FRENEMIES

Frenemies

By

Sharief Hendricks

Gavin had always had the upper hand over Jason and that was visible as the two men stood facing each other in an abandoned McDonald's drive-thru. Gavin Herd was well dressed in a suit with matching undercoat. His designer label fedora sat at a slant as it complimented his round face and double chin. His shoes were shining in the midday sun. Jason Feldman, on the other hand, was much thinner for his height. The years without a job had developed stress lines all over his face. His veiny neck was exposed by the white collarless t-shirt he wore. The contrast between the men was highlighted by the difference in their physical appearance. Gavin had won and enjoyed the best parts of their feud, but that was all about to change.

Jason and Gavin had been at loggerheads for the past fifteen years. Gavin lost his wife Margery fifteen years ago. Jason’s daughter Gillian has not had contact with her father for almost a decade. Gavin used his influence as District Councillor to ensure Jason doesn’t stay employed. Numerous restraining orders were issued on both sides.

“Jason, a gun! After all these years you finally decided to grow a backbone and stand up for yourself. I must admit I expected you to crack sooner knowing what a weak spineless snake you are, running around behind the backs of real men.”

“Shut your lying mouth! I allowed you to talk for far too long, smearing my name. I have nothing more to live for now that my only child alianated me because of your lies. Sneaking behind people's back, well you should be the last person to talk, you made sure all my employers let me go, your lies, you didn't face me like a man. You the spineless one, at least I didn’t run away from my problems. I admitted my mistakes and I owned them. Unlike you, hiding behind your fancy suits and flashy cars, the man that has everything.”

Jason raised the Colt 45 Revolver.

“So, this is how you fantasised ending it hey Jason? I will be sure to buy you a tombstone after I take that gun from you and kill you with it. Here lies Jason Feldman, backstabbing friend, and murderer,” said Gavin, with no emotion on his face.

Jason grinded his teeth as he shook his head in disgust, “yes, Gavin, Mr Big shot, always playing the victim after all these years, not owning up to his flaws and mistakes.”

“What flaws?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about Gavin, Margery!”

“Don't you dare say her name, don't you dare say her name!” Gavin stepped towards his ex-best friend. “You stole her from me!”

“Stole? Wow, Gavin after all these years is that still what you believe? I did not steal her from you Gavin, she was…sick.”

“You lying adulterer, don’t you dare speak about her!” Said Gavin, red-faced.

Suddenly Gavin thrusted his huge frame forward lunging at Jason. Surprised and unprepared Jason squeezed the trigger and closed his eyes when the muzzle fire exited the revolver. Gavin grabbed at his punctured abdomen. A warm red liquid streamed through his fingers as he unsuccessfully tried to stop it. “You shot-” His big body crashed into Jason knocking him over before he could utter anything further. As Jason fell to the ground, he landed awkwardly on a pavement slab then something snapped. Gavin had crushed his bones under his weight. The two men laid on a heap, gun on one side and fedora on the other.

“Aaargggg, you shot me, I can't believe you shot me, you coward! Get up coward and get me some help! Hey Jason, I'm speaking to you, I'm bleeding to death here!”

Jason was motionless under Gavin's body as the blood transferred from Gavin's stomach onto Jason's white t-shirt. Steadily the white t-shirt became redder each time Gavin exhaled. Pressing his stomach and covering the hole in his undercoat where the blood was spewing out from. He managed to roll off Jason’s torso onto his back.

“Must find my cellphone.” Gavin frantically felt his pockets with his free hand.

“Yes, got it, No!” A bullet hole shattered the blood-stained Samsung Galaxy S10. This is not happening!”

He reached over to Jason’s motionless body and searched his pockets.

“I should have known this broke-ass won't even have a damn phone.”

His index and middle fingers squeezed together and pulled out a piece of paper from Jason’s back pocket. He opened the page and to his surprise, it read:

Dear Gavin, my best friend.

This letter serves both as suicide note and last Will of Jason Alexander Feldman of sober mind and body. Let me start at the end, which is the inevitable outcome as I have decided this is “Mein Los” (My Lot) to take my own life and to free you from your pain. Pain that I caused and still cause you to the point that you can’t even look at me. So “Mein Los” is to die here today from a gun and bullet that I have not paid for. I have made peace with it and I have accepted it, hence it is now easy for me to start at the beginning and tell you the truth, my friend.

Margery loved you so much and she knew you loved her too, but that you were more in love with the idea of her. The strong assertive woman you married all those years ago. The mother of your beautiful son and the woman who kept your family together and kept you from becoming that which you both despised, the aggressive, mean spirited man she tamed when she said, “I do.”

Sixteen years ago, Margery was diagnosed with stage three lung failure. She confided in me, she knew you wouldn’t be able to stomach it. You proved it when she first told you about her needing a transplant and you went into a downward spiral and disappeared for three months. I signed my lung donor consent form to save her. Margery and I agreed not to tell you immediately to keep you from losing it. Things were going well between the two of you and you just got Re-elected as District Councillor. I told her to tell you. You deserved to know. My blood type matched hers and my lung was a perfect match. She made me promise not to tell you. She told me you sensed something was wrong with her health, but you were more concerned that she might be having an affair because of all the secret meetings.

Those secret meetings were for hospital check-ups and blood dialysis appointments which I attended with her every time. I was guttered that I could not tell you. Then you saw us embrace. Margery received test results confirming pulmonary infection and possible organ rejection. That’s why we were in each other’s arms. Knowing you, I knew you would only believe what you wanted to. I wanted to tell you so badly that it ate away at my soul as you used to and still do mean the world to me. Then the worst thing possible happened when she died on the highway the following day. Maybe things would have been different if you didn’t chase after her.

I promised Margery that I won’t reveal the truth while I am alive.

I kept my promise because, by the time you read this, I will be dead.

Goodbye, my friend.

Signed, Jason Feldman.

Tears flooded Gavin's eyes and cascaded over his quivering lips, as he sobbed through flashbacks of memories that filled him with both joy and sorrow.

“Oh, my God No! Jason, you can’t die. I won’t let you die!” Gavin held onto Jason’s motionless arm.

He slid his bloodied body over Jason and started administering CPR and chest compressions, ignoring the burn in his belly, as all that mattered was saving Jason.

Sirens screamed as the paramedics pulled up, just as Gavin revived Jason who let out a faint cough. The paramedics moved Gavin out of the way to tend to him.

“Ok I have a low pulse but there are signs of life, get me a gurney!” Said a paramedic.

“Sir what is your name?” asked another paramedic.

“It's Gavin.”

“Ok Gavin, where are you hurt and how did it happen?”

“I'm ok. Please help Jason,” said Gavin as he began losing consciousness.

“Who is Jason sir?”

He struggled but managed to stretch out a hand and pointed.

“That’s Jason, my best friend.”

The End