Tribulation [h.s]

04

"Gone through days without talking
There is a comfort in silence
So used to losing all ambition
And struggling to maintain what's left."
-

"Look, it doesn't have to be this way. J-just put it down, and everything will be alright." I swallow harshly, my crazy heartbeat ringing in my ears.

I refuse to let today end like this. My hands start getting sweaty when I hear footsteps and the creaking of the floorboards. I wipe my hands on my jeans, and I try to control my breathing. "Let's talk about this, yeah?" I try to negotiate further. I get no response. Hesitant, I peer around the corner and yelp when an orange bullet goes flying past my head. Startled, I jump back into hiding, banging my head up against the wall and a curse.

She almost got me.

I look down at my gun and pull out the clip. Shit. I have one bullet left. I hear her hum from the living room in consideration of my request. Then, I hear her reload. "No. Come out with your hands up."

Maybe if I make no sudden movements, she won't shoot? I hold my breath and close my eyes. "Alright, alright! Just- don't shoot, okay? I'm coming out."

I take a nervous step out from behind the wall I hid behind with my hands in the air. Maggie's head sticks out from behind the flipped-over couch with narrowed, little blue eyes. She holds her gun up to me. "Drop it and kick it over." She demands.

"Okay..." I bend down slowly, and with a shaking hand, I place the gun on the floor. I kick it over in the direction of the couch that she comes out from hiding behind.

She picks up my gun. The little bitch even has the nerve to take the clip out and check how many bullets I had left. She snickers. "One bullet left, huh?" She takes the bullet out and drops it to the ground. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have to fight a smile when she wasn't looking at me. I have to bite my lip and push back any giggles that threaten to tumble past my lips. I need to stay in character.

She holds her gun back up to me. I put my hands out in front of me, frantic and pleading for my life. "No, wait! Please, I'll do anything you say! Don't shoot-"

She shoots. The rubber bolt hits me right in the chest. Both my hands fly up to my chest as I hunch over, gasping and gurgling. "Why-" I fall to my knees. "w-why'd you shoot-" she shoots two more times. This time I let myself crash to the floor, and I land on my back.

I may or may not have splurged a little bit and went ahead and bought Maggie and I nerf guns.

I hide my face with my hands when I lay on the floor pretending to be dead. Her small snorts make it hard for me to stay in character.  "Y-You're so bad at this, Allie!" She giggles. I swear I almost throw up when she jumps on me. Ouch. But, what can I say? I'm a dedicated actor. "Allie?" She shakes my shoulders when I don't move. "Allie, wake upppp!" She bounces on me and even pokes me in my ribs a few times.

"I can't wake up. I'm dead, remember?" I sneak a peek and see that she's looking down at me with pursed lips and furrowed brows. I close my eyes again. "See? Dead."

"You're so annoying." Pff. When did she get so sassy?

This time, I let out a small laugh when her small hands cup both of my cheeks and squeeze them together. Even though she's pouting, she leans forward and leaves a  kiss on my forehead. It's something I've been doing for her ever since she was a baby, like when she took her first steps and fell, or more recently when she scraped her knees at the park. I always kiss her forehead whenever she's hurting to make her feel better. So, when she does this to me, I'm not surprised when my chest fills with warmth.