Red, red blood. Falling in droplets, running through my fingers, creating a scarlet trail for someone to follow. I had to keep walking, to fall and rest would not be safe. The searing pain in my side, the burning white fire, threatened to consume me but I kept walking. There were more bullets in that gun, and whoever shot me wouldn’t feel too bad about wasting another to finish me off. Who shot me? I knew that of course, it was one of the teenagers. The teenagers, always ready to kill and fight and ruin things. They didn’t do it for money or for material values; they did it for the pleasure. The pleasure of watching things ruin and destruct. Nothing could be good, according to teenagers. Everything good must be ruined. I fell to the floor, the blood creating a pool around me. Those damn teenagers, I thought, when would they grow up? We were never like that. The newer generation was getting to be insensitive, destructive, maniacs. And I sunk into the black hole, the ones designated to us by the teenagers.





*****

We were out on a run, dressed in the top fashion at the time. We didn’t know where we were going, but did we ever? We all had our weapons with us, Archie made sure we got them, and we were patrolling the streets. The cops knew better, they weren’t out trying to limit us. We were quiet during the day, working and going to school but the night was ours. We were allowed to control the night, do what we want. It was time to spread our form of justice, enforce our laws.

“Stop. There.” Archie said, pointing to the man walking quickly away from us, his coat flapping around him. And we were upon him in a couple of seconds, circling around him like a pack of wolves.


“Leave me alone; can’t you just leave me alone?” He cried, keeping his head down and walking faster.

“Now where are you going in such a hurry?” Archie said, using his most slick voice. The pack laughed, knowing what Archie was about to get at.

“Home. Im just going home.” The man said, looking up finally at Archie’s face. Archie had the wide blue eyes that pleaded innocence, the welcoming open face and the soft angelic blonde hair. A face everyone could trust. I being Archie’s closest friend knew that Archie hated this fact about himself.

“I mean, why can’t I just look like you?” He constantly yelled,” You got that hoodlum look, that look I want. Why do I have to turn out like the choir boy?” He yelled, not realizing that it was a blessing. That no one was ever able to blame things on him.

“Home?” Archie said,” Why didn’t you say so? Boys step aside, let this man pass.” We did as we were told, and the man smiled at Archie. I never felt bad for the people we hurt; it was their fault for being out so late. Didn’t they know people like Archie and I existed? As the man passed, Archie reached out and pushed him, and we were upon him.

We had to be home early, since it was a school night and all. We were the model citizens, going to school and our jobs. Helping our fathers and mothers out, helping the old lady go across the street. No one can pin anything down on us, especially since Archie had that good looking face and sweet voice.

The next night I said goodnight to my mother and father and went to my room, where Archie sat waiting.

“Let’s go.” He said simply.

“Again?” I said. It wasn’t like I was getting tired of our antics, I wasn’t. But every day in a row got boring after awhile.

“This time it’ll be different. Look.” Archie pulled out a gun from his jacket. Now our weapons never included guns, we never tried to kill anybody you see. It was strictly hitting or robbing or hurting, never killing. I know this doesn’t mean anything we did was right, but it certainly changes things doesn’t it?

“I don’t know about that.” I said quickly looking behind me,” Put it away, what if my mother walks in?” I said, and Archie smiled, gorgeous smile lighting up his peaceful face. Archie was a really beautiful boy, and I don’t mean that in the fairy way either.

“We won’t actually kill anyone; it’ll just be for fun. Something different.” Archie promised me, holding my shoulder and steering me out of the bedroom and outside.

We never meant to kill anyone, I want to make that clear. We were just having fun, doing something different. I mean, we get all this pressure from everyone we need to let loose once and awhile right?

We found him walking, of course they never used sense and stayed inside or used a car did they? Archie stopped him; it was just me and him tonight, no one else. Archie stood in front of him keeping the gun concealed.

“Hello mister, what a beautiful night for a walk, isn’t it?” He said politely. The man tried to move away, walking to one side then the other but Archie matched his steps perfectly,” Now it’s rude not to answer.” Archie punched him, a hard one in the gut,” Is it, or isn’t it a beautiful night?” The man stayed silent, curling up on the floor.

“Seems like I have to teach this man a lesson,” Archie said, finally pulling out the gun. The man groaned.

“Put that away, you don’t want to shoot me.” Archie bent down next to him, staring into the mans eyes.

“Oh, but don’t I?” He said simply, pointing the gun to his stomach.

“Yes, you don’t.” The man said, shoving Archie’s hand away. That made Archie mad, and that’s what made Archie shoot the man in the stomach.



*****

“Is this the one who shot Demonical?” Sergeant Brown asked Detective Green. Green nodded, looking into the interrogation room at the young, blonde teenager.

“That’s him.” Green couldn’t believe what this teenager did, what this teenager has done. He had a son at home, ten years old, and he didn’t want his son to grow up like this monster.

“What’s his name?”

“Nick. Claims to that there was some other boy there named Archie. You can read about it, it’s all in the report he wrote.” Green said, goose bumps rising on his arms. That’s what really scared Green, that this boy Nick honestly believed that there was someone else there. There was never anyone there except himself. What were these teenagers coming to? What kind of monsters were they becoming?

“How’s Demonical?” Brown asked, opening the report and reading it.

“He’ll be fine, he’s in ICU.” Green said, looking back at Nick. What a waste of such an angelic face. It was hiding who Nick truly was, bloodthirsty destructive demon.