Chapter 1

The way things areBy Jamal Thornton
Fantasy
Updated Dec 17, 2025

Joshua stood devasted blood and dirt stained his white T-shirt and brown pants along with the stains of tears running down his cow completely red face across from him his partner Kent, if he could even say that now, after all these years determination had put them together Kent almost looked worse than Joshua with visible bruises and wounds his clothes torn from bullet holes. they stood across from each other almost like traumatized statues, staring at each other, all worn out and tired, they were in a motel room knowing the police would catch up to them just as there mistakes did.

they both took heavy breaths as sirens began to wail in the background, they looked like they wanted to kill each other and from the looks of it they were too tired. Joshua decided he'd try to talk to Kent "how'd it come to this?" his words were short but meaningful, Kent only wondered how he could say that, after everything he's done how could he say that. Kent struggled to respond his hate for Joshua at this point denied all reason but clinching his fist and holding back a throat wrenching anger, he did speak "you...messed up everything...why?...why me huh?!, was i just apart of some sick game!. a joke!" Joshua wanted to answer but after everything, each word Kent spoke felt true.

"no...you were a partner" Joshua said trying to hold on to the friendship they never had, the connection neither of them wanted. Kent laughed almost vomiting at the words "partners?, you DRAGGED me into this!" Joshua could only agree if anything Kent was better off without Joshua "im sorry. i-." Kent interrupted him "what? oh? your sorry? oh i guess that makes it better than, i guess all FIVE YEARS you dragged me around like some PUPPET is just OKAY because your SORRY...i mean. Really? all of sudden you apologize and your just NOT a monster?" Joshua turned his back to Kent, and decided to say what he really felt, he wasn't speaking as Joshua anymore but as the man he always wanted to be, the monster "you were easy. your life was ruined as it is. truthfully i did you a favor. i offered you my help you took it, and i used you. we had everything I! had everything, it was mine ALL of it...then YOU screwed it up".

Kent was starting to get mad or at least madder than usual "your sick...SICK!" Joshua turned around looking back at Kent, this time it was his turn to lash out he was angry but it was clear to himself at this point he couldn't care less for Kent, he was more torn from losing everything they built trying to save something that wasn't there. "AND YOUR USELESS!!, im sorry i used you? no, i am sorry but only for myself because i used somebody as WINEY as you!" deep down he felt horrible these weren't his words anymore but they were the words of who he wanted to be. Kent looked shocked and began to step back in complete disbelief that Joshua could get any worse.

Police cars are heard outside it sounds like hundreds maybe more, a helicopter even shows up, whatever army was out there the police had a right to bring it even as Joshua and Kent rip each other apart, they were still the most dangerous people in America.

"really? your gonna blame this on me? so its my fault you killed people? its MY fault for the mistakes YOU MADE!" Joshua quickly snapped back at him "YES!! it has ALWAYS been your fault!" Kent immediately responds "so then it was always my fault when you killed the wrong guy, that civilian that has US here int eh first place? that was my fault?!, it was MY fault when YOUUU got divorced?" Kent had already went too far with that, it struck a mountain sized nerve in Joshua "that's not the same!, it has nothing to do with EITHER of us!...or this..." Kent decided to keep striking the nerve and he mocked Joshua " 'how'd it come to this'? you really are sick in the head you know EXACTLY how YOU got us here, and im useless? i have NEVER met a more useless human being in my life! you sad, washed up, D*CK!".

Joshua wanted to fight back but what could he say?, the police without warning were breaking through the door in hopes they didn't get away like they have every other time. his life was breaking away. and the one person with him while he is alone in every other aspect of his life is Kent his partner for the last few years.

they almost stood there in silence staring at each other, but Kent didn't let silence sit "what? got nothing else to say? no more manipulation? no more lies?!..say something pr*ck!, say something!" Joshua stayed silent. Kent then continued "i knew it...your not sorry, you never cared about anything, your just a horrible person. no wonder why your wife left you...your SAD." Joshua then stood straight and as the door was the verge of coming down, a helicopter light beamed through the windows of the motel room he decided he'd make his last words strong "is that?. are you done being pathetic? an excuse?, maybe i am a horrible person, but i am greatest to EVER do what we do, i'd do it again and again just like your father, i'd kill him again and AGAIN!" that was enough, kent couldn't let that go, he just couldn't.

Kent charged at Joshua who instead of running simply let him do it, he tackled him to the ground the moment the police came in destroying the door as they rushed in with guns screaming and threatening both of them.

the police charged in, but nobody really knows what happened after that nobody is sure they went to jail and maybe they Faught off those police and ran or maybe they died in there. whatever happened, its just the way things are for them now. for everyone.

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