Cherries

Chapter 20

Summer

The shots ring out so loudly, that it thunders around my ears and reverberates around the kitchen. All hell breaks lose and everyone gets sucked into the madness that I have unknowingly unleashed. I took fate into my own hands when I flicked off the safety and cocked that gun at those murderers. I wanted to feel powerful. I wanted to feel in control. I wanted them to feel afraid of me and what I was capable of. Now I'm utterly out of control and I'm almost pissing myself, I'm so beyond scared.

There's a lot of shouting and screaming going on, but it sounds muffled and I can't make out what's being said. I'm shocked when the pain hits me. Like a fucking train barreling down a one way track. Thank fuck I'm lying down. The question of how I got on the floor evades me as the pain in my shoulder starts spreading like fire through my body, flaring out from my chest and arms, as I gasp in short breaths. I manage to move my head slightly and down at my shoulder is a great, gaping hole. Blood is dribbling out of the wound in thick, dark globs and I feel the dizziness in my head take hold, so I shut my eyes tightly trying to keep conscious.

"Drop the fucking weapon!"

"You shot her Kingston! You fucking shot her!"

"Yeh I did! And she's still got the god damn gun in her hand!"

"She shot me! That bitch shot me! Owww fuck! It hurts! It's fucking hurts!"

"Quit your whining or I'll fucking shoot your other knee! The ambulance is coming!"

"I'm not going to ask you again...drop the gun right now!"

"She's in shock man. Her muscles have frozen up...she can't fucking move!"

"Back the fuck away or I'll fucking shoot you too!"

Detective Kingston's face comes into view as I dare open my eyes again. It's difficult to breathe and I can feel my body begin to shudder and shake uncontrollably. A disgusting feeling creeps up my throat so I cough and taste nothing but blood. I try and turn and spit but I can't and end up dribbling most of it over my face. I can feel the tears in my eyes and the panic escalates as I notice the gun Kingston is shoving directly at my face.

With his teeth gritted and anger in his eyes, he spits the words at me. "Drop. The. Gun."

"She fucking can't you idiot! Let me go to her! That wound needs pressure on it, right fucking now!" I hear Adam's desperate screams.

I feel pressure bearing down uncomfortably hard on my other arm, as Kingston grinds his boot on my forearm, completely immobilising me. I groan as more pain thunders up my arm. He pries the gun out of my hand and I'm relieved that I no longer have the burden of holding it. The idea that it would give me power was wrong. It took away my ability to process my decisions clearly, and now I'll have to live with the consequences. I close my eyes again.

A big warm hand cups my cheek and brushes my hair away from my face. I blink a few times to refocus on the face in front of me. Thank god it's Adam. I try and smile but it's probably more like a weird grimace. He smiles at me with that gorgeous face, but I have no idea why? Why would he be smiling at me after what I've done? After I went ahead and lost all sense of reason, armed myself with a fucking gun and shot at the two lowlifes that killed my Finn? Well, from the screaming and whining I'm assuming I hit my intended target. How I managed that I have no idea? My hands were shaking so badly when I held that gun, my stomach flipping over and over as I tried not to throw up. I must have pulled the trigger a few times. My eyes were probably shut at that point.

"My sweet, sweet girl," Adam murmurs to me in that deep, calming voice of his, still smiling and brushing away my hair. It's too much for me and the tears spill over and fall down the side of my face.

"What have you gone and got us into...huh? My sweet girl." He leans down and brushes his lips across my wet cheeks, kissing some of my tears away. I close my eyes and try to control the flaming pain, whilst relishing in his touch. It might be the last time I'm blessed with it. With him.

"Baby?" He pulls me back and I open my eyes again.

"I'm sorry baby...but this is going to hurt," there are tears in his eyes as he prepares to put some pressure on the gun shot wound and stem the blood flow. The very thought of hurting me is hurting him. My heart aches to think of the position I've put him in with my thoughtless decisions.

He pushes into me with a towel and the pain explodes. His grimaced face, the last thing I see before thankfully passing out.