyone?”
Ripple just stared at me, like he’d seen a ghost. “What are you doing here?”
“I… what do you mean?” I asked.
“Look, you’re not supposed to be here- you’ve got to go. It’s not your time.”
“Riley!” A voice shouted.
I turned around to see a guy, around my age. But it was hard to focus on the features, for my vision was being blurred. “Riley! I’m gonna make this quick okay? Protect Erika. You hear me? Find Katie, she’s alive.”
My vision had gone away completely. It was like someone shut off the lights. Find Katie? What, was she lost?
“Riley!” It was Erika.
“Ma’am, you need to step back.” A voice told her, not harshly, but calmly.
“No! He’s my friend!” her voice was frantic.
“Ma’am, please take a step back or we will remove you by force.” It was the same calm voice.
“Erika, c’mon, take a step back.” that was Sam.
I opened my eyes, blinking. I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. I was on the concrete ground; blood soaking my shirt.
“Riley-”
I interrupted the Paramedic. “Look, I’m fine, now-”
“Riley…” Erika said, taking a step forward. “You… died... The paramedics... they brought you back.”
I had some idea that they had done that. Ripple had said it was not my time… “I know.”

*~Katie’s Perspective~*

I sighed, getting bored. “I want to go home.”
“You can’t go home, I’m sorry.” The guy told me; the same one who had taken me.
“Who are you, anyway?” I asked.
“I’m Kyle, an H.S.C.” He answered. “H.S.C.’s are the best gang out there.”
“No, D.O.T.S. is the best gang- then there’s H.S.B.’s so you’re third best.” I told him.
He smirked. “We’ll be the best soon. H.S.B.’s no longer exist. All of them are dead.”
“I know that! My dad was one of them!” I said, glaring at him.
“Who was your dad, then?” Kyle asked.
“Rabbitfang.” I replied.
He gaped at me. “...Your father was... Rabbitfang? Dude, he was one of the best D-Boy ever! One of the most loyal!”
I nodded. I had already known that.
“Hey! Stevie! Did Redgie tell us to kill her?” Kyle called to a man in another room.
I frowned. Kill?
“Nope, why?” Stevie called back.
“I’m gonna train her to be an H.S.C.!” Kyle replied.
“Okay!” Stevie chuckled.
“Hey, what’s your name?” Kyle asked me.
“Katie.” I answered.
“Well, Katie, how would you like to be an H.S.C. when you’re older?”
I didn’t want to be rude… Miss May was teaching us about ‘manners’ in school. “Oh um… Well… No thanks.”
Kyle frowned. “Do you even know what it means to be an H.S.C.?”

“No.”
“It’s a life of partying. A life with no rules. You get to do anything you want, no one will be telling you what to do.”
“No bed time?” I asked, smiling, getting excited.
“No bed time.” He smiled.
“I have a question... what house are we in?” I said.
Kyle did a quick smile towards me. “This is Riley’s house, but we’re going to leave now. Okay? We’re going to go to my friend’s house.”