Caught in a Chase

54 - Guts Over Fear

AUTHOR'S NOTE – If you are affected or triggered by gun violence, please skip this chapter.

"So busted," I muttered, reaching for my phone.

How long had she known I was still reading I wondered as I clicked on the new chapter and started to read.


Robyn was trying to convince me to go see a movie. Why couldn't she just let me wallow in my heartbreak?

"No," I said again.

"Come on, it's Saturday night!" Robyn said. "It'll be good to get out and laugh."

"I suppose you have some crazy boyfriend story that'll convince me to go, right?" I muttered.

"Story to make you see a movie? Hmmm," Robyn thought for a moment. "Nope, sorry. Crazy shit that went down involving a movie and a male friend, yes."

"Really?" I asked in spite of myself.

Robyn smiled.

What happened?" I asked, sitting up.

"You coming to the movie with me tonight?" she asked.

Damn, she'd played that perfectly. But I did need to shake off the funk I was in. And it was just a movie. What's the worst that could happen?

"Fine, I'll go," I grumbled. "But this better be a damn good story."

"He wasn't a boyfriend, but a friend who asked me out several times. I always said no because I didn't feel that way about him. Anyway, at the time, I was in a book club with my sister and mom and five other women. We'd read the 'Da Vinci Code' and were getting together to watch the movie and then discuss."

I nodded, trying to figure out where this story was going.

"This was all before Netflix when you had to actually get a copy of the movie. And I was supposed to bring the movie. But it'd been a crazy week at work and I forgot. In a panic, I called my friend and begged him to bring me a copy of the movie while I stalled."

"And he said no?"

"No, he agreed and brought it over."

I frowned. "That's not a good story."

"I'm not finished," Robyn said. "We started the movie and everything was fine for about 15 minutes. Then it switched to the porn movie 'Da Vinci's Load.' Suddenly we're watching Professor Langdon fuck cryptologist Sophie in the ass while the Priory of Semen cheered, waiting their turn." 

I started to gasp for air I was laughing so hard.

"My mom fainted, my sister didn't speak to me for a month and that was the last book club meeting we ever had."

"That is legendary my friend!" I howled.

Robyn smiled. "Yeah. It actually made me reconsider dating him."

I was still laughing when my phone rang and I glanced down at the caller's name. "I need to get this," I said, standing to leave the room.

"Dickhead again?" Robyn asked. "We need to leave by 7:00."

"No. It's his daughter," I said. "I'll be ready." 

Later we walked up to the movie theatre, our bags heavy with candy. On the front steps a man ahead of us tripped. I rushed forward and grabbed his arm to keep him from falling.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He stared at me unblinking, his pupils large.

"Don't worry. Happens to me all the time," I smiled, letting go of his arm. "Have a good night."

Robyn and I continued to the self-service ticket kiosks and bought tickets.

"Don't look now, but your friend is following us," Robyn said. 

I looked over my shoulder to see the man trailing behind us.

"I think maybe he's crippled," I whispered.

"In what way?"

"His arm, when I helped him," I frowned, trying to describe what I'd felt. "There was metal strapped to it. Like a brace."

"Maybe he's got leg braces too," she said. "Could be why he stumbled."

We settled into seats and began pulling out our smuggled candy. We entertained ourselves until the movie began by playing Kiss, Marry, Kill.

"Okay ... Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis and Liam Nielsen," Robyn challenged.

"Hmmm let's see," I frowned, thinking it over. "I'd ... fuck Brad Pitt, marry Bruce Willis and kill Liam Nielsen. If Liam Nielsen can even be killed. Nobody's managed it so far."

"Truth!" Robyn laughed. "Hey, isn't that your friend? What's he doing?"

She pointed to where the man stood at the front of the threatre, staring.

"Maybe he's looking for someone?" I guessed. "Your turn. Zac Efron, Liam Hemsworth, Chris Evans."

I half-listened to Robyn as she debated the assets of each. The man continued to stand at the front of the theatre staring back at everyone. No one waved him over or spoke to him. I started to feel uneasy. 

As I watched him, he turned in my direction and our eyes locked. He didn't look away. I noticed Robyn had stopped talking and was watching the man now too.

"I don't like this," she said. "Do you want to skip the movie and grab some food instead?"

"Is he creeping you out too?" I asked.

"Not exactly ... I don't think he's all there," she admitted. "Something's not right."

"Maybe we should go ... before the movie starts."

As I said it, the lights dimmed. But the man didn't move. The trailers began and sound filled the theatre. People began booing, throwing popcorn and yelling at him to sit down. He still didn't move.

A teenage girl in a theatre uniform walked over to him, presumably asking him to take a seat. He turned and the girl flew backwards, hitting the floor. 

It took a moment for my brain to sort out the sound I heard wasn't from the trailer. By then, the man had guns in each hand and had turned back towards the theatre, opening fire.

Everyone seemed frozen, not believing this was actually happening. Time seemed to slow, each second lasting minutes. Then the screaming started as everyone dove for cover or ran for the exits. Panic raged in the darkness. 

The man turned in our direction and I dropped to the ground while Robyn stood, frightened. He fired several rounds as I yanked her down, demanding she not make herself a target. She slumped against me.

Someone in our row tried to push past us to the aisle. I moved out of their way and Robyn fell to the ground.

"Robyn?" I whispered. "Robyn!"

She didn't move. I crawled over and saw her sightless eyes and the hole in her chest. Choking back sobs, I sat on the floor beside her.

Suddenly the shots stopped. The quiet was deafening and even more frightening. 

Peeking up over the seats I saw the man walking up the stairs towards us, stopping at each row, looking for survivors. When he found one, he shot them point blank.

With a shaking hand, I smeared Robyn blood over my face and neck. Then I lay down beside her, closed my eyes and prayed.

His steps echoed throughout the theatre, almost at our row. I tried not to breath.

There was a loud bang and more gunfire. As badly as I wanted to sit up and see what was going on, I remained where I was. 

Only when I heard the police radio announce the shooter was down, did I move. 

Standing I surveyed the carnage. Around the theatre others were also standing, some were calling for help. Police yelled for the paramedics.

I couldn't process the horror, it was too much. Instead years of first aid training took over. I grabbed a nearby jacket abandoned by the owner and moved to an elderly couple one row back. He'd been hit and she was crying. 

"Hey, are you hurt?" I asked her. 

She shook her head. Wadding the jacket up as tight as I could, I put it over the wound in his abdomen and pressed hard. He groaned. I placed her hand on the jacket. "Keep this pressed on the wound, slow the blood flow."

I stood and moved to the next row, looking for others injured. Blocking out everything, I concentrated on basic actions. Breathe, help, don't think. Breathe, help. Numbness overtook the surrealness. I lost any concept of time.

A Fire & Rescue responder stopped me, motioning to the blood on my face. "Are you hurt?" 

"Not mine."

He nodded and directed me to the team at the front of the theatre. They wrapped me in a blanket and herded me outside. Many people spoke to me but I couldn't focus on what they were saying. Their words washed over me as I looked up at the beautiful night sky. 

Eventually I wound up at the hospital. It was more chaos. Doctors yelling directions, nurses asking questions, machines beeping. My mind couldn't hold onto a thought. I needed quiet. 

Standing I wandered down a hallway until the noise subsided. Sagging against the wall, I slid down to the floor. 

My thoughts ebbed and flowed like I was underwater, but always circled back to one: Martin. I wished he was here. Wanted to call him. But didn't have my phone. No idea where to find a phone. My body felt heavy, rooted to this spot. Ebb and flow. Martin. 

I don't know how long I sat there. A man and woman stopped but I couldn't make sense of their words. 

Then suddenly he was there. Martin. He put his arm around me and lead me out of the chaos. It would be alright now. And my mind completely shut down.


Holy fuck.

I set my phone down and tried to get my emotions under control. My hands shook as I realized how close I'd come to losing her. Her friend sitting right next to her was dead. It was her blood Chelsea had been covered in.

Had the son of a bitch targeted her? For being kind to him? Crossing his path? I was glad the fucker was dead. If Chelsea had been killed that night ... No. It was too horrible to think about. I needed to hold her.

I ran upstairs. Stripping down quickly to my boxers, I slid into bed beside her. Pulling her to me, I buried my face in her hair and held her tight.

She sleepily mumbled something about being hot and tried to push me away. I threw back the covers but didn't let go of her. 

Thoughts kept me up for a long time that night. Once the horror of what she'd been through receded a little, I remembered the last several paragraphs she wrote.

She'd thought of me. Even after everything I'd done, on the worst night of her life, she'd wished for me knowing I'd keep her safe. And this time, I hadn't let her down.

That trust along with sex this afternoon made my heart quicken with hope. We were getting back together. I had a second chance. No way was I blowing this one.