33

I heard the scream come from the living room. It lasted for as long as a second would, but I swear I heard it just right. Jolting off the bed at once, needing to confirm it wasn't just one of those dreams I'd awake from, with the last scene recurring in my head, my figure was soon found dashing out the bedroom, hurrying away, just as another one followed.

"Tara"

"Tara!"

Eyes balled out, jaw dropped, I was met with a gun held right to the throat of my friend upon my entry into the space.

The fear that was held in that gaze, was enough to strike the feeling down on me. It was one that got you scared even when you couldn't understand the situation around.

"Don't you try anything funny" I recognized that voice.

Of course, I should know that person, especially because his profile was out there for me to behold.

"Make a move, and I swear I'll blow her up faster than you could move those legs"

"Put the gun down, George" My voice had begun to waver, just as expected whenever I tried acting tough, wanting to seem unshaken, but then it pours out, betraying me.

"You're forgetting something, Jane. He who holds the weapon, passes the orders"

"It's common sense"

"You bastard!" I cried, voice raised so loud, hoping it would raise an alarm to the neighbors who for the past three years, I hadn't uttered a word to, still one had to hold on to something.

"Tsk-Don't play funny, Jane" He followed.

"Now, in order to make sure everyone gets what they want, you do as I say"

"Let her go, George"

And next came the bang, a loud scream tumbling out my lips, as I watched the vase sat on a table at a corner of the room, come crashing to the ground.

"The next one will be at her head. I'm not here to play games, Jane" Voice called in a low voice, eyes meeting mine.

"Now, fetch me a rope" His eyes darkened, arms tightening the little space left around Tara's throat, while she wriggled in his grip.

"W-what do you need a rope for?"

"Fetch me a rope, dammit!" I shuddered at the yell of his voice, the tears dropping to my cheeks while I tried to find use of my legs, soon hurrying away, but the call of his voice halted in my tracks.

"Where do you think you're going to?"

"To get you a rope" I followed with questioning eyes, voice cracking at every word that stumbled out my mouth.

"So you could ring the cops, then"

"N-no, I wouldn't"

"Come on, Jane" He flashed a wide grin, those brown eyes smiling at me, intent my way all the while.

"Even the dumbest of us, know better to be smart at required times"

"Now fetch me the rope from the corner" He called in a stern voice.

My knees had turned wobbly, legs barely could take a step or two without stopping for a long second, but at the thundering of that voice, accompanied with the whimpers that poured out the lips of Tara, I was bound to move ahead.

My hands snatched the rope at once, mind lost on why we had decided to leave it out there, even when the handyman had been through with it the last time he visited, and if I was guessing correctly, that would be three days ago.

"Pass it over. Come on! I haven't got all night"

"We can talk this out, George" The words poured out, while I tossed the rope over to him.

I could see the fear that stormed the eyes of my friend as he yelled at her to get low to the ground, and in a second, he was tying her hands and leg with it.

"There's nothing to talk about, Jane" Came George in that rough New-Yorker accent, with eyes skipping to my form every now and then, perhaps to make sure I still lingered in the room with him.

"It's obvious you've made your choice"

He had called at once, getting to his feet.

I saw the gun pulling closer to me, a shiny black pistol aimed at my face, and all I could think of was mother's brownies.

Yet, I had brownies a week ago. The ones I shared with—

Why does the thought of that particular person have to stumble in, even at a moment as thi-

The gun soon stopped inches away, snatching my unaverted attention, with the wielder cocking the object in a second.

"D-don't do this, George" I heard my heart bellowing, the cries following, while I stared into the eyes of the man who in months ago, had been the one I'd call out to whenever I woke up.

"Whatever there is, I believe we can sort out"

"You went burying what we managed to build all these years, in a second!" He thundered.

"In a second, Jane!"

It was merely a year, George. A year since we came to know each other, and as two raving adults, who sought the companion of the opposite gender as some form of clarity, we had blindly agreed to a relationship.

One which never welcomed either of us.

"What do I get for being by you all these months?"

"Nothing!" He spat.

"I brought comfort to you why you lacked, stood by you while you longed for company. And what do I get?"

"You laugh in my face, and months later I see you with another man!"

"What man?"

My eyes grew in size as I watched him pull the gun even closer to my face, eyes shifting through mine.

"Don't play dumb with me now, Jane!"

"You were cheating, George" My voice cracked at the sudden outpour, which I still was found wondering wherever it came from.

There stayed a gun held to my face, and for some reason, I thought it best to yell at its wielder.

"You spat on our relationship, George" I could see Tara wriggling and squirming at that corner where he had kept her, and for a slight second, I swear I saw the rope come off, and only at that, I went on.

"You barely acknowledged me" His eyes shifted through mine, his attention undivided.

"You would hit on my friends even while I was around, and it was only a matter of time before we called it off"

"Bullshit!" He spat, with eyes widened at me.

"You knew I was only joking around.....I joke all the time. You know that"

"What kind of guy goes around joking with touching his girlfriend's friends in such inappropriate ways"

"We all were drunk!" He thundered.

"That's the thing, George" I scoffed at him.

"You weren't"

"Amongst us all, you were the only one who still remained sober"

The figure of Tara tiptoed off the floor, hands waving at me, eyes holding onto confusion and utter fear.

"One of us had to stay sober!" Followed the voice of George "You can't blame me cause I chose to protect the both of us"

"You weren't protecting me!" I cried.

"You were trying to work your way in a woman's panties in disguise of protecting your girlfriend who you barely cared about, George"

"So, don't you dare say you tried protecting me!" I yelled at him.

He had turned silent in a second, eyes rushed with levity, with a smirk, which I had managed to catch on to, tugging at the corners of his lips.

"We never were fit for each other"

"We're of different worlds, Jane, but I grew fond of you regardless"

"I came to appreciate your presence around me, which is why I can't afford to let you go now"

"It ends here with you and I"

Those words brought my life flashing right before my eyes, with gaze rushing with shock, fear, and confusion, I barely could feel my own legs.

"Take off your clothes" He ordered.

And like a puppet obeying its master, I gave no objections. I pulled the nightwear off my body.

"The undies too"

"George" My own voice cracked.

"Get going! There's nothing I haven't seen before!" He thundered.

"Don't do this" I pleaded, inching closer to him, hands grabbing his, hoping I could sea reason with a man whose eyes shot daggers.

"One more step and I'll shoot you"

Those words bounced into my ears, but my own attention had been directed at a figure pulling closer from behind.

Tara.

In her hold, was a lampshade, and the other hand, a frying pan, her eyes on me, while she pulled each item up one after the other, that question which rested in her gaze, of which object was to be used.

"Do as I say" The voice of George jolted me at once, eyes still held on me, but I made not a move. I only watched him in silence.

"Didn't you hear me!?" He bellowed.

"I said get bare"

My gaze had soon averted from his, finally focusing on the form of Tara, which stood just a feet away behind his, the frying pan raised high in the air, with her brows pulling into a frown.

"What are you looking at-

He wasn't spared enough time to have a full glance back, as Tara had brought the frying pan to his head, smacking him to the ground.

I kicked the gun with my feet the instant it was out his grip, grabbing a napkin from the kitchen to grab the weapon with.

Meanwhile, there came yells of my friend while she wrestled with him, both figures rolling around in the cold ground.

George wasn't one to give up.

He had smacked her hard across the face, pulling her by the hair, while he sent a punch to her gut.

"Call the police!" Her voice was a grunt, low, calling out to me, while I dashed off towards the direction of the bedroom.

"Jane!" There followed the voice of George after my departing figure, chasing after me.

His steps drew even nearer, the sound of his voice hitting against my ears with my form hurrying on.

Just a feet close to the bedroom, and I could feel his hands brush against my back, but it was barely a contact as I had pulled into the room, having the door shut after me.

"Janet!" His voice thundered behind, with hands banging at the door repeatedly.

"Come out, Jane!"

I had shot off towards the bed, eyes searching around for my phone, which if I guessed correctly, I had dropped in here, right before I had fallen asleep.

The tears which I had managed to suppress all the while soon came pouring out, as nowhere around could I find my phone in sight.

I could swear it was here an hour ago, wherever had it now gone t-

The object sat on the bedside table, had in a moment, snatched my attention, legs pushing forward as i inched closer.

Tara's phone.

Hands numb, they picked the phone up slowly, punching those numbers that would be my only save at the moment.

Our only hope at seeing the next sunrise.

"9-1-1. How may I help you?"