Inescapable

Chapter 16: Send in the Clowns

Tim's Point of View

This mask wearing psychopath was now waiving his gun around as if to a piece of classical music.

"Everyone calm down!" he shouted through the plastic mask.

"Not all of you are going to die. I promise. I'm a man of my word." The man said before letting out a deranged, yet some what awkward laugh. Then he shot a man that ran at him from the back of the bus. I couldn't see, but I heard the man's body fall into others on the bus. This guy wasn't bluffing. Jason still had his arm across my chest like a huge, muscular seat belt. He knew that I wouldn't be able to just sit idly by while this maniac went on a murder spree. It was a tricky situation. It wasn't a coincidence that this masked lunatic chose a bus full of people to be his victims. When you have a small area with this many people you know that hesitation is likely due to fear of a trigger happy moment or a ricochet bullet rebounding and hitting someone else. Strategically, it wasn't a bad move, but there was a downside. With this many people turning stir crazy, you're likely to either get jumped or run out of bullets. What was his plan? He didn't demand everyone to empty their wallets or take off their jewelry, so what the hell did he want? I gasped as he approached a young woman with a little boy no older than five. They were in the seat behind us. He pointed the barrel of the gun at the mother.

"Hmm, I wonder what is worse. An orphaned child growing up after witnessing the murder of his dear mother, or..." he went on, slowly switching his aim to the boy, who was crying into his mother's neck.

"A mother seeing her child die before her very eyes. Forced to grow old with his death replaying in her head. One of you has to die."

"Why are you doing this?!" The woman asked frantically with tears filling her eyes.

"Because you happened to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. I think we have a winner! What's your name, kid?" He prattled on with more nonsense, whilst making his decision. The gun was pointed at the boy. I guess he thought the death of the son would have more of an impact on the mother more so than the other way around. At least, that's what I got from his drunken logic.

"What's your name?!" He suddenly shouted through the mask.

"His name is-"

"I was talking to him!" The man shouted over the woman's trembling voice before shooting out the window behind them. Shattered glass flew everywhere. The kid was trembling and was crying profusely. So much so, that he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Fine, no name child. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to shoot you in the head." The man said quietly and coldly. He was holding the gun up against the young boy's head.

"Jason." I whispered, ready to lunge out at the masked psychopath.

"I know." He replied. The man was about to pull the trigger when Jason stood up, making the man back off a few feet. You could tell he was a bit startled through his movements.

"Hey, what the fuck do you think you're doing? You can wait your turn." The man shouted at Jason, who was a good six inches taller than him, at least. Then Jason slowly took a step forward, making the masked gunman even more nervous. He wasn't shooting at him. I wonder if Jason knew something I didn't.

"What are you waiting for, Bozo?" Jason sneered at him, taking another step. What the hell was Jason doing? If he didn't make his next move carefully, he was going to die. If I had to guess, I'd say he was trying to distract the maniac from the kid. The rude comments and apprehensive body language was a way to place the opponent's full attention, anger, and odd obsession with death solely on Jason so that the kid wasn't a target for the moment. I knew that he didn't want me to do anything, even though I could have been of great use. I I was ready to attack the gunman, myself. The only thing stopping me, and Jason for that matter, was the fact that we were in such a confined space and one stray bullet could mean the death of anyone on the bus.