Changing Tides

by K A Sands

  And then, Ayden. There was the killer. Right there in front of his house he’d told me to fuck off. I deserved every ounce of his derision and hatred. If his words hadn’t hurt enough initially, they’d sliced harsher when he’d said he loved me. I mean, why? Who could love a total fuck up like me? Even Sophie couldn’t stand me half the time; her love was obligatory, she was my sister. My heart had soared for all of ten seconds, then plummeted and drowned with each step Ayden took from me. I stayed on my knees in the gravel and dirt where I belonged, long after his car screeched away.

  I was told to keep on with the plan, so I did. The car journey to the rehab centre I was taking Boomer to was only an hour from Brighton. The day’s sunshine and warmth did little to heat me up as Boomer drove his beat-up Subaru further into the countryside. We hadn’t said much more to one another past hello, and it suited me fine. I wasn’t ready to talk about the monumental fuck up I’d achieved days ago. He had answers, I knew he did, but I didn’t want to hear them. The last thing I remembered was sucking back drinks at Monty’s and he was right next to me. Chrissie was responsible, probably Charlie too, but I’d save that for another day.

  “You gonna manage this?” I asked eventually.

  He shrugged, his mouth set in a thin line, his cheeks pulled in. From drugs or what, I didn’t know. My friend was the shell of a man he used to be, whether he could do this or not was beside the point. I wasn’t mollycoddling the fucker anymore.

  “You don’t do this, and you die. You get that, right? Every time you shovel that shit up your nose you are asking for trouble.”

  I was angry, at myself, at him, at everyone. I hated the world and Boomer was getting a front row seat. He nodded. That was all, one subtle nod of the head that confirmed he wasn’t quite ready for this.

  “Seriously, Boomer. Get clean.” I pulled in a deep breath. “I’ll be out when you’re done. Like out, out. You don’t get clean, you don’t come around me. You don’t come around Sophie. You got me?”

  God, I was a grade ‘A’ prick. What other incentive was there to wave in front of his face? Maybe if he felt enough for me, for Sophie, he’d at least try. The uncomfortable silence remained until we reached the gates of the sprawling estate the rehabilitation centre was on. Boomer slowed the car and pulled off to the side of the road, parking up on the grass verge. Pulling the keys from the ignition, he climbed out the car.

  With no idea what he was up to, I followed suit. Boomer had his guitar slung across his back, his duffle bag at his feet and his hand extended with the car keys dangling from his fingertips, when I reached him at the boot of the car.

  “Nu uh, Boomer. I need to see you check in.” Shaking my head vigorously at him, I growled. “Get back in the fucking car.”

  “Listen, Gripp. I got to do this myself, mate. Walk in there and hand myself over. I can’t have you holding my hand. It’s got to be me. Surely you get that?” I looked at the closed gates behind him and swallowed hard. “I’ll get that Lesley chick to call you, let you know.” Placing his keys on the roof of his car, Boomer reached for his duffle bag. “Thanks, Shaun.”

  Turning, my best friend left me on the side of the road with his beaten up and scarred car. Once he’d slipped through the gates, I sat my arse onto the kerb and fished out my phone, waiting for a message. When Ryder’s name danced across my screen the same time it chimed, I gave the first genuine smile I had in days. The four words telling me Boomer had checked in settled at least one hurt. The rest was up to him.

  In no hurry to move, I laid back and watched the wispy clouds amble across the stretch of blue above me. I didn’t want to think of anything, much less the shit show that was my life. I closed my eyes and stole a minute’s peace before deciding it was time to make my wrongs right.

  Ayden wasn’t getting to walk away, not after saying what he did. Not after telling me he loved me. It was too easy, the coward’s way out, and I had never been a coward in my life. I wasn’t about to start then.

  I loved him too. There was no way I was giving up.

  Jumping to my feet with a renewed vigour, I snatched the keys from the roof of the car and slid into the driver’s seat, adjusting it to suit my height. Nerves hummed through me as I cranked the engine, I was terrified. For the first time in my life I felt scared, really scared, but I could do this. I would do this. To not feel Ayden’s hand in mine again, to not feel the scratch of his stubble across my cheek, the heat of his body against mine, didn’t bear thinking about. I let myself smile one more time then turned the car toward home, toward Ayden.

  Five minutes into the drive and my phone chirped in my pocket again. I had to ignore it, there was no safe place to pull over for the time being. It rang off, then started up again and I cursed the fact I was on a back-country road with very little room either side. The phone went silent again and I peered up the lane looking for somewhere to park, spying an entrance to a field that was big enough, then I parked the car as close to the gate as I could and hurried to yank the bloody phone from my jeans pocket.

  Two missed calls from Ayden left me apprehensive and I scrambled to unlock the keypad to call him back. He answered on the first ring, his breaths heavy and his frantic voice travelling down the line. I pinched my eyes closed trying to understand the garbled mess coming from his mouth. I could hear his desperation and it was enough to spur me into action, flicking the phone onto speaker and tossing it onto the passenger seat as I started the car again. By the time Ayden had hung up and I had the vague jist of what he was saying, I was screaming down the road with my phone at my ear, calling Lucca. Damned if I was caught, I needed to get home.

  When Lucca answered I didn’t let him get a word in edge ways. “Ayden called, said Sophie called him upset, then hung up. That someone was in the flat. He can’t get her or Jake on the phone so he’s heading over. He’s freaking out, man.”

  “Okay, where are you?”

  “I’m almost an hour away. I was dropping Boomer off.” I pushed my foot hard onto the brake pedal as a rabbit ran out in front of the car, my body jutting forward, the seatbelt pulling tight and digging into my neck. “Oomph!”

  “I’ll call him, meet you there. I’m about forty minutes out.”

  Hanging up, I threw the phone onto the passenger seat, in case he called back, then I floored it as carefully as I could, not wanting to end up in an accident.

  Something cruel pooled in my stomach as I sped through the back lanes, a feeling of something being terribly wrong. I needed home.

  Ayden

  I couldn’t pull my jeans over my hips fast enough and struggled trying to get my damned shoes on, there was no time to lace them, so I tucked them into the sides and hoped they stayed the fuck on. Passing the Loft entrance, I grabbed my thin hoody from the rack behind the door and shoved that on too. Bolting out the door and down the stairs, totally discounting the slow arsed elevator, ten flights felt like nothing at all as my heart hammered less from exertion than fear, it was pounding before I’d even hit the first stair down.

  Trying to call Sophie back, she wasn’t answering, the voicemail didn’t kick in either, nothing. I was fucking scared shitless as I jumped in my car and roared into the street. She’d been on the call for maybe twenty seconds, enough to hear plenty even if she’d only said someone was in the flat. It was then ten seconds of wails and a realisation that Sophie was in real trouble. She’d been fine when her and Jake had left earlier, saying they’d be back soon. I couldn’t think what had happened; except maybe there was a problem with who was in the flat. Or that something had happened to the baby.

  Oh, God, please no....

  I jammed my foot down harder trying to concentrate on the road and driving so I wouldn’t get pulled over before I got there. Managing to fuck up calling Shaun too, my fingers kept hitting wrong buttons, they were shaking so hard but eventually I found what I needed in the menu. A few rings later and a frantic sounding Shaun picked up. I garbled through what I thought was happening, hoping he got my ur
gency and that he was nearby, maybe at the club with Ryder. I didn’t hear his response and hung up, so I could call the police.

  After calling them, they weren’t exactly helpful because I couldn’t tell them what the emergency was, I turned into Sophie’s street and slammed my car into the first available parking space I could find outside the block of flats. Jumping out, not caring that the keys were still in the ignition or that I’d left the door open, I ran into the block and up the stairs two at a time to Shaun’s apartment.

  The door was open, just a touch, enough to put my guard up. Light spilled through the crack along with muffled sounds I couldn’t quite make out. Straining to listen, to hear and to distinguish what or whose voices they were, not catching anything of significance.

  I didn’t stop to think when I heard the scream and a crash on the other side of the door. Barging my way in, I followed the awful sounds of wailing. I didn’t take notice of the other people in the house when I found myself suddenly pushed further into the living room. My feet glued to the floor in utter shock when I finally got my wits about me and understood the gravity of the situation.

  Anger came quicker than lightning once I registered the scene before me, spurring me forward, shouting and swearing at the fuck pinning Sophie to the floor by a big meaty hand around her neck. Her t-shirt was up over her chest, her leggings discarded a few feet from her and the hulking body of the guy was hunched over her. His trousers were still up, and I hoped he hadn’t gone too far.

  Being grabbed from behind, a thick arm hung onto my neck as someone else gripped me from either side before I could haul the sick fucker off her. I felt like a mad man trying to shake free, my arms pinned as I kicked out as much as I could with my legs and tried to butt my head backwards. Three big guys had me at their mercy and I hardly made a dent trying to fight them off to get to Sophie.

  Feeling something sharp at my back and a whisper of ‘easy’ in my ear, pulled the fight from my body. Still seething, I ceased struggling and recognised there was no way either myself or Sophie were walking away from this unscathed.

  I looked over at the noises coming from the corner of the room – a whimpering that made me sick to my stomach – and I knew it was already too late for her. I could see it in her eyes as she turned her head and stared straight at the far corner of the room. I inched my head around and absolute fear struck faster than anything I’d ever felt when I saw Jake lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The harsh laugh of the bastard intent on destroying our lives reverberated loud around the room as I gave out an almighty cry and tried to make a lunge for my best friend, begging him silently to get up, begging that the blood surrounding him didn’t mean what I was positive it did.

  Sophie’s ordeal was far from over, but I couldn’t take my eyes from Jake’s slack form even when a loud slap made me wince.

  Then everything stopped, Sophie laid silent, and when I eventually turned to look at her, tears streamed down her blood-stained face.

  I choked and puked, felt my knees wobble at the sight of the horror show going on right in front of me I couldn’t stop. Watching the guy get up and tuck his flaccid cock back into his jeans, I was sick again when I saw the amount of blood smeared up Sophie’s legs.

  He grinned as he stalked forward, sucker punching me in the stomach as he drew up close. It had me doubling over, knocking the wind out of me but I never once took my eyes off Sophie. I could give her that at least. I knew people were coming but they were taking too long and every second that passed was a second less that someone could get help to Jake and Sophie. I feared they didn’t have those seconds in hand.

  “Jake,” I muttered.

  The bastard’s goons jerked me upright and I dared look away from Sophie for a second, jutting my jaw out in defiance. A familiar man stood in front of me, his head cocked to the side, an evil glint of satisfaction shining in his eyes. I knew him, I was sure I did as I peered at his face. My head was so muddled I couldn’t add it up, couldn’t place who he was or how I knew him. I’d seen him with Shaun one time, when we’d been at my dad’s club all those weeks ago, but there was more to it.

  I spat in the sick motherfucker’s face and enjoyed the vile act that would normally leave me feeling disgusted with myself. A flick of his head and I felt an excruciating pain in my lower back, bringing me to my knees as the burly fuckers stepped away. I tried to right myself, couldn’t manage it and flopped to the floor. Groaning in pain, attempting to crawl over to Sophie but the flame licking up my spine was sending me dizzy, the disorientation making me sluggish. I collapsed on my front, mere feet away from a beaten and bloody Sophie, letting out a harsh cry of defeat. Someone grabbed at my ankles and dragged me back the way I had crawled, no matter how hard I tried to kick I ended up at the feet of the ring leader again.

  Not managing to get back up on my knees, my whole body refused to co-operate, I collapsed forward. A moment of panic wound its way through my body before I dared to try to move.

  Fuck.... what if it’s too late? What if no-one comes?

  The situation wasn’t good, not by a long shot; our time was running out fast. Where the fuck was Shaun?

  “Seems like you and Sophie have something in common, huh?” The big guy sneered at me as he crouched down, grabbing my hair in his fist and forcing my head further up to look at him. I would have spat again but my mouth was so goddamned dry from puking there was no point in trying. He leaned into my face and nodded his head in Sophie’s direction, who by then wasn’t moving at all. “Such a good fuck.” He slammed my head back down but not before I’d been sick again at his words. The bile shifted up so quickly I had no time to hold it down as Shaun’s face flitted before my eyes.

  He got up and walked back over to Sophie, grinning down at her. “Bye, babe.” He kissed his fingers and touched them to her lips before jolting downwards, plunging what looked like a screwdriver into her shoulder. “You tell your fuck of a brother it was worth every punch. I’ll be seeing him soon.”

  “No!” I screamed, finding the last iota of energy I could. “No! You fucking bastard!” Struggling again, I tried desperately to get up off the floor, my energy failing me, my limbs heavy. “I’m going to fucking kill you!”

  Somehow, I staggered to my feet, but it was short lived. Before I could make a lunge for the vile prick, I felt a whoosh of air beside my ear, didn’t see the plank though.

  Lights fucking out.

  Shaun

  The Subaru had barely stopped before I jumped out and scanned the area, seeing Ayden’s car parked haphazardly, the door wide open. Sirens screeched in the background, help was coming. My heart lurched as I looked up and saw the curtains closed in our apartment. My feet started moving, running for the stairs, without a second thought. Lucca appeared right behind me shouting something I couldn’t make out, the loud rush of fear through my ears deafening. My focus was Sophie.

  The flat door was wide open, and I barely paid any heed to the neighbours scattered along the hallway walls as I moved faster. The deathly silence I did notice, it was too quiet, and I realised whatever confronted me when I reached my sister, would change my life forever.

  As I barrelled into the flat I came careening to a halt and felt my heart physically stop beating as I took in the carnage that was our living room. Huddled at the far end was a whimpering Chrissie clutching Sophie to her chest, her bloody legs sprawled out at the side of hers.

  “I don’t know how to stop it!” she yelled when I frantically crossed to her. I was on my knees over Sophie in an instant. The towel laid over her chest was bright red and there was a pool on the floor. Her eyes were closed. She needed to open them; I was begging her to open them.

  “Please, please.... please!” I keened, clasping my hands over her cheeks, “Let me see your baby blues, gorgeous.” Tears I could no longer keep at bay streamed down my face as I gently slapped at hers. “Sophie, please, please, please....”

  She was stalk still, not even warm to the touch and I couldn’t tell
if she was breathing or not. I moved the towel away and took in a sharp breath as I saw the point where her blood was leaving her body, leaving her lifeless.

  “Fuck!” I cried, shoving Chrissie roughly away and lifting Sophie to me, cradling her tight to my own chest, whispering pleas and nonsense in her ear. Telling her how beautiful she was; how much I loved her. And then I remembered the baby and I full on howled, wiping her bloodied hair away from her face as I kissed her over and over again. The physical pain of my heart breaking confounded me so much I couldn’t come to grips with it.

  This was madness.

  Chrissie pressed another towel to Sophie’s chest. We looked at one other in desperation, her red, blotchy eyes returning my helpless stare. She lifted her hand and cupped my cheek to offer some strength. It was a strange gesture from a woman such as her, and all she had done, but I leaned into her anyway. She moved away slightly, and it was only then I began to take in the rest of my surroundings. I choked out loud when I saw him, behind the door, flat on his face with his father leaning over him. Just like Sophie, he wasn’t moving, and my heart ripped its final piece.

  Everything became blurry from there as I grasped harder to Sophie, trying to keep a hold of my last shred of sanity, praying to anything that would listen, to let the two people who were my life to just be okay.

  How could this be happening to them? Why? How could I not protect those I loved? It was a sobering among the madness, a thought that had me reeling.

  Chrissie was talking to me, I tuned her out, feeling arms around my shoulders, but I refused to let go of Sophie. They weren’t taking her from me. I blinked my eyes open and looked around again. The room was full of yellow jackets and noise.... So much noise in my fucking ears.