My Gang Leader

Twenty-Seven

We slowly made our way through the building not completely sure where to go.
"Follow the shots." The doctor whispered.
"What's your name anyways?" I looked around a corner and moved up.
"Amber."
"Well, Amber. I'm Laura."
I peered around the next corner and seen a group of men running with guns raised. I reached back taking the gun from Amber and raising it up ready to shoot. I walked around and waited to see if someone else shot. When they did I moved in that direction. Peering around corners and waiting was getting old, but I promised Amber I'd get her home safely.
I missed a person who was seemingly walking slower than the others and he shot hitting me in the arm.
"Oh." I groaned squeezing it. I tightened my handle on the gun raising it at the man and squeezing the trigger. The body landed with a thud.
"Here." Amber took my arm and took some gauze from her pocket wrapping it up.
"Thanks," I muttered.
I peered back around seeing several men appear by the dead body. They were looking around trying to figure out where someone was hiding.
"We gotta move," I whispered.
"This way." She unlocked a door and ushered me inside. It was a mini closet with cleaning supplies and doctor tools. "It's a spare room in case we ran out of stuff," Amber explained. "Only doctors have access."
The doorknob rattled then stopped. Feet shuffled on down the hall. We waited to be safe and exited the closet. A gun met my face and an angry young man was snarling. Jacob Jr.
"Hello, doll."
I reached behind me handing Amber the gun. I just hope she knows how to use it. I walked slowly out of the closet while Amber hid behind boxes that were neatly stacked. I circled around Jacob Jr. giving Amber time to aim the gun and shoot. She held it up and squeezed the trigger hitting him in the back between his shoulder blades. His gun went off and hit me in the leg.
"Oh, crap!" Amber said covering her mouth. "You ok?"
"Yea." I hissed in pain holding my thigh where it hit.
She grabbed a bottle of alcohol and another gauze and wrapped it up also. She helped me up and half-carried me further out of the building.
"There's the exit." She whispered.
We were about there before shots fired behind us. Multiple bouncing off the wall and some hitting Amber. She fell limp. I caught her before she hit the ground. I checked her pulse, she was still alive but not for long.
"Where are you going!?" Jacob Sr. yelled.
"Home!" I growled.
"No, no you're not." He wagged his finger back and forth. "If you won't cooperate, then I'll just have to kill you."
"Please try." I opened my arms taunting him.
His mean raised their guns and switched on their lasers pointing them all at my stomach. I looked down and seen the gun sticking out of ambers coat. I winced at my leg and fell on my butt trying to make it seem like it was hurting. I grabbed the gun and held it up.
Shots fired behind me again and Jacobs men fell limp on the ground. I turned to see Jerry and bran standing behind me. Before they had a chance to react, I was shot two more times. I fell backward beside Amber and used my strength to clutch her hand. I blacked out seeing a light glow in front of me. My mother stepped out smiling happily attached to my grandparents.
"My sweet Laura." She rubbed her hand along my cheek. "I'm so proud of you. You're free."

"Stay with me." A voice demanded.
"We're losing her!" Another yelled.
I was shocked and my body jolted up then back down.
"Get back Bran!"
"That's my girlfriend!"
"Get. Back. Bran!"
While all of this was going on, I was being sucked in. Further and further into the darkness. Further away from life. From all the pain. Death didn't seem so bad. It seemed peaceful, quiet.

My eyes fluttered slowly open. I had to blink a few times to get my sight back. I turned my head from side to side, panicking.
"Hey, hey." Bran's voice whispered.
"What-happened?" I choked out.
"You were shot. Nearly died." His eyes were swollen red puffballs.
"Amber?" I whispered.
"Who?"
"The doctor I was with."
"She's ok." He nodded.
I felt relieved by that news. At least she will get to go home to her family.
"Where am I?" I groaned trying to set up.
"Home." He half-smiled. "Sue took care of you. Remember her?"
"Yes." I nodded looking around. We were inside the mansion, home.
"Get some sleep, baby." He whispered squeezing my hand and kissing my forehead.
"Baby...baby. The baby!" I shot up avoiding the pain and felt my stomach.
"The babies fine." He rested his hand on my stomach. "Sleep."
I fell back gently and closed my eyes. Everything seemed to be better. I was free after all.

A month passed since the attack on the snakes. And everyone was doing ok. Amber sent me letters telling me about her family and her kids. She was grateful she made it back alive.
"So what are we doing today!?" Bran asked smiling at me.
"Don't know." I shrugged.
"I have an idea."
He drove us towards the park. A few people were out there walking around and enjoying their afternoons with their kids and family. It made me smile.
A picnic blanket was laid out on the grass with a picnic basket. A couple of people from the gang were sitting close by to make sure no one got into it. When we arrived they shot glances to each other and moved.
"What's going on?" I asked climbing from the car.
"Nothing....something." Bran shrugged and chuckled. "It's a surprise."
He set me down on the blanket and smiled a cheesy grin.
We talked about what happened and what our next steps in life were-but mostly about our dysfunctional family. I turned for a second to get a strawberry from the basket when I turned back to face bran, he was kneeling on one knee with a red velvet box in his hand.
"What are you doing?" I said with wide eyes and my mouth agape.
"I love you, so much." He took a deep breath, "will you marry me...please?"
"I-" I was trying to find words to speak, but I was speechless. So I just nodded my head.
He took out a gorgeous heart-shaped diamond ring and slid it onto my finger. Closer examination he had engraved with our names.
He picked me up and swung me around kissing me.
"I love you," I whispered kissing his cheek.
"I love you more."