As I fell upon the sand, sinking in, blood from the gunshot wound expelled from my chest. I coughed, trying to catch my breath, but soon blood slipped down my lips. Darren watched patiently, eyeing me like I was a newly unwrapped toy.
He knelt down, then put his hand on mine.
“Can you feel it yet? Has the cold overtaken the heat? Have your veins started to pop, one by one? Can you feel it? The slow dragging on of a fleeting life.”
My eyes freeze on his ghostly frame as he carries me to water. Darren walks, and walks then once we are deep enough, he lets me go.
I’m pulled down. My eyes are still open as my hands try to clinch onto something. Bubbles escape from my mouth and nose rapidly.
As the force of the water strangles me an explosion erupts from down below.
A light.
It slithers along the ocean floor like an electric eel. Soon enough the light takes hold of me.
-----
“Nina!” Come on on wake up!” Anican takes hold of her and tries to give her mouth to mouth. Then feels for a pulse. “Tim, she’s breathing but it’s faint.”
“She’s out cold though. We have to alert the rest of the residents.” Tim starts to shake.He covers his nose and mouth. Then he pulls his walkie talkie from his hip and pages the front desk. “Sam, it’s me Tim, we’ve got a gas leak on eight. Send out an alert to all the residents.Every--” Cough. “We have to evacuate.”
“I can help. Just get Nina outside Tim. I’ll clear this floor.”
Sure, got it.Tim hands Anican his walkie, and lifts Nina up. We’ll take the stairs.Keep covered, this leak is thick.” Tim coughs.
Anican heads in the opposite direction and starts banging on doors. He is able to reach the tenants that haven’t heard Sam’s alert on the intercom or the emergency call.
Tim on the other hand is struggling with Nina, as he lugs her down the stairs. His breathing, quickens and he misses a step. He nearly drops Nina then, regains his balance. After a few moments he takes hold of her again and they proceed to the lower level of the building.
The lights begin to fade and Tim takes another break.
He feels something brush past him from behind. When he turns there's nothing there. Once he flips back around to the stairs he is hit across the face with a metal pipe. He drops Nina on the staircase. Then he plummets headfirst, flipping over the railing.
Nina pants then is scooped up by Darren’s bloody hands. He pulls off his gas mask.
“How can you be so close and so far away at the same time my love?” He kisses the sides of her cheek, then puts the mask on Nina.
“Your lips are dirty.” He smells her. “Don’t you know that you belong to me? Who are all of these men? They can’t have you.” Darren runs his fingers across the space where her lips are hidden by the mask.
“I will take care of you. I always do.”
They make it to the lower level of the building then slip through a frantic crowd exiting the lobby, and push through the runners outside. Darren lays Nina on the sidewalk near a car. He pulls the mask from her face, then proceeds to walk back inside the building.
“Don’t go back in there!” A old woman screams.
“Hey, I’m a first responder, don’t worry.” He walks over to the women and kisses her hands. Then he puts on the mask. “Besides, there’s a gentleman still up there helping tenants. I believe that this isn’t a one man job. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Darren lets go of the woman's hand then he walks into the building. This time he takes the elevator. The red lights are flashing.
He makes it to the eighth floor, spots a fire extinguisher, and a small emergency ax. He smashes the glass with his bear hands and grabs it.
The ax spins in his hands fast then he juggles it wildly.
Darren spots some people running in the hallway. The visible air on the floor is dense so he cuts through it with his body, wandering, searching
Then he sees the person he was looking for, helping a small family out of their apartment.
“Come on we have to go! Anican coughs violently. This way, follow the red lights.Exit through the stairs. Come, come keep going.
“Oh Thank you.”
Darren stalks him to the last apartment on eastside of the building.
“Hey! Is there anyone inside?” Anican coughs hard. He covers his nose and mouth with his shirt.
“Hello, um is--”
Wack!
The ax plunges into the door just on Anican’s left, chipping the side of his ear.
Anican turns, and Darren kicks him in the chest and he falls through the door.“AH!”
Darren walks through the shattered door.
Anican crawls backward. He tosses a glass at Darren. Once he regains his footing he’s in a fighting stance clenching his fists tightly. He coughs, up blood, then grabs a trophy and holds it like a bat.
“Really? You think that piece of rubbish can protect you?” Darren laughs.
“Who the h*ll are you?!”
Darren tosses his gas mask and it hits a picture on the wall. “I saw you kiss Nina...” He spits. “Would you like to know what I do to those who touch my woman, or get in the way of my games?”
“What the-” Anican tries to breathe, in and out. His eyesight is wavering. “Nina was dying.You’re delusional, if you think I was just gonna let her die in front of her apartment.” Anican holds his chest.
“I wish you did.” Darren frowns.
“Why? What business do you have with her?!” Anican barks.
“Well Nina is a really bad girl. She needs to be punished--” Darren laughs. “It's our game. So, sooner or later she will learn how to behave properly, even if it gets her sixth feet deep.”
“What the f*ck man?”
“I said it’s our game and right now, I’m winning. I would say she has multiple losses now. Not to mention I’ve taken out her pawns. That hero paramedic, Eric the fool, and Tim our wondrous mailman. I’m thinking the doctor maybe next, maybe Sam too. Ah, and there's you too.Now you...I think you might be a major pawn. I can’t let you go any further than this.” Darren swings the ax at Anican’s head and he leaps backward.
Anican, struggles to breathe.“Frankly I don’t give a sh*t about any of that!” Anican blocks Darren's strike with the trophy. “If your plan is to kill me, shut up and do it!”
________________________________________________
Thanks for Reading! Stay Tuned for Part 7. Updates Release Every Friday at 7pm!
~Lovietta
Mr. Red Copyright © 2017 By Lovietta Simpkins.
Published Envision & Wonder
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