Frozen Hearts

The first thing I notice when I wake up is the pain I’m in, everything hurts and I don’t really remember what happened. Consciousness didn’t last long initially, but the next time I come to feels better and the pain is nothing more than a dull ache.

My attention is soon captured as the door to my room opens and a nurse walks in, offering me a soft smile when she sees that I’m awake.

“It’s good to finally see you awake,” she says as she checks over my charts, “How’re you feeling?”

“A little sore, but nothing I can’t handle.”

With a nod, the nurse leaves and I find myself alone once again. It was a few hours before anyone entered my room, but my heart sank a little when I spotted Lynx and Salvador rather than Lucas.

“Hey bro,” Lynx greeted, although I could tell that it was forced and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that something was very wrong.

“Where’s Lucas?” I ask immediately, noticing the look that passes between the two men and fighting back the panic that threatens to overtake me, “Where’s Lucas?”

“Gabe, Lucas is...” Salvador began, but I didn’t need him to finish and swallow past the lump that forms in my throat, “He’s dead.”

“How?”

“He was beheaded,” Salvador answers reluctantly.



It was two weeks before I was able to leave the hospital, using that time to plan Lucas’ funeral and now that the day has arrived, I feel numb. Stood at the podium in front of the gang, I glance over at the coffin and take a shaky deep breath as I speak.

“Many of you knew Lucas, but there were only a select few who really knew him and that made things special. He’d hate all of this, all this time spent talking about him and what sort of person he was,” I say as tears roll down my cheeks, “The truth is that Lucas was a stubborn asshole, whose solution to almost every problem consisted of his fists connecting with someone’s face and it got him into trouble more often than not. I think...”

The sound of the church doors opening cut me off and anger rushes through me as my dad enters, causing everyone to pull their weapons. With a simple hand signal, everyone eases off slightly and I walk to stand with Lucas’ brothers.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, but I thought you may be needing this...” my dad says, retrieving something from a black bag and dropping it at my feet.

My eyes widen as Lucas’ head comes to a stop at my feet and I fight the nausea that stirs in my stomach, snapping back to reality when chaos breaks out.

“Enough,” I shout, causing the church to fall silent and the gang's attention to turn to me, “Salvador...”

Salvador nods in understanding and grabs my dad with Lynx’s help, forcing him to his knees. There was no hesitation, he had killed Lucas... killed my husband and there was only one way this would end.

My hand is steady as I place the muzzle of my gun against his forehead, looking him dead in the eye and pulling the trigger. Salvador and Lynx let the body fall to the ground, motioning to a couple of lower gang members to deal with it.

“Gabe?” Lynx inquires as I return my gun to the holster on my hip, picking up the head and placing it in the casket.

“We have to make an example of him,” I say, referring to my dad and the brother’s nod in agreement, “A message to every one that acts of violence against this gang will not go unpunished.”

“We should lay Lucas to rest,” Salvador adds.



Crouched in front of Lucas’ grave a few months later, I play with his wedding ring that hangs from a chain around my neck and place my hand on the cool stone. I spent my entire life fighting to stay away from the gang lifestyle, but now it was my life and Lucas had been right all along... it was in our blood.

“You were right,” I whisper as I get to my feet, “I love you, Lucas... always.”