The Detective & The Scientist

Regretful Survivor

Prompt: Protect
Warning: Vulgar language and violence

The sound of gunshots engulfed her ears, forcing her to close her eyes tightly. Around her, she could hear the cries of the people, who just like her, expected today to be a normal day, never thinking they'd become hostages for a mass shooter. She remained completely still on the ground until the gunshots stopped and the only sounds in the air were soft whimpering, sobs, slow breathing, and the footsteps of the shooter as she walked around.

"You pigs," she heard the shooter sneer loudly, "I'll make sure every single one of you dies today! This will teach society a good fucking lesson!!"

Shots were fired and people began to scream.

Shiho Miyano closed her eyes once more, trying to block the noise as she edged closer to the wall she was facing in an attempt to hide and protect herself from the bullets. As each shot was fired, she felt a jerky motion caused by the child she was expecting. With her eyes still closed, she moved one of her hands and settled it on her engorged stomach where she began to rub the spot where the baby was located.

'Everything will be okay,' she thought to herself, 'The police will hopefully come through, stop this woman, and we'll be out.'

While deep in thought, she realized that she wouldn't even be in this situation if she hadn't stopped by the baby store. At first she had come here to return a dress she had purchased a month before she got pregnant. On the way to find the exit, her attention was caught by the baby store she had been frequently visiting the past couple of months. Counting how much money she had on her person, she didn't find it any harm purchasing a few more clothes for the baby and it was definitely needed since she was due next week.

After finding what she wanted, that's when it started. Coming out of the store, looking over the receipt, when the all-familiar sound of gunshots immediately made her look up just in time to see a man drop dead in front of her feet, several bullet wounds marking his back. People were now running in one single direction, while others were hiding inside the stores as the shooter was making her way, heavily armed and firing a shotgun. People falling after getting fatally shot in the back was the last thing Shiho saw as she ran back inside the store she had just come out of.

She had managed to find shelter under one of the display tables. Luckily for her, she was the only one using it and didn't attract the attention of the shooter when she had decided to take the people hiding as her own hostages. Maternal instincts struck Shiho when she went under the table and the first thing she did was face her whole body towards the wall, to ensure her unborn child would hopefully be out of harm's way. It had worked, but only for the 10 minutes that have just passed.

A sharp kick from inside elicited a low groan from the expectant mother. When the gunfire had ceased, she opened her eyes and looked across from her. The sight she saw quickly made her regret ever looking up.

The body of a slain employee laid on the carpeted floor with at least 4 gunshots to the head and another corpse on top of her. Shiho realized with sheer horror that the dead employee was the same woman who had checked her things in earlier.

With a small gulp, Shiho turned her eyes away. Her phone, which laid a few centimeters away from her, turned on and she hastily snatched it.

There were at least 9 calls from her husband, all starting from the time the shooting happened, which was not too long ago. After the 9th call, he left a text. Carefully, Shiho opened the text and began to read it.