“Don’t make me do this,” Jeff said, his hand raised as he prepared to attack.
A low chuckle left the man’s lips right before he shifted suddenly, tossing me to the ground. My body skidded across the gravel and dirt, scratching the hell out of my hands and knees right before I heard a deafening bang that reverberated through my brain.
Rolling over, I watched in horror as Jeff fell to his knees, his hands clutched over his stomach as the tire iron fell to the ground.
“Jeff!” I shouted, scrambling on my knees over to him. I caught him just as he fell sideways, his face pinched in pain.
“Ellie,” he mumbled right before he gasped in pain.
“Oh, God. Oh, God,” I cried, tears streaming down my face as I lowered him to the ground. “Hold on. Just?—”
I was yanked away from him, tugged off my feet as the man hauled me off to his truck.
“Jeff!” I screamed, watching in horror as his head rolled to the side and his eyes drifted shut. “No! Let me go!” I shouted, beating my fists against the man’s back.
He tossed me into the backseat, but I scrambled to my knees, determined to fight him. But as soon as I got close, his fist hit me hard across the face. I fell into the back of the seat, and then his fist slammed into me again and again until the light faded into nothing.
40
JEFF
Pain coursedthrough my body as Ellie’s screams grew distant. Rolling to my side, I tried to push up, to get to her, but with every movement, my vision turned black.
I barely heard the crunch of boots as I collapsed back on the ground, but the sudden shade over my body told me I was no longer alone.
“It’s a shame I had to do that. You know, you weren’t supposed to be here.”
My words caught in my throat as a boot lodged in my side, just inches from where I was bleeding out. I barely rolled enough to vomit before everything turned black.
Despite the lack of consciousness, I could still feel the drain on my body, the way my blood flowed freely from my wound. I knew I needed to get help, but the fogginess in my head was preventing me from doing much of anything.
After what felt like hours, the fog lifted just enough for me to peel my eyes open and stare up into the bright sun.
Ellie. I had to get help.
Fighting back the pain, I rolled to my side, moving as quickly as I could despite the fact that every time I moved, darknessstarted to ebb into my vision. It only took a single look at my shirt to know that I needed to get help, or I would die out here.
Pressing my hand to my wound, I bit back the scream that lodged in my throat.
One step at a time, Jeff. Just get to the fucking phone.
Leaning hard against the Jeep, I crawled to the passenger door, each move more excruciating than the last. Spots filled my vision and the overwhelming need to pass out pressed in hard on me, but somehow, I pushed through.
Fumbling with the door, it took most of my energy to get the damn thing open. Snatching the phone, I collapsed on the ground, still pressing my hand as much as I could to my side.
“Call…Mike…” I said heavily, my eyes drooping more and more with every second that passed.
I barely heard the ringing on the other end. I was losing consciousness fast, and if the damn line didn’t connect, I was as good as dead.
“This better be important. I’m in the middle of?—”
“Mike,” I croaked out, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Jeff, what’s going on?”
“Shot,” I managed to get out.
“What? Jeff, what the fuck?—”
