Am I Still The One?

Chapter 43

Chandler's POV

I think it became clear when I recalled how Ianne treated me back when in high school. She was so smart, so beautiful, and so kind. I thought I was wrong with her but it turned out she was regretting what she has done. She was trying to retrieve her good personality that is why she's helping us.

It gave me hope.

"I'm not in the mood for games, Ianne. You want my son, right? Come on girl, I will forgive you if you come back on my side--"

"NEVER!"

"Put down your weapon or you'll die."

"Then, I'd rather die helping them than to die being on your side!"

"Then, you decided wrong!" They pointed their gun at each other and circled.

Then, Ianne looked at me, her eyes sent me the message. I immediately rose from my seat and approached my friends. "Yejenia, help Thaddeus and go out as fast as possible. Then ask for help." I told Yejenia.

"What about you guys?" She asked as I untangled the rope on her wrists.

"I'll help Ken. Don't worry about us, just keep going."

"Okay, be safe!" She reluctantly looked away and helped Thaddeus. She struggled with the rope so I helped her first before I approached Ken.

"Chandler! Yejenia can't carry Thad by herself, go and help her first." She suggested when I am untangling the rope from her wrists, and it stopped me.

"What about you?" I asked with disbelief and concern. "My father might kill you, plus your foot is wounded, you can not walk."

A tear escaped from her eye, "I'll hold on. Please go, you're wasting our time." She held the side of my face and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

I reluctantly turned away from her and tried my best not to look behind. I hope she's catching up, with that wounded foot.

Then, I heard fell off the floor and I was about to turn but Yejenia tripped over. "Yejenia! I'll help you!" She nodded and gave space for me.

We successfully exited the laboratory and gone far away from the place. "Ken's not behind us. Go to her, I'll settle Thaddeus down somewhere. Please go, she's wounded." She said with a heavy breath. I saw her face, it shows marks of intuition and problems, just like the face of rest of us.

I was looking at my poor friend, I didn't realize I was wasting time until a bang had shot from the laboratory. Both of us winced but I managed to move. I run towards the place. I hope it is not what I think.

By the opened door, I saw my girlfriend and I gasped. I wasted time and this is the result. I should have just brought her with me, I should not got soft to her.
Her feet--the left is badly bleeding--hang in the air. Dad is strangling her and she's trying to let herself go.

I froze and couldn't move. I watched them from here. "Ken..."

"Chandler, move fastly when I do this okay? Chandler! Snap out of it!" Ianne yelled at me. And I observed she was shot in her left arm. "Chandler!" That made me come back to my senses and readied myself. She nodded and fired a shot. Dad was hit in the leg and fell. Ken was released from his hand and was slowly falling. I caught her by looping my arm around her waist and we both hit the floor.

"Ken? Ken! Wake up!" I sat up and tapped her on the cheeks but she did not move. She's so pale, and her neck has strangling marks. I then went for her pulse but I can't feel anything. No, no! She's not dead yet, she can't leave me. "Ken, don't leave me!" Tears trickled down to my cheeks.
I heard a gasp, and saw her eyes opened. "Chandler? Why are you still here? You must save yourself! Get out of here!"

How could she say that? She almost died, I almost lost her yet she's being heroic?

"No, we're getting out of here! I can't lose you, please!" I pleaded.

She gasped for air and her eyes barely opened, "I can't walk, my foot hurts. I'm going to be a burden to you, just leave me or we'll both die."

I cried louder, "You're saying that again! I assure you, you're not a burden to me. Please, leaving you here is like leaving my life either. I told you to trust me, please!" I yelled.

She held the side of my face and wiped my tears away with the other hand, then she smiled weakly. "All right, baby."

I put her arm on my shoulder and looped the other around her waist. "I thought you were dead. Your feet was hanging from Dad's strangle. Stop being heroic, if you do I will lose you." I stood up and started walking. I still hear Ianne and Dad's threats to each other.

"I can't guarantee you that. I will give my life for you no matter what. It was pretty hard to get you, so I will not lose you." She whispered, barely audible. Her words are painful to hear. She can give her life for me, but if she died, I can't live happily, right? How dare she say those words? I hate her for that!

"Shush, you will not give your life for me because you will not die. Co-operate with me, I'll get you out of here."

"Okay," I saw her smiled. "Baby."

We walked ten steps when someone hit us from the back that we fell off, in different directions. "Sh*t!" Ianne groaned over my back. I saw blood drifted into the floor. "I'm okay, I'm holding on, just be fast. Tama na muna ang landian, okay? Baka magbago isip ko sa inyo." She failed to balance herself but eventually got to do it, and smiled at me reassuringly.

I searched for Ken and approached her but Dad pointed the gun at me. "I knew it, you were just playing with my mind. You betrayed me, I'll kill you!" He threatened and put his index finger on the trigger.

Nobody moved for a second. Then, Ianne kicked Dad from the back and I thought he passed out but I was wrong. He got to pull the trigger and the gun released a bullet. The surroundings seem to fade, leaving me and the bullet--that was soon to hit me--alone. I watched it as it flies slowly towards me. Tears streamed down my eyes. I already accepted it. Everything has an end, and this is the time of mine. If only I got some time to do goodbyes, but life isn't like that, we die in unexpected time--and we can't do anything to avoid it.

I closed my eyes, ready to accept the bullet. It will be there, also ready to take my life.
"No!" My eyes opened widely as she jumped in front of me and got hit by the bullet.
And, in the blink of an eye, I lost her...