Deadly Lies (Sequel to TBFOWS)

Deadly Lies- Chapter 25

Hey guys, there's just one more chapter left! Hope you enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            John was hunched over, blood flowing and darkening his gray shirt. It looked like someone had spilled a can of tomato sauce all over his back, but I knew better. I wanted to go to him, to scream his name, to grab him, but I was frozen in place. My brain was giving out commands, but my body refused to move. I was only able to move my eyes, to flick them up at the monster who stood less than a few feet away. The cold smile that was molded to his lips, combined with his drooping eyelids gave him the appearance of a sated creature who'd just eaten for days.

            "No tears?" He asked with a poised eyebrow, "No screams?"

            A low laugh echoed around us, and my eyes flew to John, who was struggling to stand up. My body thawed instantly and I ran to him, wrapping gentle hands around his waist. I squeezed my eyes shut at the tears that threatened to spill, I wouldn't allow Montes the satisfaction. A warm, wet feeling soaked my arms. It was going to be okay,I chanted the mantra in my mind, Jenny was getting help, John was going to be okay, it was all going to be okay!

            "You were wrong," John sneered, his voice unwavering, "you don't get to win." I felt his arm slide around my shoulder and gently push me away.

            "Go on." He whispered.

            "No." I protested, but only a sob came out.

            "Sophie, " His face was soft, but the burning resilience in his eyes was growing brighter.    "I will not fail you."

            "You never did." I choked on the tears that had began to fall.

            "Now this, this is what I like to see!" Montes clapped as though he was at a sports event, cheering for his team. John turned away from me and took a wobbly step towards Montes, then another. What was he thinking? If my heart had still been beating, I'm sure it would've been erratic, but the two bullets that had cursed John had also exploded in my chest.

            "What are you thinking of Johnny boy?" Montes teased, "you want some more?" I watched as he lifted the gun, aiming it at John, but John didn't waver in his steps, he kept taking one step after another, leaving drops of blood with every step. For a moment I witnessed a strange look creep over Montes' face, hesitation. And it was then that I realized what John was doing. Montes took a subtle step back, putting distance between the two of them.

            "Scared of a dead man?" John asked, his voice mocking. This got Montes' attention. Squaring his shoulders, he steadied the gun on John and grinned.

            "One can't be scared of what he already is. And I know what I am, John." Although he might've known who he was, Montes didn't know who he was dealing, because at that the moment, Cameron pounced on him from behind like a feral animal.

            Without missing a beat, John took the distraction as his opportunity. Bunching his shoulders, John tackled them, all of them falling down like bowling pins. Sprinting, I ripped the gun from Montes' hand. Blood was trickling from Cameron's forehead, and into his eyes, but it didn't stop him for seeing his target. Repeatedly, Cameron attacked Montes until he stopped wriggling about. Watching Cameron beat him unconscious, I felt every single bottled up emotion that I had, come flooding out.

            The gun fell from my hand as I turned towards John, who, unable to stand, had rolled a few steps away, his gaze fixed on the sky that was changing hues from red to yellow. Falling beside him, he turned his face towards me and pressed his head against my thigh. Twining my fingers into his hair, I leaned over him, my tears, like rain, pattered his skin.

            "Why are you so stubborn?" He teased, wiping a tear away, but it was quickly replaced with another. His words were like bullets, piercing my heart, causing it to bleed more. "We did it...again."

            "Don't leave me." I choked out, clutching his face.

            "You know I never will." I sobbed harder, and closed my eyes. I felt his hand grip my neck, pulling me closer.

            I choked on another sob, and burrowed my wet face into his neck. I tried to take a deep breath, but it was impossible.

            "Jenny will be here soon." I said, but because of my heavy crying, the only words that could be understood were "Be" and "Soon." When he didn't say anything, I pulled away, terrified and found his eyes were closed, but his chest was moving, slightly. Laying my head back into the crook of his neck, I listened to the faint beating of his heart.

            "Please John." I clung on him for dear life, clung to the life that was dying before my very eyes.

            "I'm a fool," he whispered, "I should have told you this every single day, every second time that we were together, every moment I spent with you- I love you."

            "Stop it!" I tried to scream into his shirt, but my voice barely came out. Somewhere in the distance, loud shrieks echoed. Sirens. "Help is coming-God please, just- if you love me just hang on-Oh God-I love you too-don't-" I rambled on, until I heard his faint voice.

            "Sophie, look at me." He said, placing his hand at the base of my neck. Pulling away, I looked into his eyes. They were as soft and as bright as the clouds that were above us."Remember I told you I'd never leave you?" He asked, and without waiting for a reply, his hand ran up my neck, and stopped at my cheek, cupping it. "All of our memories, our love-" He paused, and I gripped his hand in mine, holding it against me.

            And then, everything just seemed to go quiet. The sirens disappeared and not even could the wind be heard. It was as though the world had stopped spinning. It was just me and Jonathan. Leaning in closer, I squeezed my eyes shut as our lips met and for a second, everything was okay. We were back at my house, at Club 21, on my bed, having dinner with my family, at the ice cream shop, on the first Ride-Along- at the house on Willow St. Everything was okay. And amongst all this, somewhere there were people shouting, things moving, but somehow nobody everything was quiet. It was just me and John, but then I felt the lips pushing against mine grow weak, and after a few heartbeats, they stopped.