Infliction

29

"Oh no, no, no, no, no," Carlos keeps saying as he crouches down and picks Vi up, holding her close to his chest and pressing a hand against her stomach. Sirens come from all around us and I see the ambulance first.

"What the fuck, Tess?! What have you done?!" Carlos yells at me but I can't answer. My sister. I shot her. She could die and its all because of me.

I feel like someone's punched me in the gut and I look up to see Carlos shake his head when a paramedic tries to take Vi from him but then slowly gives her up and stands by as they put her on a stretcher and into the ambulance.

"Is this what you wanted? Your sick need for revenge cost two fucking lives!"

I sniff and wipe a tear with my thumb, refusing to look away from his eyes. He shakes his head and takes a step forward, looking at me with nothing but disgust. "You better pray they don't die or I swear to God I'll ruin you myself," he promises, and every word reverberates in my mind. I know he means it. I saw that look in his eye.

I stand aside as I watch them all go into the ambulance. Then the doors close and they speed off. That's the exact time my legs choose to give away under me and I fall to my knees. My hands may be clean but they are stained with blood. Kyle's. Vivica's.

I let my tears fall down as I feel my heart squeeze. I just want to rip it out and stop this feeling once and for all. Everything tumbles down around me. The walls I've built around myself, my ego, my pride, my confidence, my desire, my goals. My new life. Everything. I cried until my eyes hurt and couldn't weep any more tears.

As the sun set, I found myself in my car. I was driving but I don't know where to. What I do know is that I do not plan on losing my only family member left.

Kyle's POV

I watched as the nurses disinfected my wounds and stitched me up before wrapping my waist with breathable material. I signed some papers of identification and was finally allowed to leave the room. I headed to the emergency section and saw an anxious Carlos pacing up and down the hallway, his head hung low. I placed my good hand on his shoulder to stop him and I saw the faintest smile on his face before he pulled me into a hug, his body trembling.

"I'm sorry," he cried out. I felt my own tears coming.

"It's okay, I'm okay, and I'm sure she will be too. It's only been a couple of hours, we should get some feedback anytime soon."

"I should have come earlier, you know?"

"Don't beat yourself up for it," I try to tell him, making him take a seat. I sit on the cold chair beside him.

"I keep thinking of what if she had done worse and you had died," he says and I keep quiet.

After some silence, I grin as I remember what he had said about regretting being here. "Aren't you glad you came, though?"

"You bet your sweet ass I am," he chuckled, giving me a fist-bump.

"Family of Vivica Greigh?" The doctor walks out, asking. Greigh? I glance at him sideways but he stands up as the doctor approaches us.

"That's us," Carlos answers.

"I'm afraid she's in a very delicate state. We have removed the bullet, but she lost too much blood, I'm afraid she'll need-"

"Doctor! Her heart rate's dropping!" A nurse calls for him and without a second thought he rushes back into the ER.

Tess' POV
I suppressed a muffled cry, feeling my heart race faster than ever before. This cannot be happening to her. I stand and watch from a shirt distance how Kyle and Carlos slump down in their sits with their heads in their hands and I slowly back away. I've caused them too much pain and I know they'll not be thrilled to see me.

I reach for my pendant and start rolling the beads between my fingers, saying Mary's prayer. I slowly open my eyes and face two pupils that don't have any warmth left. I shift and avoid his gaze. I know I messed up really, really badly.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you." He's not? "You've done a number on yourself already, I could not amount to your damage." Lest I forget. "You've heard what the doc said?"

"Sadly," I admit.

"I really do not know what the fuck I'm caught up in, but if you need someone to talk to, hesitate a little before you come to me. I will not turn you down afterwards," he says with a small smile. I smile too, just a little. He gently pulls me into a comforting hug and I almost sigh out loud.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I saw you looking from behind the wall. And your sobs aren't as low as you think they are."

I feel my face heat up and look over the wall to see Kyle looking right back at me. I swallow. Really, really hard.