Ticking Time Bomb

I backed away from Andy as he advanced on me with a knife in his hand. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to outrun him with him blocking the doorway like he was. I had to just accept the fate that Andy had planned for me and I only wished I could’ve held Chris for longer before I would be killed at the hands of Andy. I backed into a hard surface and realized that I’d trapped myself in the corner with an infuriated Andy walking towards me. I felt the tears coming to my eyes as I looked on at him coming closer. Andy grinned before he stabbed the kitchen knife into my stomach and slowly pulled it out. I coughed up the bit of blood that had found it’s way into my throat when he stabbed me again in the stomach. I slid out from around Andy after barely dodging the third strike and screamed for Chris. He had to still be out there. I cried out when I heard the familiar sound of Chris's ride pulling away from the empty apartment complex we lived in.

I forced myself up from the floor despite how tempting sleep was and grabbed Andy’s cell phone from the table. I didn’t think as I unlocked the door and ran out while holding my bleeding stomach. I didn’t know where to go but I knew I needed to find Chris. I could hear Andy yelling at me to get back inside and accept death, but I couldn’t. There was something I needed to do before I gave in. God, where would Chris be? Micah! Micah might know, and I vaguely remember where he lived. This hurts so much, but I have to keep going, Chris needs to know I am so sorry for what I did and said. If I miraculously survive this then I want him, all of him, back into my life. I need him, he’s my rock, and I'm so stupid for letting this go on so long.

I stayed in the darkness of the alleyways as I made my way to Micah's house. It was getting harder to focus, my vision was blurring and each step felt like I had cement blocks for feet. Oh god, I'm not going to make it to Micah’s, no I have to stop telling myself that. I will make it and I will see Chris again. I finally saw the back of Micah’s house and stumbled into his backyard. I felt more blood coming up my throat and spat it out as I searched for a spare key, he had to have one, everyone had one. I felt a little more hopeful as I unlocked the door and stumbled inside.

“Micah?!” I yelled in desperation.

No response.

Damn it, he wasn’t home.

I stumbled into the living room, smearing blood on his perfect white walls, and collapsed onto the couch. I opened Andy’s phone and started to type, exhaustion overcame me halfway through my message and I closed my eyes. My hand from my stomach as I struggled to stay awake.

It’s over, I'm never going to see Chris again, at least I am safe here. Micah will find me, he will tell Chris, and Andy will be arrested for murder. My death will right my wrongs. I couldn’t fight the exhaustion anymore as I passed out on Micah’s couch.



As I made my way up to my house a sense of dread seemed to settle into the pit of my stomach. I opened my front door and was immediately met with the stench of blood. I walked in further and saw a bloody hand hanging off the side of my couch. I ran over to my couch and froze when I recognized Raiden immediately. I went on autopilot as I reached out to touch his peaceful face to find that he was cold. A lump rose in my chest as I lowered my hand and checked for a pulse, I was relieved when I still felt a pulse, but it was short-lived when I realized Raiden didn’t have long. I looked down by my foot and snatched up a bloody cell phone from the floor before lifting Raiden up into my arms. I ran out to my car knowing that Raiden would die before an ambulance arrived and laid him in the backseat.

I hopped in the front seat and tore from my driveway, “hang on Raiden, Chris would kill me if I let you die!” I screamed at an unconscious Raiden.

My heart was racing when I pulled into the hospital parking lot; I didn’t bother parking my car or even turning it off as I jumped from the driver side and picked up Raiden. I ran inside with him in my arms.

“He's dying! Please you have to save him!” I yelled to anyone who would listen.

The doctors and nurses immediately sprung into action when they saw his bloody body. I was shaking when they took him from me and laid him on a gurney. They took him back and another nurse came to ask me questions about him.

“What’s his name? His age?” The nurse asked.

“All I know is his name is Raiden, I think he is nineteen but I’m not sure. I don’t know much about him he's a friend of my friend. I can try contacting someone who knows more than I do,” I said with a shaky voice.

“We would appreciate it if you could, the police will want a full statement from you and any information you or your friend could provide.” The nurse said gently. I could only nod as I stared at the blood on my arms.

I took out my cell phone in a numb state and called Chris, of course he didn’t answer, he never does when it’s important “Chris, there’s been an incident with Raiden. I don’t know what happened, but I found him on my couch, covered in blood, and on the brink of death. It’s not looking good man, they took him back but I can’t go back because I’m not family. I don’t know what kind of mission they have you on, but right now Raiden needs you more than the sinners. Police wanna talk to you since I don’t know anything about him, please get this before it’s too late,” I finished just as the timer ended the call. Now I can only hope that he will hear my message and get here as soon as possible.

I remembered the bloody cell and pulled it from my pocket, I unlocked the screen and saw the message he was trying to type, most of it was gibberish with a few sentences here and there that were coherent, but my eyes stuck on one sentence as I reread it over and over.

Andy stabbed me for confessing my love to Chris.

I couldn’t stop the anger and guilt I felt as I read that sentence. I felt angry because this happy and beautiful kid's life couldve been snuffed out by this sadistic fuck, but also guilt because if I had gotten to his apartment sooner maybe I couldve saved him. Instead I must have gotten there after he had already fled to my house. I can only imagine the pain Chris would feel when he gets my message, especially if he gets it too late. If there was a god, now would be the time to prove it, please let Chris get my message before it’s too late.