Page 70 of Where He Ended
He doesn't spare a glance for her. “I thought you were made of stronger stuff, Annie. Was your life all about half-measures? Take some control, erase these two and finally move on. Finally start livingfor real.It's the only way.”
Laiken gnaws at the gag, I'm sure she wants to speak. “Untie her,” I say, moving my feet another inch. I'm on her left, my mother is on her right, and Vahn creates the tip of our triangle. “Give her the fucking chance to argue for her own life!”
“Nothing anyone says will change my mind,” he replies.
Grimacing, I curl my fingers against my palms. “Uncle, listen to me. I know how much you're hurting. Believe me, I'm just as messed up over Bernard—”
“I told you not to say his name!” he roars, and suddenly, his gun is aimed at me. I'm gazing down a black hole that can only bring death.
Filling my lungs, I hold my head high. “You think I killed him,” I say, rushing my words, desperate to get through to this man before it's too late. “But I didn't. I didn't kill Bernard. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. Now I have no choice. Vahn, your son committed suicide.”
His face is as expressionless as the revolver. I watch his grip on the gun, waiting for it to loosen. When I told Laiken the truth, she'd gone boneless with relief. She'd forgiven me so eagerly.
Vahn's frown splits open until it becomes an odd smile. “You think I don't know what happened to him?” He laughs. “I know all about my son. I know how depressed he was. I knew from the beginning. It wasyourjob to look out for him. You were the one he spent all of his time with, you were the one that pushed him forward, Dominic. He relied on you and you let him down!”
My mouth slips open, no words tumbling free because I have none. He knew? All this time, heknewit was a suicide? My uncle's tirade corkscrews into my heart, reigniting the guilt I've carried since standing on that snowy mountain. Why did I expect to be forgiven? Why would I deserve such an easy solution?
Turning, he aims the weapon at the woman I love. “No!” I shout, ignoring Miles and his threats, ignoring the danger of two guns that could fire on me. I see nothing -feelnothing - but my desire to protect Laiken from harm. Rushing forward, I block her body as I face off with my uncle.
His eyes widen. “Get away from her, it's not your turn yet.”
“I'm not letting you do this!”
Vahn considers me over the top of the gun. No one else is moving. Miles has his pistol in his hand, but he doesn't know what to do with it. My mother is ghostly pale where she stands nearby. And behind me, I hear Laiken's fragile, muffled sobs.
“Fine,” he says, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. “I wanted you to watch her die first. I wanted to watch you suffer.” His eyes narrow until the irises become slivers of ebony in a sea of white. “But you don't get to die thinking you're a hero. I'm going to kill her next.”
The guncrackslouder than thunder. Everything goes still. I brace myself, preparing for the chunk of lead to pierce my flesh. But it never arrives.
My mother's hair glows like autumn leaves in the sun as the clouds clear overhead. A few fine, gray strands that I never noticed before have slipped free of her bun, waving from the motion of her jump. Her face contorts in pain as the bullet sinks into her stomach.
No,I think in disbelief.
She floats in the air, like she's sinking through thick, clear gelatin. I can see her teeth as she bares them, count every eyelash over her clenched lids. Her arms wrap around to hug her body, but they're useless in stopping the blood from seeping through her shirt.
Time speeds up again. She hits the ground with a heavy thud, her body a foot away from my feet. Vahn drops the gun, completely shocked by the fact that he's shot his own sister.
Laiken shoves around me, falling to her knees next to my mom. I hear her scream through the gag. It's gotten somewhat loose from all her chewing. She reaches up, ripping it free with her fingernails. “No! No, Annie, no!” she sobs, putting her bound hands on my mother's shoulder.
“Fuck this!” Miles says, backing away. “This isn't what I signed up for.” I don't know that he's entered the helicopter until seconds later, when the engine whines, the blades spinning above us. The helicopter sends debris swirling into my vision. It mutes Laiken's cries as it takes off into the air. Then it's gone, and I still can't hear anything.
My body isn't working right. I drop to the grass, cradling my mother's head. “No. No, this—this can't happen.”
Vahn swings his head side to side like a pendulum. “I didn't mean to,” he mumbles. “I didn't think . . . why would she jump in front? Why . . . why would she help you? Why . . . why . . .”
Laiken has managed to chew the knots off her wrists. “Save her,” she commands me, snatching the front of my shirt, giving me a shake. “Call an ambulance! There's still time!”
I'm unable to believe that what I'm seeing is real. Annie clutches at where the blood is staining. She winces, eyes pinched shut from pain. “You can't die,” I say to her.
“Dominic!” Laiken begs. I'm unable to tear my attention away from my mother. A hand digs into my pocket. Laiken yanks out my phone, standing and talking into it as she does.
Distantly, I know I should be doing more than sitting in the grass, but I can't let go of my mom. I can't release her from my arms. I'm afraid that the second I do, she'll vanish forever. “You're going to be okay,” I say to her. I can hear Laiken talking insistently on the phone behind me. I'm grateful for how she's taken charge. “Laiken is calling for help right now. Just hang on.”
In the distance, more voices swell. The guards probably heard the gunshots and are rushing our way. Annie opens her eyes and sees me. Her irises are normally pitch black and cold. I can't remember a time that she ever looked at me with regret. It makes her appear tormented. It stirs the deepest recesses of my heart.
“Dominic,” she whispers.
“Shh,” I say quickly. “Don't talk, save your strength, Mom.”
