-BEFORE IT STARTS-
The cozy breeze night, cool air, fog, and the neon light from the convenience store gave me the creeps, but I felt comfy and warm in my body. I was holding the plastic bag full of crunchy snacks, mini fruits for the late-night homework, and a zero-cola soda can in another hand. I put the straw in the tiny hole on top of the can by my mouth, which is between my lips. Then. I sucked the cold, frizzy drink up and ran down my throat. I love cold drinks, even during the colder season.
"Ting." The sound of the message on my phone was loud.
I slid my palm inside the plastic handle and took the phone out of my shorts' pocket—the message from my friend, Irin.
Irin: 'I know you're out for snacks. Buy me favorites, muah (kiss emoji)'
We planned to do the assignment together this Friday night instead of going out partying. I declined the invitation from the popular girls in school. I might get in trouble by ignoring one of the girls most wanted by schoolboys, arranged by some group or club in school that had so much free time. At least I told her directly before tonight instead of acting nonchalant.
Me: 'Already, in 5 mins, open the door for me.'
I pressed send.
Homework didn't sound cooler or look more prior than partying or having fun outside school. The crowd made me uncomfortable sometimes, but it depends on the situation. The crowd from the students in the room hall in class, I was fine—the crowd from the party danced skin to skin with strangers. I was not fine, but the crowd at the concert, yes. The crowd at the restaurant, no.
We enjoyed fun in different ways.
I turned myself to the corner of the street where the side road started to have more trees than the house. The short-cut path to Irin's house. The street lights were far apart, around fifty meters away from each other, and it was not pure white light, and it was not straight yellow-orange light; it was a faded orange between yellow and white.
I sucked the drink while I strolled comfortably, chilling like I owned the street.
"Thud!!"
Fuck, I flinched after hearing the hit of something on the road. It was loud. I paused, tried to tilt my head to see ahead, turned my face around to see what was behind me, and leaned my body to the front a little to see it again.
There was nothing.
My heart skipped a beat faster than normal. I breathed in the cool air and exhaled slowly and quietly as much as possible. Then, I decided to keep on walking.
"THUG!!!!"
"ARGHH!!!"
I stopped immediately. I quickly ran and hid myself behind the big tree in the corner before the alley to Irin's place.
I saw tons of men in black and leather jackets with helmets shining far away from my eyes because of the street lights, and the light from the gas station ahead of them hit and reflected the leather shiningly and also on their helmets. They were beating and hitting someone, and there was only one person. I counted the shiny black heads as more than ten heads. The one wearing the black t-shirt with a bare head was beaten, glided, and pushed his body up and swung the bare fist to the man with the protection, one by one.
"Shit…" I cursed lightly.
I took out my phone and was about to call the police. Then, my eyes locked on the dark-haired man without a helmet who fought alone and without support.
"Zygmunt?" I called his name from afar.
I widened my eyes, and my heart stopped. The sound on the other line called me back.
"There's a bunch of bikers hitting someone. Near to Woodless gas station." I informed them, and I saw Zygmunt kick the man, and his helmet fell down. Suddenly, the sharp knife was pointed at Zygmunt. "Please…hurry." I stuttered.
No, you bunch of cowered, ten against one? And you used the fucking weapon on him. My body shivered, and my eyes shook, but the sight was steady enough to make me feel fear. Then, my body moved on its own towards them, crossing the unconscious bodies.
Stop. What were I doing?
I glanced at the helmet lying on the floor, bowed to grab it, and clenched it so hard, firmly enough like it was on the part of my hand.
My body was closer and closer to the man who was holding the knife.
"Ha…" Zygmunt noticed me, and he gasped out, and the quick look of him made the man in front of me cautious and more trembling.
That man was about to use the knife to stab Zygmunt's chest. Then, I used the helmet to hit that man at the back of his skull.
"THUD!!!" And then, he fell down on the ground.
I crossed his body, sat on him, and used the same helmet to hit him in the face.
"Ha…" Again. "Ha…" And I hit it again.
And again.
"Hey!" And there was a man sound behind me. Suddenly, Zygmunt was limping to walk past me.
Thud.
The sound of the body attacked the concrete ground. I could sense that he punched that guy down before getting to me. I didn't even turn my face to look because my eyes were locked on the man beneath me; his face was full of blood and bruises. I raised the helmet again.
"Hey…" Zygmunt grabbed my wrist. I look at him, his face nearly as the man under me. He took the helmet from my hand and threw it on the floor.
"Thud!" The sound of the helmet's material against the concrete road made me realize what had happened.
He pulled me up while I looked at his face, and I could hardly see his eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked me with a raspy, deep voice. Should I be the one who asked you that? I didn't ask him or reply, but my eyes shifted down to the corner of his stomach where his other palm covered the fresh wound; blood was running out like a fountain.
My eyes widened even more. "You— you got stabbed?"
"We have to get out of here." He ignored my question. "Let's go." He repeated while dragging me out of the scene. I followed him willingly, but I was very concerned about his wound.
"Let's go to the hospital. I'll call—"
"No." He cut my sentence before I even finished. "No? You got stabbed, Zygmunt!"
He didn't reply to me, and he kept dragging me in his direction, and I didn't know where he was heading. I noticed the blood was dripping more and more rapidly on the floor.
I held myself back as he pulled me. He turned to look at me, wondering. "What? Are you hurt?" I gasped in my mind. "No, you are. Please, let's go to the hospital…your blood is… everywhere." He looked upset and turned his face back to his way.
"You go home." He told me. "What?" I was shocked. Then, he lost his grip and let my wrist go.
"Hey, Zygmunt, if you're not going to hospital, then where are you going?" I asked him and followed him at the same time. "Zygmunt…" I called him again.
"Just go home, please." He repeated with his deep voice. "Hey, I can't leave you like this." He kept stumbling his way, ignoring my existence.
"Please…" I begged. He tilts his head a little. "Go home. Don't go the same way you usually do…" He turned his face to tell me, and my tears were about to burst out. He bit his lips and his broad back to me.
"For heaven's sake, Zygmunt, Stop." I raised my voice as I grabbed his thick wrist. I moved myself closer to the side of his body and put his rigid arm over my shoulder.
"What are you doing?" He asked. "You're heading home, right?" I asked. He stared at me for a second and nodded to me.
"You're big like a wolf, but act like a stubborn little pup," I murmured. "Hehe." He lightly chuckled under his pain.