Oh, Marcel!

I. Will. Find. You.

~Ember~

The gun fired and Marcel's tall frame slumped to the ground. He was clutching his right arm and screaming out in pain. I fell to the ground beside him, something in me taking over.

I don't know where I got the strength but I was able to rip the sleeve of my shirt off and tie it around the wound. Meanwhile, Johnny was pacing back and forth considering his next move.

"Okay. Phone Ember. Give me it." He demands and I hand it to him. I don't want Marcel hurt again. Just because he got a phone call, Johnny shot him.  He throws the phone against the dark pavement of the abandoned road and it shatters into pieces. The back of the phone still intact, so he smashes it with his large boot.

"Get up, you whore." He grasped my arm and yanks me up. I was too frightened to pull away as he kicked Marcel. "You up too."

Marcel stood, using me for support.

"Give me your keys." Johnny spits and sticks out his hand.

"No way. Use your own car." Marcel says with a bit of courage. Johnny steps closer.

"What did you say? Did you say to kill you?" He draws the gun up to Marcel's forehead. Marcel shakes and reaches into his pocket with his good arm. He fishes out the keys and hands them over. Johnny snatches them and runs off to Marcel's car.

"You stay right here. I'll be back. If you move. I. Will. Find. You."  Johnny gets in the car, starts it and speeds away, nearly knocking Marcel and I over.

"Marcel are you okay?!" I ask frantically trying to move him towards Jimmy's car. He nods slowly, but he looks like he is ready to faint. I help him lean on the trunk of the car as I search the car for a cellphone since Johnny kept Marcel's and destroyed  mine.

But there is nothing in there.

"Ember?' Marcel calls and I stick my head out of the car. He motions for me to come near and be quiet.

"Mhhmph!"

I look at Marcel.

"Hemmph!"

"Is there someone in there?" Marcel looks at the trunk.

"I'll go open it." I say and run to the front of the car and pop the trunk. Marcel gasps and starts to reach in.

"Jimmy?"

The boy's hands and feet are hog tied and his mouth ducktaped. But those green eyes pleaded for help. I knew it was Jimmy.

"Oh..." I start to untie the rope while Marcel helps. I switch over to the duck tape and slowly peel it off. Jimmy winces as I do so.

"Ember." He says breathless.

"Jimmy. What happened?"

"He kidnapped me. He set this all up. You have to get out of here. Just leave me. Take the car and go." Jimmy says as Marcel sets him free. He reaches into his jacket pocket and produces keys for the car.

"We can't just leave you here!" I shout at him and look to Marcel for help.

"I sure as hell can." Marcel shrugs and snatches the keys from him.

"Please go. Otherwise he will kill us all. This is your best chance. I'll stay behind and try to fight him off." Jimmy says taking my hand in his. "Em, I'm so sorry. For everything. If I ever see you again, I will explain everything to you."

"I can't Jimmy." I plead with him.

"Yes. Please. Do it for me. Ember." Jimmy pulls me into a hug. "And listen..I really did like you okay? But Marcel deserves you more than I do. And you deserve him. I'm no good for you."

A tear slips from my eye. Marcel watches it slid down. He's been watching us quietly.

"Jim.."

"I'm already going against his wishes by letting you go. So just go. Love you, Em." A quick kiss on the cheek and he pushes me away, drawing a small pocket knife from his pocket. He begins to saw off the rope still left on him.

I take one last look before Marcel pulls me away. This is the last time I will ever see Jimmy.

Johnny has a gun. Jimmy doesn't.

The tears fall as Marcel starts the car. I look back, Jimmy is waving. I wave back and can't help but smile at him. He really was a good guy after all.

Marcel is quiet as he drives us home. I figure we are just going to call the cops and stay indoors for awhile.

"We have to get out of here, Ember." Marcel says and presses down on the gas pedal.