May Kill Me

Twenty-Nine

I stared down the black metal barrel, the only thought going through my mind was that this was it. I was going to die and there was nothing that could be done about it. 

"Maybe, they'll make this into a daytime movie," Alex smirked. 

What a fucking asshole. 

I looked up at him, straight in the eye. That was the least I could do; I will not die cowering.  

Suddenly, he stumbled and was flung off to the side, the gun flying out of his hand. 

"Another day, asshole!" Jonathan breathed out, standing right where Alex was second before. 

His breathing was labored, and his hands were untied. 

"Are you okay?" He looked at me, the blood on the side of his face looking even darker under the dim light. 

"You're alive!" I cried out in shock. 

"He got me on my way home, must have known my parents were out," Jonathan crouched to untie my legs, "He tied my hand too loose. I guess he assumed I won't come to." Jonathan ripped the duct tape around my ankles and moved to untie my hands. 

He stumbled for a second, catching himself. 

"Are you okay?" I cried out, quickly glancing at Alex who was lying motionless several meters away. 

Jonathan reached for the side of his head, eyes widening when he saw the blood on his fingertips. 

"Whoa..." He breathed out. 

"We need to get you to the hospital."

"Yeah," Jonathan said behind me, ripping at the tape. 

My hands felt numb, and the rush of blood made my fingertips tingle. 

"Come on," I helped Jonathan balance as we made our way to the exit: a large and rusty sliding metal door was our salvation. 

 "Were are we even?" I asked Jonathan, trying not to trip as we walked through strips of discarded metal pipes and wood planks. 

"I don't know," Jonathan sighed heavily. 

It was clear the head injury (and who knows what else Alex did to him) was taking its toll on his body. 

We made it out, and the fresh freezing air was a welcome reprieve from the mixture of oil and metal dust inside. 

I spotted the white van in the distance, "There!" I nudged at Jonathan. 

Alex must have driven us here in the white van. 

"Come on, we're almost there," I pulled at him. 

"I can't believe this is happening," Jonathan shook his head, "I can't believe something from the time I was thirteen... god..." He didn't get to finish his sentence as a gunshot rang through the air, and he jerked beside me. 

I let out a scream as I heard the shot, and Jonathan's body sagged into me completely. I couldn't hold on to him any longer, and let his body fall on the ground beside me. 

"Get back here!" Alex cried out behind me. 

I turned only once, only to see him aim the gun at me. 

I let out another scream - just one - before I sped toward the truck, sliding on the snow-coated ground. 

"I said, get back here!" Alex fired once again, but the bullet missed me, whistling past somewhere to the left of me. 

Please be unlocked, please! 

I prayed silently, my hand reaching out for the door handle. 

By some miracle, it was.