Can You Empathize?

Risk or Sacrifice?

(Guns up ahead)

Dread is hanging in the small room. Chests heaving, lungs grasping, fighting for oxygen when the only action done by them is standing. With you at gun point.

Your back is facing one of the peeling paint walls, the one opposite to the rusted, locked steel door. You look into her eyes again, silently pleading what to do. She had to shoot you, that's her order. She had no other choice. No other bargain to somehow spare your life, her best friend's. Only when the gun shot echos through the room, with it's bullet in your flesh, will she be set free.

Of course, she could choose to deny. The consequences of that would be a bullet in her skull, along with your heart, by the one they call their 'master', who was - quite unfortunately - in the same room as you, with her at gun point as well.

You know the clock is ticking, yet still making seconds stretch on until eternity. All you can possibly do is flick your eyes from the gun, to her now red eyes, to his sinister smile.

Never did you think that you would've died - murdered - by your best friend, and by her expression, she didn't either. And yet, here you are, in that very situation.

"Better make it quick, sweetie. My arm is getting tired, and I just might finish you and the job myself... within a span of 30 seconds or so." His cold, tyrannical voice echoes in the empty room, the words directed at her, but his eyes on you all the while. Of course though, he wouldn't dare to miss the revenge he so eagerly desired.

Your eyes are back at her. You don't know what to say, what to do. You're lost and every path is blocked with risky peril with only a opening so narrow, you escaping would be a miracle times ten. You and her communicate through eyes. You tell her so many things, but things that truly matter, they never show. You don't tell her to shoot you and increase her chances of survival and escape because as selfless as you want to be, you simply cannot bring yourself to sacrifice as such. You can't tell her to shoot the ruthless man behind her instead, as you know from experience how fast his reflexes are, and she would be the only lifeless body on the floor if she tried.

She tells you things too; she is confused as well. She'd never hurt you, but if she didn't, both of you would be at the mercy of him, and he's merciless.

You stand weaponless, shaking and and trembling, and trying your very best to hide your fear. You try and look around, for what might be the tenth time, to find an escape route. Like the other times, no such luck. The room is empty - excluding the three living, breathing beings, about to become one in less than 20 seconds - with a musty smell and dull walls. There are three windows to your left, with helpless junk scattered on the floor, but any kind of movement towards it - not a good option. You are loosing hope that you along with her could escape, you try to tell her that it was okay, but you can't convince her.

You feel like there is only one option left, for her to shoot you. You urge with your eyes, she understands but immediately goes wide - eyed, and shakes her head slightly. You mouth 'Do it. It's alright.' and try to give a reassuring smile, but it only turns out weary.

She sighs a dreadful, sad, vulnerable sigh. Her hands tremble and she lowers the gun slightly, but seeing you give her a warning glare, she stops. She shuts her eyes tightly - probably 10 seconds on the clock - and her finger moves to grasp the trigger. You expect it, yet still you gulp and uncontrollable shivers take over. A grin grows on his face, cold and dark, at her actions. Your heart pounds against your ribs so loudly that it almost blocked the shrill beep that resonated in the empty room, from some place away. Almost.

Following the beep, a raucous boom shook the place. His head turned towards the door, wondering what that was. Seeing this as your only chance of even a possibility of an escape, you snatched her gun, as she is closer to you, and with all the force and momentum you could muster, you swing to hit him. His head turns and he sees you, but you don't stop. The hit you were aiming at the back of his head, landed on the side instead, but hard enough still to knock him out.

After hearing his groan, you grab his gun before he hits the floor, and pull her towards the a window. You smell smoke, but dismiss the thought and focus on escaping only. You open the window, and without wasting a moment, place your foot on the sill and swing your legs out. You land on the yellow grass, safe as the room was on the ground floor itself and you call out to her to do the same. She doesn't hesitate. You and her take off when you hear angry sputters from inside. While turning to the left, orange cackling flames catch your sight, but you neither have time nor the means to call for help.

Soon both of you are racing down the deserted streets, with the guns pocketed, one in your pocket and one in hers. Both of you were short of breath, but you wouldn't stop.

You reach an empty, probably abandoned by the looks of it, road that stretched out to the horizon. You stop, panting hard, while she runs just a few steps ahead of you and stops.

You are looking at the gravel while taking deep breaths, so when you look up, you see that she is still as a rock. You straighten up and look at her, confused. She turns to look at you.

She raises the gun towards your head.

The gun shot goes off.

'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'

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~ SF