No Matter What

“Oh my god.” Matt muttered, and Johnny’s body fell at his feet and he just looked down at him as there was a chuckle from the doorway.

“Good job. That went exactly as planned.” Marsh said, taking a step forward to where he was in view, and Jimmy swung the door open the rest of the way and came right up to him before he could say a word and placed the barrel of the pistol on his temple.

“You’re a sick son of a bitch.” Jimmy muttered, his voice not sounding right as he then fired two shots straight into Marsh’s head. The grin left Marsh’s face and he fell to the floor, his eyes open and glazed, staring at the wall.

“Shit.” Matt whispered harshly, and Madison tried to turn her head, but I couldn’t stop the tears as I kept her head on my shoulder, not letting her watch as Matt rolled Johnny over. There was no way he was alive. There was a bullet hole in his cheek, one in his forehead, one in his neck, and one in his chest. Matt fired four shots exactly. There weren’t any more bullet holes in Johnny. Marsh hadn’t shot him. Matt was the only one that fired shots towards him. Matt accidentally killed Johnny. The fact was like a fucking screen door slamming in my face.

“Fuck fuck fuck!” Jimmy screamed, and it sounded like he hit the wall.

“Brian, let me go, what happened?!” Madison struggled against me, but I fought against her.

“No, don’t fucking- you don’t need to-” I lost as she finally turned in my arms, and stopped moving altogether at the sight of Matt bent in half over Johnny’s bloody body, looking like he was about to have a breakdown as Jimmy slid down the wall, his head in his hands.

“Johnny…” Madison unwrapped my arms from her small frame and walked over, dropping down on her knees beside Matt.

“I’m so sorry, Madison…I didn’t know…” Matt was crying again, sobbing, and having a breakdown, and we all were as I slid down the wall, crossing my arms on my knees and resting my head on my forearms as I couldn’t keep back the tears. We were all destined to die. It was just fucking inevitable. I heard Madi start crying harder, and I couldn’t even imagine what she was going through. If it wasn’t for her I don’t think I’d still be alive right now. Zacky getting shot would have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. But no, the camel couldn’t die, because there were sirens in the distance.

“Oh god, not now!” Matt groaned, apparently hearing the sirens too. I lifted my head from my arms as tires screeched out in the front yard.

“God, we’ve got to get ourselves together.” I said, wiping my eyes as I got up off the floor and walked over to where Matt and Jimmy were standing up. I grabbed Madison’s hand, helping her up.

“Okay…okay so you and Madison need to get out of the house, and as far away from here as possible.” Jimmy said, clearing his throat and Matt nodded.

“We’ve got to come up with something, because you and I aren’t going back to Hell, and,” Matt took a deep breath as he looked at Madison and I. “You and her just can’t get ripped apart now.” He said and Madison stepped over slightly, a thoughtful look on her face.

“I know how things are going to work with this, they’re-”

“THIS IS THE POLICE, COME OUT OF THE HOUSE WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!” A voice demanded from out front.

“How are things going to work?” I asked, looking back at Madi.

“They’re going to send out two officers, one to each back corner of the house to keep a check on the perimeter to make sure no one’s making an escape. Maybe we can somehow knock them out, then we can get around the back, jump the fence or something.” She said and Matt started smiling slightly.

“What is it?” Jimmy asked, looking at Matt.

“I have a better idea than that.” Matt said, and it seemed that for the first time today, some light had been shed on us all.

“What would that be?” I asked, up for anything at this point. I just wanted to get Madi and get out of this mess.

“All we need to really do is just get the two officers at the back corners of the house close enough so we can knock them out, and steal their uniforms.” He looked at Madison and I. “You and Madi will put on the uniforms, slip around the house, and get in a police car and drive away. You two will be in the clear, and you’ll be able to get out of this.” He said and I shook my head.

“Wh-what about you and Jimmy?” Madison asked before I could, and Matt just took a deep breath, looking at Jimmy.

“There’s no way they’re going to let their back cover just walk off the job.” Matt said and Jimmy got a knowing look in his eyes.

“We’ll be the distraction.” Jimmy’s voice was quiet, and I felt my heart drop.

“What…no.” Madi said, breaking away from me.

“Can’t you guys try to-”

“There isn’t another way.” Matt said sternly, cutting me off. “I’d rather you two get out of here, and stay together than Jimmy and I get out alive with nowhere to go and no one left to go to.” Matt said and Jimmy nodded in agreement.

“You guys are our priority right now.” Jimmy said and I looked down at Madi, and she looked at Johnny, letting her eyes linger for a moment before she looked at me and nodded.

“WE HAVE YOU ALL SURROUNDED, COME OUT NOW!” The officer yelled again from below and Jimmy walked over, peeling the curtain back just enough to be unnoticed before letting it rest back.

“There are at least fifteen cars out there, and…so many fucking guns drawn…” Jimmy said as he turned back. “There’s like a semi-circle around the front door, so there shouldn’t be a problem getting past them.”

“Okay, let’s go.” Matt said and Jimmy came back over as Matt grabbed the glock from the blood stained carpet and walked out the door, going down the stairs, Madison, Jimmy and I right behind him.

“Wait, I think I know how to do this.” I said before Matt could start walking towards the back door. I had a slight idea of how to get them both over to the door and close enough to knock the officers out. I got over behind the door and grabbed the knob. Madison and Jimmy were still in view, but in the shadows of the mouth of the kitchen, next to the basement door.

“Careful Brian, if you get in that doorway they’ll shoot you before you’ll see them.” Madison whispered from beside Jimmy and I nodded, but before I could start opening the door Matt stopped me, tucking the glock in the back of his pants.

“Wait, knock out or kill? If we knock them out we’ll have limited time but…” Matt trailed off and I hesitated for a second. I had already been convicted of murder once, and that was concerning me trying to save a life. This is almost the same.

“Kill. But don’t be loud. You take one, I’ll take the other. Snap their neck.” I said and he nodded, pressing himself against the wall to where he couldn’t be seen. I slowly started opening the door, making sure to make some noise as I did so to get their attention.

“Hey, over there.” I heard a whisper, and footsteps began slowly coming towards the door, and I looked at Matt and he nodded once. I took a deep breath as finally their shadows showed up on the floor, and one stepped in, a kind of short guy in his mid-twenties, and the next about the same age. I waited until the one was right in front of me and the other in front of Matt and we both pounced, and not a single word was wedged in from either of the officers as I wrapped an arm around his neck, forcing my palm to the side of his head, letting the force snap his neck. The short, brown-haired male fell to the floor as I then shut the door, quiet this time with another snap from Matt as he killed the other officer. I leaned back against the door as Matt looked down at the two men lying at our feet, pain in his eyes.

“I hated doing that.” I whispered and Matt nodded.

“Me too.” He whispered, but then seemed to get back to the terrible task at hand. “But sadly we didn’t have much of a choice.” He spoke quickly, and Jimmy and Madi emerged from the shadows.

“Great, more dead bodies in the house.” Madison sounded like she was going to be sick.

“COME OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW!” One of the officers demanded once more.

“Well we all won’t be here for long.” Matt said as he began taking the uniform off of one of the guys, just taking off his pants and button up shirt before looking at the badge and tossing them to Madison. “Officer Alex.” Matt said, and Madi took a deep breath, handing the clothes to Jimmy before she began stripping down and getting dressed, Jimmy turning his head to the side as he handed her the change of clothes. I tore my eyes from the other dead officer as Matt started getting the clothes off of the other. “You’re Ian, start getting dressed.”

“Will do.” I muttered, getting off my pants and shirt as Matt tossed the pants at me and I sighed, quickly pulling on the black pants and buckling the belt just as Matt handed me the shirt, and I put it on, buttoning it up and having to stuff the bottom into the pants, then straighten it out again. “Do I look okay?” I asked Matt and he smiled slightly.

“You look like you’re about to throw up.” He said and I nodded.

“That’s how I feel.” I said, itching around in the clothes, and Matt put the hat on my head. “Just…fuck everything.” I muttered, feeling too formal, and like I’d be better off throwing up continuously in the bathroom. I looked over at Madi to see she was dressed, and Matt took the hat from the other officer, tossing it over and Jimmy caught it as Madi tried to straighten her shirt out before looking up as Jimmy put the hat on her head with a small smile.

“I think we’re all set to go.” Jimmy said, and Madison took a deep breath, and hugged Jimmy, then went over and hugged Matt.

“You guys be safe.” She whispered and they nodded.

“We’ll be as safe as two guys walking straight into the line of fire can be.” Matt said, mustering a small smile and I hated it so much. I hated the fact that this would be the last time I saw either of my best friends ever. I hated the fact that this was how it was going to end. I hated the fact that this was how they had to die.

“You guys don’t know how much this means.” I said as Madi stood beside me.

“We just want you two to have a good life together.” Jimmy said, his voice cracking.

“You two have a life ahead of you and that’s more than I can say for us.” Matt whispered, then took a heavy breath, seeming like he was ready to get things over with. “We’ll go out first, and you two can go right after the bullets start flying.” Madison and I couldn’t do much but nod slightly, Matt and Jimmy then turned and walked into the darkness of the living room, out of sight. Those were two of the nicest, strongest guys I’d ever know. I just wish things didn’t have to be this way.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
^*Matt’s POV*^
I stood at the front door next to Jimmy, we had emptied our guns, and were about to go out defenseless, but we were doing it all for two people that were meant to be together. We were dying so Brian and Madison could live their lives together. At least they even had a life ahead of them to live…Jimmy and I didn’t even have that.

“Ready?” Jimmy asked and I nodded.

“Ready.”

“I’ll see you on the other side, brother.” He said, and I took a deep breath.

“I sure hope so, Jimmy.” I opened the door, and we both walked out fast, guns drawn, and just as fast, bullets started flying, blood started pouring, and just like that everything was gone. Everything was silent, no one was screaming, no hearts were beating, and everything was okay. Jimmy and I were okay for the first time in a while, and I didn’t know any other person I would have rather died with. And then, the blinding white rushed at me, and a feeling washed over me, and I knew I was where I was supposed to be. I had Tessa by my side, and she was smiling like nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong.

Everything was just right.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
^*Brian’s POV*^
Just as soon as the first of many gunshots rang out, Madison and I walked out the back door, closing it back.

“This way.” Madison said as I closed the door and we ran around to the side of the house. We slowed our run to a walk, rounding the corner, and I made sure to stay in Madison’s line of vision of the front of the house, but even then I let my eyes wander, forcing a pained expression off of my face at the sight of Jimmy and Matt lying on the front lawn, riddled with holes, dead. Madison and I walked inconspicuously to the closet police car parked on the other side of the street, and she went around to the passenger’s side as I got in the driver’s side. I reached down, cranking the car up and driving off. The other officers were mostly inside of the house now, and none of them noticed us, but I kept driving straight for a good ten minutes before either of us said anything. I think we were both terrified to. I mean…we had just escaped death by just a few feet.

“We’re gonna be okay.” I whispered finally, smiling slightly, and Madison mustered up a smile as she took the officer’s hat off and ran her fingers through her hair.

“We made it.” She said and I nodded, taking my own hat off so I could see better, because it was shading my vision.

“And we made it alive. That’s all that matters.” I said and finally pulled off on the side of the road. We were out of town now, and we were safe. I leaned over the console and kissed Madi lightly on the lips, and she met me halfway so I didn’t have to lean all the way over. “Everything’s going to get better from here.” I said as I pulled away, and she rested her forehead against mine, her right hand locked in my left, and she smiled a little. I could just imagine how hard it was for her to believe my words, but I hoped she did. She had just lost her brother, and best friends, and I had lost mine, but we had each other, and that’s all we needed.

“I love you, Brian.” She whispered and her words made the smile on my face grow.

“I love you too.” I kissed her on the lips lightly once more, and pulled her over the console and into my lap, almost afraid of the thought that where we were in life, any moment could be our last. “And I’m always going to love you.” I said as she pulled away from my lips again.

“Promise?” A slight smile was playing on her lips, one that was matched on mine in seconds.

“I promise.” I confirmed and she rested her head on my shoulder, her arms around my neck and my arms around her small frame. We were both okay now, and going to be okay forever, because we had a life to share together, and every send we were with each other would be a second we were both happy no matter the circumstances. We survived everything to be together. I was wrongfully accused and thrown in jail so I could meet her, and she was like an angel sent to hell to save me, and bring me back to the surface. She saved me, and I’ll be with her forever because of that. I’ll always owe her my life for saving mine. I already owe her all the love in the world for just being with me. “I’ll never stop loving you.” I whispered, and her smile grew, lighting up my world even more.

“No matter what?”

“No matter what.”