And as much as I want to fight him off I can’t physically move. There’s a dark pull that I can no longer resist. And I’m drifting to the dark abyss where the pain no longer exists.
My breathing becomes shallow, blood fills my mouth.
So this is it. All the battles I’ve fought, all the fighting I’ve done in my life and it’s ending with me dead.
God, mom was right. She was fucking right.
No. I refuse it. This can’t be it.
While he’s too focused on beating down on me my fingers search aimlessly for the gun. And then sweet euphoria sweeps through me as my fingers brush over the handle.
When he lands another blow to my head my fingers grasp the handle. The gun feels extremely heavy in my hand but I find it within myself to lift it up.
With the darkness crowding my vision I won’t be able to make a fair shot but that doesn’t matter. As long as the shot lands somewhere on him.
Too lost in his rage he sees the gun a little too late. I fire of the shot without second thought but nothing releases from the chamber.
Fuck.
He used all the bullets.
His dark laughter fills my ears but it feels so distant.
All I’m left with is my failure.
“You’re mine now bitch.” Hands rove over my body and this time I can’t hold back the vomit.
Somewhere, in what feels like the great distance I hear the roar of a motorcycle before it comes to a crashing stop.
And maybe I’ve slipped into my subconscious. A place where I imagine Oak has come for me. Where he’ll whisk me away in his big strong arms and kiss all the wounds away.
It has to be it because I swear I hear the thunder of his voice calling my name with a roar of panic and urgency.
At least I’ll be granted this. To hearing his voice before I slip away completely.
Suddenly pressure lifts off me. Hands leave my body and I suck in a trembling breath of air that burns.
Something breaks in the background. Distinctively I can hear the crunching of bones followed by the roar of primal screams. And then one final shot goes off and I hear the splatter of what I can only assume to be brain matter smack against the wall.
Familiar and loving hands that tremble press against my cheeks. “I’m so sorry,” he says brokenly. “I’m so sorry.” His voice breaks. And I want nothing more than to soothe him but I can’t seem to find my voice.
He’s here. He’s really here.
I feel myself being lifted in his arms before he cradles me to his chest. There’s a rocking sensation as his lips press tenderly to my forehead. “Talk to me, Grace,” he pleads. I feel something wet hit my face. “Come on, baby. Open your eyes and please say something.” His body shudders. “I love you, Grace. Fight and open those beautiful eyes for me.” His voice cracks.
Lifting the heavy weight of my eyes I pry them open. Oak’s icy blue eyes are the only things I see, but they’re filled with the greatest amount of pain I’ve ever seen.
“Good girl. That’s my girl. Come on now, baby. You have to stay fighting for me. You can’t leave me, Grace. You can’t. I love you. Please. . .”
I want to tell him how much I love him back. I want to assure him that I’ll never stop fighting but there’s just too much pulling me back. I can feel the darkness swallowing me whole. And the last thing I see is Oak’s tear stained face before my eyes close.
Oak
“Ineed a fucking doctor!” I roar, bursting through the hospital entrance carrying the love of my life in my arms who is fading on me. Blood covers me from head to toe. Hers and that fucking motherfucker whose brains I blew out. I wish I could feel the satisfaction of killing him, but I can’t. I can’t fucking feel anything other than the devastation of the woman in my arms whose breaths have only become shallower with each one she takes.
My woman is dying on me. I can feel it in my very soul. Everything inside me is being fucking torn apart, atom by atom until nothing of me will remain.
I cradle her limp body closer to my chest, fighting back the sobs that want to destroy me. Furiously, I blink past the tears as I take another look at her.
