My Old Friend

Chapter 9

AUDREY POV: "Get up." Jason demands. I slowly stand, making sure to make no extreme movements. "Man, you're already whoring around. It's barely been a week!" He yells. He reeks of hard liquor as he breathes in my face. The other voice continues to talk to Tim, making me feel nervous. 

"Who's with you?" I ask, more concerned about Tim's safety than my own. 

"Just someone I met at the bar down the street. I think his name is Johnson or something." He says, his eyes drooping from the obscene amount of alcohol consumed. Jackson.... Is he talking about the Jackson who almost raped me? 

"You sick bastard." I say, hoping to anger Jason enough so he'll yell and attract Tim and Jackson into the room. I get quite the opposite. 

"Listen here honey, if you want to go on breathing, you're going to get back in that car and I'm taking you back to Memphis. Understand?" He whispers in my face. He grabs my neck and traces my jawline. "My precious..." He says, making me feel repulsed. 

"Get off of me!" I yell, shoving him away. He tumbles, allowing me a small window to escape. He falls for a moment, leaving me to decide whether to head back towards Tim, or take off. Taking off would risk Jason shooting me from the window. Staying would risk me getting shot right here. Tim will protect me... He promised. I make a final decision. I run towards the kitchen.

"Tim!" I scream, running into his arms. He wraps them around me and stares at Jackson. I turn for a moment to see Jackson holding up a loaded Glock, as Jason stumbles in with his revolver.

"I call the bitch. You can have whoever the hell that is." Jason says, walking hastily towards Tim and I. Tim shoves me behind him, and backs up into the corner. I'm safe from all sides now, but Tim's stranded. He can't choose between fight or flight now. He must fight. 

"That's what I wanted." Jackson says, with his loud booming voice. Tim is pale. So pale, that he already appears dead. I've never seen him so afraid before. I mean, he used to get into high school brawls often, and would always prevail. But now this isn't high school, and guns are involved. This is new territory. "You feeling scared yet?" Jackson says, walking up to Tim. Tim steps back, pushing me even further against the wall. Tim shakes his head as Jackson places the gun on his chest. "How 'bout now?" He says. Tim doesn't move. I cry, feeling Tim's anxiety. He's petrified. 

"Jackson, hurry up. I need to get to the bitch." Jason says, spinning the revolver around. 

"How 'bout we play Russian Roulette? Huh buddy?" Jackson says, trading his glock for Jason's revolver. Tim tenses as Jackson takes all the rounds out but one. "1 in 8 chance bud. You like those odds?" Jackson asks, spinning the barrel. I whimper and duck down in a fetal position. I see from around Tim's leg, Jackson places the gun once more on Tim's chest, and suddenly pulls the trigger. Tim flinches as tears stream down his face. Why isn't he doing anything? 

"Make it quick, Jack." Jason announces. 

"Time for round 2!" He says, pulling the trigger once more. This time Tim whimpers as I hear the trigger. My anxiety is growing with every second. "Damn, you are one lucky son of a bitch." Jackson laughs, pulling the trigger again. Tim cries out this time, and grabs my hand. He's shaking. The trigger is pulled yet again, leading Tim to lose his mind. 

"Please... alright, just kill me and leave her alone. Just please don't hurt her. Let her go please." He pleads. I've never seen him this scared before. Jackson and Jason both grin with satisfaction, and Jackson pulls the trigger again. This time, a loud boom fills the room, as Tim begins to scream. I sob as I see blood everywhere. I look beside me, to see Tim hit his knees before completely collapsing. I rush over to see he's been shot on the left side of his chest. His heart rate is through the roof as he weeps. 

"Tim, just stay with me, okay? I promise it will be okay." I cry. His shaking has increased, as he begins to twitch and grab his chest. I grab his hand, as another hand grabs my neck and drags me away. 

"Audrey!" He screams, reaching out his hand for me. Jason takes me a few feet away from Tim, and begins to hit me like he did at home. The slaps turn to punches, which turns to strangling, and eventually kicking. A cycle I'm all too familiar with. 

I watch horror cover Tim's face as Jason pummels me. I try to get my hands up to block blows, but his knees are fastened on them. He's sitting on my chest, making sure I have no way to escape. 

After Jason has beaten me to beyond recognition, he gets up.

"Lets go." He commands me. I try to lift myself up, but my arms are too weak. Tim cries as I struggle. Jackson grabs my hair and pulls me up to my feet. My legs are shaky as I try to put one foot in front of another. Tim begins to scream at me. 

"Don't go... Audrey... please." He begs. I look at him with desperation, knowing Jason will kill me if I stay. 

"I can't..." I say, mimicking Tim's first proposal. Tim's distress grows as he tries to lift himself off the ground, to no avail. Jason smiles, and goes to help him up. He then steps back, and watches Tim fall back down, like a sheet of paper. He laughs as Tim flails around, trying to find a way to get back up. 

"Give it up, buddy. She doesn't love you." Jason mocks. I feel tears slip down my cheeks as the cruelty overwhelms me. They're shaming him. "However, she loves me. Now, don't you want her to be happy?" Jason asks. Tim looks at me, then proceeds to nod. "Then let her be with me. I treat her like a fucking princess, except when she pulls stunts like these." Jason babels. Tim shakes his head. 

"Never." He utters with disgust. Jackson comes and prepares to kick him in the chest, near his wound.

"Stop!" I scream too late. Tim's screams deafen me, as I find it hard to breathe. I've never heard him scream like that. He quivers, and stares at me with sorrow. "I'm so sorry." I cry. He cringes as Jason drags me out of the house.

Once outside, Jason throws me to the ground and pulls out the Glock. He fires three shots: Two in my stomach and one on the right side of my chest. He laughs and drives off, proud of himself and his cruelty.