Stitches and Burns

Chapter 23: May 31, 1999

May: Is it done? Did she do it?

I got up and ran to the monitor with Clair. She did it.

Harlan: She did it... she did it!

May smiled, then laughed. I fell to the ground and laughed. Clair laughed.

As May went to Chase to cuff her, Clair helped me up. As I got up, our eyes locked.

Harlan: Hey.

Clair: Hey.

Harlan: You did good.

Clair: Thanks.

Both of us just smiled.

Chase: Heh.

I turned to Chase.

Harlan: You lost Delvey, you're going to prison, where you will spend the rest of your miserable days.

Chase continued to laugh.

Chase: Don't worry Harlan, we'll see each other soon.

Suddenly, a small tin canister rolled beside May. A smoke grenade.

Harlan: MAY, WATCH OUT!

Too late. The smoke grenade went off. Suddenly, a gun was slammed to May's face, knocking her out, and there I saw the thing I was forgetting. Chase's right hand.

Thena Montgomery.

Thena grabbed Chase and ran away, Chase laughing.

Harlan: CLAIR! GET HER!

Clair ran as I approached May. I checked her pulse to feel that she was stable. I grabbed May's gun and followed Clair.

I ran to the staircase where Clair had followed Chase and Thena. Chase was running up the staircase as Clair and Thena fought. As I ran up around three floors, I saw as Clair punched Thena and pinned her to the wall. Suddenly, a pistol rolled out of Thena's coat. Thena was about to shoot Clair but I tackled Thena and the gun slid out her coat, and to the floor.

I got up but Thena kicked my face, and sent me falling down a few steps of stairs. Thena got up, dodged a punch from Clair, punched her, and kicked her and Clair fell over the handrails and started to fall down. Thinking quickly, I shot a grappling hook out my watch and it caught itself at Clair's watch and Clair quickly grabbed on to it. Clair started to hold on to the thread.

Harlan: CLAIR! HANG ON!

I looked at Thena, who started to continue running up the stairs, then back at Clair. I could only go after one. I chose Clair.

I started to pull the thread back up. Clair slowly rose up, closer and closer to me. Clair was close. I reached out my hand and she reached out hers, ready to grab mine when I heard a cocking noise.

I turned to look at Chase and Thena, a gun in Chase' hand.

BANG!

A gunshot.

I tried grabbing down but all my fingers could reach were the tip of her fingers, which slipped off mine. Clair's face turned into a face of fear as she started to fall. Time slowed down as I watched in shock and dread as Clair's body fell down and hit the pavement.