The Boy in the Black Hoodie

24

I get in the backseat with Michael, while Calum and takes the passenger side and Ashton drives. He doesn't waste a second starting the car and pulling out on the main road. Going well over the speed limit, Ashton heads out of town, weaving through all the vehicles going the speed limit. This is crazy. He's lost his mind and is going to kill us before we get to his dad. Leaning over the seat, I reach a hand just above his shoulder, but decide not to touch him. I don't want to distract him when he's driving this fast.

Gripping the sides of the seat to keep from falling every time he weaves past a car, I say, "Slow down or you're going to kill us before you can kill your dad." I don't actually mean it, but it works and he slows down some.

He glares at me over his shoulder. "Sit back and put your seatbelt on," he orders.

"I can't until you slow down more or else I'll fly back." He slows down to the speed limit so I can buckle up while he watches in the mirror, then he hits the gas again. His gaze is hard on the road, wrinkles cover his forehead.

"Ashton," Calum says. "What is even the plan? To go in there guns blazing?" He chuckles, shaking his head, just as freaked out about this as me. My heart is racing and beating out of my chest. No matter what happens, I have to do anything to keep Ashton from shooting his dad, but what that means, I don't know. Ashton doesn't answer, which his way of saying yes. "You can't be serious?" Calum chuckles again, his voice shaking and pitchy.

"There's no other option," he answers.

"Yes there is," Michael chimes in.

"Call the cops," I tell him again.

"Being alive in a cell is too kind. He deserves worse for what he's done," Ashton growls.

"I won't let you." I take out my mobile from my pocket and find Calum's number. Clicking the message button, I send him a message saying to open the glove compartment and grab the gun, handing it to me. I pray it's not loaded, but it most likely is. I press send, watching him until his mobile beeps.

He takes it out and reads the message, glancing back at me with a smirk, thinking the same thing as me. This is the best way to keep him from killing his dad; me hiding the gun from him. He puts his mobile back in his pocket and makes sure Ashton isn't watching him before opening the glove compartment. Carefully and slowly, he sneaks his hand inside and slides the gun out. Without making any noise, he lifts it shut. He makes sure Ashton still doesn't notice and using his left hand, he sneaks the gun behind his seat. Michael takes it and hands it to me.

I have to push back the images of Luke holding a gun to my head when my hand wraps around the heavy gun. My hand that's around the handle becomes sweaty, slipping as I avoid pressing the trigger. After having held a gun because Luke was forcing me to shoot the people I care most about, I thought holding it again wouldn't make me sick in the stomach. I was wrong. It feels like someone is punching me over and over and bile is rising in my throat. I swallow it down. Taking a deep breath, I realize I have nowhere to hide it. It can't be safe having it in my pocket. What if the trigger accidentally gets bumped and it goes off. I could die. I should have thought this through better first.

Nudging Michael's shoulder while hiding the gun near the floor, he turns to me with raised eyebrows and mouths the words 'what'. As I lean across the seat to whisper in his ear, I notice Ashton staring every couple seconds and glaring at Michael. He knows what I'm doing. Did he see Calum take out the gun? How can he see anything going on when he's driving so fast?

Quickly, I whisper in Michael's ear with my head turned so Ashton can't read my lips, "Can you hide the gun on you?" He nods his head.

"What are you two doing?" Ashton wonders with narrow eyes. My heart stops. I've been caught possibly.