John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 87 - Wild Eyes

Marlena heard her own anguished scream, but it was distant, as though she was disassociated from her own body. The moment seemed to last forever as she watched Carrie holding the gun on John. Steadily and deliberately, the young woman snapped off the safety and with a cruel glint in her eye, she pulled on the trigger.

Noise exploded through the room and almost instantaneously, John crumpled in a heap on the floor.

"Carrie, *NO*!!" Sami's raw scream sounded above the tumultuous, jagged terror of the assembled crowd. With the first shot, people scattered, backing away from the young woman, dreading the possibility that she might turn the gun on any one of them next.

But with frightening conviction, she leveled the gun at where John lay still on the floor. She had a job to finish.

Silently, oblivious to the chaos whirling around her, she tightened her hands around the butt of the pistol.

"*CARRIE!*" The sound tore from Austin's throat and he knew without a doubt what his wife was going to do. And if he couldn't prevent it before, he could as sure as hell prevent it now.

In one desperately impulsive movement, he dove in front of her as she fired the gun a second time, the tiny, deadly bullet shattering soft, mortal flesh and bone.

The metal of the gun caught the light as it fell and clattered against the cold wooden floor, bouncing twice before it came to rest against Sami's foot.

Carrie stared down at the bright scarlet blood spattered across her hands and gown.

Eyes wide, she looked in horror at the two, lifeless bodies on the ground in front of her. Then her frightened and confused gaze turned to Sami who stood only feet away from her, her own horrified starecaught by the blood that was pooling beneath Austin.

"Sami, what have you *done*?" Carrie issued a terrified whisper. "My God, what have you done?"

"Me?" Sami was confused and too stunned to understand what Carrie was saying. The pandemonium that was ensuing around them wasn't helping matters. Screaming was being replaced by terrified and hysterical sobbing as people recovered from the shock of what had happened.

Carrie looked back at Austin. He was staring at her. Or at least his eyes were. Any life that ever had been in them was gone now. The realization hit Carrie like a crushing force, and she felt an iciness invade her whole body.

"You....." she turned to her sister, tears pooling in her eyes, "you...." Her voice became louder and more strangled as the shock hit her. "You've *killed* them. You bitch, you *killed* them." She lunged at Sami, uncontrollably trying to get her fingers around the young woman's throat.

"I didn't...-" Sami tried to argue with Carrie but her sudden attack was too vicious. She tried to back away from Carrie, but her sister gripped the front of her pale blue silk dress and tore at it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sami fought back, forcibly grabbing Carrie's hands and pushing her away. "God, you're insane. You're crazy. You did it. *You* did it!"

Carrie's reaction was split second as she struck out, leaving white finger marks across Sami's cheek.

"You evil lying *bitch*," the tears were pouring down Carrie's cheeks. "Look at him. *LOOK*!" She pointed with a shaking finger at where Austin lay.

Sami did look. She couldn't help it. Her eyes were drawn as if by some macabre force to the bloodily tragic scene. It was obvious that Austin was dead and for all she knew, John could be too. This was like a nightmare.

Carrie took advantage of her split-second diversion and flew at her again, this time knocking her to the ground.

"You think I'd kill my own *husband*!?" she was white with fury as she struggled with Sami on the floor. "You sick evil witch. What was it? You couldn't have Austin, so you didn't want anyone to have him?!!" She flailed at Sami, scratching her cheek with her long nails.