Guns & Stilettos

Shots Fired

It's mid lesson when a massive boom goes of from outside the classroom. Mrs Aberry checks the window on the door. She turns deathly pale, "Children please do the emergency drill, this is not a test.". The room goes into flying panic, everyone is scrambling into emergency positions under desks and behind equipment. Before anyone can notice I slip out the classroom. A smoke bomb has gone off in here. I draw both guns. This past week I have been a living,breathing armory, it's taken all my effort to keep people from noticing the concealed weapons.

I crouch behind a dustbin, tying my hair up in a high ponytail, when suddenly from the fog I hear a silent whisper, " Jess?" It's Tristan. Crap. I grab him from behind, covering his mouth and drag him behind the dustbin too," Tristan, what the hell were you thinking! You should be in class." I hiss releasing him. He stares at me ,"Jess! I came looking for you! And may I remind you that you are supposed to be in class just as much as I am!". I put my gun on on my lips instead of my finger, shushing him. His eyes turn wide "Jess... Why do you have a gun?", he whimpers, then noticing my other gun he continues," Jess , why do you have two guns!?". I glance up at him loading my weapons, " Listen I don't have much time to explain. I work for the N. S. I. A. I was given a assignment about a week ago to protect you. You and your family are in grave danger. I also have reason to believe that this attack on the school is not just coincidence."

Footsteps approach, the smoke starting to clear. "Ok this is important, so pay attention. No matter what happens out there you have to stay behind the bin. Because things will get rough out there. I don't care what the circumstances you stay here and you stay silent. They want you shot but I don't like giving them what they want, even if that means I get shot instead, Ok? Promise?" Tristan tries to object. "Look, Tristan I have taken more than one bullet before. But you have to promise me.", I hiss. Tristan with concern in his eyes replies, "Ok fine, I promise."

I nod,"Good. Now not a peep.". I slide along the wall, crouch and pull my hood over my face. To Tristan's surprise I then start to wail at the top of my lungs doing a incredibly accurate interpretation of a terrified teenage girl, if I say so myself. A man grabs the front of my hoodie, dragging me off my feet and slamming me against the wall, "Well lookie' here boys. We got ourselves a sniveling little brat, huh. What's yer' name sweetie?", he coos. "J-J-J-Jessica.", I stutter. The man laughs, "And what are you doin' here J-J-J-Jessica? You don't look like you could do much damage I mean you're just a girl." I look up weakly at him,"I-I was c-c-coming back from the

b-b-bathr-r-r-room, when-when..." I start to cry harder. He leans in closer to make another sly comment but before he could I draw back my fist and punch him squarely in the face. The man drops me clutching his bleeding nose, "YOU WITCH!!" Holding out my guns I shoot him in the knees and he falls screaming. "It's not my fault you're such a sexist bastard so call me what you will," I shrug. I stand up only to be tackled to the ground by another attacker. He rolls us over so that he is kneeling over me and rips both guns out of my hands, tossing them across the hall. He throws a punch but I move my head out of the way just in time. He throws another and this time I'm not as quick to dodge, his fist slams into my jaw. I knee him in the stomach throwing him off me. I turn my head to side to spit out blood and stand up. One swift kick to the side of the head and he was out. Someone roughly grabs me from behind, this time the hands are female.

Well, well this is just fantastic, this has just gone from a fight to a cat fight. I hope Tristan listened to me because this is going to get seriously ugly. "Stand down and I won't hurt you, I promise. Just give us Mr. Peters and this will all blow over.", she said, her voice is sing-song, sweet tone and reminds me strangely of a sickly shade of pink. In short it makes me want to vomit.

I let out a short, mad laugh "Look lady you can drop the fake promises and that stupid accent, ok. I'm not an idiot or a five year old, but clearly you are one of the two for thinking I'd buy that.", I drawl. The woman's tone becomes slightly more frustrated the change subtle but there. "You misunderstand me dear, it is not optional."

"Let me think about it... How about no."

"Allow me to make my point clearer," her voice had completely lost the sugary sweetness it held before, replaced by hard cold stone. Cold metal slammed into my temple, causing a thin trickle of blood to run down my cheek onto my neck. With a click, the bullet slid into the chamber. I didn't even wince. "Give me the boy or you die."

"Sure go ahead kill me. You can hurt me and break me. But I will never let you get near him!",I spit.

"I knew that your squad was notorious for your iron will but I never imagined it was so strong. I mean he is just a stupid boy, one among millions. Why give your life for him?"

"And you are just a stupid woman, with a stupid life, one among millions. And I have taken plenty of lives, why should I spare you? The law works both ways."

I twist my body around and slam my forehead into hers causing her to release me. I draw a gun from my boot with a wicked smile, I fire but she dodges, the bullet smashing a window. She raises her gun, copper hair glinting in the sun and fires three bullets at my head. I twist my body around, dodging them and charge at her. Bullets whistle past me so close that one clips my hair tie, snapping it. My hair cascades over my shoulders in a explosion of golden blonde. Strands of my hair swirl across my vision with the rush of air. I grab the front of her gun trying to wrestle it out of her hands. In the commotion it goes off. Firing holes in the ceiling. Dust rained down on us, clouds of the stuff pluming up when I move. I throw the gun across the room and tackle her to the floor, causing dust to explode into the air. She draws back her fist, punching me in the nose. Blood pours down my face. "GIVE ME THE BOY YOU DEMON CHILD!", she screeches wildly. I laugh again.

"What in that twisted mind of yours suggests I would give my best friend to some redheaded psychopath?", I'm was shouting now, "If you touch him it will be war!"

With another scream of frustration she slammed her knee into my stomach, but I held firm. I slam my fist into her face. I stand up again, with a slight limp from a injury I don't recall getting and wipe some of the blood off my face with my sleeve. A strong hand clasped onto my ankle dragging me to the floor. She rose above me, knife in hand. Before she could plunge it into my chest I threw up my arm grabbing her wrist.

"You cannot outsmart me child.", her face was covered in blood now from her steadily bleeding nose.

I twist her hand so she drops the knife and slide it across the floor. Quick as a flash she shoots out her hand raking her nails down my face. This is what I meant by catfight. I keep my nails sharp for this specific purpose, In a fistfight it can change everything. I reach up and dig my nails into her shoulders tearing at the skin. Screaming she goes for my neck, tearing at my throat.

Something bumps my shoulder, a knife. Tristan.

"Go to hell!", She screeched

"Sorry can't today.", I say with a smile, "Tell the devil I say hello."

Grabbing the knife I drive it into her heart. Her body falls on top of me, a dead weight. Pushing her off me I stand up, face mangled and soaked in blood.

Tristan shoots up from behind the bin staring at me wide eyed. I smile at him sheepishly and at that he runs towards me and holds me in a tight embrace, resting his chin on my head, "Jess... what the... how did you...I dunno... are you okay?" I look up at him,"I'm fine," at his facial expression I continue " really!" . He looks at me sternly,"Your face suggests otherwise Jess.". I frown," What? Did I smudge my makeup?". He laughs at me, "That is a very idiotic question for someone who is supposed to be smart.". I smile up at him,"Ohhh! Shots fired!".