Ashes to Ashes

Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ Ｅｉｇｈｔ

Chapter 8

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"only the good die young"

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Gunshots echoed round the alleyway and I turned away from Marcus, desperately hoping it would be Ash.

People appeared at the end of the narrow street, guns held out in front of them. Squinting I saw Jax and Conner, their faces muddy and bruised. Ash came behind them, and they sprinted up the alleyway, stopping short in front of us.

Ash's eyes found mine, but I couldn't read them. "Give her back."

Above me Marcus smiled. "Of course." Then his smile darkened. "But if I give her back, I owe you nothing."

I slumped against his legs. This was so hopeless. Why didn't he see it? The Stones didn't care what happened to me. I sunk lower to the ground, fresh tears forming at the corners of my eyes.

"No." Ash had an unreadable expression on his face. Jax raised his gun, silently challenging Marcus, who pressed the end of the gun harder into my head.

"You shoot," he smiled. "She dies."

Jax didn't lower the gun. In the back of my mind I was pretty sure he couldn't kill me. He needed to be let off owing the money, and I think Ash knew it as well.

"Just give me the money, Marcus, and nobody gets hurt."

Marcus snorted, just as men came out from the side street and started towards us. "You really didn't think I would have extra backup? God Ashton, even I thought you were better than that. I mean, your gang Is getting a bit small." He looked back at the other members of his gang. I felt my heart drop even more, if that was even possible. We were outnumbered.

Ash raised his eyebrow, looking totally blasé. "Quality, not quantity, Marcus. You should really give it a go."

The alleyway echoed with silence for a moment. I always thought that silence was much louder than noise. I barely breathed, sensing the emotions between us.

Then they moved so suddenly I couldn't even follow what was happening. Marcus moved the gun from my head, firing wildly, mainly at Ash, who was too busy shooting Marcus's gang.

Please don't hit him.

Around me, bodies were falling, the shouts and yells ringing in my ears, vibrating on the ground where I had fallen when Marcus had let go of my hair in all the confusion, the sound being magnified about three times louder.

You're so weak, Cola. Get up.

But I couldn't, instead I curled up on the ground, clutching my arm, shaking uncontrollably.

Strong hands lifted me from around the waist, pulling me into a standing position. I staggered, leaning against them and opened my tear filled eyes. Ash looked blankly back, and then put an arm around my waist, firing over my shoulder as I collapsed into his chest. He started tugging me towards the end of the street, gun still out, and I stumbled clumsily beside him.

"Where's my gun?"

Ash didn't even look at me. "Marcus has it."

I needed it back. He would so not get away with this. That gun was Caitlyn's.

When you feel like giving up, think of what you're fighting for. And never give in to the fight.

I clenched my jaw, stopped gripping my arm and wrenched myself out of Ash's grip. Running blindly, weaving in and out of fallen bodies and the people still fighting. I heard Ash shouting after me but I ignored him.