Chapter Fourteen
“Sam?” Jason whispers into the wind.
Seeing Sam’s dark silhouette huddle around the kids, Jason panics, he can see Sam shaking with fear. “Sam.” With conviction in his voice, Jason moves toward them with caution. He can feel someone watching them. Trying to keep his eyes on Sam, and the surrounding woods, Jason creeps. He can’t bear to see them so vulnerable and exposed, he wants to run to them, wrap them in his arms and shield them but he knows that could put them in even more danger. Something is wrong. He can feel it in the air.
“Jason.” Sam holds her breathe at the sound of his voice. It fills her entire body with hope. Closing her eyes and clutching her chest, she doesn’t believe it’s him. She just can’t. Her mind is playing tricks on her.
“Sam, Run to me.” Jason continues to watch the woods, terrified for his family. The presence of another trigger all his sense. Jason is amped up, alert and ready for anything.
Spinning around to see him, Sam drops to the ground, pulling her kids closer. “Jason, please tell me it’s you. Please tell me I’m not dreaming.” She breaks down, sobbing as Jason’s face lights up in the moonlight. His blue eyes sparkled with the stars. His blue eyes are the only light in all the darkness.
Quickening his step, Jason rushes to Sam’s side, tucking his gun in his waistband. Praying they were okay, and that nothing too serious has happened to them, Jason scoops them all in his arm, shielding them from the night. “You’re not dreaming. I’m here. I found you.” Jason whispers in Sam’s ear as Sam, Scout, and Danny all cry into his chest.
Feeling the tears of his family, Jason is beside himself. “I got you. I got you all. It’s going to be okay now.” Staring out into the darkness, fighting back the tears, and trying to be the rock for his family, Jason blames himself for their circumstances. He blames himself for their pain. Hearing movement in the trees, Jason turns, retrieving his gun while searching the trees. “I got you.”
Exhausted from their night, Scout, Sam and, Danny finally breathe and calm themselves. There, in Jason’s arms, his family rest, they find peace. “What are you doing out here?” Jason whispers into all of them pulling them closer. He could feel that they needed him. Their fear dissipates with every squeeze applied. Holding his family until they were completely covered in his love, Jason watches all around them. He knows they are not alone. Drew is still out there. He can feel him in the trees, and once his family’s cries stopped, he could hear him in the movement of the trees. Jason knew he had to get them out of the woods and somewhere, safe but he also knew they were too fragile to move right away. He knew they would break with any sudden movement.
Looking all around, waiting for Sam to calm herself, Jason contemplates their next move. He thinks about shelter, his truck, and their cabin deep in the woods.
“Can you move Sam? Are you hurt?” Jason tries to pry himself from Sam’s grip, but she won’t let go. She can’t believe he’s there with her and she still doesn’t believe it’s him, that he’s home. She doesn’t know how he found them, but she’s grateful. She’s grateful he’s alive. She’s grateful he’s the real Jason. She’s grateful for his love. Pressing her face deeper into his chest, Sam listens to his heartbeat. His steady, calming, reassuring, familiar pulse. She soaked the sound up, teleporting her years in the past. Taking her to moments of peace, to moments of security. Soaking up his energy, Sam takes Jason in. She breathes his scent in and presses her weight into him. She felt herself healing in his arms.
“I knew you would find us. I knew it. I could feel it in my bones.” With a renewed connection to Jason, she completely let’s go in Jason’s arms. She gives all her burdens, pain and worries to him. Feeling secure in his arms, Sam knows Jason has her. She knows she doesn’t have to worry or fight alone anymore. She knows everything is going to be okay.
Peeling Sam off of him, “Sam, I will always find you. Always!” Jason gazes at the three of them through the moonlight.
“I knew you were coming. Something deep inside of me felt you. I called out to you. and you came.” Slurring her words, and closing her eyes, Sam faints.
Pulling Scout from Sam’s body, Jason pulls her close to his chest. There was no way to save Sam without hurting Scout in the process, and Jason knew Sam would want him to save Scout before her, always.
“There there, little one. It’s okay. I got you.” Pouting her bottom lip, Jason soothes Scout’s whimpers before she can turn them into a full cry. He pulls her close to his heart and pats her back. Walking in circles around Sam, Jason notices her bleeding leg. Wanting to kneel and tend to Sam’s wound, Jason hesitates. He is unsure at the moment. Scout isn’t entirely calmed down, and Danny is now having a complete meltdown next to Sam. He hasn’t dealt with kids this little in years, and to him, these are his kids, with Sam.
“Mommy, wake up. Please. I want to go home. Mommy, wake up.” Danny shakes a lifeless Sam.
Balancing Scout on his knee, Jason lowers himself to Danny, “Hey Danny!” Jason places his hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Do you remember me?” He asks as Danny snatches himself away. “Whoa big guy, I won’t hurt you. I want to help your mommy, but I need your help first.”
Turning himself towards Jason, “She cut her leg when we jumped.” Danny picks himself up off the ground. “I don’t want to play anymore. I don’t want to hide from daddy anymore.” Tackling Jason with a hug, Danny nearly knocks Jason off his feet. Wrapping himself around Scout and Danny, Jason tries to make them feel safe. He knows the only way he will be able to help Sam is if both kids are calm.
“I got you, big guy. I got Mommy too.” Jason spins Danny around and lowers him to the ground. “You look big and strong. Do you think you could hold your baby sister while I help your mommy?”
“Yeah, I hold Scout all the time.” Danny beams at Jason.
Placing Scout in Danny’s lap, “You will protect her?”
“Mommy says it’s my job as her big brother.” Kissing her cheek, Danny settles himself with Scout. His racing heart beings to calm, and for the first time since jumping out of the window, Danny starts to feel safe.
Wanting to stay in this moment with the kids, Jason is in awe of them. “Mommy was right.” Turning his attention to Sam, Jason frantically checks her pulse. “Sam, can you hear me? Can you wake up?” Breathing a sigh of relief, Jason feels her veins pulsate against his finger. Her pulse is weak, but it’s there. Lifting Sam up onto his lap, Jason rolls her pants leg up and cups his hand over her cut. “I got you baby. Everything is okay. I’m here.”
Looking over his shoulder at the kids, “Hey Danny!” Jason calls for Danny, who is kissing Scout’s eyelids. “Danny, look at me, please?” Jason commands, placing his other hand on Sam’s leg desperately trying to stop her bleeding. “Can you hand me Scout’s blanket?” Jason asks, getting Danny’s attention. Gently sliding Sam off his lap, Jason grabs the blanket from Danny while taking off his belt. All he can think about is stopping the bleeding. Exposing the cut caused it to gush. “You have to be okay. I need you, Sam. The kids need you. Your family needs.”
Tightening his belt around her thigh, Jason scoots to Sam’s head, placing it in his lap. “Sam, baby, please open your eyes.” Jason pleads with her. “I can’t do this without you. We need you.” Pulling her into his chest, Jason whispers into Sam’s ear.
“Is mommy okay?” Danny asks, scooting closer to Jason, resting his head against him. The closer he was to Jason the safer he felt.
“She will be, we have to get you all out-” Hearing something in the woods, Jason’s body tense up startling Danny. “What wrong?” Danny mimics Jason, darting his eyes all around. Jason confident someone is out there.
“Hey, Danny. Was your daddy out here with you?” Jason asks while assisting Danny to his feet.
“He was in the house with us. Mommy said we were playing hide and seek. She said we were supposed to hide from daddy, but I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to go home. Are you going to take us home, Mommy’s friend?” Danny rocks from side to side, struggling to manage Scout’s weight against his.
Lifting a lifeless Sam, “Yes, I’m going to get us home.” Jason cradles her close to him.
Whipping himself around, Jason hears the footsteps closing in on them. “We gotta go.” Slinging Sam over his shoulder, Jason grabs Danny by the back of the neck, guiding him through the woods.
Jason tries to move fast through the woods, but Danny’s little feet prove to be a considerable obstacle. He can’t keep up and every few steps it looks like he might drop Scout.
“Are we almost there?” Stumbling, Danny struggles to keep up. Stopping to allow him to catch up, Jason hears the footsteps following them. “Danny, do you know where your Daddy is now?”
“Trying to find us, silly.” Danny laughs.
Finding nothing funny about what Danny said, Jason picks Danny and Scout up with his free hand and quickens his step. Jason knows he’s at his most vulnerable. His family is exposed, meaning his heart is exposed.
“We’re almost there. Do you think you could walk the rest of the way?” Seeing his truck up ahead, Jason lowers Danny and Scout to the ground. He’s exhausted but determined to get them to safety.
Noticing something is wrong, Jason stops behind a tree close to the truck. Lowering Sam to the ground, Jason pulls his gun out, hiding it from the kids’ view. “I need you to stay here and protect your mom and sister. I’ll be right back.” Spinning on his heels, Jason doesn’t wait for Danny’s response.
Pulling his gun in front of him, gripping it with both hands, Jason moves towards the car. Circling around, keeping an eye on Sam and the kids, Jason finds the doors to his truck wide open, and the back tire slashed. Slowly approaching the truck, Jason points his gun into every open door; checking every inch of it.
“Danny, are you still protecting your mom and sister?” Tucking his gun into his waistband, running around the truck checking all four tires, Jason calls into the woods at Danny.
“Yes,” Curled up with his mom and sister, Danny shouts back.
Circling the truck over and over again, Jason tries to figure out what’s next. He knows he has to get Sam help, she’ll bleed out soon, and he knows he has to get them all to shelter before the cold sets in. Pulling out his cell phone, walking back towards Sam, Jason dials Spinelli’s number.
“Ahhh, stop. Jason.” Sam screams out.
Sliding on his heel, pulling his gun out, Jason runs to his family.
“He has him. He took Danny.” Pointing into the night, Sam screams out in agony.
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“You found me.” Danny grabs Drew’s leg, nestling himself into him. “Can we go home now? I’m really sleepy.” Rubbing his eyes, Danny pushing all his weight into Drew’s body. He loved the smell of his daddy. It reminded him of home.
“Soon buddy! We have to get mommy and Scout first.” Rubbing Danny’s hair, Drew watches Jason try to calm Sam down. Tuning everything around him out, Drew snarls at them. He can’t stand to see them together. “She’s mine. They’re mine.” Drew shows his teeth. Holding Danny close, Drew closes his eyes, letting Sam’s cries of despair rain over him. He relishes in it. They fuel him.
“That’s Mommy. She’s hurt. I’m supposed to be protecting her.” Letting go of Drew’s leg, Danny runs towards the screams. “I told the man.”
Snatching Danny back to him, Drew starts to run in the opposite direction. “Shhhh, we can’t let mommy know where we are. She’s still hiding.” Throwing Danny over his shoulder, Drew hightails it back towards the cabin.
“No, she’s not. He said I was supposed to protect her. I promised him.” Scared, Danny starts hitting Drew and scratching him in the face. “Mommy!” Kicking and screaming, Danny claws Drew’s eyes. Blurring his vision, Drew stumbles to the ground with Danny in his arms.
“You little shit.” Drew groans.
Wiggling away from Drew, Danny stomps his feet and pouts his lips. “I want Mommy!” He’s on the verge of a meltdown. He’s tired, cold and scared but more than anything he’s confused and he wants his mommy. He doesn’t know that he should be afraid, all he knows is this man is his daddy.
Grabbing Danny by his arm again, Drew drags him. He doesn’t care what Danny wants. Drew knows he can’t stay there. He knows it’s only a matter of time before they hear Danny’s cries and Jason comes looking for him. Drew is losing his patience and his love for Danny.
“Noooo, I want mommy.” Biting his hand, Danny runs from Drew. Huffing his little lungs, Danny runs with all his might. “Mommy!”
Roughly grabbing Danny’s arm midstride, pulling him eye level. “You are going to do what I said.” Drew shakes his little body.
Clawing at his eyes again, Danny screams, “You’re scaring me. I want Mommy!” Danny kicks and fights. He doesn’t recognize Drew. He doesn’t see his dad, he sees a stranger. Using every muscle in his little body, Danny struggles with Drew.
Landing a kick right to Drew’s groin, Danny hits the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him.
Shaking the feeling back into his head, Danny crawls away from Drew, who is moaning in pain. “Stop, I want mommy. MOMMY!” Danny screams. Struggling to his feet, tears begin to well in his eyes as he tries to escape. Fear consumes his body, and his instinct kick in guiding him towards the sounds of his mother’s voice.
“Come back here you brat.” Drew fingers Danny’s feet.
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Debating whether to go after Danny or stay with Sam, Jason lifts Sam and Scout in his arms, shuttling them towards his truck. He was torn. He wanted to do what Sam wanted which was to go after Danny but he couldn’t. He couldn’t leave his girls alone in the cold, alone and exposed.
“No, stop. Jason, you have to go after Danny.” Sam struggles in his arms.
“Sam stop. Stop fighting me.” Looking her deep in her eyes, Jason places her in the back seat of the truck, brushes the hair out of her face and retrieves Scout from her shaking hands. “We will get him back.” Jason wasn’t worried about what would happen to Danny, he was concerned about what Sam would do to get him back.
Pushing Jason out of her way, Sam stumbles out of the car. “No Jason, we have to go now.” All she can see is Danny’s scared face disappearing into the darkness, and it makes her weak all over. “We have to Jason. We have to!” Falling to her knees, Sam pulls on Jason’s leather jacket to help ease her to the ground. “Jason, it’s like before. It’s like when he was born.” Fighting Jason’s help, Sam struggles to get to her feet. “He’s scared, Jason. I know he is.” Letting go of Jason’s coat, Sam slides down the side of the truck hitting the ground. “I failed him again. I let someone take him again.”
Crouching down, Jason shoves Scout in Sam’s arm. “Here.”
Shaking her head no, Sam tries to push them both away.
“She doesn’t want me, Sam. She wants her mom. She needs you.” Jason forces Scout into Sam’s arms and pulls her to her feet, “You didn’t do this, Sam.” Pulling her into him, Jason rubs her back.
Pulling away from Jason, turning her back to him, Sam places Scout in the backseat of the truck. “Yes, I did.” Lowering her head, Sam feels defeated. “I allowed.” Cutting her off, Jason spins her around and pulls her in. “You didn’t do this,” Jason whispers. Wrapping her arms around Jason’s neck, and resting her head on his chest. “I allowed that man into our lives. I knew. Jason, I knew.”
“Sam, stop and look at me. Jason cradles her face in his hands, “Do you think he will hurt our son?” Placing his forehead against hers, Jason feels Sam move her head side to side.
“I don’t think so, but I don’t know.” Sam cries. “I don’t know anything other than he has our son.”
“Are you sure?” Jason questions.
“Yes, I’m pretty sure. He wants us to be a family. He still wants to be you.”
“Good! That’s good for us. I’m going to get him back. Just like last time.” Jason brushes into Sam’s ear as he opens the door to the truck. Stopping himself before placing Sam in the seat, Jason turns them both back towards the woods. “Do you hear him. He’s fighting. He’s a fighter, Sam, just like you.
Hugging Jason tight, “No, he’s a fighter just like you.” Sam listens to Danny’s cries for her.
Turning away from the cries, Jason places Sam back in the truck. Checking his gun clip, he returns it to his waistband.
“You can’t go with that, Jason.” Sam looks upon Jason with worried eyes, and a slight shake in her hands. “Danny is out there. You can’t shoot your gun. It’s too dark, you could hit Danny. He answers assuredly; no I won’t.
Wiping the hair stuck to her face away, Jason places the gun in Sam’s hand. “You take the gun.” Holding it and remembering his excellent marksmanship, she pushes the gun into Jason’s stomach, “No you need it more. He has my gun. He could kill you, Jason.”
Closing Sam’s hand around the gun, and kissing her forehead, Jason places her legs into the truck, closing the door. “Lock it!” Jason mouths, pressing his hand against the window. He doesn’t want to leave them, but he can see Sam’s pain. Their family isn’t whole.
Pressing his hand into the window hard, Jason mouths I love you as Sam stares him down through watery eyes and watching him disappear.
Slowly backing away from the truck, Jason lowers his brow, constricts his jaw, squares his shoulders and tightens his body.
Swiftly turning on his toes, Jason runs into the darkness.
Pulling Scout into her lap, Sam lightly touches Jason’s handprint and watches him until the darkness swallows him whole. “I love you too,” Sam whispers.
Settling Scout to her bosoms, wrapping her in the blanket, Sam rolls the window down and starts screaming Danny’s name into the darkness.
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Running through the woods towards Danny’s cries, he’s prepared to die for his family. Looking to the sky, Jason says a little prayer as Drew’s voice roars through the trees. Slowing his stride, Jason sees Danny struggling on the ground, following his body all the way to Drew.
“Stop fighting me, Danny.” Dodging Danny’s weak kicks, Drew drags Danny back towards him. “You’re going to see mommy once you stop fighting me, I promise.” Drew struggles.
Digging his heels into the dirt, Jason lunges himself forward, hitting Drew in his face; kicking him again and again. Losing himself in beating Drew’s ass, Danny’s whimpers draw Jason back to the present. Racing over to him, Jason grabs him and whisks him into the woods. “I got you. I’m going to take you to mommy.”
Shifting through the trees, Jason runs as fast as he can, as Danny wraps his arms around his neck, burying his head, shielding himself from the sharp cuts of the wind. Seeing the truck in the distance, Jason widens his step. “I see mommy.” He whispers to Danny.
***POW.
Stopping in his tracks, Jason slowly lowers Danny to the ground, and whispers in his ears. “Run to your mommy, follow her voice.” Pushing Danny into the darkness, “Don’t stop running until you reach mommy.” Patting his behind, Jason sends Danny off on his own. Turning on his feet, Jason raises his arms in the air, lowers his brow and searches for Drew in the darkness.
Returning the gun in his waistband, circling around to face them while watching Jason send Danny off into the darkness, Drew waits. He waits as Jason surrenders to him. Launching himself off the tips of his toes, Drew tackles Jason to the ground. Landing a punch as they soar through the air, Drew reaches for Jason’s throat. Blocking his attempts as they hit the ground, Jason rolls on top of Drew; landing his elbow to Drew’s face, Jason planets his knee hard into Drew’s ribs. “Ahhhhh” Drew screams out.
Pushing Jason up and off him, Drew flips overs, perching on his knees, and throws dirt in Jason’s face before charging at him again. “You should have stayed gone.”
Shifting to the left, Jason dodges Drew grabbing him mid-air and slamming to the ground. “You should have never come.” Looking Drew straight in the eyes, Jason pounds his face. “Why?” Jason screams with every punch to Drew’s faces. “Why did you take my life?”
Sticking both his thumbs into Jason’s eyes, Drew flips around Jason wrapping him into a chokehold. “You’ll never see them again.” Clawing, scratching and prying at Drew, Jason fights to get free. Tapping at Drew’s arms, darkness surrounds Jason as his body begins to relax under the weight of Drew. Squeezing harder around Jason’s neck, Drew pictures Jason’s dead body on the ground before him. “They were happy. And they will be again when-”
Fighting his fading vision, Jason headbutts Drew breaking his nose.
Releasing his grip, grabbing his nose, Drew falls forward in pain. “Son of a bitch.” Jason knocked the wind out of him. Spitting blood from his mouth, Drew seethes with anger. Wiping the blood from his face with one hand, Drew grabs the gun from his waistband with the other. Rising from the ground with purpose, Drew loads the chamber of the gun and points it at Jason.
Crawling away from Drew, Jason coughs air into his lungs. “You could never be me. You talk too much.” Shaking the life back into his body, Jason spots Sam with Danny in the moonlight, renewing his fight. Bouncing back to his feet, Jason shifts his body into a fighting position. He’s ready to end this, to end Drew. Balling his fist, Jason doesn’t fear the gun. “She’ll never love you if you pull the trigger.” He charges Drew.
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“Dann-” Sam stops breathing when she hears the gunshot. She waits for something, a noise, a scream, anything. Fighting back the rage, Sam gently places a passed out Scout in the driver seat. The comfort of her mother was all she needed to fall into a soundless sleep. Gripping Jason’s gun so hard it presses deep into her skin, Sam exits the truck as quietly as possible. “Jason?” Sam whispers into the trees.
Slowly creeping towards the sound of the gunshot, Sam points the gun into the woods, releasing the safety. “Danny? Jason?” Only seeing darkness Sam panics.
“Mommy!” Sam hears Danny’s cries sail through the wind.
“Danny!” Dropping the gun to her side, Sam runs. “Danny, I’m here! Danny.”
Slowing his step, Danny is tired. His chest is on fire, his legs burn, and his little feet ache. Falling to his knees, Danny can’t move anymore, he doesn’t want to. As he lay in the dirt, Danny closes his eyes and cries as the cool soil soothes his hot body. “Mommy where are you?” Danny begins to cry when he hears her. Raising his head a little off the ground, “Mommy.” Danny calls back to her.
“Mommy!” Hearing her voice in the trees renews Danny’s fight. Scrambling to his feet, Danny takes off with the wind. “Mommy, where are you?” Digging down deep, Danny moves his little legs as fast as they will carry him. “I can’t see you.”
“Danny. I’m here baby.” Sam searches through the darkness. “Follow my voice.” Out of breath but more determined than ever, Sam runs frantically through the trees. “DANNY!” Stopping at the sight of her son, sliding her gun into her waistband and dropping to the ground. “Come here, baby. Come here.” Reaching for her son, Sam lets out a long-trapped cry from her chest.
Struggling to catch his breath, “Daddy had a gun.” Danny huffs, running into Sam’s waiting arms.
Collapsing upon contact, Danny breaks down. “I let go, I’m sorry mommy. I let go of your hand.” Burying his face into Sam, and inhaling deeply, Danny smells her. “Hmmm, mommy!” The fear he was feeling goes away as Sam scent fills his lungs.
Wrapping him tightly, “Hey, hey, hey..no no no no, don’t worry baby, mommy is here. I got you.” Sam kisses him all over, “You’re safe now.” Falling back on to the ground, Sam cradles Danny in her arms, and rocks back and forth with him. “I got you. Mommy’s got you.” Sam silently cries as relief eases her racing heart. She had never been more happy to see Danny, than right now.
Snuggling deep into Sam, Danny settles into her warmth. This was it. This is what he wanted. This is what he cried for, his mother’s warmth. “Your friend kicked Daddy and told me to run until I reached you.” Cranking his head back, Danny tries to free himself from Sam’s embrace.
Holding Danny tighter, Sam rises to her feet, turns on her heels and runs back towards the truck. “Don’t worry baby, everything will be okay.” Sam cries into his ear.
Placing him down in front of the truck, Sam opens the door to find Scout still sleep, turning her attention back to Danny, Sam runs her hands all over him. “Did he hurt you?” Spinning him around, Sam raises his shirt checking his body. She lifts his hair off his neck, rubs his arms up and down before finally pulling him back into her body. “I was so scared.”
Mommy, Daddy, was yelling and being really mean. I wanna go home, Mommy. Can we go home now.” Danny cries, bouncing his body.
“We can’t leave without Daddy,” Sam states, wiping his tears. She could see the exhaustion in his eyes. She could see the meltdown threatening to take over him.
“I don’t want Daddy. I don’t want him.” Danny cries and fights Sam. Fear feels his body, and he can feel Drew’s hands clawing at him. Shaking his body and rubbing his arm, Danny panics, jumping into Sam’s lap.
Cradling Danny in her arms “Not that daddy.” Sam whispers to herself as she searches the darkness. Patting Danny’s back, Sam is nervous. She hasn’t heard anything come from the darkness since finding Danny. “All we need is you, Jason. Please be okay. Please come back to us again.”
Feeling Danny’s body go limp, Sam looks down to find him fast asleep. Lifting them both off the ground, Sam places Danny in the passenger seat and proceeds to lower the back seat into a makeshift bed for the kids. One by one she sets the kids next to each other, kissing them both before locking them in and heading into the darkness. Whispering a prayer of protection to the star, Sam takes one last look at the truck and turns her focus to the tasks at hand.
With the gun safety off and her finger on the trigger, Sam moves as quietly and swiftly as her injured leg will allow her. Whispering Jason name every few steps. Trying not to stray too far from the truck, Sam starts to slow her stride when she hears them, “Now, you sound like Franco. Did he help you steal my life?” Turning on her heels, blocking out all physical pain, Sam takes off towards the commotion.
****POW
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Slamming Drew into a tree, Jason doesn’t let up. “What do you want with my family?” Knocking the gun out of Drew’s hand, Jason raises his boot high, aiming it at Drew’s head. Slamming his foot into the tree, Drew rolls out of the way, landing on all four, he stares at Jason. Shifting to be parallel with Drew, Jason is ready.
“Your family?” Charging back at Jason, Drew clips him at the knees, throwing him back onto the ground.
Pressing his face into the ground, “You didn’t want this. You never wanted a family with Sam.” Drew and Jason struggle. Gaining the upper hand, Jason plows his fist into Drews’ face.
“You don’t know me!” Jason hits Drew in the face. “You don’t know what I want.” Jason hits Drew in the ribs. “You took everything from me.” Jason punches Drews’ throat. “Everything!” Jason hits Drew’s face again. “My wife.” Jason’s elbows Drew in the nose. “My son.’ Jason knee’s Drew. “The little girl we always wanted.” Jason’s swing is met with a block. Kicking Jason off of him, Drew doesn’t hesitate on his advance. Kicking Jason in his face, Drew attempts to mount him while he’s still down but Jason is too quick. Backflipping away, Jason springs to his feet.
“You don’t deserve this life. You don’t appreciate what you have.” Spinning away from Jason, Drew eyes the discarded gun.
“Now, you sound like Franco. Did he help you steal my life?” Jason follows Drew’s eye to the gun.
Hesitating at first, both men dogpile the gun, determined to reach it before the other. Death in both their eyes, Drew reaches the weapon first. He can’t take any more hits from Jason, he’s barely holding on. He knows one more hit, and it’s over for him. He wants Jason dead now. Struggling to gain control of the gun, Drew tries to get away from Jason but he’s tearing at Drew clothes to gain control of him. Yanking the gun forward, Jason muffs Drew in the face as Drew turns the gun back towards him. Pressing his weight into Jason, Drew rolls on top of him pushing the gun into his rib cage. Drew is confident he has the upper hand, headbutting Jason, Drew tries to slide his finger on the trigger but Jason knocks it out of his hand before he can.
Scrambling for the gun, the men roll around throwing punches as the gun shifts between them.
****Pow!
A shot rings through the woods as both men go limp, a huddle of nothing on the ground.
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Startled, Sam comes to an abrupt stop. “No, No, No!” Clutching the gun to her chest, Sam is unable to move. Unsure of what to do, Sam waits. She waits for a sound, for movement, and for Jason to come out of the shadows.
Searching through the dark, Sam spots them. Someone struggles to get to his feet, using the body below him as an anchor, he rises from the ground and pointing the gun at the other. With his finger on the trigger, he stares at the ground.
Taking a deep breath, focusing rise and fall of her chest, unsure of which man it is, Sam slowly points the gun at the shadow.
***POW.
O M F G You are killing me gf. You have me at the edge of my seat. I need the next Chapter~!!! Omg this was so so good! Thank you for sharing!
Crown, your writing gives me life especially with this JaSam story line. Many blessings to your talented skills
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words
This is so exciting I can’t breathe . Pls tell me the next chapter is almost ready to hit. I can’t wait to read it. You are the undisputed Queen 👸🏽 of the cliffhanger. Congratulations!
Hurry with next chapter please!