Everything was a total chaos. People ran around frantically, shouting, shoving and scrambling. But, there was really nowhere to go. On one side, there was an active shooter, and on the other, the previously small fire had probably morphed into a deadly inferno without the sprinklers to contain it.
This was not looking good. Genevieve needed to stop the motherfucker before the fire reached this room. She got a glimpse of Charlie. She still looked terrified. I'm sorry.
"Charlie, be careful! Stay here. If you join the crowd and fall people will trample you!"
Bam! Bam! Bam! More gunfire thundered in the midst of the clatter and yelling. The ends of Genevieve's hairs raised. This shooter was far from her but on the opposite side of the building, the one that was supposedly being engulfed in flames.
Was there another room on that side? Genevieve should've checked a map of the building. She had been careless. Charlie clung to Genevieve's arm. Genevieve remained quiet, peeking from behind the wall. There were no signals of Lia or any of the shooters. This was her chance.
"Hold this here and be careful with the trigger." Genevieve gave Charlie her gun, ripped two pieces of cloth from her dress and crouched down to soak them in the water pooled on the floor.
Genevieve stood up, tied one of the pieces of cloth to her own left hand and gave Charlie the other one. She got her gun back.
"The smoke is not so bad right now, but when it gets worse keep this cloth wet and against your nose and mouth."
Charlie nodded gripping the fabric in her hands. Genevieve caressed Charlie's hair and stroked her shoulder.
Tears welled in Charlie's eyes, her whole body was shaking. "I am scared."
"Everything will be alright. I'll protect you." Genevieve gave Charlie a quick kiss on the lips.
Now, back to the problem. Two active shooters were still nearby. Some of the terrified people ran in the direction opposite to the exit, crashing and shoving their way back. Genevieve finally locked eyes with Lia. She was hiding behind a pillar, the sea of people still between them. Her weapon was also drawn.
Lia mouthed "two o'clock" and Genevieve gave her a curt nod. Lia stepped out from behind the pillar and fired three times before going back to hiding. The sound of gunfire from that direction stopped. "Tango Down," Lia mouthed.
Charlie called Genevieve and tugged at her dress, telling her to run to the exit because the room was getting warmer and some smoke was slipping in. However, Genevieve needed to make sure this guy was alone.
"Stay here."
Genevieve stepped out from behind the wall and ran to the nearest pillar, closer to Lia. The sound of another gunshot echoed through the room. Lia's body fell limp to the floor right beside where she was previously hiding. She lied on her side. Blood gushed from her stomach and pooled around her. Lia would not be the one to fuck up in this kind of situation. What in the world had made her leave her hiding spot?
Oh, there was a child beside her. Great day to play hero, Lia. Genevieve narrowed her eyes in Lia's direction trying to get a better look. Lia moved! She was alive.
Lia supported herself on her left elbow. She signaled toward a pillar and the boy ran to hide. Genevieve stepped out from behind the pillar and ran through the crowd toward Lia shoving away anyone that got in her way.
Sorry, my best friend is hurt.
Before Genevieve could reach Lia, more gunshots were fired. She turned around and made eye contact with the bastard. His blue eyes shone as the emergency light illuminated his face. He was wearing cammies and hunting gear. He grinned darkly showing her his crooked yellow teeth as he walked through the crowd in her direction, leaving a trail of bodies behind him. It was as if he was saying "look at me! Look at what I can do."
He pointed his firearm straight at Genevieve. She ducked and sought cover behind a nearby metallic sculpture, scrunching down and peering out. Those were definitely his feet. There was no way that he had seen her gun. Too many people were in the way. She stood up and waited.
The annoying beeping of the fire alarm died out. When the murderer shot the last person between Genevieve and himself, she aimed and shot him in the head and torso. He fell into another pool of blood. No other shooters were coming from that side of the room.
Genevieve finally reached Lia's body. She sucked up a breath at the sight. The suffocating smoke and the metallic smell of blood that filled her nostrils and throat made her cough and gag. She collapsed to her knees. Her whole body shook and eyes filled with tears, which she blinked away. Emptiness... That was all there was inside of her at the moment.
Lia, or what remained of her, was laying on her belly, unrecognizable. They had stomped on her! Her body was disfigured, her limbs twisted in impossible positions. Blood and dirt covered her; her beautiful clothes were completely torn.
Genevieve checked her pulse—She's gone— and forced herself to look away. Reality hit her. It was too late. She had failed her best friend, the one person who'd had her back so many times before. Her stomach churned and a stinging pain pierced through her heart. Her throat and mouth were dry. She caressed Lia's cheek and let her own tears fall freely.
"Wake up!" But, Lia wouldn't wake up. "Please, I beg you..." Again, no answer was given. It was useless. "I'm sorry Lia. I—" Genevieve's voice cracked. "I love you. I'm sorry..."
The temperature in the room kept rising as the flames extended through the building; The overpowering smell of smoke permeated the room. Genevieve covered her mouth and nose with the wet cloth and stood up.
Charlie must be waiting for her. She needed to keep herself together... at least for now. The boy Lia had saved sat a few feet away with his head buried in his arms. Genevieve took the crying boy in her arms and ran back to where Charlie was, dodging the running people as much as she could. She put the boy down behind a pillar and told him to wait for her for a couple of minutes and run away if she did not come back.
She ran back to where she and Charlie had hidden before.
Charlie was still there. "Charlie, let's—"
"Rose..."
Genevieve's gaze flew to what the terrified Charlie was looking at. A man was standing in the shadows, his semi-automatic rifle aimed point-blank at Charlie. Only half of his face was illuminated. It was Lucas.
Genevieve pointed the pistol at Lucas. With the other two shooters neutralized, the survivors were sprinting to safety deliberately avoiding them. Nothing was interposed between Genevieve, Charlie, and Lucas.
"Give up your weapon or your little girlfriend dies!" Lucas sneered.
"You don't have to do this. Why don't we calm down and talk." Genevieve took a step toward Charlie keeping her gun trained on the man.
Charlie was just four feet away. Genevieve had already lost her best friend. She could not lose her fiancée as well. That scum would not get it his way.
"Talk? There is nothing to talk about! We are all dying today!" His whole face contorted in a horrible frown, his jaw set.
"We don't have to." Genevieve took another step toward Charlie. Just a little bit more and she would reach her. "Why don't you point your weapon at me? I am the one who killed the other guys. I enjoyed it. That look of terror in their eyes was magical."
Lucas's eyes narrowed, his nose flared up and his hands trembled. "No! I will kill your girlfriend even if that costs—"
Before Lucas could finish talking Genevieve pulled the trigger, but he did the same. Two gunshots thundered in the room and Genevieve instinctively leaped to protect Charlie.
A bullet pierced through Genevieve's lower back. She fell on the ground clutching her belly. A piercing pain started in her back and steadily crawled her way inside of her. Warm blood spilled from the wound.
Dammit! The bullet had not exited. At least, Lucas was on the ground as well. A clean bullet entry adorned his right temple and his eyes were glazed.
Charlie knelt. She gently rolled Genevieve's on her back and placed her head on her lap. Genevieve groaned and shivered. The wet floor was like snow melting under her. A shooting pain pulsated through her body.
You shouldn't move wounded people, my love. But, I too wanted to look at your face one last time.
Charlie brushed Genevieve's hair out of her face. "My Rose. You are strong. Everything will be alright. Please hold on a little longer!" She sniffled, uselessly trying to contain her sobs. "Why would you do that?"
Genevieve grinned biting her lower lip as the agonizing pain kept tormenting her. The warmness of the smoke-filled air pushed the coldness of the red water away. She reached to Charlie's face and wiped off a tear.
"I didn't want to live in a world without you. I am sorry. It seems that I will not make it to our wedding. Charlie, I need you to leave this place, fast... But, before that could you smile for me?"
Everything became more colorful and brilliant and Genevieve relaxed. She was at peace. The pain slowly subsided. She did not have much time left.
Charlie gave her a sad smile. "Don't say those things. You will be okay. I can hear the ambulances already. Please, stay with me. I need you."
"Really? Kiss me
"Really? Kiss me..." Genevieve's vision was getting clouded and talking was becoming increasingly difficult.
Charlie leaned down and locked lips with her. Genevieve returned the kiss as much as she could but she was getting weaker. She turned her head to the side.
"I... love you... Chae Rin."
Genevieve's voice had come out slurred. She smiled keeping her eyes on Charlie's face, which was blurring in front of her... until it disappeared. Her eyes were open but there was only darkness.
Her voice wouldn't come out. The sound of the sirens became louder and louder and then fainter and fainter. Charlie's voice too sounded far and far away.
"Genevieve! I love you too. Please, my Rose don't lea—"
Everything went black.
"I came to enjoy art but found an act of heroism and true love. I can't give you back what you have lost, but I can give you another chance at life. Do you wish to take it?"
Genevieve was in complete darkness, stripped away from each of her senses. Only that voice reached her. "I want to be with Charlie." Even when she talked no sound would come out.
"I am sorry, but even for me, that is impossible now. Maybe, you will find another love. Or, maybe, you and Charlie will find each other again. Do you wish to take the chance? I'll let you have a keepsake."
"What if I don't accept?"
"I don't have an answer to that question. Will you accept my gift, a new life?"
If Genevieve received a new life, she might be able to find a way back to Charlie. "I'll accept your gift."
"I'm glad to hear that. The sun always comes out even after the longest night. I like it when people don't give up, Faye."
"Wait. Who?"
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