Lessons || Chapter 34

                                    

                                          
            
                          
Author's Note: Sadly, here's the final chapter. Thanks for reading as always! 
                          
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DARRYL 
                          
It's over. I thought to myself. 
                          
No more gun slinging. No more bullet dodging. No more joint funerals every other week. Family wasn't called, but Jerome planned on driving Max, Leslie and me to the airport. The Kid lurked behind in that unfriendly and massively large "office." His eyes burned with rage and sadness. 
                          
Even though police arrested Calvin for the millionth time, anything still could've taken place. For all we knew, that sometimes violent but determined law enforcement could've found Nelson himself and planned to rampage or even seize the entire building. If we planned to leave, there was no danger. 
                          
Just when that car horn blared from outside this compound, Max placed a hand on my shoulder. Leslie finished packing and my "brother" looked at me with the smallest grin I'd ever noticed. We both nodded in silence and rose from the ground after honestly praying for the longest time. Leslie already stood in the doorway as luggage perched beside her. Even a small backpack hung on Leslie's back for some reason. 
                          
"Ready?" she asked with the lowest whisper. Max and I glared at one another for a second and slowly began to follow out this heartbroken woman. I'd already turned off the single bunkroom light. No doors hid that cold but somehow comforting space of beds. 
                          
Leslie clicked her boots with every step closer and closer toward the back door. This compound conspicuously hid among restaurants and even retail stores. Most people in town thought it was just an abandoned warehouse or something. The Kid specifically requested that kind of exterior appearance when first creating that structure of bloodshed. No individuality. No questions. No questions. No police. 
                          
Leslie dropped her mane of curls when nearly praying to God in tongues. I completely understood her nervousness as she fiddled with the gold cross around her neck. Even the mob bracelet Nelson had gifted her still chimed on one wrist. Max wouldn't even look in my direction. 
                          
Just as we all Max reached the back exit, a gunshot pierced right through the heavy door. I couldn't even blink when Max hit the floor instantly. Blood already spewed on the hard pavement. I yelled out in total disbelief watching my best friend die in warm blood. Even revolver smoke wafted through this hallway. 
                          
"No!" I screamed in tears. 
                          
My eyes looked back to find Leslie holding a pistol. Not once did the weapon even shake in her hand. "If you don't defend yourself, prepare to end up just like Max. There's another pistol in my backpack. Hurry up." 
                          
"Did you kill him?" I screamed while scrambling to reach her backpack on the ground as expected. Voices of The Kids and his living defense shouting right behind us. Their screams moved closer and closer and I hurried to load the pistol in my shaky hand. I even heard the way Jerome punched gas to escape, if the killer had moved on from here. 
                          
Leslie clenched her teeth. "I know who shot him, Darryl! Hurry up." Prepped, I finally aimed to kick the door open when another gunshot rang through. Leslie and I nearly sprinted through another hidden exit after turning left and rushing down this other hallway. Veiled by darkness, we heaved and almost panted in rhythms for the first time since Yvonne passed away. 
                          
"Who killed Max?" I whisper-yelled at Leslie with the firearm still in my hand. Voices of our gang family rang through the hallow hallway. I quickly looked to see The Kid arm without hesitation. His low but angry voice guided his group in this battle.