King's College (Sequel to Too Young and Blind)

Amazing Coward

Trigger Warning: Abuse

Maria

A lot of things happened in such a short span of time...I remember the door being kicked open and rapid gunshots, they sounded similar to fireworks but fireworks don't echo. Frances Eleanor screamed Nate gasped, Hercules lurched in pain, Angelica didn't even have time to make a noise, and what did I do? The only one not to get shot and what did I do? I played dead. I don't know why I'm such a coward but it's all I could think to do, pretend they'd shot me too. I just fell onto my back stared at the wall, and acted as if they had hurt me too.

"You shouldn't have stabbed him," I heard James Hamilton say, "You ruined the entire plan." He added and I tried to mask my rapid breathing, did they stab Alex? "Now we don't have nearly as much as we need to get passage."

"He was calling somebody," Henry argued and I felt myself want to perk up, "I couldn't let him do that. He would've gotten us both arrested! Come on, we've gotta get out of here. My wife and my other children are in the cellar, we should grab them too." He motioned to the door and James followed.

I waited and waited for what seemed like hours. James and Henry packed up and dragged a screaming woman and her children into a van with their stuff before leaving, I had to get help! When I was sure the van had driven off I bolted upright, "G-Guys are any of you okay?" I looked around finally, Angelica was turning pale, her shirt splattered with her own blood as a wound on her stomach looked like a pit.

Nathan made a grunting noise and I looked at him, he struggled to sit up and I was relieved to see it was only his shoulder and in his lap sat Frances Eleanor, all she had was a grazed cheek, "Take her, please." He groaned.

I nodded and took the child, looking at Herc, his thigh had been shot and was oozing blood, "I'll go get help! I'll be right-I'll be right back!" I ran without an answer. This place was a lot bigger than I thought...

I probably took fifteen minutes before finding the phone and even then who could I call? The only number I knew by heart was Peggy's...I mean it's worth a shot. So I called her and she picked up, "Hello..?" Her voice sounded distant, far away, but it made tears spring to my eyes just from the sound of it.

It took me forever to figure out what else to say, how could I add to this? Why was I here again? I'd forgotten it all just from the sound of her voice, "P...Peggy.." Slowly I put a hand to my mouth as the tears started, fuck I love her.

"Maria!" She cried and I could tell she had burst into tears too, "Are you okay? Al-Alex told John you weren't doing too good-Susan is fine. My parents are watching her right now and-and I love you and-"

"-Wait listen," I'm not sure how much longer they'll keep the electricity on in this house so I had to talk quickly, "James and Henry stabbed Alex I think and they shot Herc, Nate, and Angelica but Frances Eleanor and I are fine and-"

"-Is Angelica okay?!" Peggy screeched, a thump came from her end and I knew she had just leaned hard against the nearest wall, "Is she alive? Did they kill her? Where was she shot? How deep?"

"She's alive, it's deep, her stomach. Margarita Schuyler, I love you but shut up and let me talk," I understand why she's so worried, they are sisters, but she needed to listen, "I'm going to try and find out phones and I'll turn mine on, then use something to locate us. Okay? Or we're all going to die."

"Be careful.." Peggy whispered and I swallowed. I didn't say I would, I didn't say I love her, because I didn't say goodbye. I just left the phone on the table and began running around this huge mansion, turning it upside down, flipping tables and dumping drawers. They wouldn't have taken our phones with them because that's too risky but by the same coin, they wouldn't have destroyed them because that would alert out phone services which would alert the police.

Finally, I found them and grabbed one, bolting down the stairs. I grabbed the receiver again as I hit the power button on my phone, "Peggy I have it." I told her softly, "And I've turned it on." I waited as she shuffled around a little.

"I-I found you!" She yelled in success, "I-I'll call the police now. Can you-go see if you can help Nate, Herc, and Angie. you'll be out of Hell soon. Maria...Maria be safe. I love you so goddamn much."

I smiled and blushed despite the situation, "And I love you, Margarita Schuyler. So much. I'll be home for supper." I heard her laugh and it made me feel better as I hung up the phone. I turned around and screamed, "Alex!" I hadn't expected him to be literally behind me! I was too focused on the phone!

"M...Maria?" He coughed and blood came up. Instantly I ran over to his side and looked at the knife, a standard pocketknife, if the police and ambulance came quick enough then he'd live, "Maria what...what's..happening?" He asked in almost a wheeze.

"Shhh...don't talk. Don't be the guy in the movie who dies because he was weak but kept talking even when he was told to stop," He cracked a smile and so did I, "They're coming...the police, an ambulance, John, Peggy, Mr Washington, everybody. We're all gonna go home and get fixed up. Frances Eleanor isn't hurt, she's doing great. She's doing amazing! You need to just try and stay still and not hurt yourself further..." I didn't know what to do so I did nothing in regards to his wound.

"You're amazing, Maria.." Alex mumbled as we both started hearing sirens, "Absolutely amazing.."