The Nothing (21 page)

“You stupid fuck!
Don’t fucking do it! You have to live your life. You haven’t done anything.” When Bentley stepped towards the car, James raised his hand signaling Bentley to stop. Then he put his hand on the ignition. Bentley jumped and screamed, “Please, you have so much you can do! You can make it! You can be the hero these people need! I saw how you handled those security guards!” Bentley’s voice cracked and he began to cough heavily. He was yelling louder than ever before. His face felt hot tears warming his skin.
This isn’t right. Life has not been fair to James like it has to me. I am happy and have accomplished so much. He still needs that chance. This is not his job, it is mine.

Bentley
took the biggest chance he ever has in his life and sprinted towards the car. And he wasn’t going to stop no matter what. But as instantly as he leaped forward, James turned the key and the engine sprang to life. The car sounded like it was running normally. Bentley still ran to the driver’s door and rapidly opened it. James looked up at him and giggled lightly. “Piece of fucking cake bro. Now lets get this thing out of this gas puddle, put the lady in the car, and get going. We might not have much gas left in the tank.” He was right. As soon as James got out of the car, the engine sputtered as it thirsted for gas. The gas gauge settled on empty and stopped. Both men looked at each other with dread. “Well Bentley, looks like this isn’t going to happen.” Bentley wiped his face knowing that James had seen his tears, yet didn’t say anything. In the past James was always the person that would point out in a crowd if someone were crying. He was glad that James didn’t make anything out of it. Bentley got in driver’s seat as James stepped away and saw the gas gage. “James I am going to pop the trunk. There is a big bag of cat litter that we should spread on the gas. I think It’ll absorb enough hopefully so that there will be a less chance of it igniting for whatever reason. Don’t want a bonfire attracting the vanities.”

“Sure man.
I’ll take care of it.” Then, trying to walk normally as if his brother hadn’t almost been killed, Bentley went back to the three women. The pain in Scarlett’s back was getting worse and both Martha and Jenna were on either side of her trying to comfort her.

“How is she doing?”

Martha stood up and motioned for Bentley to walk away with her.

“She is hanging in there.
The bleeding has stopped. I also noticed a hole on her belly but it isn’t bleeding either. That’s good right?”

“Yeah that is a good sign
if it’s an exit wound, but there is still no way to tell the extent of her injuries. I think it would be a good idea to get her inside. I can go find transportation so we can get her to the hospital. It is pretty hot out here too and we still have a few hours ‘til sunset.”

“
I have a big first aid kit my son gave to me the last time he was on leave from the Army.”

“That’s go
od ma’am. You must be proud.”

“Yes I am very proud and worried.
I know he’s overseas somewhere. I hope things are ok there and not like it is here. But hey, I saw you were yelling and crying; telling your brother not to start the car. Was there a problem?”

“We busted a
hole on the gas tank. All the gas drained out and was settled underneath the car in a huge puddle. I wanted to see if the car would start and if it might have enough gas to get your friend Scarlett to the hospital. But there was a big risk of the car exploding or catching fire. James decided that he needed to take the risk so that I could stay behind and protect you three, you know, in case he died. He jumped in the car before I could get there and started it. Luckily nothing happened.” Bentley wanted to cry again. It really scared him that James could have been killed right in front of him. But he felt a sense of pride and respect for James that he had never felt before.

“It’s just that I hadn’t talk to him in a long time.
I had been mean to him and we weren’t speaking. Life had never been easy for him. I have been lucky in life and done well. Even got married to a wonderful woman, which I hope to get to as soon as we are done here. James unfortunately hasn’t had the luck that everyone else has had. And yet he was the one sitting in that car with his hand on the ignition. Sitting where I should have been and getting ready to risk it all for me and you guys. I never took the time to see that side of James. He deserves so much in life; he deserves more chances. I guess I felt like it would have been unfair for him to die when I have happiness and had made a commitment when I became a cop to serve others. He didn’t take that oath. Never made those promises. But how amazing it is to me that he was going to save my life whether I liked it or not. Makes me regret the way I have treated him over the years.” Martha put a nurturing hand on Bentley’s shoulder. It has been an emotional experience for everyone. She too was experiencing many emotions.

I wonder if Officer Bentley knows that James sees prostitutes.
I know that not all men who see prostitutes do it for the same reason. Some yearn for affection and love. And like James, they haven’t been as lucky as others and resort to paying for what they hope will be love. There are no excuses though, if you ask me. James more than likely is carrying a disease or something. And more than likely would continue seeing prostitutes if he was dating a woman. Hard to see a man leave that type of lifestyle and that thinking once they have lived it.

James saw
when Martha put her hand on Bentley’s shoulder. He was taking his time spreading the cat litter on the gas. It was better to be thorough and absorb it all. Yet James wasn’t too anxious to be in the same space as Martha and felt awkward. He wanted to leave with Bentley as soon as possible.

Yeah maybe I should have fucked Dr. Cando.
Maybe I should have tried to go to prostitutes again after that. Why did I have to battle in my head with it? I wouldn’t be a virgin if I had been brave like Bentley thinks I am now. I am single anyways, and in the end, it wouldn’t have mattered if I had had sex before or not. Yeah I think Martha was going to have me over to her place. But when it got messed up, I should have went ahead and fucked Dr. Cando. I should have fucked other women. Maybe I would be a happy person. But someone told me once that waiting for the right woman would make me enjoy sex better. But shit, how long do I wait? I’m fucking thirty-eight years old! What if she never shows up? How long? Well apparently it has been too long and now it is too late. How can people date with this bullshit chaos happening? I remember people in church would say they couldn’t wait until Jesus returns. They would say be ready because he is coming soon. I would think, ‘Wait! Can’t he wait for a while?’ I haven’t had a life yet. I haven’t gotten to accomplish anything. I haven’t been able to feel what happiness is like. Please don’t let Jesus come soon. Goddammit, why didn’t the car blow up? It would have been better for everyone. Definitely since I am the one spreading cat litter under the car and Bentley is taking care of the ladies.

With the cat litter soaking up the excess gas, James figured he had a few minutes to himself and leaned up against the car.
Shortly after, Bentley returned. “Hey James, how you holding up?”

“I’m doing ok Bentley.
Feeling good. Almost ready to go get mom and get to your house. You think these ladies will be ok by themselves?”

“Well
, the big one Scarlett really needs a hospital. I told them to go on inside Martha’s apartment, get settled and that I would go find another car or something.” By this time most of the cars had left the street and traffic thinned out. “Well Bentley, being that it is suppose to be rush hour, I am not seeing many cars drive by. Only one here and there.”

“I tell you what James.
You go help the ladies in the house and knock on a few doors. Maybe someone will let us use their car. Say it’s for police business. And try to make the ladies feel safe while I go to the road and wait for someone to pass by.”

“Man there’s
hardly any cars in the apartment parking lot either. Haven’t seen anyone come or go. Why don’t I go to the street instead? You would be better at making them feel safer than I could.” Bentley turned hastily and stood right in front of James. “James is there something wrong? You’ve been weird about being around those ladies since we got here.”

“No
nothings wrong. I feel this is the time when I could do more and while I am able to more, I should. It doesn’t feel fair for you to be taking all the risks.”

“Well I haven’t taken any
at all since I picked you up! I tell you what James; you had your action, now it is my turn. How about that? You can’t say anything now!”

Bentley noticed
a change in James’ face, as if he had said something he didn’t like. James shrugged his shoulders. “Guess I have no choice. I’ll knock on a few doors and make sure the ladies are comfortable.” Not the choice James wanted. He wondered how it always seemed that he could never escape the awkward situations like having to make sure the ladies are ok.
And how do you do something like that?

James walked away
unenthusiastically while Bentley turned to go to the street.
Many of the cars that had been jammed up on the street earlier had cleared out. The metropolis of Houston, Texas was beginning to feel like a ghost town.

Holy shit!
Here comes a car!
“
Yo, hey! Hey stop!” The car sped past Bentley without stopping.
I’m a fucking cop and you would figure that with the shit hitting the fan, that they would be happy to see me.
After one minute, another car appeared. It was a large quad cab Dodge pickup.
Yes!! Should be plenty of room!
As it got closer to Bentley it began to slowdown. An older couple was in the truck, which stopped next to Bentley on the street. “Hello Officer, everything alright?”

“Thanks for stopping.
I really need your help. Can we use your truck to get a woman to the hospital?”

“
What’s wrong with the woman?”

“She has been shot sir.
She is real overweight too and your backseat would be perfect.”

“Where is your police cruiser?”
Bentley could tell this wasn’t going to be an easy sell. The old man is too inquisitive.

“It’s
broken down?”

“You have any ID officer?”

Bentley stepped back and paused for second. He was still wearing a full city issued uniform with a shiny silver badge, nametag, and a gun on his hip; what idiot would pick a time like this to be a skeptic? Bentley pulled out his walled that had his police officer ID card. Before he opened it up, the old man held up his hand. “That’s alright officer, I believe you. Problem is that there are people running around pretending to be cops, robbing people and stealing cars. Guess the real police aren’t around since ya'll can’t talk to each other.”

“Thank you
sir. So can you help us?”

Suddenly there was
screaming coming from the apartment complex. Bentley turned around to see James running frantically in his direction. The old man driving the Dodge put the truck back into drive. “I’m sorry officer, a woman shot, a wacko running at you screaming. I want no part of it.” Bentley was less then a foot from the truck when it sped off.

“Bentley
get here quick, behind your car. Get here now!” Bentley ran to the car and crouched on the ground next to James. “James what the hell is going on?”

“I knocked on a few doors after the ladies walked
to the apartment. Which is 1509 by the way. Then I heard what I thought was Jenna screaming after they were inside, so I started to run back towards Martha’s apartment. When I was probably ten feet from the door, a man in a black military type outfit opened the door. He was holding an AR-15 rifle or something, all decked out. That man saw me, raised his finger, and gestured back and forth like when your mom is telling you no, don’t come here or don’t do it. And then he shut the door. He looked like an assassin or Rambo. Sort of like those special ops guys in the movies.”

“Oh shit James.
What the fuck is going on. You said he looks like special ops?”

“Yes, fuck yes!
Special ops. I honestly think he was wearing special operations gear. The rifle looked like it had a scope and a mounted flashlight.”

“You sure man?”

“Yes I’m sure. I’ve read all about it. I watch too many movies remember?”

“Yeah ok.
Let me think!”

Bentley r
ose to the car window to get a better view. “Hey where is Martha’s apartment? Can I see if from here?”

“Yeah, it’
s on the first floor straight through the courtyard. There is a red wreath and a banner in the window with a gold star on it. You know, the ones that parents put in their windows when they have a child away at war.”

“Ok I see it.
The drapes are closed but I am too far away to see anything even if they were open.”

“Bentley, maybe we should get out of here.
This is really getting too heavy and we, definitely me, are no match for a heavily armed special ops soldier. We should go get Mom and get to your place. We can say a prayer for the women.”

“
I don’t know man. Yes it would be smart to just leave. At least we can save ourselves. But I do have two shotguns in the trunk.”