Page 79 of The Writer

Landon’s hands go to it, all his weight and size trying to stem the flow of blood somehow, but nothing’s happening. It’s just a chaos of noise and blood and no breathing. Father’s just lying there, his body being pummelled, as more blood leaks out onto his white shirt and his chest rises each time Blake tries to pump air into him. Up, down. Up, down. Blake’s hands on his chest, his quiet, calm voice counting numbers to himself.

“Yes? Hello? We need an ambulance. Tallington Hall.Anthony Broderick’s been shot,” Scott’s voice says, distantly. Shot. My father’s been shot. And then Blake’s talking to Scott, relaying information about the wound. Chest cavity, he says. Bleeding out. Compressions not working. What next? I can barely hear it over my messy thoughts. Neve was here. She was leaning over him. Blood on her hands. And now she’s gone.

Why has she run?

I look up blankly, unsure if this is real or not, and scan the grounds in search of her. Nothing. No one and nothing and still just the sounds of commotion.

“LOCKE!” Landon bellows in my ear. It shocks me back to the now, makes me reach for my father's hand and grip so tightly I don't think I'll ever let go. “Get after Neve. BRING HER BACK!”

I see Noah running off, but my mind’s not following him anymore; it’s here with my dying father. All I can hear is noise.

Just noise. No breathing.

Epilogue

NEVE

God, what have I done?

He can’t be dead. But there was so much blood, and now it's soaked into my skin with no way to wash it off.

I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean any of this to happen.

And I can’t stay. I have to run. It's the only choice.

The look on Ivy’s face will haunt me whatever I do, but that can't stop me.

I have to go.