I Don't Wanna Live Forever

Ch 2

(AN: If anyone would be interested in making a cover for this story, please DM me or comment! Thank you!)

    “So...you took it pretty well when I told you that I saw the man’s eyes turn solid black.” I state as I look at Davies. I’d been out of the hospital for a few days, and somewhat under his care.

    Davies nods. “You saw a demon.” We’re sitting in a coffee shop. One he swore had decent coffee. It wasn’t bad, just a little expensive for my taste. He’d paid despite my protests.

    “My friend was kidnapped by a demon?” I knit my brows.

    He nods again, sadly this time. “Sorry to break it to you Brie.”

    I run a hand down my face. “So she must still be alive right? I mean...she has to be!” I sound desperate even to my own ears. My shoulders slump and I look down at the coffee cup in front of me.

    “She might be, but it’s highly unlikely.” The man across from me says softly and gently.

    I keep staring down at the cup in front of me. The white was somehow compelling and the only thing keeping me from breaking down. I chew my lip as I process what Davies has just said. “So, there’s a chance she…” I look up slowly. “What are the odds?”

    “It won’t do you any good to go look for her. Ketch and I killed the demon. Even if she was alive, you wouldn’t even know where to start.”

    “Ketch said I have a month to prove myself, right?”

    “As in to train.”

    “Well, take me out into the field. On the job training, Davies. Come on, what’s the harm?” I chew my lip.

    “Please, call me Mick.” he starts off. “And you could die, for starters.”

    “Okay, Mick, what’s it to you if I die? Your partner would be right, and it seems to me, he never is… He seems more brawn than brains.”

    Mick smiles slightly. “He’s not all bad once you get used to him. Maybe I actually want to see you succeed. You’re behind the eight ball, so to speak. Ketch and I have been training for these situations since we were kids.” His tone darkens and I frown. There was something my mentor wasn’t telling me. I don’t want to pry though.

    “So, you’ve been training to meet an American girl who throws knives as a hobby?” I tease.

    Mick chuckles. “Not exactly. But, how do you feel about firing guns?” he asks with an impish grin filling his features.

    BANG! BANG! BANG BANG! Mick easily fired a round of ammo into the target. The target flies towards us so he can admire his handiwork.

    “Holy shit.” I whisper. Two of the shots had landed right in the heart while the others were headshots.

    He shrugs. “Not my best. But not my worst either.” He sets the gun down and nods at it as he takes down the target. “Your turn.”

    I bite my lip as I trade spots with Mick. I hold the handgun the same way he had and take my first shot. It leaves its mark on the white space above the shoulder.

    “You hit the target at least. That’s a start.” Mick observes. He looks over at me, examining my posture. “May I?”

    I nod and he gently presses his hands to my stomach as he stands behind me. He moves my arms to where he feels they should be. Since I had been using him as a model for my stance, my arms were higher up than they should be.

    “Relax.” he mutters close to my ear. A chill rushes through my spine and I shudder.

    “Now go.” Mick says as he steps away from me. I fire the gun. The bullet tears through the paper right at the shoulder.

    I turn to Mick for approval.

    “Not fatal...but definitely painful. Again.”

I take a shaky breath as I aim the gun again.

“Lower your arms again.” Mick critiques.

I lower them slightly. Right as I’m about to pull the trigger, the door slams and I jerk the gun at a weird angle as I fire. I hear the bullet ricochet of one of the metal rafters.

Ketch snickers. “Wow. Great shot.”

Mick sighs, “Arthur, you know that wasn’t fair.”

“No one said it’d be fair.” he shrugs.

“You’re a  bloody cock, you know that right?” Mick mutters. The two men start to bicker.

Bang! Bang! Bang! I fire a few shots into the target.  Silence follows the echo of the last shot. I look over at Mick and Ketch as I bring the target forward.

“Which ones are fatal again?” I ask as I grab the poster and turn to show the two Men of Letters.

“You’re off by a few centimeters.” Mick explains as he points to the hole. “Almost hit the heart.” he sounds proud.

“And you hit the shoulder again.” Ketch says flatly.

“But it does appear you got a lovely head shot, my dear.” Mick beams.

My cheeks heat up at his comment or rather the last part of it. “Oh?”

Mick nods softly. “Forehead. Clean shot.” He pokes his finger through the hole and I turn it slightly so I can see better. He moves his finger out of the way.

“Huh...would ya look at that?” I grin.

Ketch rolls his eyes. “That’s a tiny gun on a non-moving target.”

“She’s just beginning, Arthur.” Mick defends me softly.

“No, he’s right. This is a controlled environment. We know the gun works. We know the target will be in the same place every time.” I sigh. “Out there...there’s no safety net. This is a safety net.” I look at Mick briefly before I look back at the target. “So, yeah, this is nothing.” I sound more defeated than I mean to.

Mick frowns and turns to look at Ketch. “You’re an asshole. A bloody asshole. Do you want her to go out there and get hurt?” he snaps.

“It’s how we learned. If she’s going to be one of us…” Ketch trails off.

Mick bites his tongue. A few moments of silence pass before Mick speaks. “Why don’t you give her a bloody chance? She clearly has potential.”

“Are you seriously that lonely in this life? I don’t think she has potential. I think it was a fluke. That’s all. Anyone can learn to shoot a gun. Anyone can memorize the lore. She’s nothing special, Mick. If you ask me, you’re too attached.”

Mick huffs indignantly at his colleague. “That’s absurd!”

“Is it really now? You’ve always been the one to get more attached than the rest of us.”

“Maybe that’s because I still have some bloody humanity in me!” Mick growls.

I watch the exchange with wide eyes.

Ketch raises an eyebrow at his usually calm partner’s shift in tone.

Mick takes a few deep breaths before he turns to look at me. “I think that’s enough training for today.” he says lowly.

I nod and set the gun down on the little ledge. I start to set the target down with it.

“You can...you should keep it.” Mick gently says with a smile.

“Oh, okay.” I match his soft tone and roll up the target. I nod slightly at Ketch as I pass by him and head to my quarters.

Mick sighs and gives me a tiny smile before the door closes between us.