The Town

Chapter 7: The Finale Part 2

I ran, and I ran, and I kept running.

It felt like I had been running for hours before I reached a small pond where I collapsed against the trunk of a tree and sobbed harder.

I killed Gupta two years ago after he killed my best friend, and I tried to help a friend in need only to end up with him dead, and my sister executed right in front of me.

I was responsible for Janet, I was supposed to keep her safe and I couldn't. I couldn't save my sister.

About an hour ago I thought to myself that nothing would affect me this time, but I was so wrong. I'm affected by this, I'm broken by this. I'm broken by this and I didn't think I could be more broken.

I heard running footsteps approaching, and looked up to see Matt.

"Sandy, I'm so sorry." He said before getting on his knees and hugging me. He didn't let go for a while.

Matt held me as I sobbed into his shoulder, and I didn't stop.

"She's dead, Matt. She's dead and it's all my fault." I said as I cried.

"No it's not." Matt said as he continued to hold me close.

"Don't lie to me. That's what we told Ian after Jake's death but we all knew he accidentally caused Jake to die." I said as Matt pulled away to look at me.

"I'm not lying. It isn't your fault, you couldn't have known that killing Gupta would cause this much fallout. You weren't thinking when you did it, it was out of grief since he had just murdered Kelly right in front of us." Matt said as he hugged me again.

"That day was terrible, today is terrible, why won't these terrorists just leave us alone? They started this whole thing when one of their members shot Cole over a seat in a lifeboat." I said as I sobbed.

Eventually, I was able to stop myself from crying any longer. Matt was still holding me, though.

"You don't deserve to have all this shit dumped on you, you're just sixteen. You should be in school and hanging out with friends on the weekends, not constantly running from terrorists and attending funerals." Matt said as I nodded my head in his lap.

"None of us do." I said as Matt agreed.

"Can we go back to the house now? The others are probably worried. It's been hours." Matt asked as I slowly picked myself up.

"Yeah." I responded softly while getting up.

Matt and I began walking back when he stopped me.

"You're beautiful Sandy, and I know this isn't the best time to say anything, but I still love you. I don't think I ever stopped loving you. Everything about you is amazing, and I've missed you so much." Matt said as he smiled at me.

"I've missed you too." I said.

There was a gunshot, and then a bullet entered the side of Matt's head.

He was directly in front of me, and I watched the life leave his eyes at the speed of light.

Almost instantly, his eyes were lifeless before he fell to the side, and his body hit the ground with a thud.

I looked at him, and didn't see the same person I've grown up with. He still looked the same, but the thing that made Matt himself was missing. There was no liveliness to his eyes, his beautiful smile wasn't there, there was a massive hole in the side of his head and blood was pouring out of it, the person I felt the most comfortable with was gone. I'd never be able to hold Matt again, or hear his voice. Never be able to talk to him, or kiss him.

I turned to where the gunshot came from to see Alicia lowering a gun.

My mouth hung open as tears rolled down my face for the second time today, as another person I deeply, deeply cared about was shot directly in front of me.

I wanted to say something to her, to ask her why, but nothing came out.

Finally I was able to utter the words.

"Why?" I asked her as my voice was hoarse.

"He should've picked me, maybe then he wouldn't have ended up dead. We would've looked so good together." Alicia said as she put her pistol into the waistband of her pants.

"What?" I struggled to say.

"Despite being through two tragedies, you're really oblivious. Did it not raise any red flags that just before the terrorists return to take care of unfinished business a mysterious Mid Eastern girl shows up and befriends you guys? You didn't even question it." Alicia said scoffing to herself.

"You're one of them?" I asked, hurt.

"Am I one of them? Of course I am, I'm Marco's little sister, I'm more important than half of the people you've seen. Marco told me I'd have to be a spy to let him know what you guys are planning, and now it's finally done. I can't stand you people." Alicia said as a truck pulled up behind her.

"Good job, sister. You can come with us now." Marco said from the passenger seat.

Alicia climbed into the back of the truck, and a single pistol fell out of the back before she shut the door.

She rolled down the window.

"Goodbye Sandy, have fun living with how much of a shitty little bitch you are." She said before the truck peeled out and made its way back to the city.

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I had made it to the tree line of the town center before spotting Alicia and Marco on the steps of the town hall, cleaning up Janet's blood.

I began to make my way through the crowd with tears in my eyes.

These people have taken everyone I care about away from me. Yes, I do care about Becca, Henry, Amanda, Jared, Brooke, and Ian, but they have taken away the people I love. Matt, Janet, Kelly, Justin, and Cole. Jake, Kylie, Derrick, and Bella as well. I'm finally gonna see them all again, I'm finally gonna see my Dad again.

"Sandy!" I heard Becca call out to me.

I ignored her and picked up my pace to avoid them as I started crying again.

As I made my way towards the front of the crowd, it hit me that I'm the last one left out of my friends that I grew up with. First Justin died, and then Kelly. Now Matt. I'm the only one alive.

I finally reached the front of the crowd, and my heart started beating out of my chest.

Alicia and Marco turned to look at me, and I raised the gun that fell out of the truck when Alicia left.

"You coldhearted unloyal bitch." I said through gritted teeth as I cried.

I pulled the trigger, and everyone gasped as a bullet pierced Alicia's throat.

I dropped the gun and stood still, watching her gasp for air as she clutched her throat and began bleeding.

When she collapsed, I felt a dozen bullets tear through my chest and stomach.

I knew it was coming, I was waiting for it to come.

I stumbled backwards and fell onto my back as I heard Henry call my name.

Suddenly Henry, Becca, Amanda, Jared, Brooke, and Ian all appeared above me.

"Sandy... we know what happened to Matt, I'm so sorry." Amanda said as she sobbed as she held my hand.

Becca picked up my other hand as she was crying as well.

"I'm never going to forget you, Sandy." She said, choking up.

"Thank you. All of you, thank you so much. I couldn't have asked for better friends to spend my last few years with." I said as my vision began going dark.

And then everything became darker, and darker, and darker, until there was nothing left.