Short Story

||PART TWO||

Greco roared with a huge burst out of nowhere. The shoulder tackle flattened Boris. The impact wasn't enough to free the detonator from Boris' rugged palms.

Boris saw an opening and took it. He stabbed Greco in nape with another elbow.  A hip thrust was enough to throw his groaning brother off him. 

"You weak rat." Boris said as he sprung up. Mimicking the gladiators he had idolized his whole life. 

Greco picked himself off the ground, still neglecting the leak in his face from the earlier elbow. Diving in first had failed. He took some steps back to prepare for what Boris was going to throw at him.

"Little Greco scared to fight?" Boris taunted. 

He closed the gap and locked in a grapple. Greco didn't buckle under the strain. The tugging and pushing was terminated by a damning knee into the ribcage. Boris planted it right where the keg had been. A spinning forearm into Greco's temple made him kiss the ground.

Greco's lights weren't out. The blow released another internal gush. He grunted, favouring his rib cage as he grovelled. 

Boris wiped  the splatter droplets off his forearm. He was a heartless mercenary. He was known for staying clean on the job.

"You are pathetic. Love made you weak!" Boris started as he circled his brother who still hadn't found his footing.

"It...It wasn't love. I chose to walk. I chose to walk away from this life."

Greco's words were even more obscured. By gasps and coughs.

"You chose to walk away. Returning behind her back because you craved the excitement huh!?" 

"Boris...the crucifix wasn't to guard against you. Penelope... we needed money for her surgery. I gave her that crucifix to keep her hopes alive. This was my last resort."

"Pity to watch her blow to bits then!"

Boris flew in with a thundering right. Greco ducked and stationed himself under his brother's torso. His upward thrust flung Boris over.

Greco crumbled to the ground after the thrust. He heard Boris crash into the kegs and dragged himself backwards to create some more distance between them...

Boris didn't shoot up. Boris didn't groan. There was serenity...

Greco crawled to the kegs. Cautiously. Almost double mindedly. The thought of Boris ambushing flashed across his eyes ten times over. 

His brother lay limp on his tummy amongst the kegs. Bleeding from his head. It must have been an awkward landing. Greco's eyes shot open.

"The detonator!" 

He reached beyond Boris frozen fingers and grabbed it.

"SHIT! NO BUTTON TO STOP THE COUNTDOWN?!"

His rage took over. He hoisted a keg and rammed it into Boris's still frame. He had no room left for remorse. 

SIX MORE MINUTES!

Greco charged toward the door that led to the stairwell. He fought off the part of him that wanted to go back for Penelope's crucifix. He supported his left side the whole way. 

...

"KEEP RUNNING GRECO!!!"

Greco shuddered and muttered underneath.

"He's a freaking robot!"

Boris was boiling. Face all bloodied. Crimson eyes saturated with hatred. The chase was on.

Greco had made it to the door.

The thumping boots behind him got louder after every flight of stairs he cleared. Then louder still.

"Greco! Give it up!" 

The echos rung down the stairwell...

"YOU ARE MINE!"

Boris soared. His hand hooked Greco's  just before the descent to the fourth floor. 

Greco clawed at his captor's forearm. Boris was strong. Too strong. He pulled Greco in and blasted him into the wall with a barge. Once. Twice. Then again, making sure Greco's head bounced off the wall too.

"Ain't so lucky now huh?" His claw-like grip crushed Greco's lumpy face. Greco groaned as Boris squeezed on.

"It's over...Brother."

Boris readied his fist.

"Aaargh!" The cry rung through the stairwell of the abandoned building. The impact bent him over. He gasped. He squealed. Greco sent Boris rolling down the stairs after dealing a blow to his nether regions. The sight was ghastly. Necks weren't made to bend that way...

Three minutes left. Mavis and Penelope were counting on him.

...