Gone Girl 2

Chapter 20

Veronica's POV

When the gunshot fired, the air around us shattered.

Derek positions himself in front of Shanice before we can ever react. The panic on his face freezes the blood in my veins. I look up in anguish at him resting his hands on his chest, frantically trying to locate the wound, his body slowly losing balance.

The next thing I feel is my arms instinctively yanking at the rope, cutting through my skin as my flesh is scorching. I don't hesitate. I pull all the ropes in the urge to free my body. All in vain.

I let out a bloodcurdling scream through the duct tape. My ears ring and then silence falls upon us when Derek drops to the ground in a puddle of blood.

I know I am shouting, but I feel like no one can hear me. My heart crashing against my ribcage, wanting to escape the pain I just witnessed. The whole room turns grim and the next thing I know is that Derek is dead.

Shanice falls to her knees, laying her hands on his chest, crying her heart out in guilt. That bullet was for her, and he didn't think twice to save her. That's how selfless Derek is.

Tears stream down my face, blurring my hazy vision. I tug at the ropes again, and again, and again, until blood lingers on my skin. My throat goes arid and I can't wail anymore.

But I know it's not over when one of the monsters points the gun at me. I don't recoil.

"Do it!" I mumble through the duct tape, but no one can hear me. It's like I'm alone in the whole world and I watch everyone slowly losing their lives while I can do nothing to stop it.

I beg you, shot me. I want to die, I never wanted to be less alive than I am now.

Then I hear the gunshot bang again. I whimper when the man that was about to shoot me falls flat to the ground, looking at me while his head got blown up. Blood covering his face and making him resemble the monster that he is.

I look at Derek for a split second, limp on the ground while Dominic and Shanice try to save him.

Is Derek dead or am I and this is my hell?

The man shot in the head stares into my soul with widened glass eyes. As if this is far from over for us.

The other monster runs to the person that shot him. I can't see who did it, the dim light is blocking my view.

I hear a bang and a female voice groaning in pain. Irène.

Dominic suddenly stands up and runs after them. He hits the monster in the head and holds him while Irène shoots him again, missing the first shot.

Two more gunshots fire and the monster collapses to the ground in a pool of blood, groaning in pain for a few seconds until he can't endure anymore.

I let out a shallow breath when I acknowledge both of the men are dead, and so could be Derek.

Dominic hands Nicole a knife and she looks at me, her eyes filled with tears and anxiety as she carefully approaches me.

Nicole cuts through the rope pulling at my crimson flesh and she mutters, "oh my God, I- I am so sorry, Ronnie."

I glance at Derek. Dominic places his hand on his chest, trying to stop the blood flow.

Irène walks to the first man she shot in the head and kneels near him. The realization of what she did is catching up to her. She shouldn't feel remorseful, but she feels it anyway.

Nicole frees me from the ropes and I stumble sprinting towards Derek, falling to my knees.

"He lost a lot of blood but he is still breathing," Dominic announces in relief as he reaches for the phone in his back pocket.