𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈

𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

Gemini rammed through his pockets, jingling his car keys to try and locate his vehicle. "I think I parked it over there" he said, pointing into the darkness.

He had his car parked far away because the parking lot was closed for construction, and now we were struggling to find our way back to it.

Just as we started walking in the direction he pointed, a siren pierced the air, and a police car pulled up beside us.

An officer stepped out, shining his flashlight in our faces. " You two have any ID on you?" he asked gruffly.

Gemini shook his head, "Nah, man, I don't have no ID on me."

"No ID, huh?" the officer asked, his voice firm.

"We just came from eating man" Gemini said. "We're trying to leave."

The officer stepped closer, his hand resting on his gun. "I need to see some ID now."

I slowly reached for my ID and showed it to him. He took it from my hands and examined it before turning to Gemini.

"Where's your ID?" he asked, his stare intense.

Gemini repeated, "Look man I already told you I don't have it on me."

"Are you getting smart with me?"

"Hands behind your back, interlock them now!" the officer ordered.

"What did we do?" I asked, confused.

The officer glared at me, and I decided to stay quiet. Gemini and I put our hands behind our backs, and the officer commanded us to lie down. He patted us down multiple times.

Gemini whispered, "Solem this man finna piss me off."

I silenced him with a lip gesture, telling him to stay quiet. The officer continued the pat-down, his eyes locked on us.

"Stay here, make no sudden movements," he commanded before getting up and returning to his vehicle.

When the officer left, Gemini turned to me, his voice with frustration. "This is some bullshit, Solem. We ain't even do nothing."

He studied my face, but I remained silent, my mind racing with fear and confusion. I just wanted the cop to let us go.

"Solem, Solem," Gemini said, his words echoing in my head like a mantra. "Solem, you okay—" he reached over to touch me.

But before he could finish a loud "Pow!" shattered the air, followed by two more shots. I turned to my side, screaming, as Gemini's body slumped to the ground.

"I said no sudden movements!" the officer yelled, His gun still on us, I looked at Gemini's lifeless body beside me.

I reached out, holding his hand, my voice cracking. "Gemini... Gemini..." I repeated, my eyes welling up with tears. "No, no, no!"

I yelled at the officer, my voice shaking with anger "What the fuck did you do?"

The officer looked at me, in confusion "I thought—"

"You thought what?" I interrupted my mouth agape, tears streaming down my face. I sat up, cradling Gemini's head in my lap. "Gemini, get up! Please, get up!"

I pleaded to the officer, my eyes begging for help. "Call somebody, please! He's gonna die!"

The officer remained frozen, but he finally pulled out his walkie-talkie and called for an ambulance. I watched in horror as Gemini's blood soaked into my sweater.

Tears still blurred my vision as I held my best friend, lifeless in my arms. "What the fuck... what the actual fuck..." I repeated to myself, my mind in disbelief. I looked up, seeing the flashing red and blue lights of the ambulance. The sirens wailed in the distance, coming towards me .