This One is Too

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

TW: This chapter has descriptions (not incredibly detailed) of blood and gunshot wounds.

Josie

I'm tucked behind the bushes, away from the gunfire, but I can see everything that's happening.

The men that came with Hudson, none of which I recognize, all pull out guns of their own.

It's surreal.

As I watch in shock, trying to figure out where Hudson is, a blow lands to the back of my head.

Trey, with blood dripping from his nose stands above me.

Dots filter into my vision from the blow but I don't faint.

I kick backwards, trying to connect with any part of him and manage to hit something.

He falls to the ground, landing all of his weight on top of me.

The breath leaves me with a humph as I squirm trying to get out from under him, but I don't have much mobility from this position without my hands.

"Oh, look." Trey chides, tugging painfully at my hair to make me look to the side. "Here he comes to save you. Watch this."

Hudson comes running from around the corner of the house, looking lethal as his eyes narrow in on us.

"Hudson!" I scream at the same time Trey pulls a gun out of his waistband.

The moment happens in slow motion.

I hear the safety click off.

I watch Hudson reaching for something on his waist.

Then I look away, because I can't watch the love of my life die.

Boom! 

The gunshot rings in my ears, as everything stills. Fear paralyzes me until all I see is the world spinning and dimming away.

Sweet oblivion. Darkness. Safety. A place where no one can touch me.

I let my eyes flutter closed.

"Baby." Something shakes me, but I can't open my eyes. I realize I must be crying, because my cheeks feel wet. "Josie, look at me, pretty girl."

Only when I feel myself being rolled to the side and my hands being freed do I realize it's Hudson hovering over me.

Hudson

Josie sits up, finally looking at me with her pretty brown eyes. I exhale the breath I've been holding.

I wouldn't have fired if I would've thought for a second there was a chance I'd hit her, but I did fire a gun in the same direction she was in and she's covered in Trey's blood.

When I hit him, he fell over to the side and Josie fainted, but there was a split second I doubted myself and thought I may have hurt her by accident.

"How did you..."

She's clearly in shock. I almost don't let her turn and see the bullet wound to Trey's forehead, but I do.

He's tormented her for years. As fucked up as it is, maybe she needs to see it.

I almost feel like I should've let her do the honors, but Josie still has this bit of innocence about her. It's better I did it, though I'm not sure any innocence will be left despite my trying to protect it after she looks.