Thicker Than Water

                                                          Thicker than Water

It all starts there, in that dark mall parking lot. Everything I once knew-gone, well, at least about her. Everything else I suppose stays the same-just because I find her different doesn’t mean everyone else is too…right? It just simply started that I wanted to go to the mall-I was in need of some major shopping and my mom, being the workaholic that she is of course could not take me. Alex offered; wonderful Alex. Oh, Alex is a girl-my cousin. And so the story starts.

I was ecstatic -Abercrombie & Finch had a huge close out. I got a lot of new and wonderful clothes to wear all for Wal-Mart price. Who wouldn’t be happy? But anyway, Alex didn’t buy anything. Honestly, I didn’t see her buy anything. It was starting to get late, the mall was closing. I was happy with my purchases; Alex was walking next to me, not saying much. But that is like her. One moment she is talking non stop and the next…well, silent.

“Alex I’m sorry you had to take me…you don’t seem to be having any fun.” I said, looking at her. We were at the food court now, getting ready to make our way threw the wandering crowd, my stomach rumbled, even though we ate earlier.

“If I didn’t want to come, I wouldn’t have offered.” Alex pointed out. “Now I cannot take you home hungry, how about some ice cream?”

I smiled, “Of course!” I said enthusiastically. We made our way to Orange Julius and the Dairy Queen mixed booth.

We both got Smoothies-mine strawberry, Alex’s strawberry banana, mm, Orange Julius Smoothies-now that hits the spot. We drank them fast, so we did not have to carry them to Alex’s car, and then started giggling over the brain freeze we both got.

We left the mall then and started navigating our way to Alex’s car-which she hates. She is a Chevy girl and is stuck driving a Ford station wagon. I guess I would be mad too?-If I knew anything about cars….yeah…right. I started then thinking about cars…and boys…and how boys like cars when Alex grabbed my arm.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked. Alex is not a touchy-feely cousin-honestly.

“Don’t look right at them, just glance out of the corner of your eye.” Alex told me.

“What…” I trailed off, Alex can be SO confusing!

“There are three men to the left; they look like they are trying to break into a car. We are almost past them.” Alex whispered all of this hurriedly, and she kept her head down as we walked.

“So?” I wondered out loud. Alex looked me in the eye. “They do not like that we might have seen them do something.” She grinned and dug around in her pocket. “Here are my keys. If and when I say so you run to that damn station wagon-it’s 5 cars up on the right. Remember, not all the doors unlock so get in the drivers seat.”

“What?” I asked again really puzzled. By now we had just passed the three men, which had big bulky black coats on-kind of like you imagine gang bangers to wear.

We were now three cars away from Alex’s Ford and one of the men shouts, “Hey why don’t you come over hear and share of that sugar of yours!”

“What sugar?” I asked Alex-we sure in the hell didn’t have any candy on us. Alex rolled her eyes, “He is calling us sweet Blondie.” Alex had a point-I was blonde.

Alex turned around slowly. “No thanks.” Simple and sweet, right to the point, that is my Alex! She turned back to me and we started walking. We didn’t even get two steps in when the same guy called out again, “Stop. We were talking to you bitch!”

He sounded angry. I did not expect what happened next to happen-seriously! Alex turned around again, this time I did too, and she laughed. “And why do you think I would listen to you?”

That’s when he pulled the gun. “This is why!” he shouted.

You know that feeling they describe in books (not that I read much, but anyway…), that your stomach just drops to the bottom of your body and you feel like there is no hope left in the world? Well, that feeling is SO real, and I was feeling it.

Alex whispered to me very quietly, “There is always hope left in the world-NEVER give up hope.” She took a slow breath again, like she knew exactly what was going to happen. “What ever happens, do not call the police until I say so, ok?”

“What! Are you nuts? They have guns!” My voice started to get hysterical. Alex smiled, “Remember always have hope,” she paused for dramatically effect, even though she is not much for drama, “Listen to my explanation if the police do come, ok?”

“Ah…” I kind of trailed off, babbling like an idiot.

“KC, I need your answer.” Alex prodded me.

“Yah…Yes…” I stammered out. I was really getting scared. Alex was acting weird. Well, weirder than her normal weird.

“Blood is thicker than water.” She said with a smile.

I looked away from Alex now. I had not even realized that the men had moved closer. The one who had been yelling at us held up his hand and stopped, the gun was stilled pointed on us. “Now!” Alex shouted and jumped in front of me.

It took me a second to register that I was supposed to run and that she was in the line of fire, not me. Instinct took over and I high tailed it (I am not quiet sure I understand that expression, I need to remember to ask Alex about that…) to the station wagon. I did what all dumb blondes in the movies do, I fumble with the keys, dropped them a few times, then finally managed to hit the ‘unlock’ button and jump in the car. As soon as I was in I slammed the lock down.

That’s when I heard the gun shot. I have heard a gun before-my grandfather hunts and he is always more than happy to show me how to shoot a gun (though I still don’t know how). But hearing it right here, right now, made the blood drain from my face. I thought this was the end. They had killed Alex, now it was my turn.

I had not realized I was crying until I turned to look at Alex, to see her crumpled body in the middle of the parking lot, blurry from my tears. I saw the red running down her chest, onto the pavement. Her shirt had a large dark smudge over her heart. No hope that she was alive.

NEVER give up hope. The quiet thought entered my mind. I had no clue what I was going to do when I heard a gasp and refocused on the scene ahead, wiping at my blurry eyes.

Alex stood back up, laughing lightly-so Alex, even though she had just been shot. The men looked at each other then ran straight at her and started fighting. I gasped, that was so unfair! Not only do they shoot her but then they try to beat her up!

Alex was out numbered three to one, but she was holding her own. She dropped the first guy in seconds. I watched, my jaw hanging down. The guy she dropped started groaning. The other two looked at each other then took off running leaving their buddy.

Alex didn’t kill him, though she could of, I am sure of that, she just turned and left him, walking to the station wagon like nothing had happened. She reached the drivers side window and knocked. I jumped, though I watched her walk the whole time. I unlocked the door and scrambled out. I poked her shoulder where the would be gunshot wound was. She didn’t flinch. There was no blood on my finger-thank god, I might have passed out if there was. There was no blood on her shirt, but there was a hole.

“Crap.” Alex said and I jumped again. It was like hearing a ghost. In my mind she was dead but yet, here she stood with me poking her. “I just bought this sweatshirt!” Alex grinned and ruffled my hair.

I still stood there, in shock, trying to organize the advents that had just taken place. “Time to go home?” Alex asked quietly after a few minutes had elapsed.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“You ok?” She asked me.

“You’re dead.”

“Nope.” She replied.

“I heard them shoot you. I saw your lifeless body.” I repeated all of this is a trance, I am pretty sure I was in shock, but didn’t know that at the time. When I finally started to snap out of it, I jumped toward Alex, wrapping my arms around her, holding her tight. “I thought you were dead and I was going to be next!” I semi screamed at her, the tears again rolling down my cheeks.

“Of course not hon. I would never let anyone hurt you.” She reached up with one of her hands and rumpled my hair again-boy do I hate that, but she is alive and that is all that matters. “Remember, love, blood is thicker than water.”

“You’re really alive?” I asked again, unwrapping my arms from her and wiping at my eyes.

“Of course.” She said.

Another moment passed and I smiled weakly at her, trying to let her know I was ok now. Alex laughed lightly. “I told you to never give up hope.”