Dying Wish

[20]

"Yo, what's going on up there?!" A voice demanded from downstairs.

"John, how many times have we told you—"

"You put holes in the floor when you shoot the rats!"

"Must've forgot," John, the scruffy man, yelled. "Won't happen again." That last bit he muttered in a sinister way. Intensity flamed in those eyes, mixed with excitement. I, on the other hand, had sweaty hands. Was I still holding the gun? Barely.

He sensed my weakness, which is why he chuckled. Taunting me with "Pretty sure you've got one left in the chamber. What are you gonna do, kid? Better not miss. Again." Whatever fear I used to pull the trigger was leaving me.

I had to channel my courage into my fingers. Anything I had left. I had to act with the possibility there was, in fact, one bullet left in the chamber. One chance to atone for what I did to Alice. For what I wished I could take back. I cursed myself more than you could imagine.

I squeezed the gun so hard it trembled. I snarled at him.

Thumb on the hammer. Click.

"You sure you've got the guts?" John hissed.

That's when...

"Oh, he does..."

Terrified, John turned over his shoulder.

"Alice?" I said.

"...I'll kill him if he doesn't kill you," she finished. That was a joke, right?

She was slow to rise. So far, the most she could manage was being on all fours. Sort of. See, one hand went to the back of her head. The scowl on her face when she turned to me, I think I lost ten years off my lifespan.

"Ouch, Gray!" Alice yelled.

I winced.

"Are those white marbles on your face for show, or do you use them to see? Shoot. Him!" She shot her finger at John. He was too stunned to speak. What little sound came out of him was nonsensical. Babbles about how impossible this was.

Two words, "NOW, GRAY!", struck my spinal cord. Right heel scraped back, my body flew forward. Between my stomping and her shouts, everyone on the main floor was alert to our presence. John turned to face me, but it was too late.

I already jumped at him.

The gun was already three inches to his chest.

Finger on the trigger— BANG!

John yelped.

My wrist snapped back. Blood splattered on my chest and chin. His heels tipped back further and further. We crashed in front of Alice. I was panting so hard I was loopy. Weakness in my fingers gave up the gun to the floor.

Red poured from this hole of white. The light in his dark brown eyes dulled.

Slowly, the convulsions stopped.

I turned to the sound of a stampede. Two guns appeared. We were defenseless.

"Just so you know," Alice said, "you are not forgiven for shooting me. My head is going to hurt like this for probably a week." Their guns raised. "So, here's what's about to happen." Her eyes went past me. "I'll handle this. And you, Gray, better have an apology for me when I get back."

I calmly turned away from the clicking noises. "Fine," I barely whispered.

Alice swiped her left arm. Two arms swung inward.

BANG!

BANG!

Two skulls popped. The bodies fell.