April 5th, 2012, somewhere in the middle of a forest.
Chop.
Crack.
"Will."
Crack.
Snap.
"WILL!"
"What the fuck do you want, Luke?" I speak in an annoyed tone as I'm disturbed from my work.
I place my axe down and turn around. My eyes land on the one and only, my older brother.
"The hell did you just say to me, you little shithead?" Luke responds in a serious voice that makes me rethink my life choices.
"Uh… I said what does my dearest elder brother want me to do for him?" I reply, backtracking my tone as I don't want to get my ass beaten.
"Hm, that's what I thought, and lucky for you, today I don't need extra help. Pack up and get ready. We're heading into town for a couple of days, Dad has some things he has to set up for the company," he responds in a mocking way that gives me the urge to give him a left and a right to the face.
"What does he even need to set up? All we do is cut wood and sell it. We're a damn lumber business, and a small one at that, we don't even have any machinery."
"Oh, we've got a smart cookie in this family. Bro, you just answered your own question, dumbass. He's doing business things, you think he's taking us in so we can have a party?" Luke says in an even more mocking voice.
"Piss off," I mutter.
"Now, I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that little pipsqueak voice whisper something and give you an out. Race you back to the house. If I win, you get an ass beating and have to do my share of the workload on top of yours for a week. If you win, nothing happens," Luke replies.
"Now hold on, how is that even fair? If you win, I lose. If I win, I get nothing. No deal, bro."
"Ass beating it is, then," he says as he starts walking forward.
"No, no, wait! I'll do it!"
"Three, two, one, GO!" he yells as he starts running back up the dirt path that leads to our house.
"That's not even fair!" I yell back as I start sprinting, trying not to trip over the uneven ground. Although, it's basically muscle memory at this point, I'm used to it.
—
I did end up losing that race, and I did eat a pile of shit as he tackled me and started using my body as a punching bag. But hey, what are brothers for? The man is 23, and I'm only 15. It's bullshit. Next time, I'll beat the shit out of him.
Currently, we're heading into town, the whole family is coming my dad, mum, and can't forget Luke. Honestly, I love being out in the forest with my trusty axe, cutting wood and working up a sweat. It may be weird, but I love the burn in my muscles, it makes me feel good.
According to my father and mother, I need to socialise more. I mean, I guess. But at least I'm good at what I do, considering I absolutely dominated all the kids in my age group in the annual axe games. Weird tournament, I won't lie, but considering where we're located and how small the town is, wood and timber are where the money is.
Speaking of the annual axe games, they're tomorrow, so I guess that's another reason Dad brought us into town. Even if he won't admit it, he's kind of a hard ass, but he does train me, and it's paid off, so I pay no mind to it.
As the car finally pulls to a stop after a thirty-minute trip, we park right outside of JB Lumbers. Named after my father Jack and my best mate Ben's father Blake, who owns it. They work together as supplier and processor, this place is where the magic goes down.
"Will, you can explore the town for a couple of hours and come back, stick with Ben when you see him. Here's thirty dollars, buy yourself some sweets," my mother says in her calm voice.
"Thanks, Mum. I love you," I say as I get out of the car and walk to Ben's house, which is like two hundred meters from JB Lumbers.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Coming!" I hear a loud voice as I knock on Ben's front door.
As the door swings open, it's like a blinding light hits me as I'm greeted by Ben's older sister, who's about my brother's age. Her long, blonde, curly hair and beautiful face are anyone's dream.
"Hey, Sarah, you look beautiful as always," I say in the manliest voice possible as I stand up straight, putting on a confident smile.
"Uhh, BEN! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! YOUR BOYFRIEND IS HERE!" she screams as I feel my eardrums about to blow.
"Woah, wait a second, I'm not gay! I've had many girlfriends!" I respond quickly.
"Oh?"
"Name one, Will," she fires back like a lightning bolt, catching me off guard.
Just as I'm about to respond, Ben comes running down the stairs, slamming into Sarah, which removes any chance of chatting her up. I will succeed one day. I have faith.
"YO, BROOO! HOW'S IT GOING?" He basically blasts my ears, just like his sister.
I forgot how loud this family is.
BAM.
And how physical. Sarah just rocked Ben in the face. That will leave a mark, ouch.
"Ben, I swear to God, if you're not out of this house in two seconds, I'll give you another punch, but this time to the nuts," Sarah declares.
Not wanting Ben to experience a pain no man should ever feel, I grab him and pull him outside. We start walking into town, heading straight for the shopping district.
"So, how's life been? Been a little bit since I last saw you, dude."
"Same old, same old. Dad's got me working like I'm a bloody slave. I don't know how you love working so much, mate. Fuck that, once I'm older, I'm becoming rich and buying a mansion," Ben says.
"Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that without working?"
"I'll figure it out," he responds.
"Have you seen the new movie that's come out yet or what?" Ben suddenly asks.
"What new movie?"
The Hunger Games," Ben responds.
"Ain't that like a book or something? What's it about?"
"Don't really know myself, but from what Emma told me, a bunch of kids have to kill each other in these games or something. It's in the cinema right now. We could go watch it if you want, or is your dumbass here to try and hit on Addison again? You know, not only do you try to talk up my sister, which I will beat you up for, but you also try and fail to talk up one of the hottest girls in our school."
"Nah, man it's fate, trust me, I'm a ladies' man. She's falling for me. They both are, and yeah, let's go watch the movie. Haven't been to the movies in a while, it should be good."
"Sure, buddy," Ben says.
—
"You know Cato would have kicked Peeta's ass in a fair one on one," I say.
"Nah, that's bullshit, Peeta is strong as fuck," Ben replies.
"Mate, Cato is legit trained to fight in the games. That Haymitch dude even says it himself, Katniss just had that main character plot drive, I will say, she's good with a bow, though."
Now, when people say they have regrets in life, I tend to have some of my own, like accepting my brother's challenges or doing dumb shit in general. But I've got to say, the dumbest idea I've ever had was stepping up to help someone in need.
Ben and I were walking out of the cinema after watching The Hunger Games, heading back home, when we came upon a woman getting into a heated argument with a man.
Everything went wrong the moment he slapped her.
I stepped in, Ben by my side, as we confronted the man. He got real pushy, and I saw the look in his eyes, he wasn't clear headed. Everything was going fine until he pulled out a knife and swung at me, I dodged with ease the man had no flare in his swing.
But when I looked to my right, where Ben originally was he wasn't there.
I quickly glanced behind me and saw him running off. My mate of eight years had just abandoned me.
My luck started to wane, when I glanced back, it was like the crazy man had found a second wind. I pivoted right as he went for a straight jab with the knife aimed at my chest. He missed, I went for a right hook to his jaw wide open, a free hit. It should've been enough to make him stumble and give me a chance to counter.
Whack.
I lost my balance and fell to the floor, of course, the woman I was trying to help also ended up hitting me in the head with her bag, I was about to slap the ever living shit out of the bitch when I felt a cold sensation.
Numb, but also like something was poking into my chest.
I lost focus. I fucked up. I didn't think of all the possibilities, and now it cost me.
For the third time, I fell back to the ground, this time for good.
I felt cold, really fucking cold and tired, my eyes kept shutting and opening.
I'm dying, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.
Left behind, betrayed by the person I was trying to help.
What a fucking way to go.
No final words.
Everything just goes dark.