Closing Time

18.

It was like my body finally woke up once I hit the unforgiving hardwood floor.

A pained scream escaped me as I landed on my wounded arm. My entire body lit up internally with flames. My scream cut itself off, replaced with the taste of iron and warmth that dribbled down my lips. My body curled involuntarily through the pain as a violent cough shook my body. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't... breathe.

My leg kicked out as I started to choke on blood. It made a loud sound as it slammed into the base of the bar. I rolled over onto my back and managed to relieve the pressure from my wounded arm. For just a few moments of relief. The pain all over my body nearly blinded me in its intensity, like someone had poured molten lava into my every limb.

It was somehow worse on my back. Whatever little air I'd been getting was gone as blood bubbled up into my throat and nose. My nails scrabbled against the wood as I choked for breath and found more liquid. My vision got blurrier.

A short gust of cold wind brushed against my cheek. I knew almost immediately that Lou was here somewhere here. Problem was that I couldn't see him. I couldn't see much anymore.

"That's a lot of bullets." Lou sounded impressed. "It tore through that counter like paper."

A gust of warm wind. "What do you expect? These weapons were made to murder your kind but they're still as effective against humans."

"You think these stupid hunters would try to protect the only human in this establishment."

"They don't exactly seem the smartest from what I've just seen." My vision cleared temporarily as pain shorted through my side from a nudge. I managed to choke through the blood. "She doesn't have long to live."

"Clearly."

"A bullet in the upper left arm, one gone right through a lung... that black blood means a liver has been clipped, one through the kidney, and one through her thigh."

"You missed something." I gasped in pain and inhaled some of the blood in my mouth as I felt Lou kick my shoulder. "Her bone is shattered in this one. The bullet is embedded in it."

"Details aren't that important." Mike dismissed. "What do we do with her?"

"Well, she's almost dead... but I'm pretty sure it's not comfortable with all that glass she's lying on. Let's take her somewhere else."

"Wait, wh-"

Mike was suddenly cut off as the world went cold. The light I'd stared at to try and keep my eyes open vanished. It was dark all around. I couldn't feel anything under my back. Lou had been right. The glass shards under my back had been like tiny pin pricks amidst all the burning pain. I-

"GAAH."

I thought there was no air in my lungs. I thought I could say anything else. I was wrong.

I felt my body slam against the ground once again. My body lit up on fire as I screamed and choked at the same time. The pain was duller than before, but barely. My vision was now clouded with black spots. I was done for.

"Well..." There was a slight pressure on my chest. "I might not be allowed to save you. But I think I can extend your life by a few minutes if I purge the blood from your lungs."

I didn't even have time to comprehend what he was saying till I felt something run up my nose and throat. My gag reflex kicked in, I barely managed to turn my head to side to spew all the blood from my mouth. I could feel it dripp from my nose as well. But none of it mattered as I finally managed to get some air into my lungs.

It felt like some life returned to my body. The pain was back to what it had been, my vision was clear, but like what Lou had said- I didn't have long. I was going to die here.