Body Count (BWWM)

Chapter 8

Gloria

My body is completely shutting down from how tired I am right now. Licia and I both got called in for night shift and luckily the hospital's daycare runs 24/7. If it was not for that added incentive, I don't know what I would be able to do with Tati. My parents are still in Little Rock and I don't trust anyone to babysit my baby but Alicia. I yawn as I look at the clock seeing it's almost 2am, we still have several hours to go before we can go home. But hey, we're together and clowning per usual.

"Aye! Aye! Wait... bitch this isn't how you do it." I tell Alicia as we're trying to learn the newest Tiktok dance.

We're on rounds and checking on patients while trying to get this dance down. And before y'all start...we multitask very well. So, backspace out those comments.

"Girl, yes it is. You gotta kick your left foot," I watch as she tries the dance.

I look back at my phone. "Licia, I'm looking at the fucking video now. There's no kick at all."

I sigh, "you know what we're too damn old for this shit anyway. Did you check room 242?"

She rolls her eyes, "yes, old lady. That was the first one I checked."

I playfully push her, "these hands ain't old."

"Oh, well let's go." She squares up like she's trying to fight.

"Listen here bucko! You put your filthy hands on me I will call the cops. My husband knows the Sheriff." I mock in my white 'Karen' voice while pushing out fake tears.

We start cracking up until we heard the alarms going off in the hospital.

"CODE GREEN!" The alarms blared repeatedly.

Code Green meant emergency evacuation. I wasn't leaving this place until I had my daughter in my arms. I looked at Alicia and she read my mind.

"Go! I'll put this up and meet you down there." She took my cart and I ran to the nearest stairwell.

I got down to the floor up her daycare and it was complete chaos. People were running throughout the halls and screaming. My heart started to break into two because I just had this overwhelming feeling of darkness. It took me about 10 minutes pushing through people and maneuvering around equipment that was left in the hallway to reach her room. By the time I got there, Ms. Lauren already put the sign on the door signifying they've evacuated.

"Shit!" I yell but feel a sense of calmness knowing Ms. Lauren got her out. But I still need to get to her. I notice that it's no longer chaotic because I'm the only one left on the floor.

My head raises at the sound of Alicia calling my name. She's running down the hallway but her face is scaring me. Her expression is showing terror.

"What? What's wrong?!"

She's gasping for air from running. "The Director shared over the radio that the daycare made it to their safety zone. Everyone has been evacuated."

"Good! Why the face?" I ask her confused.

"Bitch they said there's a shooter inside the hospital. They've locked all exits and everyone was able to get out but us."

My eyes widen, "what? They locked us in here?"

"I mean it's protocol but we decided to try to get Tati first."

I throw my hands up in frustration. "Fuck!"

"He's still in this hospital, Glo. We have to hide until the police come."

I shake my head in agreement and we start to move quietly through the floor.

"Did they say what floor he was on?" I asked her.

"Last I heard, they saw him on the 10th floor."

"Girl, we're on the 8th! How long ago was that?" I ask.

"Probably, 30 minutes ago." She tells me as we hear the stairwell door from the end up the hall open.

"Fuck," Licia whispers as she grabs my hands and we run into the nearest room.

We hide behind the curtain as we flinch from hearing gun shots every 5 minutes. "He's shooting every room he walks into." I tell Alicia as she trembles in fear.

"We've got to get out this room." I tell her and she shakes her head no.

I grab her by her chin, "Alicia, I understand you're scared but my daughter is not growing up without her mother. She already doesn't have a father. I be fucking damn it I let this motherfucker take me from her. Get your shit together, now! We're fucking leaving this room!" 

She nods seeing how passionate I am, in not making my child an orphan. "Okay, I'm good. I'm good."

"Alright, let's go," we walk to the door as I grab her left hand. I peek out the small window trying to see where he's at after every round of shots.

"He's three rooms down to the left. Once he goes in the next room we're going to run to the right and make a left at the elevator. There's another stairwell." I look at Alicia making sure she's still with me.

"You good?"

"I'm about to shit myself but I'm good. Let's get you to Tati." She starts jumping up and down, hyping herself up.

"Bitch, be fucking for real. We're not about to go in the boxing ring. We're about to run for our fucking lives."

"Glo, I'm scared shit. My bad, pin me to the fucking cross. I'm not use to running from automatic weapons."

I grab her hands, "girl I'm scared too but we have to do this." I peeked out again.

"Okay on three."

1

2

3

"Now!" We open the door and make a run for it.

We're almost at the end of the hall, when the last room's door before the exit opens and man comes out tackling Alicia. She's pushed into the wall and is knocked unconscious.

"Alicia!" I scream running to her side.

The man uses the barrel of his gun to move my hair out of my face. I turn to look at him with tears in my eyes. 

"Please don't hurt us. What do you want?"

By this time, I realize there two men one the knocked Alicia out and the one who was shooting in rooms starts to walk up the hallway, "A është ajo?" the man who was shooting asked. (Is that her?)

The man holding the gun near my face reaches down and grabs my bad. "Gloria Pettis," he says in a thick Albanian accent.

"Po, është ajo." He says to the man who is now standing in front of Alicia. (Yeah, it's her.)

Alicia is picked up and thrown over the shoulder by the guy and the man in front of me points the gun in my face. "Get up." He says and I hesitate.

He grabs me by my hair forcing me on my feet and I yelp from the pain. I'm pushed against the wall while his hand wraps around my throat. He scans my face closely with his lips almost touching my skin. "E bukur." He says and I wince at his smelly breath. (Pretty.)

His friend chuckle. "Hajde. Duhet ta çojmë te shefi." His friend says. (Come on. We've got to get her to boss.)

"Prisni. Vetëm një shije." (Wait. Just a taste.)

He reaches down and places his hand in between my legs. I'm thanking God that I have on scrubs and he can't easily reach my private area. I'm trying to control my emotion and not fully breakdown. He pulls me close and tries to capture my lips with his. But before he makes contact the elevator dings and I see the last person I never expected see again.

My daughter's father.

Artemis.