Post by Evan De Parker on May 18, 2013 20:59:48 GMT -4
These are the decisions that define us...
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Ocean City, Maryland
”What do you mean, she left?”
”Sh-- she just came in here and said that she was sorry for bothering me-- and she packed up all of her things, and she left with Chastity.”
”She took... Ugh... How long ago was this?!”
”It was about an hour ago, I think.”
”An hour?! Why didn’t you call me?!”
”I did! You left your phone here!”
”Jesus.”
”She’s only spoken to you twice in twelve days, Evan. I didn’t even know that.”
”I-- I’ve just been busy!”
”You’ve been here, in your gym, or playing video games, or getting drunk in the home theater. You haven’t been busy in days, Ev.”
We blink into color, where Evan Envi is seated on the edge of his bed, his face buried in his hands. Jenny Knite sits next to him, one leg crossed over the other with a curious gaze directed toward her client, and friend.
”Don’t let this interfere with what you have to do next weekend.”
Evan shoots Jenny an annoyed glance from the corner of his eye.
”I’m aware of what I have to do, Jenny, thanks.”
”Are you sure? I understand the gravity of this situation, my friend... Michelle walked out of your house. Next? She’s going to walk out on this relationship. And--”
”Please, tell me you aren’t trying to motivate me.”
”Evan, the only relationship I want you to focus on is your relationship with...” Jenny turns, nodding toward the pristine, platinum championship belt that sits atop Evan’s dresser in the corner of his bedroom-- staring back at them, invasively. ”...Lady Overdrive.”
She turns to him again, and Evan has a vague smile on his face as he observes “The Lady.” He stares up at it in silence, frozen like that for a moment before it fades and he turns toward Jenny again.
”That’s why she left, right?”
Jenny continues to stare at Evan without providing a response... Not because she doesn’t want to, but because the twenty-year-old legitimately lacks an answer. Her suspicions may be written on her face, prompting that worried glance that Evan’s giving her now-- and she tries to mask them, trying to remain neutral, but she knows that it’s to no avail. She knows it’s futile.
”I figured.”
”I’m sorry--”
”No. You’re not. You care about one thing... And it’s the one thing I pay you to care about. You don’t need to worry about my personal life.”
”Evan, you’re my friend.”
”Jennifer, you’re my agent. Stop getting confused.”
He looks down, unsurely after the statement, but doesn’t raise his eyes to meet Jenny’s again, perhaps unwilling to deal with the inevitable. He can nearly feel the penetrative eyes, knowing that if he sees them, he’ll succumb to guilt... And anyone that knows Evan Envi, knows that Evan Envi does not do guilt. Not if he can help it.
”I’m gonna take a shower or something. Why don’t you like... Order a pizza or-- find us a movie or-- some liquor or something?”
”By ‘pizza’, you mean a small salad, and by ‘liquor’, you mean a crisp, red wine. Right?”
Evan winks. ”That’s the shit I pay you for.”
MEANWHILE in the Otherverse...
Our scene quickly blinks in from black. Immediately, we can discern that we are on a subway. We are looking at Evan, who sits quietly in the beige-colored seats of the metro, idly running the nail of his thumb over an imperfections in the seats. He is dressed in gray tank top and multi-colored swim trunks, designed to imitate tie-dye.
Worn and ripped brown flip-flops adorn his feet... And his feet are what tell a disturbing story-- his toenails are caked with dried blood. His feet are scarred... The victims of miles along the coast, barefoot, and wearing the evidence of blisters and sores.
Evan sighs, looking down at his wounds, and then reaches into the pocket of the trunks. He fishes around blindly for a couple of seconds before retrieving a Polaroid picture.
”What’s that? Hm?”
Evan looks up, hardly surprised to see the inexplicable presence of a young passenger, possibly around his age. We recognize the man as “John”, and no more than “John.” John is dressed similarly to Evan-- in a white V-neck and plaid-themed swim trunks. His black hair is pulled back behind his head in a ponytail, and a broad grin seems to stretch across his entire face, exaggerating each of his already-pronounced features.
”Is it a lady?”
Evan doesn’t respond, for he knows he doesn’t have to. The smirk that crosses John’s face a moment later is indicative of his omniscience.
”Is she pretty?”
Evan does respond. Because he feels compelled to.
”Beautiful.”
John smirks, pleased to have earned conversation.
”How long until we see her?”
”We?”
”We’re a team, aren’t we? I helped you kill Mania just so you could meet this Lady. I died for you, twice, if I remember correctly. It was twice, wasn’t it, hm?”
”No one asked you to.”
”You didn’t need to.”
”You’re not coming.”
”Why? Is the Lady too good for your old pal, Johnny?”
”Psh, yeah. I would say so.”
”What a shitty way to talk to your friends.”
”What a shitty way to present yourself as a friend. You’re the undead, evidently, and I have a very strict no-ghost policy.”
”I’m not a ghost, you dunce! Let me meet this bitch! I want to see why she’s so gr--”
”Don’t you ever...”
John freezes as Evan leaps to his feet, lunging across the short distance to the other side of the cab, grabbing John by the throat, forcing the back of his head against the glass. John’s eyes grow wide and steady as he looks at Evan. He breathes, heavily, but makes no move to pull away, or pull Evan off of him. It seems that, after seconds, Evan comes to the decision on his own.
Evan sighs and releases his grip on John. He staggers backward, thrown mildly off-kilter due to the sharp movements of the subway. Finally, he steadies himself, grabbing one of the chrome rails and rubs his eyes with his free hand.
”Don’t call her out of her name, John. I’m beggin’ you.”
”Jeez, man, alright. Consider it noted. Did you need to try to crush my larynx? I thought we were cool!”
”Right.”
”Hey, where’s this train headed, my man?”
”Fuckin’... I dunno.”
”How do you not--?”
”I just know that it’s taking me to her.”
”The Lady?”
”Yeah.”
”The one in that picture?”
Evan doesn’t have the time to react, for John lunges forward and swipes the photograph. Evan makes a small grunt of agitation. John’s eyes widen as he observes the photo and a broad smile stretches across his face once again.
”My, my, my. She IS a beauty! I’ve seen her before!”
”You have?”
”Hahahaha, man, EVERYBODY has seen her before! That’s Lady OD. She’s... Goddamn, she’s a fox, if you don’t mind me saying. I didn’t know she was your bi--” John clears his throat as Evan meets him with a glare in mid-sentene. ”I mean, your girl...”
”How do you know her?”
”Well... Haha, you gotta promise not to try to blow my fuckin’ brains out, you know?”
Evan greets John with another cold stare, but John detects no malice in it. He moves his hands through the pockets of his trunks, idly at first, but smiles in satisfaction as he detects a carton of Newports. He slides the pack out into his hand, filtering through until he retrieves a single cigarette, pulling a small, black lighter from the carton to ignite the end of it.
”Heard of a man named The Goocher?”
Evan openly laughs at the name. ”The Goocher? Really?”
”Don’t laugh.” John shrugs, though he is smirking himself, and he slides the carton into his pocket again. ”He’s a real man, with real ambitions. He’s got a farm, and a son, and a--”
”What’s your point? What’s-- what’s this have to do with the Lady?”
”Depending on how you look at it, it has a lot to do with Lady OD.”
As John takes a puff of the cigarette, Evan’s eyes drift toward the ”NO SMOKING” sign which is attached to the window, just a few feet to his left, but his eyes roll back toward John once he continues speaking, following another drag from the Newport.
”He likes her a hell of a lot, man. You going there to visit her... It could stir up trouble.”
”It’s not an option. She’s mine.”
”The Goocher might not see it that way. In fact, I know he won’t. Call it a gut feeling, hm?” He takes another drag. ”What’s your story, anyway? What happened between you and Lady OD after you cracked Mania’s skull?”
”Everything.”
”You told her you loved her and all that jazz?”
”Yeah. I did. And I doubt ‘The Goocher’ has ever felt that...”
”Did she say it back?”
Evan nods. ”Every night.”
”And you’ve killed for her since you took her from Mania, haven’t you?”
There is slight hesitation with the next response, and out of the corner of his eye, Evan can see the growing grin on John’s face, and he sighs.
”You know I have.”
”How many times?”
”Twice. A man and a woman. Zing-- Zing was her name.”
”Ooooh, a woman? Kinky shit you’re getting yourself into, my man.”
”...You know the Lady’s whereabouts? You know-- you know where to find her and all these things about her.”
”I think I could lead you in the right direction. I just hope you’re ready for a fight.”
”I think I’ve come to expect it.”
”Well, good.” John takes a deep drag of the cigarette. ”That’s good.”
”The Goocher... He doesn’t own her-- does he?”
John shakes his head, nonchalantly.
”Nahhhh... No... Not yet.” He smirks as Evan shifts, uneasily at the reply. ”What? Not the answer you were looking for?”
”What claim does he have to her?”
”None, really. He’s just... Bigger. Stronger.”
”Smarter?”
”Maybe not. Hm. I wouldn’t call him an idiot either though.”
Evan ponders the statement for a few moments and then utters a monosyllabic, dry laugh.
”The guy calls himself The Goocher. He can’t be a dumbass too-- that’d be too easy, wouldn’t it?”
John snubs the end of the cigarette. He digs it into the already-patchy seating and flicks the filter into the air, watching as it flutters harmlessly to the ground.
”You try to fight him, Evan... And it might not end the way you want it to.”
”He has nerve, coming between me and the Lady...”
”I’ll only warn you once-- the guy’s a monster, Evan.”
”...Sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong...”
”Do let his kindness fool you, my friend. He’s a killer, just like you.”
”...And maybe he’ll get away with it with anybody else...”
”He’ll rip you.”
”...Anybody else in the world...”
”Limb from limb.”
”...But I’m not just anybody.”
The two men gaze across at each other.
They are no longer beneath the earth, in a metropolitan-area subway. The entire vehicle has morphed... We are now on a train, which looks nearly as old as the steel, near-worn tracks that it rides on. We are no longer surrounded by concrete and lights... We’re surrounded by ocean, trees, and dirt.
”Welcome to Rio de Janeiro, my friend.”
Monday, May 13, 2013
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
”You don’t look so hot, baby-bear.”
We blink into action. Sienna Harrison and Evan Envi are walking-- though we aren’t quite sure where their final destination is quite yet.
Her words are a vague, but accurate description of Evan Envi’s physical appearance. He does seem a few shades lighter than usual. His normally, sun-kissed skin looks like it hasn’t seen the light in days despite Sienna’s knowledge of the contrary. His hair remains uncombed and untouched, while his eyes are half-lidded, a disenchanted gaze written on his face. He angles his head, slightly, toward Sienna and utters a very brief and unapologetic, ”Sorry.”
We pan out a little, revealing the path that the siblings have decided to take.
They are on a road... A long, winding road, bushes and trees covering nearly every inch of either shoulder. Sienna spares a look up toward the sun and then around at their surroundings before she jogs a little in an effort to keep up with her brother.
”I don’t think we should be going on a... Hike... Or whatever this is, if you’re not feeling okay. Are you feeling okay?”
”I feel fine.”
”Are you nervous?”
”Sienna, please! Don’t insult me, eh?”
”...You’re not in a good place, baby-bear. Okay? I know this. Jenny told me about Michelle leaving, and--!”
”Oh, for the love of GOD, does Jenny keep anything to herself?”
”...I’m sorry that happened to you. You have to focus on Buckson Gooch though. I figured it would be easy, what with him trying to take your ‘Lady’ and everything.”
Evan visibly cringes at that statement-- at the very notion. ”He’s not going to be able to get away with it.”
”Good!”
”I don’t care how big he is. I don’t care if he’s three hundred and forty-five pounds.”
”Perfect!”
”I don’t care if he fights dirty, or if he learned how to grapple down south. I don’t care if that somehow makes him a different wrestler than me...”
Evan suddenly comes to a stop, and it takes Sienna a moment to realize that she is no longer keeping pace with her brother. With a raised eyebrow, she turns and looks to see that Evan has stopped. His hands rest in his pockets and Sienna is unable to distinguish whether he’s looking at her... Or through her.
”There’s a ‘but’ coming, isn’t there?”
”I...”
”Evan, you are a HARRISON. Think of how many people you’re letting down if you go out there and a part of you thinks you aren’t going to maim that ape, Gooch. We don’t have time for your annual emotional-meltdown, self-doubt bullsh--”
”When did you decide it was time to hang it all up?”
”...When did I-- wha-- excuse me?”
Evan spares another look around at their surroundings again and then offers a slight shrug. ”When did you call it quits and decide that you wanted to take a backseat role in the business?”
Sienna’s face initially tells a tale of anger, matched by confusion. She walks toward her brother and reaches up, placing a hand on his shoulder.
”Why?”
”Just wanna know.”
”You’re not letting all this shit get to you, are you? The backstage stuff? Or is it all REALLY just Gooch?”
Evan looks unfocused. His mind is running at a million miles per minute, and Sienna can see it in his flickering eyes. She groans and rubs her temples.
”Evan, I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask me that.”
”If I lose to Buckson Gooch, and Lady Overdrive falls into the wrong hands, then what have I been fighting for since Survive and Conquer?”
”You can’t let that--!”
”Are they really the wrong hands? I mean... I’m at the top right now, Sienna. On Overdrive, I can confidently look anybody on the roster and tell them that without a doubt, it’s my show and I mean it. I mean, Level One can call me the ‘lowly Overdrive Champion’ all he wants, but he knows as well as I do that Overdrive isn’t his and it hasn’t been in over a year. People like CJ Gates and Michael Callahan try to deny me of opportunities and accolades that I deserve...
“But I always thought that when I said ‘Overdrive is my show’ I would be looking across the ring at people like Kurt Noble, and Mark Mania, and Chris Hart, and Terry Marvin. But that’s not what’s happening.”
For a long, long moment, Sienna stares at her brother, a concerned look on her face.
”And where is Buckson Gooch on that list?”
He’s silent.
Evan looks down, and Sienna isn’t even sure if he’s heard her question. Maybe it doesn’t pertain directly enough to him to warrant a response.
”Buckson Gooch is one of the greatest wrestlers in the sport today, and I wouldn’t want to be wrestling opposite anybody else at Mayhem. He’s the heartbeat behind Thursday Night Overdrive. He pumps the blood through this entire system.
“And the most dangerous thing about him is that no matter how good he is, he doesn’t see it in himself, so he has no reason to stop climbing, and clawing, and getting hungrier... And hungrier... Because Buckson Gooch is a man with very simple needs-- honor and validation.
“The honor is his because he gets to step into the ring with greatness, but he doesn’t think he should be there. He wants to validate his position in this match by driving his boot into my jaw, putting me on the mat, and covering me to become the protector of Lady Overdrive. He won’t be happy unless he does exactly that, and even then, he won’t be satisfied. Buckson Gooch is a man with no limits. Buckson Gooch is a man with no ceilings.
“It’s a perfect recipe for mayhem.”
Sienna, whom was not initially expecting a response, looks at Evan with her eyes growing slightly wider as he goes on with what she can merely call a tirade.
”So if this match is supposed to be so great, then what’s the problem?”
Evan shakes his head and begins walking again, moving past Sienna and making his way down the road once more.
”Nobody’s going to appreciate it, because APW is too busy being portrayed as the seventh circle of Hell. Those of us that are here for real fucking wrestling aren’t the focus anymore. We’re the side act. Me. Gooch. Lady Overdrive...”
”That’s not true.”
”Meltdown is one of the few things in APW that hasn’t been tainted by the media. And tainted by ourselves, apparently. So... Promise me you won’t screw that up, alright?”
Sienna, unable to decode the intentions behind the statement, cycles through several different emotions before she responds. ”Steal the show then.”
”I had planned on that.”
”And beat Gooch.”
”...I had--”
”You hesitated.”
”I’m just tired.”
”Why is this such a problem now? Evan-- you’re worrying me. I need to know that you’re going to beat him. I need to know that you haven’t lost your damn mind. Come on. You’ve said several times that you can beat him. You-- you’re in love with Lady Overdrive.”
”She’s mean.”
”What did you just say?”
”I know what I have to do at Mayhem, Sienna, trust me. I don’t plan on letting Gooch walk over me, and I know that he has the power and the skill to do it-- so I’ll hurt him before he gets the chance. I’ll break him. I’ll choke him. I’ll do whatever I need to do, to get that son of a bitch on the ground and put him away.
“I’ll beat Buckson Gooch within an inch of his life to hold onto Lady Overdrive, and there... There will be no hesitation.
“...But I’m not gonna the Lady control my life anymore, Sienna. I’m not going to let her dictate how I talk to people, or how I wrestle, or-- or anything. I’m taking control of this relationship.”
Abruptly, Evan turns off of the road, instead, opting to move across one of the unkempt spring Philadelphia fields, with Sienna, once again, struggling to keep up.
”Are we there yet?”
Evan scoffs, rolling his eyes at her approach.
”I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
”Go ahead then.”
”You have a problem with Gooch?”
Sienna looks at Evan, only briefly-- a glimpse. She then shakes her head a little and turns away. ”No.”
”Then why do you want me to beat him so bad?”
”...I just want some good news for once. And if it’s at his expense, fine.”
The pair approach an oak tree. Its size isn’t great compared to many-- but it’s still massive for a tree. Ribbons and streamers hang from the branches. Faded and torn balloons are wrapped around the twigs and leaves, dangling lifelessly, casualties of poor placement and wind.
Evan is sorting through rocks that litter the dirt between the grass and the base of the tree. Soon, the rocks become thick, stuck within the dirt. Evan grunts as he tugs rocks from the ground, looking into the holes, shoving rocks back into them... Moving onto the next.
”Can I ask?”
”Here.”
Evan removes a white rock and pulls a yellowed, horizontally-folded pamphlet. A look of excitement is on his face as he holds it up to Sienna... Whom, for the record, is completely perplexed.
”What is it?”
”It’s the end of the story.”
”...What story?”
”John told me he would leave it here. It’s the end of the story!”
”...Oh... Oh. Okay. Cool. That’s cool, Ev.”
Evan laughs, nearly hysterically and shoves the pamphlet into his pocket before he throws his arms around Sienna, hugging her. She timidly hugs him back, patting his back.
”Oooookay. Do this at Mayhem, and you’ll confuse Gooch into submission. This is good. This is good technique. Remember this strategy.”
MEANWHILE in the Otherverse...
Still dressed in their beach-esque attire, our heroes saunter through the packed streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Several of the residents turn, giving strange looks to Evan and John. Evan returns some of their gazes, locking eyes with several men, women, and children alike. He nudges John as they pass through the crowds, which seem to grow silent as they move through.
”What’s the deal?”
John keeps his head down, grabbing Evan’s wrist as they push through the crowds.
”They know why you’re here. They smell it on you.”
”Well, what do they want?”
”Hah! Oh, so naive, are we, young Evan?”
”...Perhaps?”
John turns, looking up at Evan only for a second to give him a smirk.
”They want to see a fight.”
Evan takes a deep breath, and finally after what seems like an eternity, the duo push their way through the streets and onto the sand.
”You ready to see her?”
Evan lifts his tank top to reveal the grip of his idle revolver. John groans a bit at the sight and looks up at Evan, shaking his head.
”That’s not how you fight with the Goocher, bro!”
”Maybe I don’t give a fuck how the Goocher fights. Maybe I just want my girl.”
”Dude, I’m warning you. Keep that shit down. Keep it quiet.”
Evan doesn’t respond, because he never gets the opportunity to respond. As they step out farther onto the beach, he sees her.
Standing, clad in a golden bikini that nearly melts into her bronzed skin in the sunlight, is Lady Overdrive. She turns, immediately locking eyes with Evan. He can’t see the familiar, smoky, inviting, invasive eyes behind her heart-shaped sunglasses, but he can see the pursed lips which curve into a smile. She raises a hand, waving innocently, and Evan can feel his entire body grow cold. The chill runs up his spine. The goosebumps align his entire body. Evan licks his lips, doing his best to prevent the dry-mouth syndrome...
...And Lady Overdrive beckons him forward, backing toward the water as the waves crash against the beach.
”She’s a fox, right?”
”Right...”
Evan’s response is breathless. He doesn’t seem to be there in his entirety. He feels his hand slip away from the protectiveness of the revolver and he moves toward the water, toward the Lady as he’s summoned forward.
”Evan, wait-- where are you going? Remember the Goocher? He’s out there!”
”He’s not standing between us now...”
Again, his response is distant. John frowns and moves to follow Evan, shaking his head wildly in warning.
”Evan, don’t take another step toward that wench!”
Evan stops. He jerks, as if he’d been slapped and turns, shooting a glare at John.
”Watch your fucking mouth.”
”It’s a trap! She’s robbing you blind!”
”John, shut up.”
”It isn’t what you think! The Lady isn’t what you THINK she is.”
”Shut up.”
”Get off the beach! This has gone far enough! Bringing you here was a mistake! The Goocher will--”
”I don’t need to hear about how big, and how scary, and how involved with Lady OD the Goocher is. I know what he’s capable of. You’ve told me! And I KNOW what I’m capable of. I don’t know why this has become a continuous argument.”
”Because you think you’re safe, because of what you’ve done, but bro, you aren’t safe! You haven’t seen him!”
”I know enough. Now I’m going to go see my Lady.”
”Evan!”
Evan strides across the beach and Lady OD smiles brightly, squealing in delight as he draws near. She stays where she is, hair flowing in the wind, and arms outstretched.
”Something isn’t right...”
And finally, Evan comes into contact with her, sliding his arms around her waist while she hugs him tightly, planting a soft kiss on his temple before whispering something into his ear. Her sunglasses fall slightly, and John can see the devious look from above her glasses, cast in his direction. He narrows his eyes and shakes his head.
”HEY!”
John turns-- and it is only a second before he finds himself flung aside, to the ground. He hits the sand back-first and groans as he watches a behemoth stomp past him. The man has to tower over everybody at eight feet tall. He has to be over five hundred pounds of mass and muscle. His face is red... His hair is long, and oily. His beard is scraggly, and dark. His nails are covered in red. John immediately identifies it as blood.
He turns and yells toward Evan.
”Evan, MOVE! Gooch!”
Evan tightens his grip on the Lady as he sees the monster, the Goocher charging toward them, a horrifying roar emanating from his mouth. Evan tries to pull himself and the Lady from danger...
However, she doesn’t move.
”We have to go! Come on!”
She continues to stand there, unable-- or unwilling-- to move, continuing to stare ahead at Evan with an eerie smirk. It’s a smile that doesn’t fade, even in danger.
”...We have to...”
Her touch suddenly becomes cold. He removes his hand from her arm in shock. His entire palm feels as if it’s been frozen. He immediately turns, watching as the monster barrels over tanners and vacationers, while they scream, many of them yelling words of warning toward Evan... And Evan reaches into the waist of his trunks, fumbling for the gun, fumbling for the grip--
CRACK!
Evan’s eyes widen and his mouth opens in a hollow and silent “O” of agony. He is hurled through the air and lands sternum, and-elbows first in the sand. The gun bounces across the sand. Water crashes into the shore, splashing into Evan’s face. He rolls onto his back and gasps as he sees the Goocher rush forward, raising one giant boot high into the air, prepared to bring it down on his skull--
Evan rolls away, swiping the revolver from the ground, avoiding disaster by inches.
”Stop!”
CRACK!
”Evan!”
Evan is thrown through the air again, this time, feeling as if every bone inside of his body is on fire. He hits the ground, landing on his back. Again, the revolver tumbles from his grip. He sits up, groaning in agony as he does so. The Goocher stomps toward him, a look of pure agony on his face.
”There’s no way...”
The Lady accompanies him, smirking as she strides along at his side, seeming to glide over the sand as she walks.
”No way...”
”Evan, do something! Shit!”
Evan crawls toward the revolver. He lifts it up, but as he turns-- she’s already on top of him.
”What-- what do you want? I thought...”
Lady OD kneels over Evan, her sunglasses cast aside, and her hair continuing to blow through the wind... Wind that Evan doesn’t even feel. Her eyes lack life.
Her eyes lack light. They lack caring.
”...I thought you were on my side... Not his...”
She remains hovering over him, and reaches her hand down on top of his, loosening his grip on the gun.
”No--.”
She brings a finger to her lips, whispering “sssshhhh...” before slowly going back to pulling Evan’s fingers, one by one, from the revolver.
”EVAN, DON’T LET HER FUCKING DO THAT!”
The Goocher stands behind Lady OD and glares down at Evan, watching with wide and alert eyes as the Lady removes Evan’s left hand from the gun. She then goes to easily pull it from his right hand...
BANG!
And her eyes grow wide.
BANG!
A second bullet rips through her sternum, and into the stomach of the Goocher. He looks down at the wound, his expression not angered... Not frightened, but curious.
”No...”
Evan feels the tears beginning to form in his eyes as the Lady looks down at him in absolute horror, her mouth opening to plead-- or to beg-- but only blood pours out, flowing freely over her bottom lip, onto Evan before she falls off of him, collapsing in a heap... Motionless.
”No, no, no, no, no--!”
The Goocher watches as she dies, her eyes locked on Evan.
He watches as she perishes at Evan’s side, and he screams again, bellowing, an inhuman roar.
BANG!
One more.
BANG!
Click.
Click.
Evan drops the gun as the final two bullets tear into the Goocher’s chest, and his jaw respectively. He watches as the jaw separates, with the bone and flesh dangling beneath his mouth. The Goocher falls to his knees, and he collapses, his eyes locked on Evan. Even in death. Just like the Lady’s.
Evan looks down at the two of them and drops the gun, throwing his hands to his head, bringing his knees to his chest.
He listens as John timidly makes his way over the broken bodies, rocks, and sand toward him on the beach.
He listens to the waves crash and die against the shore.
He says nothing.
