Chapter 23

 

Kevin looked up to see Nick just inside the room, his eyes wide, his mouth dropped open.

 

“What the hell are you doing!?” he cried, rushing over to Kevin.

 

Kevin’s eyes widened.  If anyone could ruin this situation, it was Nick.  He was Brian’s best friend and bigger than Kevin.   And he had no idea of what was really happening.   He was going by what it looked like, which Kevin knew was not good.   To Nick, it looked like Kevin was holding his best friend at knifepoint. 

 

“Get back, Nick!” Kevin screamed, keeping the knife out towards Brendan’s throat.

 

Nick’s eyes widened even further, but he obeyed and took a slight step back.  “Kevin,” he said, talking as if he were speaking to a three-year-old.  “Put down the knife.  You don’t want to hurt Brian with that knife now, do you?”

 

Kevin clenched his teeth in frustration.   Nick just didn’t get it.   “Nick, this isn’t Brian!” he shouted. 

 

Nick stared at Kevin in shock.   “Kevin, are you insane?  What the hell is wrong with you!?” he cried, his “put the gun down, Kevin” tone gone. 

 

He’s the one that’s insane!” Kevin shouted, thrusting the gun towards Brendan.

 

“Kevin, stop!” Nick shrieked, rushing towards Kevin again. 

 

Terrified that Nick was going to grab the knife away and ruin everything, Kevin did the only thing he could.   He turned on Nick and held the knife out.

 

“Get back, Nick,” he growled.

 

Nick stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes glued to the gleaming knife blade.   “Kevin, please,” he pleaded.   “You don’t want to do this.”

 

“Shut up!” Kevin yelled.   

 

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Brendan raise his fist.   And too late, he realized his mistake of taking the knife off the true threat.   Before he knew it, Brendan’s fist was in his face, and everything was black.

 

***

 

Nick let out a shuddering breath.   “God, Brian,” he gasped.  “That was good!  Where did you learn to hit like that?!”

 

Brian smiled strangely.   “Oh, I dunno.  I’ve just had a lot of practice lately on my brother.”

 

Nick’s head shot up, and he cocked his head at Brian.  “Huh?”  Nick was confused.  “Did you just say you’ve had a lot of practice on your brother?   You hit Harry?!”

 

“No, not that brother.  I meant my twin brother.   I think you might have met him before.   His name’s Brian.   That name ring a bell?”

 

Nick stared at Brian.  “Dude, that’s not even funny,” he said. 

 

“It wasn’t a joke.”

 

“Brian, stop it!” Nick cried, completely confused and a little scared by the weird things his best friend was saying. 

 

“Oh, Nicky,” Brian sighed.   “You messed up, buddy, you know that?”

 

Nick stepped back from Brian.   “I gotta go finish getting ready now, I think,” he said, his voice sounding shaky. 

 

“No, I don’t think you do,” Brian replied, picking up the knife that lay next to Kevin’s unconscious body.

 

“Brian, what are you doing with that?” Nick asked, his eyes widening.

 

“You really aren’t the sharpest tool in the shed, are you?”

 

“Brian, what are you talking about?” Nick cried.   Was he missing something here?   What was going on?

“Will you stop calling me Brian already?!” the man exploded.

 

Nick froze.  “What?”

 

“My name is Brendan!  Brendan, you retard!  Kevin was right!  I’m not Brian!  Jesus, maybe you should listen to the old fart from now on!”

 

Common sense told Nick to turn and run at that point.   But he couldn’t.   Not only was he frozen in place, but he couldn’t leave Kevin there in the clutches of this psycho that he had once thought to be his best friend.

 

“What are you talking about?” Nick asked, his voice soft and wavery.

 

“God, don’t tell me I have to explain this again!” Brendan cried, throwing his hands up in the air in mock exasperation.

 

Now, Nick might have been portrayed as being “not the brightest crayon in the box” by the media and the fans.   But in real life, he was actually pretty smart.   And he was a quick thinker too.   And that’s why, in that split second that Brendan had his hands up, Nick choked back his fear and punched Brendan right in the gut, as hard as he could. 

 

Brendan let out a choked scream and doubled over in pain, the knife falling from his hand.   Nick darted forward and grabbed it with lightening speed.  And then the tables were turned again, with Nick in Kevin’s position, his knife outstretched and pointed at the imposter.

 

“Gee, Brendan,” he said in a taunting voice, “that was a pretty stupid move.   Guess you’re not the sharpest tool in the shed either.”   He grinned smugly down at Brendan.   And as Brendan let out a hoarse cry and lunged at Nick, Nick thrust his arm out and plunged the knife into Brendan’s flesh.

 

***

 

 

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