54. The End Of An Era

~Noah~

"Hey, want to grab us those chips you like so much?"

Mom asks as we roll down the last aisle and I grab my favorite blue corn tortilla chips from the rack, tossing it in the cart like I'm Kobe but it hits the edge and falls to the floor instead.

"Well I guess sports were never really your thing," Mom picks on me as I pick it up from the floor and try to toss it in the cart like nothing ever happened.

But suddenly I feel like the air's been sucked from my lungs and a sharp pain stabs my heart.

It was so powerful it had me doubled over in pain and clutching my chest. I looked down, partially expecting to find blood as if I've been shot.

"Noah? Noah are you okay?" Mom was hovering over me, gently rubbing my back as I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain as it slowly died down.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I groan as soon as I could finally have enough energy to speak, suddenly drained to the point where I don't even think I can handle another ten minutes of shopping.

"What the fuck was that? Are you being dramatic or something?" Mom asked as I slowly stood up straight again, still clutching my aching ribcage.

"No, yes, I dunno actually," I groaned, rubbing the left side of my chest as he raised his brow, expecting me to say more.

"I can't really explain it, it's like suddenly I felt like I was shot in the heart by something," I mention. The pain was still there but now it was a dull ache that I could try to ignore.

"Well, you were always a weird one Noah. Come on, let's get out of here before you suddenly come down with another mystery ailment," Mom jokes and I roll my eyes. Finally releasing my hand from my chest when we reached the checkout so I could help him unload.

Once he pays we head back out to the car and he pushed the cart up to the automatically opened trunk.

"So what was it exactly that hit you?" Mom asked as I started putting the paper bags in the trunk.

"I don't really know mom. One moment I was fine, the next I felt like I was shot in the chest. It still kind of hurts but not like before. It's so strange." I grumble as he puts in the last bag and holds his hand out.

I give him the keys without complaining since I'm too tired to walk, never mind drive us home. All I want to do now is curl up in my freshly cleaned up bedroom.

"Maybe you were cursed," Mom says as we get into the car and now it was my turn to look at him really confused.

"Cursed by what?" I ask and Mom laughs.

"I dunno, maybe one of your many ex-girlfriends made a voodoo doll of you and stabbed you in the chest," he grins and I smack his muscular arm.

"I'm not that much of a hoe! Who do you think I am?" I ask him and he shrugs as we start the short drive back to the Jackson farms.

"I think you're my son and if you're anything like me, I can have my suspicions," He points out and I grunt.

"Okay, maybe you're a little bit right, but I was never mean to them so I don't know why they'd- Wait, you were just being sarcastic right?" I ask and he chuckles slightly.

"How could you not tell? You've lived with me for fifteen years right?" he asks and I sit back in my seat, still rubbing my chest back and forth.

"I also find it very hard to believe that you were ever a player," I mention as we pull onto the dirt road leading to the farmhouse.

"I'm sure if you asked either of your fathers they would say otherwise," He adds as he backs into the garage so it will be easier for us to take out the groceries. Walking around to the trunk, I grab one paper bag so I could open the door with my other hand.

Suddenly Dallas zoomed out of the house nearly knocking me over.

But he didn't attack us with his loving kisses or even acknowledge we were there. Instead, he went to the very corner of the garage and started shaking with his tail tucked between his legs out of pure fear.

"What's gotten into him?" Mom asked as he grabbed a bag and stared over at Dallas for a few moments.

"I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he's sick or something," I suggest, shrugging it off before heading inside. Mom follows after me as we walk through the living room and mom nearly bumps into me when the sight stops me in my tracks.

"Papa?" I called his name as my dear papa stood in the center of the living room, looking out of place in his own home. He had his back to us as he stared at the blank wall behind the couch without moving a muscle.

"Luca?" Mom joined me in calling his name as he quickly put the bag down on the chair. Slowly approaching my father who was now twitching slightly.

"Mom, w-w-what's wrong with papa?" I stuttered, clutching the bag to my chest as an eery feeling slowly filled the house.

"Stay back Noah," Mom warns as he carefully goes up to papa from behind. In the silence, I could only hear the sound of my own breathing and papa's quiet jumbled whispers.

"Luca? Honey, it's okay," Mom gently touched Papa's shoulder and he whipped around with such speed I could barely process what was happening.

Until he wrapped both his hands around my mother's throat.

"MOM!"

I screamed out of pure horror as my papa pinned my smaller mother to the floor, my mother made thick choking noises as he lacked the air to breathe. The small paper bag once filled with fruit had fallen to the ground and I rushed forward without thinking twice.

Attempting to tackle my papa was a complete failure as he only let go of my mom for a second to push me so hard that I rolled across the floor and slammed into the wall. Mom took the opportunity to breathe and tried to escape but couldn't in time.

"PAPA STOP!" I screamed as I laid on the floor, completely incapacitated by shock and feeling useless.

"Papa!" I choked on my own tears as a small orange rolled past me, covering my view as my mother lost the color on his face.

Instead, all I can see is my mother's hands slowly rising to cup my papa's cheeks. There was no expression on my papa's face as he killed my mother.

It was completely blank.

"No papa," I cried before the front door opened and I heard my father's loud footsteps as he entered the living room.

"LUCA!" My dad screamed before rushing forward and yanking Papa off Mom like he was a small child. Quickly tackling him to the floor just by his sheer strength alone. Papa tried to fight but it was useless when my father gave him one swift blow to his forehead which sent him into a coma.

My mother made small choking sounds and I gasped, sitting up only to catch him holding his throat as dad turned back to him.

"Matty? Matty oh my god!" he cried out as my mother went limp in his arms.

"Noah! Call 911!" My dad commanded me but I couldn't move. So shaken with fear that I couldn't force my body to move if I tried.

"NOAH!" He called out to me again and this time I fought every instinct inside me and grabbed my phone. Fingers shaking as I dialed the three digits and it started ringing.

"Matty? Baby hold on please, it'll be okay, shhh, just relax," Dad started whispering to my mother as his breathing shallowed out. Kissing the top of mom's head over and over again just to keep him going.

"911, what's your emergency?"

Stuttering I told the operator my address and that I needed an ambulance because my mother was barely breathing. I stayed on the line with the woman, watching as dad slowly laid him back down on the floor and ushered me over.

"Watch after him, I'm going to go take care of your papa," Dad explained and I shook my head, not knowing is papa would attack dad too.

He was so calm.

Almost as if he had done this before.

"Hey, he's not going to hurt me. Just watch after your mother," He coaxed me and I looked down to see my mom's bright hazel gray eyes staring up at me. Mom looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't because of his throat. I looked down at the marks on his neck which were already turning bright red.

A single droplet of water fell onto his cheek and I quickly wiped it away, wiping away the tears I didn't know I was shedding until now. Mom suddenly closed his eyes and I started freaking out.

"Mom, mom, mom come back!" I cried out to him and he opened his hazel gray eyes again. But this time they were turning a shade of pink and the tears were collecting in the corners of his eyes.

"I love you mom, I love you so much," I sighed, the flashing red lights came through the windows and I gasped.

"Dad! They're here!" I called out and looked over, finding my dad coming out of the guest room and my papa was nowhere in sight. He walked over to the front door and quickly led the paramedics inside.

"What happened?" One of the technicians asked and dad took over the conversation for me.

"I don't know, my son and I were just bringing in the groceries when we found him on the floor holding his throat," Dad lied to them and I almost told them the truth, but the stern look he gave me told me otherwise. I quietly kept my head down instead as they quickly loaded my mother onto a stretcher.

"We'll bring him to UCLA and you can meet us there sir," One of the paramedics told us as my mother was carried away and into better hands.

When they were gone, the house was completely silent.

I suddenly felt myself being lifted into the air as my dad picked me up and brought me upstairs.

"Let's get you showered and changed buddy, then we can go see about your mom okay?" He asked and I nodded. Realizing I'm very wet and smell wretched after accidentally wetting myself at some point during the fight.

"It'll be okay, I'll tell you everything my sweet baby boy. I'm sorry you had to go through that," He sighs as he kissed the top of my head and let me down slowly once we got to my bathroom.

"I'm going to go pack a few things for your mom but I'll be right down the hall okay?" He warned me but I instantly whimpered like a small child, still too shocked to speak as I could only point downstairs where the demon was sleeping.

"Noah, your papa ...he isn't going to remember what happened when he wakes up,"

~END OF THE LOVE BETWEEN US~

~END OF THE SECRET BETWEEN US TRILOGY~

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