Page 43 of Walking in Darkness

“Motherfucker, you’re gonna die.”

There was no time to think it through. No time to contemplate or judge.

I shouted, “Pax, get down!”

I thought maybe he’d already sensed I was there. Anticipated the command. Because he dove to the ground at the same second that I pulled the trigger.

A shot rang out, the crack pinging and echoing against the buildings for what felt like an eternity, and I squeezed my eyes closed as blood splattered across my face.

When I opened them, I found Thadeo was frozen in place.

I stood behind him. My hand shaking and shaking.

He remained there for the longest time.

So still.

So silent.

Then he toppled to the ground, crashing with a thud with the rest of his friends.

Pax was on his feet and surging my way, arms frantic as they wrapped around me. “Fuck, Aria. Fuck.”

I couldn’t even respond. Couldn’t process the jumble of words he issued at the side of my head. “I felt you. Knew you were comin’. I was so fuckin’ terrified that you came here. But you’re safe. You’re safe.”

I could only stare at the man who lay slumped on the ground, limbs bent at odd angles. Could only process the blood that oozed out from the wound on his back and saturated the blue-striped dress shirt he wore.

Shock confounded before it began to quiver through me in spastic quakes.

“It’s okay, Aria. It’s okay. Stay right there. Don’t move.”

Pax pulled away, and I could barely comprehend that he was kneeling beside the body, patting him down, pulling out a wad of cash from his pocket and tucking it into his. He did the same with the two other guys before he was back in front of me.

“Come on, baby, we have to go.”

He finally jarred me out of the trance when he pried the gun from my tremoring hand and shoved it into his pocket. Then he grabbed that same hand and tugged. “We have to go. Now.”

He started to run, dragging me around the dumpster and up the sidewalk. I fumbled along behind him, numbness soaking me through, though that awareness spiked in the middle of it. A ridge that formed in the depths like a mountain rising from the ocean.

An earthquake.

It drew me back to the purpose I’d been meant for.

The two girls had moved closer, though they were huddled against the wall. The older one shielded the blonde as if she’d taken on a motherly role. Their eyes were wide in the night, orbs of terror that swam in shock and relief.

Though the voices still reigned.

“This means nothing,” the voice intoned to the brown-haired girl. “You think this is your chance? Don’t be stupid and run. You know your place. Where you belong. You’ll only end up worse off.”

The blonde shivered with the words that whisked through her psyche.“You won’t survive now. He was the only one keeping you alive. The only one who had the single thing that took away the pain. You have nothing now. Look how empty you are. How you’re nothing. Just a body to fuck. End it. End it.”

Gasping, I staggered to a stop.

Confused, Pax pulled at my hand as he turned to peer at me with urgency slashed deep into his expression. “We have to go, Aria. Right now.”

“I can’t,” I wheezed, and I yanked my hand free of his and moved toward the girls.

Drawn.