AMBUSHED

This was it!

That moment I'd been patient about for the last twenty years. Finally my hard work had payed off as I'm knocking on sixty.

The cabin is beautiful.

Perfectly secluded in Northern Maine only a few miles from the Canadian border. A great place to transition before I begin my next chapter as a retired man.

Of all the scores I took down this was by far the smoothest. I mean I did em all you name it, museums, art galleries, banks, jewelers, even B and E's. I ain't talking the petty ones either, I'm talking big cribs of high rollers and politicians. Comm Ave, Beacon Hill, Brookline. I was that go to guy when everybody wanted a big ass slice. Those days were different.

MAD different!

Everybody ate and they ate good! We were on the same page. That all changed when the crack era hit. My younger brother Curtis, ten years my junior got caught up with that bullshit and went away for a dime and a half. I started doing international jobs at that time, tried to get Curtis to come with me. He was young and flashy, wanted to be seen, wanted everyone to know he had money. What I was doing wasn't fly enough for him. He did his time like a man though. Came home sober, even opened up a boxing gym in the South End. Everything flipped upside down five years ago when I got that phone call from my sister. I knew that was it when she called me "Gregory".

Only our moms called me that. I was always just known as "G". Little bro was murdered. I ain't getting into details and all because that shit still stings. I miss you Curt, your spirit lives on. Good thing is the gym is still there because of a local boxing champ.

Thanks Jamal.

The bar inside this spot feels like heaven. Normally a time like this would call for a bottle of champagne but I'll save that for the flight. Up in the air about that as well. Been around the world so it ain't a big deal. Hell who knows? Maybe I'll stay up here, off the grid, only time will tell. Right now I'll just enjoy a double of bourbon.

As I reached for a glass and poured my drink I noticed a scratchy sound from outside. It's fall so it could be just the wind blowing leaves but I don't know, felt odd. I shrug it off and toast myself. That first sip of victory always taste like God sent it.

There it is again. That noise. This time I gotta see what's up.

I take another sip and grab my Glock 9MM from the table and make my way to the door.

I open it slowly.

Standing some yards away from my door step are three people dressed in dark clothing with their faces painted half black half white. The area just below their eyes down to the neck was black and the top half is white. All with bald heads, two males, one female.

I let off a warning shot in the air.

They barely flinched but they ain't want no smoke. Guess they wasn't expecting to run into a brotha out here in these sticks.

" Yo, because it's Halloween time and all I'll give yah a pass but the next ones ain't flying to the sky. Yah got ten seconds." I said.

They stared at me.

One second passed.

We stared each other down for a few.

NOW

FIVE SECONDS PASSED.

I held my pistol tighter as I kept it by my side.

Another second passed...now I'm ready!

They walked away peacefully.

I closed the door and returned inside.

I didn't think much of it and really didn't care. Nothing was going to ruin my moment.

NOTHING.

I poured another glass of bourbon. A shot this time to officially toast myself. I could have done other things as a young man to get me to this point but I wasn't with it. I mean, my only options were to sell drugs, become a cop, or if I got lucky be a state or a city worker in some type of capacity. Imagine that, me driving a trolley, a garbage truck, dropping salt in the winter during blizzards or locking cats up whom I shared the same struggle with. Or even worse, being on that opposite side of the law so me and my brothers could eat each other over scraps while the real enemy sat back and cashed in on our self-hatred and disorganization.

Fuck that, I took a chance on me.

As I knock my shot back loud bangs at the door knock consecutively! I grab my gun and move towards the door. I hold for a minute and swing the door open sticking the pistol out first.

I gaze to the right and I see nothing there. I glance over to the left and stare dead on to one of the mystery men charging towards me. I fire two shots. He's able to dodge the first one but the second shell not so much. It catches him in the shoulder. He drops to the ground.

The woman creeps up behind me and tries to smack the pistol from my grip. She's unsuccessful. She pulls out a knife and gives me a clean swipe across the leg. Damn it stings but doesn't do too much. I look over and peep the man I popped in the shoulder struggling to get up.

Keeping my eye on him.

The woman attempts to slice me again as I avoid and give her a stiff elbow between the eyes. Put her to sleep instantly.

I walk over to the man with his shoulder leaking blood. I grab him by the back of the head and place the barrel of my gun on his mouth.

Before I can pull the trigger I'm knocked on the back of the head. Now it's my turn to go to sleep.

MOMENTS PASS

I'm seated in a chair. Funny, seems like I would be tied up but it's worse. They must have sedated me. Feel like I popped mad oxy and followed up with a blunt. Different for me being that I stay clear from narcotics. I hear the sound of a skillet sizzling but this smell is different. It's weird. Never smelled nothing like it before. The man I shot and the woman I knocked out sit across from each other on the side ends of the table.

His shoulder continues to leak along with her nose. I can tell I broke it by the split above the center plus she's having a difficult time breathing. Has to be close to sunrise. I slightly glance over and notice my pistol on the counter.

The other member of this mystery team is the one doing the cooking. He must be the leader. What the hell is he cooking?! He comes to the table with a serving tray and places it at the center.

Is that what I think it is?

Word it is.

I look at the plate and spot some human shoulder meat. He really just pan fried a chunk of his boy's shoulder! WTF is going on?! The leader goes behind the man with the wounded shoulder and slices his throat clean. Blood pours out on the table, everywhere. Face down onto the table for him.

Dead.

He makes his way over to the woman. Stands behinds her. She doesn't try to fight it. They must have failed a test. He presumes. Slices her throat as I gather all of my strength and flip the table over. I head near the stove. The woman lies dead on the floor.

The leader moves in to me as I grab the skillet and toss the hot oil from the pan on his face. I earn a good scream from him. He's so distracted from the pain I smack him across his head with the skillet!

BANG!

I drop to one knee due to fatigue and attempt to catch my breath. I feel him creeping behind me. I spot my pistol and empty the clip into him until he falls on his back.

I take a long gaze at his now stiff body and glance over towards the window. The sun rises as the rays kiss my face through the glass.

I welcome it as I close my eyes and inhale.

THE END.