perilous | hemmings

xxv

central park, new york, 2014
7:13 a.m.

michael and ashton are dead, and calum is dying by the second,
his blood spreading across the white of his suit. sage is sobbing, lipstick smeared and hands bloody. my black and crimson-stained suit chafes against my body, and the leader of the former gang stares at us expectantly, two against one again.

do it again. he mouths, lips twitching in a smirk. i dare you. his body shakes among the rest of his dead gang members, side and shoulder blade bleeding out. as i let out another bullet that misses, a police officer kicks him onto the ground from behind, his gun dropping against the stained dirt.

sage lets out a cry as a bullet whistles against her side, looking down with her teeth gritted, but never falling.

"sage," i tremble. "it's time to give up."

by this time, the police car that jeremy was shoved in was racing past my old school a block down, and high school memories play through my brain.

sage's tears were dry, though new ones were already threatening to spill over. why was she always fucking right? i should've known from the start.

"we can't give up now," she cries, "we've come so far! we have to try!"

"if it's what you ask." i whisper, both of us shuffling until we're back to back. "i guess we both loose now; regardless if you love me or not."

she doesn't respond, but kicks me and gives me the signal to shoot. both of us let bullets fly out, and at the same time, the cops send even more bullets ripping towards us.

one takes sage right in the stomach.

"fuck! sage?!" i scream, feeling her drop to the ground.

"you got this baby! do it for me!" she responds.

i keep shooting and duck for cover beside her.

i peek out, and then feel searing pain in my back and shoulder. i fall to my knees, hands shaking against my gun as i let out a couple more more bullets, two hitting random police officers. another volcano of pain hits me in the chest, and i collapse next to sage.

she looks at me with tired eyes.

"i love you baby." she croaks, taking my hand.

"i love you too."

"you looked so cool out there, with your suit and gun." she whispers.

tears fall down both of our cheeks, and she pecks my lips weakly.

"you looked so cool." she repeats with a ghostly smile, and i watch the fire dull from her eyes.

"thanks," i say, knowing she and i are both gone as i watch my view of her fade into white.

"you were the thrill of lifetime, bonnie."

LA FIN.