Alleyway Allegations – A Short Story

“You said it was only temporary, you said it was until you figured a few things out.” With each word Maggie’s volume increased and the gun shook. “Aid, you said we wouldn’t change.” Maggie screamed with tears streaming down her face.

  Sure, Abi had a few retorts, one about dead names being gross, and how life was about accepting the change that happens, but none seem to help her case.

  Afterall there was still a gun pointed at her, in a dingy alley with bad lighting and her feet hurt.

  But she had to focus because Maggie was upset, and this could lead to murder. More so her murder, but that wasn’t important. Gun. Maggie. Death.

  Abi could totally talk Maggie off this ledge. “Mags, we can talk about this.”

  “No, I am tired of talking, you always make it seem like you’re doing the right thing.” Maggie waved the gun around and Abi felt a shiver run up her spine.

  “Okay, tell me what changed about us?” Abi softened her voice and tried her best to calm her breathing.

  The augmentation in her left eye kept flashing red to indicate her vitals were a bit too high for consistent functioning and the prosthetic on her back that hand helped to reconstruct her spine was pinching her skin again, but Abi stood tall and firm. She was not afraid of how she looked now; her body was hers to command.

  “Everything, I can’t go out with you anymore, I can’t take you to places.” Maggie started to ramble, but it wasn’t anything new.

  “Are you trying to break up with me?” Abi asked, trying her best to sound devastated, but she was more concerned about making it out of this alive. Obviously, she would have to break up with Maggie after this. So much for rekindling and reconnecting.

  “No, see this is what I mean, you make it seem like you have a right to be like this!” Mags’ makeup was ruined with tears streaming down her face.

  “Like what?” Abi stepped closer, trying to gauge at what angle she could snatch the gun from Maggie.

  “Just look at you!” Maggie wasn’t making sense, Abi looked amazing in her jeans and crop top. The augmentations had given her a new lease on life and blended in perfectly with her skin tone. Even Abi’s makeup was flawless, it had taken her months to learn and now, she could do it without help.

  “I look good, is that the problem?” Abi tried not to sound too haughty, but she was proud of how far she had come in the last three years. She was finally comfortable with her body, she had boobs and those were always good.

  “I should just kill you and then maybe they will understand that I had to do it!” Maggie screamed and Abi had been glad she had called for help as soon as she saw the gun. The light flashing in her right eye had been in case someone had a problem with her in public, but it seems it worked just as well for their alleyway conversation.

  “Maggie, that would be a hate crime.” Abi’s voice was cold with no more room for pretending she didn’t understand anymore.

  It had been four years since she had told her therapist that she didn’t feel like she got the right body when she was born. Her therapist had then introduced her to a program that demonstrated the limits of their shared history and how to take the next step forward. There were programs for people like, who knew they could be happy if a few things changed. If their bodies were different, then they could find fulfillment in their lives as well. It wasn’t without its flaws, but Abi had been lucky to find a place with people who understood.

If not for that conversation, she would not have had the courage to transition, and honestly her legs were too flawless not to show off.

  Maggie had been supportive at first, hell, for the first three years, Maggie had been her biggest fan, but now Maggie stood with a gun pointed at her. Well, the gun was more off-center now, even professionals knew better than to only pull out a gun if they were ready to fire.

  But Maggie wasn’t a professional, she was a woman in the middle a crisis.

  “They keep calling me gay and I am not. I didn’t change; you did.” Maggie’s almost whispered it to herself, if Abi wasn’t inching closer, then she wouldn’t have heard Maggie’s rambling into a breakdown.

  Abi tried to keep her face neutral, but it was a poor attempt. Even with the bad lighting Maggie could see how dumb Abi thought she was.

  But there was a bit of validity here, if Maggie was still in a relationship with Abi, she was now regarded as a lesbian, something she had a trouble wrapping her head around. The problem was that Maggie refused to accept that she had changed along with Abi. In this moment, Maggie didn’t even consider that she could be bisexual, this was the unfortunate thought.

  Abi was bisexual and often told people that regardless of how she presented, she wasn’t afraid to be who she was and love who she wanted.

  Maggie was more conservative in her thinking, and it was now showing itself in the worst ways.

  “We can break up. If you no longer want to have anything to do with me.” Abi said it as if Maggie had no other choice.

  Unfortunately, Abi was born unlucky and that was the worst thing to say to a lover who was distraught.

  Maggie refocused her aim and fired while screaming, “I don’t want to lose you, just be who you used to be!”

  Five loud bangs later, Abi was lying on the floor, a bullet in her leg, but the shock at what had just happened was beginning to set in. Her partner of five years had just tried to kill her, hell, it felt like she might succeed with the pain radiating from her leg.

  “No, no, no, no, no. I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry Aiden, please believe me.” Maggie clutched the gun to her chest and sobbed.

 In the distance, Abi could hear the sirens, but the pain was overwhelming her shock.

  Since she was unlucky, the bullet had hit a major artery, but what made her feel like tonight was a terrible night was the whimpering coming from Maggie.

  “No, no, I’m so sorry, please forgive me, I am so sor-” Maggie’s voice stutter out as a loud bang shook Abi from her brain fog.

  Some people were lucky, good things would happen to them, just because they could. The world looked at them with a smile and rejoice.

  Unfortunately, Abigail Simmons was not one of those people.

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