I look down at the gun in my hand, the cold metal heavy and unfamiliar. I’ve never held a gun before, and now I might have to use it against someone I thought was my friend. My stomach twists at the thought, but I don’t have a choice, do I?
Swallowing hard, I fumble with the safety, my fingers trembling as I slide it off. The soft click feels deafening in the silence, a point of no return.
Celeste is coming back, her footsteps echoing in the hallway, and I beg myself to stand. My heart leaps into my throat as I rise, holding the gun out in front of me with both hands.
When she enters the room, her eyes widen in shock. She raises her own gun, pointing it directly at me, and for a moment, we just stand there, staring at each other, our weapons aimed.
It’s like time stands still.
“I can’t let him die, Celeste,” I beg. “Please, don’t make me shoot you.Please.”
Eyes set on her, I will her to understand, to see that I don’t want to hurt her. My hands shake, every instinct screaming at me to run, to drop the gun and get out of here, but I can’t. I can’t leave Rafael.
After what feels like an eternity, her arm wavers, and slowly, she lowers her gun. Tears well up in her eyes, and her shoulders start shaking. “I can’t shoot you, Scarlett. Just… just kill me and get it over with.”
I lower my gun, too, taking a cautious step toward her. “I won’t, Celeste,” I say in between pants. “We can figure this out. Everything will be okay.”
“No, it won’t,” she sobs. “I’ll go to prison, and the podcast will fail. We’re screwed, Scarlett. We’re drowning in debt.”
Drowningin debt? What?
“Celeste, listen to me,” I say, closing the distance between us. “We’ll figure it out. You’ve been there for me, and I’ll be there for you. But first, we need to make sure no one else gets hurt.”
I reach out and pull her into a hug, feeling her body shake against mine. As I let her go, my hand slips into my pocket, and in one quick movement, I press my Taser against her side and activate it.
She jerks, her body convulsing as the electric shock courses through her. I catch her as she crumples to the floor, my breath coming in rapid gasps as I delicately set her head down.
“Doesn’t feel so pink now, does it?” I say as I drop the Taser and rush back to Rafael’s side.
In an instant, I grab my phone, my fingers trembling as I dial 911. The operator answers, her voice steady and professional, but it feels distant, like I’m underwater.
“This is 911, what’s your emergency?”
I try to speak, but my throat is so tight that it takes a moment before any words come out. “I— Th-there’s been a shooting,” I stammer, looking into Rafael’s eyes. “My boyfriend, he’s bleeding. We need an ambulance, please.”
“Stay calm, ma’am. What’s your location?”
“We’re at—at the Booked It office, Willowbrook.”
“Is the shooter still on the scene?” she asks, and I glance at Celeste’s unconscious form, sprawled on the floor.
“She’s… she’s down. I tased her.”
ThankGodI stopped by my place to get it.
“Is she alive? Can you check—”
“No!” I nearly scream into the phone. “I don’t care about her, and I’m not leaving my boyfriend. You have to save him, to—”
“Scarlett.” He sets a calming hand on my thigh. “They’re just making sure you’re safe.”
I take a shaky breath. “I’m—I’m sorry, but please, hurry. He’s losing so much blood.”
She reassures me that help is on the way and keeps asking questions about Rafael’s condition, the location of his wounds, if he’s conscious. I answer, but my eyes keep darting back to him, and his face is pale, his breathing shallow. It feels like hours before she finally says, “The ambulance is on its way, ma’am. Stay with him, and try to keep pressure on the wound.”
“I will,” I choke out. “Please, just hurry.”
Rafael squeezes my hand, his grip weak but insistent. “Scarlett,” he rasps. “You should go. Celeste could wake up.”
