Duplicity

Un

        My entire body seized up with panic, my heart pounded hard against my breastbone, and my breath became stuck in my chest, as I took in the two dangerous looking men in front of me. 

"I-I have nothing to do with my father's actions, please don't hurt me.  I'm sure he'll give you money if that's what you want.  P-please, sirs, don't hurt me." I huff out, breathlessly, but the one with brown eyes silenced me by clicking the safety of his gun off and I breathed in sharply, flinching at the sound of the metallic clack, realizing that I was one finger twitch away from a bullet between my eyes. If he so much as moved his finger a centimeter, Bang! It would all be over for me, reunited with my mother in less than a few seconds. 



        "Hush, we don't need your money or revenge on dear old daddy, we need you, little girl. I would like if we did this the easy way, but I bet that you won't come without a fight, as weak as it may be, so I'm going to give you two minutes to get away and get help, before we come looking for you," he drawled, and I nodded slowly, the cold metal of the gun barrel against my temple as I was guided to the mouth of the alley. 



        The other mans brows creased in disapproval, "But, Liam, mate, what if she actually makes it?" He asked, and the man sighed again. 



        "Have a little faith, Louis." He shrugged, before turning his attention to me, "Miss Mary Long, you have exactly two minutes to run, starting from...now," He spoke, and for a split second, I hesitated, in fear that this was all just a game to him, and that he was just going to shoot me as soon as I reached the sidewalk. 

But my heart stuttered in terror, when he raised the gun, and fired a shot into a street lamp to spur me on. 

        Hopefully, someone heard that... I ran through the garbage that littered my path, and practically flew down the sidewalk, cursing myself for being on the one empty street in all of London. 
I didn't dare to enter any stores or cafes because I knew those men would not hesitate to take me in front of many strangers and I could not put other people in danger. I knew there was a police station around the corner, so I sprinted as fast as I could, my boots clacked loudly against the wet pavement as I tried to blink back tears. My legs moved on their own, my fear powering my muscles to run further and further while my thoughts basically shut off, until I was almost at the end of the street. 

But even running at full speed, I knew I wasn't going to make it, the man had a gun, for crying out loud, so when I heard the approaching footsteps behind me, I simply stopped and leaned against one of those cliché red telephone booths on the street corner.  I looked wistfully into the Barnes and Noble a mere ten feet from me.  I know I could easily make it in, but I just shut my eyes as the wind whipped my hair around.  



        I jolted, my arm grabbed roughly, and opened my eyes to reveal Liam, gazing at me, with an unimpressed expression. 

I went to scream, forgetting that I was trying to not draw attention, but hands suddenly grabbed me, and a strong palm was placed over my mouth to silence my cries. I forgot that there were two of them.

        Liam shook his head in disappointment, while clicking his tongue. 

"You didn't even try..." He complained, and I felt like I was a child getting in trouble for not doing their best on a math test, like he was truly upset that I didn't give him more of a chase. I was full-on sobbing by that time, my hands flying up to the ones over my mouth, prying them off with surprising ease, so I could much needed air into my lungs. 



        "Why didn't you run into a shop for help?" The other one, Louis I think, questioned softly from behind me. 



        "I didn't think a crowd of people would deter you from taking me and my family has done enough damage to innocent lives.  I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I caused people to get hurt..." I trail off as Louis face seemed to sink and even Liam's face softened just a bit.  What?  Did they not believe that humans were capable of caring for others?