Talk To Me

Chapter twenty-one

Present

The woods seemed quiet, too quiet, Oliver thought as he looked behind his back and didn't see his best friend clearly. He glanced at Lily as she wailed and her eyelids trembled. He lifted his eyes as another gunshot rumbled through space as Mark crashed down to the ground.

Mark lay, bent down. His stomach attached to his knees on the mossy ground holding his left shin. It seemed hard to see as the tree apexes swayed, blocking the moonlight. Oliver halted for a moment, feeling torn between Lily's safety and his best friend's injury. Oliver let out a gasp as Mark lifted his blond head.

"Run!" Mark yelled, crawling up from the dirt.

Mark's white sneakers slithered through the wet leaves and dirt as he began to lift himself from the ground. His hands shook as he stood up and limped toward Oliver. The guys met near the newly sprung bush as the big shadow came out from behind the tall trees.

The guys picked up a pace as another gunshot flew through the woods. Mark dragged his left leg as the bloodstain on his blue jeans grew. They reached Mark's car and Oliver lay down Lily on the backseat.

"You will drive," Mark said, climbing into the passenger seat.

Oliver ducked and ran as one more gunshot resounded through the area. He hopped into the driver's seat as Diesel reached the bushes. Oliver's hands shook as Mark gave him the car keys. He put the key into the ignition point as Diesel approached the vehicle in quick steps.

Oliver ignited the engine and stepped on the gas pedal. Car wheels spun, and the gravel flew in all directions as Oliver drove off from the woods, leaving the big guy in the cloud of sand.

"This was a stupid plan," Oliver said as they reached the main road. "Are you okay?" He glanced at Mark.

"I'm fine and the girl is safe, that's what matters, Oliver." Mark bent down, gripping his leg.

"Fine?" Oliver scoffed. "You got shot! We need to go to the hospital," he said and Mark shook his head. "Are you fucking kidding me, Mark?"

"We have a passed-out missing girl in the backseat and as you said, I'm shot. Do you want to get locked up?" Mark lifted his leg. "Look, I'm fine."

Oliver glanced at Mark's leg and furrowed his eyebrows. "What the fuck is that?"

"It's a scarf. It will stop the bleeding for now. Drive to your place."

Oliver glanced at the dashboard. "We can't go to my place."

"Why not?" Mark repelled his head to the seat, letting out a loud sigh.

"It's almost five p.m." Oliver pointed to the digital clock. "David is up for his fishing trip."

"Go to my place." Leah appeared in the car's backseat.

"Great. You are supposed to be our lookout." Oliver looked at Leah's reflection in the mirror. "Mark got shot, and the girl is barely alive." Mark stared at Oliver while he spoke in a firm tone. "I'm driving to the hospital."

"No!"

"No!"

Oliver narrowed his eyes, hearing both Mark and Leah yell at the same time. He took a right turn as the wooded road ended and they reached the city limits. The car came to stop as they reached the sidewalk of the apartment complex. Oliver shut down the car engine and shuffled through his coat pocket.

"Here, take the keys," Oliver said, giving the keys to Mark. "You unlock the door while I carried the girl."

"You had the keys this entire time?" Mark's eyebrow bounced up.