Shoot me

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Layla clenched her arms tighter around her baby. She swallowed as the realization that she and her newborn baby were staring back into the muzzle of a gun suddenly dawned on her.
"Tell me, my beautiful wife, who should I shoot first?" He asked.
He aimed the gun at the baby. Though Layla had wrapped her arms tightly around the baby, she knew it would not be enough to protect her from the bullets if Ali did shoot.
"Maybe I should save your daughter the humiliation of now her parents made her?" Ali said.
Layla clung onto her baby, trembling wordlessly. She hated herself for being helpless enough to not be able to protect her baby. She did not speak, one word and she knew that word could cost lives.
But Ali pointed the gun away. Her relief died quickly when she realized the muzzle was staring Brian between his eyebrows.
"Or should I shoot the stray dog who hit the hand that fed him?"
"Shoot me." Layla blurted without a second thought, "I'm the wife who betrayed you! I'm the one at fault! Kill me!"
Ali didn't break his eyes from Brian's but she saw him flinch.
"So eager, Laili? Don't worry, babe, you won't survive either. But do you really think your worthless life is enough to make up for the humiliation you've put me through? Not even close! You, my darling wife, will die in pain and humiliation like the worthless whore you are. You'll be the last one to die, honey."
He looked at her without moving the gun from Brian's head, "But you know what? I'm feeling generous. I'll let you choose who gets to go to hell first."
He moved the gun again. Layla was slightly relieved it was now her parents and not Brian nor her baby he was aiming at. But even then she would not allow it. She did not want anyone's blood to be spilled even if it was her parents' fault she was in pain today.
"Or maybe I should shoot the scoundrels who gave birth to a lowlife whore like you."
Her parents only lowered their heads. Though Layla how hated them, it still hurt her to know that the people who had given birth to her were so ashamed of her that they had accepted death to the point they made no effort to save their own daughter, grandchild or even themselves.
For a brief moment, she wondered why? What had she done to deserve this? She was the one who was beaten around for her who,e childhood. She was the one who was denied a chance to follow her dreams. She was the one who was forced to choose between assured death for herself and her best friend or to marry that monster. She was the one beaten around, violated and humiliated at every turn by the husband who had promised to protect her. Why did they want her to continue enduring this when she had done nothing wrong?
She knew she would move heaven and hell to protect her own daughter. Was she not her parents' daughter as well? Why did they believe she and her sinless newborn deserved to die for wanting something other than bruises in life?
With his eyes locked in hers, she could see her own reflection in them. But something was different. She could see how he saw her.
A traitor...
Backstabber...
A liar.
A lowlife.
He truly did believe himself to be the victim and her the villain.
"Who should I shoot first?" He repeated.
"Me! Shoot me and let them go!"
"Choose or else I will?"
"Me!"
"I said choose!"
BANG!
...
BANG!
...
BANG!
Layla felt the world become blurry and grey. Her mind retreated. She set the baby down as she felt her body weaken beyond her control. She heard the gunshots continue firing around her but could not see or hear who or what.
"I'm sorry..."
She mumbled as her body finally gave out.

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