(Warning: This chapter contains depictions of sexual violence. Please be advised)
Chase couldn't believe his eyes when he saw who was in front of him. Travis was the shooter. He couldn't believe it. How had he become so blind that he wasn't able to figure out what was going on with his best friend?
Chase and Travis had been bullied since they were in middle school. It was through bullying that they had brought them closer. They had felt a connection with one another. They were inseparable, finding solace in the things they loved doing together. But why? Why did he do this? It was at that moment that he knew something bad had happened to Travis.
He stepped forward while Travis stepped back instinctively.
"Travis?" He called out. "What the fuck is wrong with you, man? How could you do this?"
Travis kept silent, not knowing what he was supposed to say.
Chase glared at him. "Answer me, you bloody idiot. How could you do this?"
Travis gritted his teeth, gripping the machine gun tightly. He looked beyond Chase and could see the door where he knew Prince and his cohorts were. He wasn't going to stop until he killed them, not even if his best friend said no.
"Get out of the way, Chase." He spoke, voice cold. "And go home."
Chase stared at him. "You know I won't. I won't allow you to kill innocent people."
"You all people should know that they're not innocent!" He ranted. "That's fucking bullshit! They made our lives a living hellhole."
"Is that why you want to kill Prince?" Chase scoffed in disappointment. "You want to kill them because they bullied us. That's bullshit!"
Travis kept silent and Chase could then see the pain on his face. He was trying to hide it but Chae noticed it clearly. Something had truly happened to him. Something so terrible that it had driven him to the breaking point.
"What...." He asked, gently. "What happened, Travis? Tell me?"
Travis was now trying, he couldn't help it. The painful memories began to flood into his mind. Memories he tried to stop, but he couldn't. Travis sobbed freely as he held the gun in his hands.
"I....I.....I..." He stammered, still sobbing. "I was assaulted."
Chase's eyes widened in shock. "You were what?"
Travis stared at the ground. "It happened on Monday. After the complaint to the principal on Friday about what Prince did to me. He...he came into the bathroom with his cohorts, they fucking berated me for the month detention they got. They...they smashed my head against the sink twice, they gave me a beating, and then dunked my head in a toilet. Then Prince.... brought a mop, and then he..... he used the handle and entered inside me, and he kept on doing it until I was bleeding."
"Oh, man," Chase whispered, horrified. "I'm so sorry, man."
Travis cleaned his eyes. "It doesn't matter. It won't matter when I kill him."
"You know I won't allow you to do that." Chase pleaded. "You've killed people. You're going to die in prison."
"I don't care." Travis sat in anger. "I know what I was doing when I held this gun. Those people I killed deserved it and I will never regret it."
Chase stared at him in silence. "The cops were called thirty minutes ago. Please don't make me do this. Please stop."
Travis reloaded the gun. "Go home, Chase. I'm allowing you to go. Please, just leave."
"You know I can't allow you to do this." Chase snapped, his eyes filled with anger. "You're being an immature idiot."
"You know what your problem is, Chase." Travis snapped with anger and bitterness. "You think you're strong just because you endured all the bullshit we went through."
"And what's wrong about that?"
"Don't act like a fucking saint!" Travis screamed, his voice making so lo loud that students flinched. "Don't you dare look down on me!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Chase asked confused.
"I can see the disappointment in your eyes," Travis explained, his voice rough. "You're disappointed that I resorted to this."
"Who wouldn't be?" Chase replied, his voice firm. "You just fucking ruined your life. You shot innocent people just because they teased you or bullied you. So you just became a coward."
Travis stared at Chase for a moment before erupting into a loud laugh.
"Nice words." He laughed. "Didn't know you could give a fucking sermon."
Then his laughter stopped, his frown reappeared, and the gun was now aimed at Chase's chest.
"I'm done with your fucking bullshit!" He snapped. "Since you're not getting out of the way, I'll just have to get you out of the way. In a fucking body bag!"
Chase stared at him again, fear creeping into his heart. Sweat formed on his brow, dripping down his neck.
'Is he really gonna kill me' He thought. 'His own best friend.'
Chase could see the look in his eyes. He really was going to kill him. Their friendship was gone out of the window in his eyes. All he cared that he wanted to hurt more people. And that made Chase really mad.
The system screen popped up in his face again.
[Mission Objectives: Engage and neutralise the shooter before thirty people are killed.]
Chase stared at it for a moment before gazing back at his best friend. That was what he was going to do. Talking was over. Chase wasn't going to allow him to hurt anyone anymore.
He clenched his fist, directly looking at Travis. "Then let's see you try it."