Freeze (The Jewel Project #4)

27.2|| Superheroes

Snitch Gravel's men all headed for two doors that seemed to lead into the same room. Sam gave them an advantage then fell into step behind them and entered what turned out to be a very long corridor. Another door was visible on the other side, and given the little geography of the castle he could pinpoint, it led across the river and into the forest.

Three men had remained by the door, one of them fighting Angie, the other two trying to immobilize Jimmy. No one else seemed to be there, but it was hard to tell with all the dust. It entered Sam's lungs, making it hard to breathe. The black and white tiles were strewn with holes, plaster had fallen off the walls, wooden beams off the ceiling and a window was broken, letting in a soul chilling wind.

"Tina, no!" Christine darted past him and towards her sister who was lying on the floor, next to the wall on the right.

Sam's heart seemed to stop and his vision tunneled. Tina wasn't the only one lying there motionless. Jerry and Kyle were also there, the hilt of a knife sticking out of Kyle's back. Jessie and Kay were next to what looked like a very messy beaver damn, Kay on the floor and Jessie half fallen over, her hands clasped around a bleeding wound.

Tom. He glanced around desperately and managed to spot him half buried under a table. Billy was nowhere to be seen.

Rage built up inside Sam, burning his insides and blurring his vision. It couldn't end like this. Snitch Gravel couldn't just walk away after potentially killing half of his family and friends. His brain buzzed and his throat was raw as he walked past Jimmy and Angie, past Christine who was trying to get some of the debris off Tina, and towards Snitch Gravel.

On the way, he picked a random gun off the floor. He wouldn't let him just walk away again, unscratched. Not this time.

Christine screamed his name, Jimmy cursed loudly, Angie called after him, but all of that now belonged in a world he no longer wanted to be a part of. He wanted fairness, he wanted Snitch Gravel to bleed, too.

"Snitch Gravel!" he called out after him, quickening his pace.

Everyone ignored him, so Sam stopped, raised the pistol and aimed. The man on Snitch Gravel's left fell to the floor as the bullet hit him in the back. Sam didn't even feel the recoil, his gun pointed once more, ready to shoot.

Snitch Gravel stopped and turned around, throwing Sam an annoyed look. The men coming up behind him stopped too, but Snitch Gravel waved them away and they continued walking towards the door at the end of the hall.

"What do you want, you annoying brat?" Snitch Gravel growled.

Sam continued his advance, throwing the gun out of his hand on the way. Shooting Snitch Gravel wouldn't do. Sam wanted to feel his blood on his hands. And just as well, Snitch Gravel didn't seem to be taking him seriously because he looked totally unimpressed as he watched his approach.

The moment he was less than a foot away, Sam swung a punch towards his face. Snitch Gravel stepped back and avoided the hit.

  "So this is how you want it? Barbaric fistfight?"

"No, I want to sit down and discuss it like civilized people." Sam swung another punch, but he ducked out of the way.

"Be careful what you wish for."

Sam's third punch landed in Snitch Gravel's stomach and the satisfaction was immense. He bent double, obviously not expecting the force. Sam took advantage and hit his fist against Snitch Gravel's back.

Unexpectedly, he didn't fall over, but straightened and kicked Sam in the chest. He stumbled backwards, trying to regain his footing while Snitch Gravel marched at him, throwing his glasses and top hat off.