Exhausted, I climbed out of bed when dawn had finished itself. It was eight in the morning, but Cash was sitting on his bed, in the spot he hadn’t moved from since he’d sat down yesterday. I didn’t try to talk to him. “What’s going through your head, Krista?” He asked as I grabbed my clothes. “Numbness. Exhaustion.” I said, and killed the urge to yawn as it passed through my body, turning into a violent shudder. The knife that had been in my fingers hit the floor and flew open, missing my exposed tows by inches. “What’s going to happen?” I asked. Cash took a sharp breath, but I got no other reply. I dressed in silence after that, but left my guitar case. “If something happens, then, take my stuff. I take it that somebody’s going to want it. I don’t want anyone else to have it.” I looked up at him with a bitter glance, but he nodded. “Good luck, Krista.” He said, and then appeared in front of me. “I’ll see you soon. I promise.” He kissed me on my forehead, and I felt dizzy from the touch.
Then he was away from me, and down the hallway. I tied my black hair into a ponytail, stared my green eyes down from the mirror, and left my knife on the dresser. I wouldn’t need it where I was going, and I wanted to get it back if there was ever a chance. I didn’t know if there was even going to be a chance of coming back, but from what Cash had been hinting at – I wasn’t leaving for good. Puzzling thoughts, I realized, when nobody had even mentioned death.
The streets weren’t busy. A couple stragglers to work were rushing towards the nearest bus stops, but the paths were clear to the park. The same shady people were there, but they payed no attention to me as I stalked through in just a tee shirt and my jeans. My boots were silent against the cobblestones, but the sky was grey and the wind echoed in my ears.
Then there were sirens, and the park seemed to be surrounded by cops. It was too late for me as somebody grabbed me from behind, and I felt the cold hard metal of a gun against my ribs. “Don’t come close, or the bitch gets it!” The person screamed, and I realized that I had chosen poorly. I locked eyes with the officers, but they seemed as stunned as I was. I struggled, but the man’s arm was like steel around my neck and upper body. The gun dug deeper into my ribs, and I whimpered. I looked around wildly, and then saw Cash running around the corner.
A gunshot tore through the air. It hit next to my foot, and I realized that a sniper must have fired. How big an operation was this? I asked the question in my mind. The coherency in my mind was slowly returning, until the gunman holding me freaked, and fired.
Right through me.
The pain didn’t last long, because I bled out too quickly. I died, there in the park. So did the gunman, but it didn’t matter. My last mental image was of Cash, wide-eyed at the corner, watching in despair. He’d known it was going to happen – but like this? I guess even this had to have been a shocker, in this city....
.....right?
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