Desolation Row

About three days pass, and the neighborhood stayed kind of quiet. One of the kids almost drowned in the public pool, but that was about it. Until, that is, the note showed up. It was simple enough, but terrifying all the same. Travis sent Jed a rushed text when he found it.

"Dude get here now. Whoever we saw that night saw us. I found a note on the golf cart today. Hurry, man!"

When Jed showed up, Travis was sitting in the driveway with the note, it read:

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE
MIND YOUR OWN
AND YOU'LL BE SAFE

Of course, a series of strange looks were exchanged, but no words. The note was pretty straightforward, but the intrigue was too great.

"We have to keep going. If we stop now, they win."

Jed grabbed Travis by the collar and shouted "THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE, TRAVIS!!! That's suicide!"

"We're not doing it right now, dumbass. Give it time to cool off, then we'll see how things work."

Jed clenches his fists, then walks home. After about an hour, he gets a text.

"Dammit, man, Do you think I'd jump to this conclusion without any forethought? I realize shit could get real, and it has. Trust me, this note scared the fuck out of me when I saw it, but if you think I'm going to let someone terrorize my house, my friends, and my community without justification, you're wrong. I'll do it myself, but I do wish you'd help."

Jed sat there looking at the text, thinking over and over about what to say. Finally, he answered:

"I hope we can handle what we're starting."

~~~~~

The next few days are fairly calm; they take another shift as neighborhood watch, but nothing exciting happens. One day, Jed starts walking to Travis's place, but notices the golf cart is parked between two apartments. As he moves closer, he sees it's heading towards the hole in the fence, which leads to a small wooded area between the complex and a shopping mall. Travis is there, sitting on the ground with busted knuckles. He hears crying, and sees blood on some of the trees. "Dude what the hell is going on?"

"... N-Na... Naomi's.... Gone.." he managed to utter under the sobs. "Sh... She... She said it wasn't anything I did, or didn't do, but... Sh-She... SHE'S GONE!!" He broke off in thick cries of anguish and pain. Jed went to help him up, but Travis almost catches his jaw with his fist. "St-Stay away... Just leave... I.. I'll text you l-l-later.".

Jed didn't hear from Travis until about 3:00 the next morning. It was short.

"I know why she did it now... Help me."

Jed sneaks out of his window, to find Travis sitting under the light where he saw those thugs. He was sitting there with his judge revolver, spinning it aimlessly in his hands. Jed comes running, and out of instinct Travis places aim on Jed's midsection. After realizing who it was, he drops his aim, going back to spinning it around his fingers.

"What happened to you, man?" Jed asked, even though the adrenalin that hit his bloodstream had him scared to death.

"She said it wasn't me, that it was her. Isn't that cliche as hell? I loved her man, I was taking most of my money putting it down on an engagement ring, but she decided that I wasn't what she wanted anymore... Does that seem fair to you?" Jed didn't know how to respond, so he just stood there, unable to help his friend. "I know why now. I saw him today... That no-good bitch city boy. He was tryin' to get her while we were dating... I have no idea why I didn't see it then... I guess love really does blind you. I got him though. He'll get his... I'm going to show him, Jed... I'm going to make him hurt... And do you know what the real kicker is?" Jed suddenly snapped awake.

"Wh-what?" he asked nervously.

"He's got that star tattooed on his arm. I saw it, right on his FUCKING ARM!" Travis then pulled the pistol to his head and squeezed the trigger. Click, click, click, "That fucker!" He slung the gun into the road. Jed ran and picked it up, surprised at the sick weight of the weapon. He opened the cylinder, saw five empty slots, and felt some relief, but even with no bullets that was the scariest thing he had ever seen Travis do. He didn't even hesitate to put that gun to his head and pull the trigger. Travis laid against the streetlamp, crying. Jed picked him up and got him into his room. He got him calmed down (the Vicadin he snatched from Karen's purse worked fast), and then he headed his way home.

When he made it back to his window, Jed saw something that made his heart stop. A note, taped to the glass. It read:

YOUR FRIEND DIDN'T DO WHAT WE ASKED
SO WE HURT HIM
UNLESS YOU WANT THE SAME TO HAPPEN TO YOU
STAY AWAY FROM OUR SECRET

Jed made it to his bed with shaking hands. He pulled the covers up to his neck and cried himself to sleep.