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Bullshit, I want to scream at her.
“This was all supposed to be mine,” she continues her babbling. “Hunter, this mansion, that baby…Iwas supposed to be the love of his life. And then you had to waltz right in and take everything from me.”
I don’t move a muscle. I don’t make a sound. She’s trying to bait me to come out of hiding, but I’m not going to move an inch. I can only pray that she gets tired of her monologuing and moves on to the next room, although I’m sure that won’t buy me very much time.
“Don’t worry, Eden, he’ll see. Once you’re out of the picture, I’ll be right there to comfort him. He won’t even remember you once he sees how in love he truly is with me.”
If I wasn’t currently cowering for my life, I’d roll my eyes. This woman clearly has more than one screw loose if she thinks that’s true.
Her footsteps approach, drawing closer and closer to the wardrobe. She’s standing just outside, waiting for me to slip up. Does she have the gun pointed at me? Will she shoot me through the door? Oh my God, this is it, isn’t it?
“Hey!” Taylor shouts from somewhere else in the room. There’s a shuffle, a scuffle, another two gunshots fired straight up into the air. “Eden,RUN!” she screams at me.
I make my move, bursting out of the wardrobe just in time to see Taylor wrestle Renee to the ground. The gun falls from Renee’s grip, clattering to the floor. My first instinct is to go after it. Whoever has possession of the gun has the upper hand, but before I can bend over to pick it up, Renee kicks angrily at my legs.
I tumble backwards, landing on my back with a hard thud. I should have run, but I couldn’t leave my best friend behind. We’re all wrestling for the gun, punching and biting and scratching.
“I told you to run!” Taylor shouts at me.
“I’m not leaving you here!” I scream back.
Renee socks Taylor right in the nose. She reels back in pain, blood gushing down her face to stain her lips and teeth. Renee sprawls for the gun, flips over and pulls the trigger.
Taylor goes limp, falling face-first to the floor. The wail that escapes me can’t be described as human. I rush to her, hyperventilating as I check on her, cradling her in my arms.
“Just hang on,” I whimper, pressing my hand against her bullet wound in her side. She’s bleeding fast, the air around us stinking of copper. Taylor’s not dead, but there’s so much blood. “Stay with me. Stay with me, alright? Everything’s going to be okay.”
Renee rises to her feet, cackling. “Look at what you’ve done, Eden.”
“WhatI’vedone?”
“If you’d just stayed put and let me shoot you, none of your friends would have died.” Renee points the gun at me. I freeze in place. There’s nowhere left to run. She has me right where she wants me. “Don’t worry, Eden. I’ll take good care of Hunter after you’re gone.”
“You’re never going to get away with this,” I snap at her. “Hunter will never forgive you. You’re delusional if you think he’s ever going to love you.”
Renee sneers. “Uh,hello? I’m pointing a gun at you, remember?” She clicks her tongue. “You don’t get it, Eden. Hunter and I are soulmates.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, give me a break.”
“I’m going to be his everything, you just wait and see.”
“What the fuck are you waiting for?” I challenge. “Come on, you dumb bitch. Do your fucking worst!”
“You really have a death wish, huh? Fine.”
I close my eyes, saying a silent prayer. It’s more of a silent apology, if anything. An apology to Hunter for not having the strength to keep running. An apology to our child for not being able to do more. I’m powerless and out of options, but I hope they know I tried my best.
Renee pulls the trigger.
Nothing happens.
She pulls the trigger again, but the gun only clicks.
She’s out of bullets.
Relief floods through my system, leaving me dizzy and breathless.
“Well, fuck,” Renee hisses.
