Star Bright

by Christina OW

  “Si hija.”

  “Papa.” Maria began, moving closer to him, “If he dies, if any of them die, you better kill yourself, because I will kill you.” Her voice was low and lethal.

  “Maria!” Edna exclaimed, shocked at her daughter’s threat towards her father. All the warm emotions she felt hearing her daughter call Miguel papa completely wiped out.

  “That’s my daughter!” Miguel yelled, proudly. He walked out the house, Dave following close behind him. When they drove off in Dave’s car, several cars parked along the streets followed.

  Edna stood outside next to Maria and watched the cars drive off. She couldn’t understand how Ricky got into the house with all these bodyguards around. She kept quiet, she didn’t want to raise that, and make Maria even more nervous than she was.

  Maria rushed into the house and came back out with her car keys in her hand, “Mama, let’s go!” she spoke, running for the Prado.

  “Go where?” Edna asked, going after her.

  “Where else?” she handed Edna the keys, “You’ll have to drive I don’t want any more pain than I have to endure.” she handed her the keys and walked to the passenger’s side and got in, “Hurry up, we’ll lose them.”

  Edna got in, “It’s too dangerous. You didn’t want Dave to go, but here you are rushing after them.”

  “Mama how much time do you want to waste because you know very well I’m going after them, with or without you.”

  Edna started the car, “Michael is as stubborn as you are, and you are as stubborn as your father, because you definitely don’t get it from me.”

  “Something about an apple and a tree?” Maria leaned back into the seat and tried to stay perfectly still. Her shoulder and her ribs throbbed so much she wished she had taken a few pain killers before she left the hospital.

  Chapter Twenty One

  “How did you get all these people across the border?” Dave asked, stepping out of the car. The beeping lights had stopped at the dark street they were now on. It was full of old warehouses that looked abandoned for years. Miguel’s army had already begun to disperse, holding their guns high as they disappeared in the dark.

  “With money, anything is possible.” He held out a gun for Dave. Dave just stared at it without saying a word, “I promised to take you back safely.” He pulled his hand and placed the gun in it, “Just take care not to shoot yourself.”

  Miguel turned when he heard a loud whistle which killed the amusement on his face. Dave stared at him and knew that it was a signal, “What is it? Did they find them?” he whispered loudly, but the only response he got was Miguel running towards one of the warehouses, “I guess that means yes.” Dave said before he went running after him.

  Ricky sipped at his bottle of beer as he stared at the scared kids squeezed in a corner. Michael had Izzy securely hidden behind him in the corner, whispering words to her that Ricky couldn’t clearly make out. He found it remarkable and funny how over protective his son was to the little girl. He couldn’t understand his behavior, but he knew one thing for sure, he didn’t get that particular trait from him. Ricky was an all for none, and a one for one kind of guy. He also noticed one other thing he didn’t take after him, his looks, the boy had his eyes, but everything else was his mother’s.

  And yet he was so unlike his mother, Maria was a coward, but her son was the complete opposite. Maria always gave in to his abuse, Michael, however, fought back with everything he had. It didn’t matter how many times Ricky hit him, he still fought him barricading the closet door where he had stashed the little blond baby, but once Ricky got his hands on her, Michael did exactly what he was told.

  But Michael didn’t go quietly, he threatened Ricky, promising to have Dave throw him in jail for the rest of his life. The threats, and how sure Michael was that Ricky would get what was coming to him, made Ricky very curious about this Dave he spoke so highly about. If he wasn’t sure the boy was his son, he would have thought he belonged to Dave.

  “You know, you look just like your mother.” Ricky spoke, pulling his chair closer to them, which only made Michael move an inch back, tightening the little space Izzy had. Ricky laughed at Michael’s reaction, “But you get your ballsy courage from me.”

  “I don’t get anything from you.” Michael said sternly.

  “Of course you do, I’m your father.”

  “Ricky do you even know the meaning of that word?”

  “The fact that you exist shows I know the meaning of that word.” he gulped down his beer, “But please, feel free to educate me. I’m sure the rich fancy school you go to must have another meaning to the word.”

  “I’d just be wasting my time.” he turned to look at Izzy, she was asleep, curled up in a ball against the wall and using her bunny as a pillow, “If it doesn’t come from a beer bottle you wouldn’t understand it.”

  Ricky shot off the chair and threw the bottle against the wall. It broke with a loud sound as all the tiny pieces and the liquid inside spread everywhere. Michael stared at him, his eyes full of fear. He moved behind, but Izzy’s low moan made him move to his original position.

  “Don’t ever talk to me like that again.” Ricky bellowed loudly, “have some respect for your father!”

  “You are not my father!” Michael yelled back.

  The yelling woke up Izzy and she sat up rubbing her eyes, “Mickey?”

  Michael stood up, pulling her up with him and placing her firmly behind him, “its okay Izzy daddy is coming to save us.”

  “Dave?” Ricky said his name with disgust, “He’s the daddy your whore of a mother got you?” jealousy riding him hard. When Michael didn’t answer him he went on, “Unless he’s superman, he’ll never find you.”

  “He’ll find us, I know he will.” Michael said confidently.

  “Well Michael, if he does come here, I’ll shoot him.” he pulled out a gun and waved it around in front of him, “And then your new daddy will be dead.”

  “Daddy!” Izzy bubbled out laughing.

  “Yes sweet cheeks, daddy, and he will be dead soon.” Ricky said, after he crouched down to look at her peeping face behind Michael.

  “Actually she was talking to me.” Dave said, stepping into the light.

  Ricky jumped up and pointed the gun towards the voice. Ricky reached back and pulled Michael in front of him then placed the barrel of the gun directly above his head. Izzy moved to stand next to Michael, placing her hand in his.

  Dave froze as he stared at Michael’s scared face. Seeing his daughter standing next to him, oblivious of what was going on, scared him even more.

  “Wow, you really do live up to the hype. They said you were good, but I didn’t think this good.”

  Dave tore his eyes from the gun pointing at his son’s head and looked into Michael’s eyes, his lips pulled up in a tight smile, “Don’t worry Michael, everything will be okay.”

  Ricky pulled at Michael’s hair, “You called me dumb, but he’s dumber. No, everything is not going to be alright.”

  “Izzy, run to daddy.” Michael spoke with a shaky voice and pushed her forward.

  “Don’t you go anywhere you little brat!” Ricky yelled, making Izzy shift fast, back to Michael’s side and held on tight to him.

  “Don’t you dare speak to my daughter like that!” Dave yelled, taking a step closer.

  “Izzy, run now!” Michael ordered, pushing Izzy some more. She looked at him, then up at Ricky and back. After a second of deliberating, she turned around and ran for Dave.

  Ricky raised his hand and pointed the gun at her. Dave moved fast, running for his daughter as the bullet shot out of the mouth of the gun with a loud bang.

  Maria froze by the car, the loud gunshot ringing in her ears like an alarm bell. She felt her chest crush as her breath got shorter and strained, tears burning her eyes. She could no longer feel the pain in her body as it was over powered by the stabbing pain in her chest.

  “Honey that could mean anything.” Edna said with a qui
vering voice as she fought the panic squeezing her chest.

  When another gun shot went off Maria sprinted towards the warehouse like a runner. She fought to keep her head clear, she didn’t want to think of the worst. Her children were her life now, and if they died, she would die too.

  She stopped when she saw a cold rigid Miguel holding a gun high. She felt her body shake in fear when she realized none of the two shots hit Ricky or who else would her father be holding a gun to?

  She took two steps in to see the person the gun was directed to. Ricky was standing across the room, the mouth of his gun resting on the tearful Michael.

  “Mama!” he cried, struggling to get out of Ricky’s hold.

  She choked on her sobs as she stared at her crying, scared son. The sound of his cry drove a knife through her heart as she stared at him, powerlessly, unable to help him.

  “Mama!” he cried again, but this time he pointed to the ground.

  Maria’s eyes shifted down slowly, Dave was lying on the ground covering Izzy’s entire body except her tiny little feet. She felt her heart hit hard against her rib cage as her legs gave way under her and she fell to the ground gasping for the little air her constricted throat let in.

  She didn’t want to believe it, but it was there, light as day. Ricky had killed them both, he had threatened to do it and he did, the only one left for him to take away from her was her son, and that was going to happen in a few more seconds.

  Her daughter and the love of her life lay before her lifeless and it was all her fault. The moment she loved them, she’d condemned them to death, she knew this would happen, but she was so selfish she hung on to them. She loved her new life and her new family she didn’t think of the danger she was putting them in.... yes she did, she just didn’t want to let go of it.

  Her legs, more jelly than flesh and bone, wouldn’t let her stand up, so she dragged her dead legs closer to the two still bodies, a weep escaping her lips as she got closer, “No, please no, please don’t be dead.”

  “Maria, don’t move any closer.” Miguel whispered, inching forward with her.

  “You promised to bring them back to me alive.” she cried louder, “You promised papa!”

  “Hija.” he whispered tenderly, as he leaned down to touch her shoulder, “It’s not what it looks like.”

  She shrugged his hand away and moved closer stretching to touch Izzy’s foot, “They are dead aren’t they? How could it not be what it looks like?” she yelled before she began crying again, “She’s just a baby.” she sobbed, stroking her foot with the tips of her fingers, “my little baby.”

  “See Michael, she replaced you just like she did me.” Ricky snorted out, “She loves those two more than she loves us.”

  “She may not love you, but she loves me!” Michael yelled roughly, rubbing his cheeks dry, “And I hate you too!”

  “You little brat!” he said, pulling Michael’s hair and making him scream out in pain, “I should kill you right now!”

  Maria’s head shot up when she heard Michael’s cry. She struggled to her feet and wiped her tears away. She needed to find a way to save the only person she had left.

  “Ricky, please let him go.” she begged. She wanted to move closer to them, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave Izzy, “It’s me you want to hurt, not him.”

  “I’ll hurt you more if I killed your little bundle of joy here.”

  “Mama he’s supposed to be dead.” Michael asked, puzzled.

  “Don’t worry, he’s going to be very soon.” Miguel answered.

  “Honey just calm down.” she stuttered, “Ricky he’s your son too, you can’t hurt him.” she said with so much anguish.

  “The hell I can’t! Zorro here just shot me and I can’t think of a better way of getting revenge!” He said, signaling with his head to his bleeding arm.

  Maria looked down at Dave and Izzy as Ricky’s words sank in. She only heard two gun shots, if one bullet was in Ricky’s arm why were both Dave and Izzy on the ground? She saw blood on Ricky’s shoulder, but she couldn’t see blood on Izzy or Dave. She felt some hope creep inside her when she stepped around the two, looking them over, searching for the slightest sign of blood.

  “As much and as long as you look at them Maria, they aren’t waking up.” he laughed, “I just killed two birds with one stone, literally!”

  Maria stopped when she saw the puddle of blood at Dave’s back. His brown jacket was also soaked in blood. She felt her heart stop and the little hope she had seeping out of her as she stared down at the blood. That was too much blood for one person, too much to lose to stay conscious for a grown man, for a little girl it meant she was...

  She drunkenly turned around to look at her son and his heartless father, “You’ve taken enough away from me.” she pointed down, “This is enough to torture me for a life time.” she sobbed, tears running down her cheeks, “Please give me back my baby, he’s all I have left.”

  “He was all I had left too until you took him away from me!” Ricky roared, “The second I let him go you’ll run with him, again!”

  “No I won’t, we’ll work it out.” she spoke, moving closer, “Weekends, holidays, we can spend them together. We’ll work it out, without the guns.” she choked, “Or anyone else dying, okay?”

  “I’m not spending any time with this ugly animal!” Michael yelled. Maria felt her nerves spark at Michael’s boldness to insult a man holding a gun to his head.

  Ricky looked down at him, his eyes red like a raging bull, “It’s your mother’s fault I’m like this!”

  “Ricky!” she called out frantically, “He’s a child, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

  Ricky quietly stared at her for a while before he spoke, “You know the time we spent here alone, I got to chat with my son and watch how protective he was over....” he smiled, “your dead blond baby over there.” his grin widened when he saw the pain in Maria’s eyes, “and I got to thinking, we have nothing in common.”

  “Thank God!” Michael exclaimed.

  “He even has a smart mouth. Are you sure he’s my son?” his amusement quickly faded away, “Did you cheat on me?”

  “I wish!”

  “Michael.” Maria warned. He was picking the worst time to be a smart ass, “he is your son, you know that.”

  Ricky raised his gun and pointed it at Maria, “You whore, you did cheat on me!”

  Maria felt relieved that the gun wasn’t pointed at Michael’s head, but she felt uneasy having it pointed at her, “Ricky...” she was cut short when two loud shots filled the warehouse, it echoed for a few seconds before there was complete silence again.

  Maria watched Ricky’s eyes go blank before he fell over dragging Michael down with him. It only took a second for Maria to react once he hit the ground. She ran to them, knelt down and pulled Michael away from the blood seeping out the front of Ricky’s shirt. She held Michael against her and hid his face in her shoulder. She didn’t want him to see Ricky like that, not because his father had been shot right in front of him, but because she didn’t want him to have nightmares.

  She lifted Michael up and carried him, moaning as pain shot through her ribs and shoulders. She wanted to cry out when Michael held her tighter, but she wasn’t going to let the pain tear her son out of her arms.

  “I’m so sorry Michael, this is my entire fault.” she cried, turning to face Dave’s and Izzy’s body, “I’m so sorry.”

  Miguel yelled in Spanish before he forcefully pulled Michael out of Maria’s embrace, “You are in pain hija and carrying Michael will only make it worse.”

  Maria nodded, stroking Michael’s hair, “That was very risky.”

  “I’m a good shot.”

  Maria turned and slowly approached the other half of her family. She choked on a few sobs as the pain ripped apart her heart, “Not good enough papa.” she knelt down, put her face in her hands and cried over them hysterically. This isn’t the happily ever after she dreamed about, a life without R
icky is what she wanted and now she was going to have a life without Ricky and Izzy and Dave.

  “Mommy, daddy heavy.” Izzy’s muffled chirpy voice sang out.

  Maria’s head shot up at her voice. She thought she was dreaming, or she had finally lost her mind, but when she saw Dave’s arm move, she knew she wasn’t hallucinating. She slowly pulled Dave’s cold body over to expose Izzy whose hair was wet and red. Maria pulled her up and hugged her tightly against her.

  “My baby, my little baby.” she kissed her cheeks, her nose and her little hands all the while checking for a bullet hole.

  Edna knelt down next to her with a cloth in her hand, “She’s fine Maria.” she cried out relieved and began wiping the blood out of her hair.

  “So is he.” Miguel spoke, kneeling down next to Dave. Miguel put his hand over Dave’s wound and pressed down hard. Dave woke up screaming before he was out again, “See.” Miguel said with a smile.

  Maria felt her heart skip in relief when she saw a ball of tears escape Dave’s closed eyes. She moved to cradle his head on her lap and kissed his face as she laughed and cried at the same time.

  “Miguel what’s wrong with you!” Edna scolded, swatting him with the now red cloth.

  “What?” Miguel sounded offended, “It was a through and through shot and in the shoulder not his chest.”

  “Oh sure, a hole in the shoulder is just like a paper cut.” Edna said sarcastically.

  “Si.” Miguel’s answer earned him another swat.

  Maria had so far ignored her parents, but the blood seeping out of Dave’s shoulder made her very uneasy, “Are you two waiting for Dave to bleed out before we call an ambulance!”

  “One is already on its way.” Edna answered, handing her the cloth, “Here, put this over his wound.” she placed her hand on Maria’s cheek, “the nightmare is finally over honey, it’s over.”

  “Not yet mama, when Dave wakes up and starts running my life again, then it will be over.”

  Chapter Twenty Two