“Fuck,” I mumble. “Drew, baby. You got this.” I don’t ask her; I remind her she can do it.
Z turns, looking at me, about to run. Grabbing him back and pointing at the wall, showing him the room number we’re standing closest to: 110.
“We cannot beat them there.” I tell both of them, simultaneously. He’s shoving me backwards against the wall. “Break the lights. Let your eyes adjust,” I tell her. Staring back at Z as he has me pinned, I don’t back down.
The smashing glass makes me smile.
She gasps.
“They’re outside.” Jag tells everyone.
Z’s eyes widen at me.
She whimpers out. “I — I can’t.”
“Fuck,” Zeke mumbles out. “As much as I hate to admit it right now, he’s right. You consistently surprise me. Always have.”
Staring back at Z, I still don’t back down. We can both still hear her fear as she breathes, lowering my voice so much that I’m not really speaking, but mouthing to him.“She doesn’t need you nor me to save her. Build her up. She can save herself.”
I can feel the fear consuming me, but I have to keep my emotions at bay; I have to keep it far away.
“You’re fearless.” He finally whispers. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’re so much like Mom… she’d be proud.”
Her cries come through, both our eyes widening as we look at one another, but I force myself to push aside the fear building inside me.
“They’re in. She pushed herself into the corner of the bathroom.” Jag calls out.
“Make them regret underestimating you. Not for being Z’s sister. Not for being Ash’s daughter. But make them regret underestimating exactly who the fuck you were born to be.”
I don’t need her to respond. I know she understands me.
Z looks stunned as he loosens his hold on me.
A handful of gunshots ring into my ear, straight into my heart, shattering it.
“Fuck,” Jag gasps. “They shot out the cameras in the room and in the hallway, but they’re just now going in.”
Pushing Z backward, I tell him, “Let’s go.” Doing the only thing I can do, forcing down the fear that tries to convince me I’m listening to losing her, again.
“Shit.” Shaking my head, I can’t let myself think when I hear the first shots start. My feet only pick up speed, and feeling Z directly on my heels.
There’s shouting and thuds as I imagine bodies dropping, only praying that hers isn’t one of them.
The panic starts in my chest as the shots abruptly stop. There’s along pause and a couple more shots. I force myself not to listen as she screams, not being able to focus back in until the silence.
I’m sure I hear Zeke panting as I’m sure he’s racing towards the room as well.
A body’s forcing the door to stay ajar.
Pushing the door completely open, I see the rest of the bodies on the floor.
“Sketch?” I call out into the room. Carefully stepping around them as I move.
It’s only when I make it to the bathroom and flip on the light that I see how empty of life the room is and how the wall to the left of the door is filled with bullet holes.
“Fuck,” I shout, as I aim my fist towards the wall.
It stops an inch from its destination as I look up. Z’s holding my arm and shaking his head. “Keep it together. A broken hand isn’t getting you anywhere.”
