Remains

I Dreamed a Dream / Anne Hathaway

❝The screaming sirens made themselves very known in a short time. 

I hadn't even finished preparing myself for leaving the safety of my corner when the police pulled up outside. 

As I readied myself to take a step out into the open, several gunshots fired, and I instinctively ducked back away from the edge of the aisle and put my hands over my head. 

My breathing quickened again, and I knew I had to get that under control before I made a break for the medical aisle. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing away the intrusive gunshots and screams, feeling all of my doubts come crashing back down. 

Hold on a minute, I thought to myself, if he's distracted with them, maybe that will buy me some time. I hate to think of it, but as long as I can hear him on the other side of the store, I'm not in imminent danger. 

There was no time for me to calm down, no time for me to settle my breathing. 

No more wasting time. 

I grit my teeth and stepped into the open, and immediately regretting it. I would hate myself if I turned back and hid, but there was a voice inside me telling me that this was not going to end well. 

I shook my head of the negative thoughts and began limping, wincing with every step I took. My bare feet slapped erratically against the tile, and on several occasions I felt my feet slip from the sweat and blood that it had been in contact with. 

I ignored my frenzied thoughts and hitched breathing, focusing solely on not being caught. 

I could hear him yelling, that same angry, hoarse voice that I knew I would never forget. He was swearing and throwing threats at someone, and I could hear the wailing of women and children from the same direction. 

I wish I were braver,  I thought as I struggled towards the medical aisle, I wish I were invincible. Then I could save all of those people, and nobody would have to suffer like this. 

My train of thought screeched to a halt as my foot slipped underneath me, sending me crashing to the floor. My tailbone hit the hard tile first, and I fought hard against the urge to cry out, but instead, I only squeezed my eyes shut. I shakily and hurriedly got back on my feet, continuing my limp towards the medical aisle. 

I was only a few paces away, and I could see vitamins and dietary supplements on the shelves before me. I briefly glanced back, swallowing hard when I saw that a trail of bloody footprints were following me, placed carefully in each spot that I had tread. 

I faced forward again, letting out a sigh of relief as I reached my destination. I briskly scoured the shelves for what I needed, snatching the items as I went along. 

Around halfway down the aisle, I had a bundle of bandages and a pair of tweezers stuffed in my clutches. I was searching for a box of anti-inflammatory medicine, and my eyes landed on a box of ibuprofen. I was about to grab it when it dawned on me that the store had gone quiet. 

I couldn't hear the gunman anymore, and that's what concerned me. 

My body reacted before my mind did, sending me back towards my corner in a blind stumbling motion. I don't know where he is, what if he finds me? 

As I was just turning out of the aisle, I heard a small and sniffling voice. 

"Please help me." 

I whipped around to see a small boy, no older than seven, bleeding from a shallow head wound, cheeks stained from tears. 

"Mommy won't wake up, please help me," he sobbed, waddling towards me. 

My body seized up, not knowing what to do. Just from what he had said, I knew his mother was dead, or close to it. He doesn't deserve this. Why does the world have to be this way? 

He was a few feet away from me, when movement in the distance caught my attention. 

I looked up, just in time to see the masked gunman, glaring right into my eyes from the other end of the aisle. 

He seemed far away, but there was no way I could get out of the line of fire if he chose to shoot. 

I was a deer in the headlights, time slowing to a standstill. 

Fate seemed to be catching up with me, and at that point, I knew I couldn't outrun it any longer.❞