61
Greg’s POV
“LIONEL!!!!”, I shouted as I took the stairs and immediately, some of Yakuza’s men appeared out of no where and tried to attack me, to stop me from reaching out to Lionel.
I couldn’t dodge them, so I engaged them in a quick karate, kicking and breaking their necks with my bare hands.
As I killed, I took a stair higher, and that was how it went, until I got to the top.
I was ready to do anything to save my best friend. I didn’t care the bones I had to break just to save him.
“Hang in there Lionel, I’m coming to save you”, I shouted still fighting, and as I was about to kill the last man, I saw Lionel.
His hands were tied from the cord as it was the only way he was still hanging. I kicked the man away and rushed towards him.
“Gregggggg!” Lionel called out.
I abruptly stopped in my tracks as I saw another man coming from behind me. He was having a knife in his hands.
I stood watching him, prepared to fight him to death just like I did with the others, but shockingly, he got to me and briskly walked past me heading for Lionel.
My eyes widened in shock, radiating in fear as soon as the realization dawned on me.
“Your time is up”, he blabbed.
“It’s too late”, he added and then with the aid of the knife, slash, he cut the rope.
No! Lionel!
“Noooooooooooo!”
I had no time to think. I quickly dashed forward as Lionel was already falling down.
Immediately, I grabbed the rope and the pressure pulled me out and before I knew it, I was half hanging from the roof.
“Lionel”, I shouted while trying to pull the thick cord up.
“Hang in there Lionel, nothing must happen to you”, I shouted.
The cord was so thick that it was cutting through the palms of my hand but I didn’t care, I was not ready to loose a friend who had been with me through thick and thin, a best friend who brought meaning back to my life.
“Hang in there, Lionel!” I shouted again while trying to pull the rope.
I kept on pulling till I was able to pull up Lionel a little and held his hand as the cord untied itself. Lionel slowly looked upwards.
His legs were already bleeding. His body had multiple knife cuts and he was barely breathing.
“Lionel, I got you!”, I said in happiness but Lionel shook his head slowly. His eyes were red.
Author’s POV
“No… let go Greg, just let go -“.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Greg shook his head aggressively while trying to hold his hand more tightly.
“No I can’t! I won’t! Give me your other hand”, Greg himself was out of breath as he was almost hanging out of the roof top.
“I… I am already a dead man”, Lionel cried.
“No… no… don’t say that Lionel. You can’t say that”, Greg was crying uncontrollably as he shook his head again.
“Remember you said we are gonna survive? Don’t let go Lionel. Be brave and strong just like your name”, Greg encouraged.
He himself was almost loosing his balance as he was now only supported on his feet.
“You will end up killing yourself, and the both of us” Lionel shouted angrily while Greg was still crying trying to save his childhood friend.
“No! Lionel, no! I… I cannot leave you behind… you are my family -”
“What will I do without you. Please Lionel, don’t give up -“, he was hicupping while trying to hold on to him.
Tears were streaming down on his face. Lionel’s eyes were also teary.
“Greg… you are here… you have saved Gianna right?”, Lionel weakly whispered as Greg nodded whimpering.
“Good boy. After I die… don’t take revenge on anyone… just… just live a good life with your girlfriend… with Gianna -“.
Lionel hissed in pain again, Greg was gradually loosing strength.
“Also… live a good life with your once best friend, Clemson… tell Nelson and Jones that I love them… I am so proud of you”, he smiled as he slowly placed his free hand on Greg’s hand and then forcefully pulled the other which Greg held onto, out.
“No… don’t… Lionel… Noooo -” Greg shouted at the top of his voice as Lionel pulled his hand out of his grip.
And he was falling…
Falling down…
“Lionel!!!”, Greg’s voice echoed shaking the walls of the abandoned mall.
Lionel closed his eyes as a tear rolled down his cheek. Mere seeing him, one would know that he was ready for the impact that was ready to crush his bones into pieces but just then…
He felt himself falling onto something semi soft, and then someone held his both hands tightly. He quickly opened his eyes as he saw who it was that had held his hands and his eyes widened.
“Got you!”
“Brother!”
Nelson smiled pulling him inside the first floor as they both crash landed on the ground.
Lionel hissed in pain as they both laid down on the floor looking at the ceiling and panting.
Then Nelson quickly got up as he gave a hand to Lionel to make him stand.
“You?” Lionel smiled softly.
“Remember the promise? No matter what, we will walk and stick together -” Nelson left the sentence incomplete.
“Until our last breath”, Lionel completed the sentence and they both hugged each other.
Just then they heard the screeching of a car and they looked out to see Jones storming out of the car, he did and saw the both of them standing and watching.
He squinted his eyes to figure out and he widely smiled with happiness as soon as he realized whom they were.
He quickly rushed up to them.
“I’m taking Lionel to the hospital. Take Greg down from the roof. He will be surp -“, a gunshot from the roof top caught him in a mid sentence and they all gasped.
Jones dashed forward with the speed of light and as soon as he got there, the scene he saw made his eyes widened in shock, utmost shock.
Greg was crouching down on the ground kneeling on one leg and one of Yakuza’s men was holding out his gun at him.
Greg had been shot!