22 – Serenity
I couldn’t let him go.
Everyone was rushing toward that barn, but he was running away. He was going to escape, and we’d never find him again. For Ciara’s sake, I was unable to sit back and let him get away. So, I did the only thing I could at the time, I reached into the glove box, took Jackson’s gun and ran after him.
Nobody noticed.
They will, but we will be too far gone.
I don’t blame them. That barn was about to collapse with my friend inside, I don’t expect them to see anything else.
So, I did what I had to do.
I’m small, so running is easy for me.
I charge after him, through the thick woods, managing to keep up even as we weave through the thick trees.
He knows I’m behind him, but he doesn’t look back, he runs like he knows where he’s going.
Maybe he does.
After all, he lived here once. He probably has hideouts all through these woods.
The sick bastard.
Panting, sweat trickling down my forehead, I keep the gun in my hand as I charge after him. I leap over logs and different bushes scratch my skin, but I refuse to be slowed down. This asshole hurt my friend, and not only that, but he was hurting other girls. He’s not going to get away with it, I’ll make sure of it.
We reach a small dirt road leading out the main road, and he turns left, picking up the pace as he runs towards the cars cruising down the highway, having no idea that a psycho is running toward them.
That’s when I hear the sirens.
Police. Paramedics. I’m not sure but they’ve called someone.
Does that mean they got Ciara out safely?
Or does it mean she’s injured?
Panting, I try to point the gun at him, but he’s zigzagging all over the road, making it hard for me to take a shot.
He’s smart.
Gritting my teeth, my lungs burning for air, I try to run faster, harder, but I’m running out of steam. I’ve kept up with him for this long, but he’s clearly fitter than me because he isn’t slowing down.
I take a shot for the sake of it, aiming the gun as best as I can and pulling the trigger.
Hitting his leg, I hear his agonized cry as he falls to the ground, clutching his calf. I actually got him. Dammit, I didn’t think I would. A smile spreads across my face and adrenaline surges through me as I slow down, coming to a stop and leaning over him, aiming the gun.
His hands are covered in blood as he cries out, clutching his leg.
“Calm down, it’s a bullet wound. I didn’t cut it off,” I mutter, kicking him with my shoe.
That’s when three police cars come barreling down the dirt road, flicking stones up in my direction.
Thank gosh they’re here.
They can take this psycho away and we can be done with this.
Gerard rolls to his back, his leg bleeding profusely and he...grins?
Shaking my head, I keep the gun aimed at him as the police cars skid to a stop.
“Put the gun down!”
An officer gets out of the car, pointing his gun at me. Me? Not Gerard, but me. I didn’t do anything. I lower the gun, shaking my head, confused. Gerard cries out in pain, gripping his leg and bellowing, “She shot me. They brought me out here to kill me. I only just got away. Please, help.”
Shock radiates through my body.
The guys didn’t call the cops, Gerard did.
“I didn’t...” I say, but the officers surrounding me are all aiming their weapons, ready to fire.
They will kill me; I can see it in their eyes.
They think I’m the bad guy.
Me.
“Do not move.”
“He captured my friend,” I say, my voice shaky. “He tried to kill her.”
“She’s lying,” Gerard groans. “Her friend is insane, they all are. They thought I killed Alyssa, and so they dragged me out here to try to beat it out of me – they tried to tie me up and light my barn on fire with me inside. I managed to get away by shooting one of them in the hand, but then they caught up to me. Please help. Help me.”
Oh my god.
This clever, evil fuck.
He is going to try to get away with it.
The worst part is he just might. What proof do we have? No diary mentions his name. No photo has his face on it. There is absolutely no proof he did anything. Ciara on the other hand, she was seen with Alyssa, she has been on the cop's radar, and she is a suspect. This man is a fucking evil genius, and he knew we’d come out here to get Ciara.
He just hoped she’d burn to death before we got to her.
In the end, he still wanted her dead, he just wanted to bring everyone down with her.
“He’s lying,” I say, shaking my head. “He’s...”
An officer steps toward me. “You are under arrest for attempted murder, anything you say or do will be used against you in the court of law.”
What is happening.
The officer speaking steps toward me, his dark eyes narrowed as he pulls out his cuffs. Under arrest. I can’t be under arrest. There is no way this is actually happening. Is this some kind of joke? A prank? Spinning me around, the officer cuffs me before turning me and dragging me towards the police car.
No.
“I didn’t do anything,” I squirm, desperate for him to hear me. “He’s lying. He set all of this up. I swear. I only shot him because he was running away. Please, listen to me.”
“Shut up, and get in.”
He shoves me into the back of the car, before slamming the door.
My eyes meet Gerard’s, and he offers a small smile.
Sick son-of-a-bitch.