We fall.
My stool clatters down the steps as Zeb and I tumble backward after it. His guitar hits the ground as we roll and land with thuds at the bottom.
“What the hell—”
God, I think I broke something.
And the gunshots haven’t stopped.
People are screaming. Running. Zeb grabs my arm and hauls me up. I think I’d protest if it wasn’t for the fear and adrenaline suddenly coursing through me.
“We have to go!”
“Wait, Gemma said for me to go to the dressing room,” I say.
“She said for me to go to the—”
“MOVE, motherfuckers!”
Mads has Reed by the collar, both running down the back hall at full speed.
“Get wherever Gemma said to go,” Mads shouts at us.
“Wait—shouldn’t we stay together?” I ask frantically.
“We don’t know if this is personal or if it’s just some asshole,” Mads says. “Do what she said. Four different places. Go.Now.”
I look desperately at Zeb, but he swallows and shakes his head like we don’t have a choice.
And I do trust Gemma.
“Okay. Okay. I love you guys—”
I take one more look at them and run down the hall through the people all running in different directions, and I don’t stop until I reach our dressing room door. I throw the door open so hard and fast that I almost fall stumbling into the room. And just as quickly, I shut the door and lock it.
I back up, my body faltering as I hear more and more people screaming. The handle jiggles. Someone beats on the door, but I know if it was the guys, they’d say. The gunshots seemed to have stopped, but even one is too many.
Shit, I hope no one is hurt.
I don’t know what to do with myself. I’m in shock.
Someone had agun.
I stretch my fingers behind my head and begin to pace, wishing to hell I had something to take the edge off of this anxiety.
Someone shot up a festival duringour set.
Our fucking set.
I’m begging the universe that no one was shot, that the guys are okay wherever they are—that Gemma is okay.
Oh, fuck, Gemma.
Tears line my eyes at the thought that she probably went running straight into the danger zone when she left me. What if she’s hurt? What if I don’t see her again?
Please be okay. Please be okay—
Glitter catches my attention from the corner of my eye.
