Chaos

The moment that the flash of reflected sun hits my sight time slows to a crawl.

Before I had even fully recognized the glint as the six inch blade that it was I was already on the move. I didn’t have time to have thoughts beyond basic concepts like danger, friend, home, protect, and family, but they were enough to spur me into action. Pushing past my mother I sprint to Alan’s side just as the knife had drawn back into a readied position.

Lamar shouts something, another warning I think, but Alan wasn’t stopping. If Lamar had meant the blade to be simply a threat to keep the big man at bay it had come too late. Even he had been surprised by Alan’s decisive approach. Given the grim look on his face and his fearsome reputation I had no doubt that Lamar would not hesitate to use the knife once engaged. Alan’s arm is outstretched to grab Lamar by the shoulder, he hadn’t even seen the weapon be brandished! And with his arm up the entirety of this left flank was completely exposed.

My eyes are locked. My whole world was that knife as I run with all of my strength across the stone deck.

Down comes Alan’s hand onto Lamar’s shoulder and with that contact…the knife strikes!

I lunge the last few feet. With both hands I seize Lamar’s wrist. He was much bigger and stronger than me but my momentum is enough to knock the jab from its original target. Normally he would have thrown me off with ease. But my goal was not to fight him, it was to buy Alan a few precious seconds. Unfortunately my momentum also carries my own body toward the deadly point.

Lamar hadn’t seen me coming and the unexpected interception throws him off, giving Alan the opening he needed. Gripping his shoulder and gabbing Lamar’s head in the other of his huge mitts he heaves it downward as at the same time he brings up his knee. CRACK! The brutal, crunching impact echoes off the brick wall. Lamar rises up, dazed and wobbling. He is then put down with a freight train of a right hook. Alan wasn’t the quickest but when he hit something it stayed hit! Lamar lands in a heap at our feet. The knife clatters to his side.

Alan’s eyes goes wide as he sees the weapon for the first time. He looks to me even as I look down at myself. A neat inch wide incision had slice open my shirt at the belly. I slap my hand to the cut and pull it away…no blood. Nothing but a scratch! I had been able to hold Lamar back just enough.

Nearly hyperventilating I stare at my hand as the realization of just how close I’d just come to **** hits me. Only then does the fear set in.

“You’re okay Donny.” Alan says in an impressively calm voice given the circumstance. “Get the knife Donny.”

“Y-y-yes Sir.” I stammer. I pick up the knife in trembling hands.

Grabbing the **** tough guy by the scruff in one hand and the stunned Diane around the back of her neck with the other Alan drags the pair of them toward the front of the house.

I stand shaking, breathing fast, and scared out of my mind.

“God damn!” My mother’s voice reminds me that she was still here. “Now THAT’s a man! Whoooeee!”

I look from the knife and up at her not quite comprehending what I was seeing or hearing.

She looks to the corner where the rest of them had just disappeared then back to me again. “Donny, son, just a few bucks for old times. Whatever you got would be…”

“Go away.” I sob. “Just…go away.”

She sneers at my tears then shakes her head in disappointment. “You turn away you’re own mother. I raised you better than that boy.”

“Go awayyyy!”

Her eyes narrow. “I guess this is really goodbye then. I hope you can grow up someday Donny, you’re never gonna make it in this world like this.”

“GO!!!”

She turns and hurries toward the front of the building. I stand a blubbering, weeping wreck staring down at the knife that nearly ended me. I would have collapsed right there if I had not heard a banshee’s wail of rage come from the driveway. It was Kitty!

Throwing the knife into the pool I wipe what tears I could from my eyes and run to the front. There I find my mother getting ABSOLUTELY FUCKING WRECKED by Kitty! Kit had our mother by the front of the shirt and was laying punch after punch into her already bloodied face. And when Kit sees me…the ass-kicking goes up another level.

“What’d you do to him!? What’d you say to him!?” Kitty screeches as she lays in punches one after the other. Lexie tried to fight back but it was no use. My mother was hard but so was Kitty. And Kit was younger, faster, and stronger too. She also had years of bottled up fury to unleash. Long story short, she beats the shit out of her…or she would have beaten the shit out of her had Alan not pulled her off. With flailing arms and kicking legs Kit is hoisted off of the ground and carried away. “YOU FUCKING BITCH! I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!!”

Mother collapses into the back seat where the **** Lamar had already been deposited. Evelyn was yelling at Diane, who was in the driver’ seat, to get the hell out and never come back. Across the street I could see neighbors peering over. Valerie from two doors down was even brave enough to peek around the hedges to witness the scene. This would be talked about for years to come. Probably for as long as they lived here.

Added to the trauma of seeing my mother and the terror of nearly having been stabbed I now felt guilt as well. I’d brought this into their life. This beautiful, loving, wonderful couple…I’d brought the chaos of the city out here with me into their peaceful world.

Evelyn sees the car down the driveway and even snaps at Val. “What are you lookin at!?” The big car roars down the street and away. Evelyn stands at the end of the driveway to make sure it wasn’t coming back again.

Alan had the seething Kitty held close to him around her slender shoulders, his big right hand laid over her belly as he whispers something to her. Whatever he says works as she quickly calms down and looks up at him with big soulful eyes. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t…think.”

“It’s okay baby girl.” He pets her curly hair and holds her close. “It’s going to be okay.”

As for myself, well, I cry. Typical Donny move. As the adrenaline wears off and the full realization of what had just happened really hits me…I fall apart right there on the driveway. The distraction with Alan and Diane had kept my deeper emotions at bay but now that it was over my final encounter with the monster who birthed me takes its full toll.

Sobbing openly, my arms limp at my side, I blubber. “Mum.”

“Baby?” Evelyn spins to look at me and in her beautiful face I see my own pain reflected back as my suffering becomes her own. “My boy!” She hurries to me and wraps me in a big motherly hug not caring who saw. Holding me tight with my head to her shoulder she whispers. “I got you baby. I got you. Mommy’s got you.”