{LIE} Lost in Existence [Editing]

Day Seven

Lost in Existence

                                                                     Day Seven

I picked up a bag of Ruffles.  I stared at it.

I didn’t usually eat a ton of junk food, considering it was just a waste of money.  But I had always loved these cheese flavored Ruffles. 

Taking the bag, I continued shopping.  I picked up a few other items that I would need for the next six days.

I then walked toward the front of the corner store and waited behind the other two customers.

There weren’t many people, but then again, it was eight at night.  Most people would be at home.

I sighed deeply.  Even though I only had six days left, it was taking forever for them to pass.  I had nothing to fill my time with.  Today, for example, I basically sat in my room at the orphanage and stared at the wall.

Nearby, there was a rack of magazines.  My eyes skimmed over them looking for anything interesting, but I was disappointed when they were all about celebrities.  Who seriously cared if so and so had a baby together?

This world is depressing.

Against my better judgment, I picked up a “People” magazine and flipped through it.  Did people seriously buy this stuff?  Really?  You could waste your money on much be—

“Drop what you’re holding and put your hands behind your head.”

I froze.  Did someone leave a TV on or something?

My eyes flickered around until landing on a man with a ski mask on his head and a gun in his hands.

“I said, put your hands behind your head!” He yelled.  I couldn’t move.  Did I just walk onto the set of a movie?

Or was this for real?

I saw the other customers comply but I was still trying to figure out if this was actually real.

I got my answer when the guy was suddenly right next to me, pointing the gun at my head.

I gulped.

“Drop your things.  And put your hands behind your head.”  I didn’t need any more convincing as I immediately let my things drop to the ground and put my hands behind my head.

“Now everyone get down on the floor!  And don’t you even think about calling for help!”

We all complied, except for the corner store owner who looked like he couldn’t believe this was happening.

I ended put right next to the rack of magazines.  Great, now I get to stare at Jennifer Lopez along with other celebrities while the store is robbed.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the man with the gun stalk over to the store owner and put the gun against his temple.  “Open the cash register.  And give me all your money!”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.  What an original line.

The owner immediately opened the cash register, but then he froze.  The robber sighed and pushed the man back.  Then he jumped over the counter.  Using one hand, he took out a black bag I hadn’t noticed before, and began stuffing all the money in it.

Once there wasn’t a penny left he slung the bag over his back and kept the gun pointed at the man’s head.  “Don’t you dare try to call the cops until I’m gone.”

Then hooded-robber-man turned his back, although he still kept his gun ready and headed for the door, glaring at all of us.

Is this how a real robbery goes?  The ones in the movies are more exciting.

My eyes flashed over to the owner and they narrowed as I saw him reaching for the store phone.  Did he want someone to get shot? 

The owner picked up the phone and began to dial 911; or at least that what it looked like until the robber suddenly turned around and pointed the gun back at the guy.  “Hey!  What do you think you’re doing?” The owner froze, but then he seemed to gain a bit of confidence and punched in the last number and quickly pressed call.

The robber’s eyes flashed with anger and he looked ready to pull the trigger.  I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut, but I was frozen.

Suddenly, he directed the gun down to the owner’s right leg and shot it like it was nothing.  My eyes widened, and a scream got stuck in my throat.  The owner screamed for me, in agony, and he began to gasp from the pain.  I’d thought I’d be sick as saw the blood begin to spread out over the floor.

I had seen blood before, of course.  I had caused the blood myself.  But this was entirely different.  He didn’t want to pain.  He didn’t ask for it.

And that made all the difference.

The robber growled in annoyance.  “Oh shut up.”

Then he stalked over to, guess who, lucky me, and grasped me by the arm.  He pulled me up and held the gun to my head. 

“Try something like that again, and you’ll have the death of a civilian on your hands!” He screeched, not only at the store owner, but at the rest of the customers.

Then with a tight grasp that I couldn’t even try to get away from and a gun pointed to my head, we slowly made our way to the exit of the store.  He was just about to pull us outside when we heard cop cars in the distance.

“Shit.” He muttered and then he turned around and headed for the back of the store, never loosening his grip. 

Why was I the one put in this situation?  But then again, maybe god knew what he was doing since I wanted to die anyways.

Everyone in the store was silent as the sound of sirens got closer by the second.  The robber had dragged me to the back of the store and now had the gun pressed firmly against my head. 

A minute or two later, several cops came rushing into the store, and in the back of my mind I wondered: how did they know what kind of situation this was?

The cops took one look and the scene and then had their guns pointed at me and the robber.  Once again, this was great for me.  Our police force in this town must not have brains considering they were also pointing their weapons of death at me, and if they decided to shoot, I would also die.

“Let go of the girl, and we won’t be forced to hurt you.” One of the police officers, a female, said sternly.

The robber must have been thinking along the same lines as me, because he retorted.  “No.  You won’t hurt me as long as I have this gun pointed at the little girl.  Now, if you let me go freely, I won’t be forced to shoot her.  If you don’t.. well….”

He glanced over to where the shop owner was still writhing in agony, but now in silence.

The cops followed his gaze and tensed up.  “Please sir, it doesn’t have to be this way.” The same cop from before spoke.

“Yes it does, now out of my way!” he growled and we began to slowly move forward.

The cops shot each other nervous glances, and then before I knew what was happening, I was flung out of the robber’s arms and hit my head on the tile floor, hard.  I heard several gunshots and I tried to look up, but my vision was obscured by black dots.  I groaned as my head began to throb and I let myself sink back to the floor.

The next thing I knew, I couldn’t keep my eyes opened and I slipped away from consciousness. 

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Song of the chapter: Pray by Blessthefall

Words: 1281