Weapon Society

-Come on son! Hurry up! 

As bullets flew past us, all I could think of was running to safety and getting rid of the people behind us. My dad could've easily taken them all down, and maybe even I could've taken one or two down… but his guns were what held us back.

As we ran, I threw a trash bin to the side to buy us some time, hearing the people behind us swear at me. As I looked behind to check on them, my dad yanked me from my jacket and pulled me to an alley, where we met a dead end.

As I looked with despair at the wall in front of us, I heard a glass shatter close to me. I turned to where the sound came from and saw my dad breaking the window of a house and pulling me from my arm to get inside. But right after I got in, I saw one of them staring at me as I got in.

-Dad!-I yelled as nervousness invaded my body-

He looked at me and hugged me. Why? Were we giving up? We heard the man approaching us while reloading his gun and all he wanted to do was give up? I closed my eyes as my dad reassured me with his hand and just waited…

But just as I heard the man laugh behind us, I heard a thud in the floor, followed by a series of choking sounds. As I opened my eyes, I turned around and looked through the window and saw one of my dad's knives on that man's throat. 

-Huff… I still got it… heh… -my dad smiled at me as his hand shivered- you alright son?

I nodded as I smiled at him. 

-Here, let me get your knife. -I told him as I moved towards the window.

I put one foot out of the window trying to go for his knife. But just as I did, a bullet pierced right through my leg. I fell back, looking at my blood covered pants as I heard our chasers yelling.

-Motherfuckers got Mug! -one of them yelled- But don't worry boss, I think I got the kid!

My dad dragged me to a door and forced the lock to get it opened. As I looked at their shadows approaching, my dad took me by my shoulders and dragged me into the door he just opened. As he slammed it closed, he tripped with me and we both fell on some stairs. 

Once we got to the cold floor, I felt the blood in my leg soak my pants as me and my dad groaned in the dark room. 

-Son-he said while sitting up- You alright?

I panted while trying to contain my pain cries.

-Sure thing dad…-I tried to get up but quickly fell down to the floor-This hole in my leg is everything I could ever ask for…

With the poor light that got into the room, I saw my dad trying to get the flashlight.

-Shit…-he said frustrated while throwing it away- It's not working.

With all my strength I sat up and went to hug my dad. I felt his hands on his head and his notorious tapping feet from when he was nervous in action. I went and reached for his pocket and took his lighter.

-Hey…-I lit it up and the fire allowed me to see him- You got this, ok?

He took a deep breath and his tapping feet disappeared. That's when I knew he calmed down.

-Now, what's the plan to get out of here?-I said while throwing myself back on the floor.

-First…-he said while taking his cape off and ripping off the sleeve of his jacket-We're gonna patch you up.

He put the lighter close to my leg and pulled my pants up a bit. He gave out a sigh of relief as he saw my injury.

-What?-I asked after seeing his reaction.

-It went through.

-What went through? 

-The bullet, son-he said while he started to wrap his sleeve around my injury to try and stop the bleeding- That means you don't need me to take the bullet out.

I looked at the dark ceiling above me as I contained my pain. It was a fact that my leg wasn't good right now, but at least I wouldn't need my dad to put anything inside of my leg to try to take out the bullet. I started to laugh as he patched me up, now relieved that my leg wasn't as bad as it could've been. 

Once he finished, he got up and started to check the room. It was a basement where we fell in, a dark, humid and smelly basement. Suddenly, we heard loud noises coming from the door.

-Get out, get out…-the man outside the door sang-If you surrender, we promise to kill you quickly…

I looked my dad in the eyes. We had to find a way out quickly.

-Over there.-I told him as I pointed at a dirty window.

The noises from the door became louder and louder.

-Ok guys… Don't say I didn't warn you… -he said right before several gunshots started to go through the door.

My dad told me to hurry up while pushing a shelf right under the window. The window was way out of reach, so the shelf was our savior. I supported myself on the shelf as I stood up and looked at the window. I knew climbing would be hard, but maybe the adrenaline would help me with it.

-I see you… -The man sang as he looked through the bullet holes.

As the bullets started to get closer and be more accurate, my dad got me on his shoulders and helped me climb up the shelf. When I reached the window, my dad started talking to me. His tone however, felt heavy and serious, different from his usual calmed and gentle tone.

-Son…-he said while taking off his cape- If I don't make it… 

-Dad?-I asked while I saw him throw his cape to me-What are you talking about?

-Just listen…-he yelled- If I don't make it, bury me with my best works…

I looked down at his cape in my arms. What were his best works? Why was he saying that all of a sudden? I looked inside the cape and saw his set of knives.

-Those are one of my best works: The set of knives-he said as he put his hand up.-Give me 2 of them, son. I don't care which ones, just give me two.

I rushed and took the 2 knives he asked for, but just as I gave them to him, the door broke. Coming from above the stairs, the shadows of armed men came closer and closer. 

-Dad!-I said as I tried to reach for him-Come on! Let's just leave!

I heard their steps growing louder as they approached us. I felt like I was in a choice making game, where the time slowed down whenever I had to choose. But here, if the time started to slow down, what could be my choices? Help my dad and die with him? Or leave? 

-Jacob, son… -my dad's voice interrupted my thinking- Just do what I told you, alright? 

Just as the first man came down with his gun aiming at my dad, a knife flew towards his throat. Why did he buy time if he could've gotten out with me? 

-Just get out Jacob! I'll manage myself somehow! -he yelled.

I cried as I put the cape on and looked behind me. I had to run away. I had to obey him…

So I did. I turned around and while hearing many men (my dad included) groaning and screaming in pain, I started to walk away. My limp leg was a liability, so I went out bumping against everything I came across.

After walking for some minutes, my heart started to hurt. Not in a literal and physical way, but more of an emotional type of way. And just as I expected, my body betrayed me and began to move towards the house where my dad was. 

Before arriving to the window I used earlier to escape, I fell to the floor. I felt my leg injury throbbing, which made me cry. Or not. I did not know if that pain was caused by my dad or my leg, but I didn't want to stop and think about it either…

When I got to the basement, I saw a lot of blood, but no corpses around. Did he manage to escape? I had to know, so I got in through the window, carefully landing on my healthy leg. 

Besides the blood and the shelf that was now on the floor, everything seemed exactly the same. It was pointless, I couldn't get the answers I wanted from a place like that. With all my strength I stood up and started to move the shelf up, watching the only clue I needed beneath it: An arm holding my dad's lighter. 

I started to cry as I took the arm. It was all my fault. I led him to that area, and I also became a liability for him. If only I wasn't there with him…

I took the lighter and the arm and threw it through the window. And after that, I climbed up the shelf with effort, but this time, I had to do it alone.

As I got out, I took the arm and checked it: It had the same scars and the little birthmark before the wrist. My tears and my cries of pain intensified as I looked at the arm. I wanted to throw up, I wanted to run away from it, but I just couldn't. I couldn't… How could I after all? It was all that was left from him, and even if the scene was horrible for me, my guilt was even bigger than my fear.

So I held it close. Even after feeling the blood running down my clothes, I just held it. I didn't hold back my tears, but I did hold back my disgust. I could've thrown up at that moment, but I felt like that would be disrespectful for my dad. So I started to crying.

And I did. I cried, and I cried… And then, out of nowhere, I stopped. I probably ran out of tears, or something stupid like that, but all I know is that I just stopped. 

I let go of the arm and dried my tears with the cape. I wanted to die, I wanted to be with him, but I couldn't, I had to do what he told me.

-Alright…-I said while weakly standing up and supporting myself against the wall- I'll do it dad… And I won't rest until I get them all…

I slapped my face twice as I started to move. I had to find out first what his best works were, so I knew where to begin my search: His workshop. My limping body was weak after everything that happened, but my mind had something clear: It was time to go home.