Chapter 3: BANG

Fve minutes left.

As I look at my watch and realize the moment is finally upon me, I feel the side of my leg and confirm the pistol I strapped onto it is still there. This is the tenth time I've checked and if I had any more time, I'm sure I'd check ten more times.

Three minutes left.

The pathway is as empty as it has been for the last half hour. During the day, this path would see at least two or three people walking by in half the time, but I needed to make sure there would be no witnesses to what I was about to do and came a few hours after the university closed for the day. From everything I had learned about Terri and his routine, this was the most isolated he would be. Once a week, at some time after 10pm, he would walk around alone, and eventually make his way to this path. Since I couldn't be sure when he would do it, I'd been here the last two nights with no luck and was about ready to just shoot him in a classroom to get it done and over with.

One minute left.

I can hear it, in the distance; footsteps. I can't be sure they're his, but I can't afford to not be ready if they are. I pull the gun out from the leg holster and pull the slide back until it clicks. I hold it up to my chest with both hands like something out of a movie and press my body tighter against the tree I'm hiding behind.

Footsteps.

I can barely turn my head enough to see, but I can make out Terri, walking aimlessly along the path, his gaze switching from the dimly lit trees and bushes to the stars in the sky.

"Don't move!"

I shout and jump out from behind the tree. Terri immediately freezes in place and throws his hands up. His eyes squint, most likely from trying to make out the face who gave out the command.

"Wait, is that-"

*BANG*

Before he realizes what is going on, I fire a single shot at his leg. He lets out a surprised and pain filled scream and then drops to the ground. As I make my way to him, I pull the slide back again, making sure I'm as close as I can be when it lets out that sound everyone knows means death.

"I think I'm gonna kill you, right here, right now!"

"P- Please, God, don't!"

"Why not?!"

"I don't wanna die!"

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

"Please, I think I'm bleeding out; I need to got to a hospital!"

"You see blood?"

"Yes, yes!"

"Well, you won't be seeing it for too long."

*BANG*

I pull the trigger again. For a moment, it seems like Terri is about to fall over. A moment later, he realizes that he's felt no pain.

"What? What the hell is going on?"

"Absolutely nothing."

I pull back the slide again and, ensuring Terri is looking at it, shoot directly into my own hand.

*BANG*

Nothing.

"It's a fake. Not even a fake, it's a prop gun I got from the theater class. It doesn't even shoot blanks, just makes a loud bang sound similar to a gun going off."

"A fake gun?"

"A fake gun. Matches perfectly with your fake leg wound."

"You!"

"Yes, me. I told you I would have proof next time, and so I have it."

"Proof? What, me thinking I was shot and overreacting? That's nothing. And you! Forget campus security, I'm going right to the cops for assault with this shit."

"Go ahead. Explain to them the blood that doesn't exist. The blood you said you felt."

"Clearly my brain was going into overdrive from the panic and I just felt like I was bleeding."

"No, no, no. You clearly stated you felt blood."

"And now I'm clearly stating I was wrong. This whole exercise proved nothing. This isn't proof of anything besides that I freak out easily."

No. This should be more than enough. He said he felt the blood. He collapsed because he believed he had been shot and didn't realize there was nothing in the gun. I'm right.

"I'm right."

"You're wrong and you're crazy."

Terri begins to get himself up off of the ground, then reaches for his pocket; probably for a phone.

No!

I've come too far to let it end like this. I didn't think this through enough, but there's no way I'll be able to investigate him again if he calls the cops now.

It doesn't matter if I do something drastic, this situation is already too far gone to turn back.

"Stop!"

I whip the pistol against his face with as much force as I can give. Either I just damaged a man's face, or I'm about to be right.

As I looked to see what the outcome was, I saw it, the most horrifying thing I could see in that moment.

Blood was running down Terri's face.

I was wrong.