Love's Conquer

Beside The Dying Fire

Before I could even blink, Randall grabbed the gun from Shane's waistband, took off the safety and pointed it towards me. I arched my back and raised my hands, carefully watching his itchy trigger finger shake against the lever that could end my life.

"Dude, put down the gun." Shane tried to ease him out of his dangerous stance only to receive the gun pointed at him, causing him to take a few steps back.

I went through the several options in front of me, but any one of those could endanger myself or Shane and I wasn't willing to risk that. The boy was terrified, he'd been battered, bruised and almost killed twice, he wasn't willing to risk anything.

"Man, we can take her to the group." Randall stated, a deadly grin forming on his expression. "They'd love her."

Randall's words left me feeling sick to the core as I pieced more of the puzzle together. I looked back at Shane. "What were you doing?"

Shane's eyes looked at me with sorrow and regret, knowing the truth was much worse than what Randall believed.

"He's joining my group. Says he's done with you lot." Randall barked, causing me to narrow my eyes.

Shane would never leave the group. He is many things, but disloyal isn't one of them. Especially with Carl, Lori and her unborn child here. He would do anything to protect them.

Anything.

And suddenly everything seemed to fall into place.

"Oh Shane..." The words escaped my lips as tears formed around my eyes.

"Just give me the gun." Shane ordered, earning a serious stare from Randall. "Give me the damn gun!"

"Woah! Woah, woah, woah." Randall almost laughed manically, bringing the gun up to aim at Shane's forehead.

"No, please! Please." I whisper shouted, dread running through me at the thought of him killing Shane. I can't lose anyone else. "Please."

Randall kept switching his eyes between the two of us. My heart was pounding in my chest; that combined with the lack of energy from no sleep and barely anything to eat or drink today, left me feeling slightly dazed and weaker than usual.

"Come 'ere." Randall demanded, using his free hand to point in front of him. "Now."

I complied with his demands and slowly paced in front of him. My breathing hitched in my throat as he brought the barrel of the gun to the side of my head and wrapped his arm around my neck.

"Man, please don't hurt her." Shane practically begged, feeling helpless. I watched him carefully as sweat dripped from his forehead. He looked so conflicted, so torn apart, so hurt. "She ain't apart of this."

"She is now." Randall spat, pressing the gun harder against my temple. All I could do was listen to his finger shake against the trigger; knowing there was no way out of this. "I'll make this easy for you. Let me walk or she dies."

"I'm on your side man, come on—"

"Stop it! Jus' stop it. You're not." Randall cut in, tightening his arm around my neck.

"We hear you. We'll do as you ask." I expressed as calmly as possible.

"That's right. That's what I like to hear." Randall said in his own amusement. His breath hit behind my ear, causing me to shudder slightly as his words from earlier replayed in my head. They'd love her. He began moving us towards the door and carefully backed out. Shane never took his eyes off me and I never took my eyes off him. I could feel us getting closer and closer towards the boarder of the woods and I just kept thinking, how do I get out of this?