Actor in Hollywood

One step, then another.

Tommy stepped out of the shadows, swinging a baseball bat, wobbling like he was walking a runway. No dodging, no evading—he made a frontal approach.

In the stillness of the night, the faint sound of the bat scraping the dirt filled the air. It wasn't loud, but it made the hair on their skin stand on end.

Closer. And closer.

Evan refused to back down. He shielded Keller behind him, raising his right hand to try to stop Tommy. When dealing with a mad dog, keeping your distance was the best move.

"Stay away from us, you freak."

Heh.

Tommy smiled.

Since his entrance, Tommy hadn't said a single word, yet the tension in the air had reached its peak. Watching Evan protectively guarding Keller, their faces filled with dread, made Tommy feel ridiculous.

"Oh. What do you mean by 'us,' exactly?"

"Us" referred to Evan and Keller, but clearly, Tommy didn't think they should be bundled together.

"As if I'd hurt my own sister."

Tommy tilted his head, studying Evan with a heartbroken expression, his left hand idly drawing circles in the dirt with the baseball bat, his voice calm in protest.

No yelling, no threats, no sudden moves, no attacks.

However…

The dangerous aura he exuded created an overwhelming pressure, forcing Evan and Keller to keep stepping back, trying to maintain a safe distance.

Their retreat only made Tommy angrier, more sarcastic. He dragged his heavy body with the bat, looking as if he might collapse at any moment, but his eyes never wavered from Evan, though his peripheral vision occasionally flickered toward Keller.

"You really have it good, Evan."

"You've got the perfect life, the perfect friends, and on top of that, you've even hooked up with my sister."

"I'll admit, she's pretty good-looking."

Step by step, the tension grew unbearable.

It was noticeable now—Tommy's words sped up, his steps quickened. You could almost hear the fire in his blood beginning to boil.

Evan didn't respond. He just kept shielding Keller, spreading his arms like a mother hen guarding her chicks, his sharp eyes locked on Tommy.

Finally, Keller couldn't hold back any longer. Hearing Tommy's taunting tone, she lashed out in anger, "Shut up, Tommy!"

Tommy wasn't pleased. He pulled a face at Keller. "Come on, I was complimenting you!"

Evan shook his head lightly. "Tommy, what are you doing?"

Tommy suddenly stopped.

The air froze.

He stood there, head tilted, examining Evan and Keller closely. In the dim night, his expression and gaze were unclear, but beneath the calm exterior, you could sense the wild beast stirring.

Finally, it formed into a smile.

A sad and bitter smile. An angry and despairing smile.

"Hah."

"Even if the whole world loves you, it's not enough. You had to take away the one person in this world who didn't treat me like a pile of garbage?"

Evan raised his hands in a gesture to stop, trying to calm Tommy down.

But Keller spoke first, "Tommy, you know I love you."

Evan added, "No one thinks you're a pile of garbage."

"Heh." Tommy laughed, his face full of forced cheer. "Wait, really? What did you just call me again? Let me think."

Tommy really looked up at the sky, pretending to be deep in thought.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed like they were having a friendly conversation. But it lasted only a moment.

"Oh, I believe it was…"

"Freak."

One word, one sentence. Before the word even fully escaped his lips, Tommy's expression shifted—his pleasant demeanor turned into fierce rage.

Bang!

The silver baseball bat swung in an arc, striking Evan's shin bone with a vicious crack as Tommy switched it from his left to right hand.

Evan: Ugh.

A muffled grunt.

The pain was too intense, too sudden. Evan didn't even have time to cry out. The sharp agony hit him like a tidal wave, overwhelming his mind.

His vision went dark.

Keller's panicked voice echoed in his ears, "Tommy! Stop it, Tommy!"

But.

Keller's plea only fueled Tommy's rage. He gritted his teeth, and the baseball bat answered Keller's cry—

One hit. To the arm.

Another. To the waist.

And one more. To the leg.

Three quick, brutal strikes like a storm, giving Evan no chance to catch his breath.

Evan collapsed.

When the pain reached its peak, his brain couldn't function. Evan curled up, utterly defenseless, as blow after blow rained down on him.

"Stop!"

Bang.

One hit. To the back. The bat.

"Tommy, stop!"

Bang.

Another hit. To the stomach. A kick.

Keller's anguished, tear-filled screams begged Tommy to stop, but her words only drove him into further madness.

Buzz.

Evan's mind buzzed. He could almost hear the sound of his sanity snapping. After a crisp "pop," the pain disappeared.

Everything was chaos. Everything was white noise.

His entire body was limp, as if the string in his spine had been pulled out, and his bones started slowly falling apart, one by one.

But the beating didn't stop. He could no longer tell what was a punch, what was a kick, or what was a blow from the bat.

Keller was in utter despair. "No, God, no…"

Finally!

The storm seemed to cease.

Evan, curled up like a shrimp, struggled to stay conscious, with only one thought in his mind:

Breathe. Evan, just breathe.

"Heh."

Tommy, gasping for breath, wore a twisted smile.

Seeing Evan trying to get back up, Tommy stomped on Evan's right shoulder, forcing him back into the dirt.

Tommy circled Evan like a hunter showing off his prey, spitting on the ground beside him. But even though his prey was Evan, Tommy's gaze was locked on Keller—a challenge and a threat.

Keller watched, unable to believe her eyes, tears streaming down her face, her heart shattered.

"No, Tommy. Stop."

It wasn't a scream, nor a roar, but a helpless plea.

Keller couldn't bear to see this. She wanted to protect Evan, but also Tommy—

She couldn't stand by and watch Tommy kill Evan. She didn't want Tommy to make such a grave mistake.

Watching Evan lie there motionless, Keller sank into despair.

However.

Tommy noticed. Keller's sad, desperate gaze was fixed on Evan.

Heh.

Even now, Keller's eyes were only for Evan. She was still only worried about Evan.

"Ah."

Tommy lost it.

"Ahhh!"

Laughing and screaming, crying and laughing.

"Ah!"

Tommy completely lost his mind. He screamed with all his strength, his shouts filled with bitterness and despair, mixed with rage, burning like a wildfire.

Even though Keller kept calling his name, it was no longer enough to bring Tommy's soul back.

"Hah, hahaha."

Tommy laughed maniacally, raising the baseball bat high in the air. He turned and looked at Keller one last time—

Tears streamed down Tommy's face as he looked at Keller.

Keller looked back, her eyes also filled with tears.

In that brief moment, their eyes met, their emotions and souls frozen in time, but they both shut the other out.

Then, aiming at Evan's head, Tommy swung the silver bat with all his might, with no reservations.

Support me by leaving a comment, voting, and visiting myPatr-eon at belamy20

Check out another story in my profile original works