𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐌𝐄

─ ❝ act xlvii ❞

⎡ act xlvii - finale ⎦

┊❝ Let's go home ❞┊

── QUICKLY shoving Dylan's body off of her with the help of Sawyer, (Y/N) was swift to aim the gun back at Ian, her entire body trembling by that point after what she had done. What was she even supposed to feel in that moment? Gratitude that she finally had the strength to kill off one of her tormentors? Or horror at the fact that she had just taken a life? She had already told herself that killing Ian and Dylan was a necessity if she were to ever move on with her life and try to obtain some semblance of normalcy.

However, as she flicked her gaze down at Dylan's body and then back up into Ian's piercing silver gaze, all she felt was unbridled disgust.

Disgust at herself.

Disgust at Dylan's and Ian's obsession.

And disgust that she had ever allowed herself to be in such a situation.

"Come on now, (Y/N)," Ian snickered as his eyes narrowed, his smile curving into a malicious grin that was condescending to a finite point, almost like he expected for her to break down at what she had done right into his waiting arms, a thought that made her glower only deepen. "Don't give me that look. You pulled the trigger. I guess now you're a murderer just like Dylan."

"Shut up!" She yelled, tightening her grip on her gun.

Ian did the same.

Sawyer stood beside (Y/N), unsure of what to do. His mind raced a mile a minute as to what he could do, his heart thumping rapidly in his chest from the pure adrenaline racing through his system. As the blood further pooled around Dylan's head, his glassy eyes turned towards him, all Sawyer could think about was how he or (Y/N) could very well end up joining Dylan. It was an undesirable outcome, one he wished to avoid at any cost.

But how?

Swallowing thickly, an idea hatched in his mind.

It was a foolish idea, one that could get him killed, but if it was the only thing that allowed (Y/N) to be free from Ian's and Dylan's grasp, he would do it.

Digging the heel of his foot into the ground and without another moment of hesitation, Sawyer lunged forward to where Ian was. Catching Sawyer's movements from the corner of his eye, Ian swung his gun towards him and shot, his teeth gritting in irritation when, instead of shooting through his head, the bullet only buried into his shoulder. Sawyer's breath hitched at the pain that instantly bloomed in his shoulder, grunting from how excruciating it was, but the bullet didn't stop him. Tackling Ian to the ground so he couldn't get another shot in, Sawyer fought for the gun.

"(Y/N)!" Sawyer screamed, pinning Ian's hand down. "RUN!"

(Y/N) heard Sawyer's warning loud and clear, but instead of moving her feet, she instead steadied the gun in her hands and pulled the trigger. Ian swore loudly when the bullet nicked his hand that was holding his gun, knocking it from his grasp and into the underbrush. (Y/N) didn't hesitate in trying to shoot Ian again, her inexperience with the gun clearly showing when her next two shots hit the dirt instead of Ian. By that point, Ian was looking more like an animal than man, his eyes rolling in rage as he strained against Sawyer, his veins scrawling up and down his arms from the clear effort he exerted.

With one bullet remaining, (Y/N) hesitated for longer as she struggled with trying to find a clear opening. When she finally found one, she pulled the trigger, but Ian, like he had been expecting it, whirled around and forced Sawyer still so that the bullet buried itself into his leg. Sawyer screamed from the pain, and with that distraction, Ian socked him across the jaw and shoved him away before frantically searching the ground for his fallen gun.

Throwing the now useless gun away, (Y/N) scrambled towards Sawyer, ripping off parts of her shirt to tie tightly around his wounds.

"Come on, Sawyer!" She insisted as she hoisted him up. "We need to MOVE!"

With his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his waist, the two tried to run, but more so hobbled, away from Ian and out towards the main road, (Y/N) desperately hoping that she could flag down a passing car even with the house's isolated manner. Making it to the road, (Y/N) searched for any sign of headlights, despair welling up in her throat when all she saw was darkness.

"Come on!" She whispered with a grunt as she continued helping Sawyer along. "Let's get to the other side! We can hide out there!"

Yet, just as they reached the other side, a gunshot halted such a plan.

Screaming from the sheer agony of the bullet racing through her thigh. (Y/N) dropped heavily like a bag of bricks, Sawyer falling with her, his eyes wide with terror as he hastily tried to stop the bleeding with his hands. When a venomous chuckle filled the air, both of their heads snapped up to see Ian approaching them, his arm out to showcase that he had found his gun that (Y/N) had initially shot from his hand.

"Well, fuck..." Ian snickered cruelly, running his other hand through his disheveled hair. "This is just pathetic. (Y/N)... why are you trying so hard when your future is already set?" Shifting the barrel of the gun towards Sawyer, his smile disappearing, he uttered, "Just fucking die already."

His finger curled around the trigger.

Sawyer saw himself dying.

(Y/N) squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that everything was just a bad dream.

The gunshot came.

Yet, instead of Sawyer feeling a bullet pierce his flesh, all he heard was the dull thump of something hitting the ground along with the clattering of steel against gravel. Cautiously opening his eyes, he gasped when seeing a police officer appear with his gun raised, standing over Ian before pressing his fingers against his throat. Taking one hand off of his gun to grab the walk-in on his shoulder, he announced that an armed suspect was dead. Then, he saw Sawyer and (Y/N), quickly radioing in that he found two victims, identifying (Y/N) by name.

"Are you two okay?" The officer asked as he belted his gun and crouched down in front of them.

"W-We've been shot, officer," Sawyer quickly announced with a wince of pain. "Myself in the shoulder and lower leg and (Y/N) here in the thigh. We're bleeding pretty badly, sir. We were both kidnapped by Dylan Jennings and Ian Huang. Ian is the one you just shot, and Dylan's body is over in a clearing over there. He killed Carmen Ferina, whose body is also over there."

"Okay, hold on," he announced as he radioed for an ambulance. "Can I get your name, please?"

"Sawyer Penson."

"Okay, Sawyer, (Y/N), please remain calm," the officer continued after radioing in their information. "The ambulance is on its way, and your parents have been notified. You're okay now."

Sawyer looked at (Y/N).

She met his gaze.

"Yeah..." his smile softened, his eyes warm. "We're okay now. Let's go home."

__________________________________

The End.
↳ Stay tuned for the postlude...