Shadow's Within

12 : MOM!

"MOM!!" I yelled.

She didn't answer. I ran as swiftly as I could above. The door is knock over forcefully. My feet jump into the room only to be greeted by an assailant chocking the life out of her.

I couldn't get a clear perspective of the perpetrator. Same height as me, not bulbous build but slender and lithe with curve body. The assailant is a woman. Her arms stroking mom's head, taunting me through her action.

"Well well..." she said. Her tone is cheerful somehow, but not in a friendly manner. "What did you do to my dear old partner?"

Partner?

"What do you mean partner?" I said. "I never heard of reaper going on missions as pairs"

She laughs, her tone sounds wicked and evil. It creeps me out, I could feel the hair on my body running for cover beneath my skin. "They don't. However, due to this circumstances, the organization had allowed us to conduct this mission in pairs. A special occasion. Lucky us"

Damn!

There's two of them. Handling one is tough enough, but two that's downright impossible. I scan the room for any advantages that I could use.

"Annie....." mom said wryly.

My eyes lock on to her. "It's okay mom. Everything's fine"

"Please!" the female reaper conjures. "No drama please. Everything is not fine. There's only one ending to his whole charade. With you and your mother drop dead on the ground!" She holster her left arm straight, exposing the gun within her grasp.

"Oh god please!!" mom shrieks. "What is happening?!"

The reaper laughs brassier; she demands a more vulgar type than the other one. Her raven stygian hair dropping low on her bangs, eagle eyes, and cherry lips projecting the image of a senile crack head.

I have to play this carefully. One mistake, and it's over; she could blast mom's head off. There's no opening in any wide perimeter. She's chosen a perfect place to avoid any opening that could draw into her defeat.

Left, right, below, above. There is none!

On top of that, there's nothing for me to use in here, no leverage or bearings what so ever. She has the advantage; I'm standing on the edge of a cliff. The next round is mine. I need to think this through.

Think Annie, THINK!

There has got to be an opening. They are approximately ten inch proportional to the wall adjacent to them. Their side is way too wide for me to make a move on.

"It's Annie right?" the reaper suddenly said.

I didn't answer.

She lands a triple tap on top of mom's temple. "Who names their daughter Annie anymore. It is such a rundown name. No clique to it. Nothing star studded in it. Not many excellences in that name. Sure you have Annie Hall or the movie Annie but that's it. It's a one-time thing. A single prime and then its straight downhill from there. Just like your record agent 27. You had a miraculous run as an agent. Fifty accomplished mission with no error in the margin. I have to say, I'm impressed when I read your files. But, twice failures in appointing your gun into the target's head. That's a shame agent 27. It's a shame I have to kill you here, such a talent, a pure diamond to be wasted in this dump."

She readies her gun, position it straight at me. The clock is ticking; my time is running out.

"Wait!" I shout, pulling my hands in the air. "Promise me one thing"

Her expression befuddles, comprehending my words.

"Promise if you kill me, you let my mom and the target go."

She didn't answer.

"Don't punish her because of my failures. They have no part in this squabble. Just let them go. Kill me, slice me up, burn me, put a goddamn bullet in my brain, I don't care! Just don't kill them especially her.."

"Hmmmm"

"I guess that's fair. I mean, killing old chumps is not just my forte. I mean, I love the thrilling sound when they scream scouring for life they have long desire, only to know their life hangs in my hand. Old people's screaming doesn't excite me much. I want a hot, sensual scream, juicing their lips scavenging my name to plead for their life."

I look straight at her. "So. We have a deal?"

Her face beaming in wicked smiles. "Sure"

She releases her grips on mom and her fragile body slams into the floor touching the comfort of a pavement floor.

"However.." she sneers. "I do want a treacherous scream when I kill you"

She exchanges looks and peeks down on mom flimsy state on the floor and raises her eyes to me. Something is wrong. Her gun facing the other direction. Instantly I knew, I try leaping forward to snag the gun away, but before I could react the gun is sounding its alarm, discharging the bullet tearing through the air dashing slug ripping mom's flesh.

The blood shatter in every direction, spattering spots of crimson liquid over the bloodshot stain. I hear the sound of squealing like I never heard in my entire life. It's the sound of mom shrieking in pain.