Dead bodies lie bloodied on the once spotless floor of the 24/7 store, blood drips and flows from them as their lifeless eyes lose all colour. The clerk lies dead against the wall behind the counter with two holes in his uniform. The civilian who was only trying to help is now face first on the floor with a bullet in his head. The two cops that were unfortunate to be on patrol in this area now look lifeless, all colour drained from their faces and blood smothered across the side of the police car and on the road below.
Jeremy stands in the middle of it, his blood stained hands shaking as his fingers lie gripped to his pistol. The robbery is botched, what was supposed to be a clean take has now resulted in four innocent people losing their lives and one man losing his mind.
Thoughts race through his head as Jeremy tries to come to terms with what he has just done, as he stares at the blood beneath him. What had he done? It was never meant to go down like this, it never happened this way in the movies! What will happen to him now? When the next pair of officers arrive will he drop his gun or will he try and shoot his way out? He has nothing to lose now, if they catch him it'll either be the hangman's noose or an appointment to the coroners office this afternoon.
Which one will he choose? Is there even a choice to make? Even if he doesn't get executed then it's life in jail for sure. And that's no way for a man to live.
He can run but what difference will that make. The cops will catch up with him eventually which means that he'll have to pay for his sins sooner or later. Suppose it's later, how long can you live with yourself with the knowledge that you took away husband's, brother's, hell, even father's! Creating a devastating ripple effect that destroy's the lives of others, creating mental scars several times over. The thoughts of feeling the consequences of his actions makes his spine chill and his knees weak. He feels like he's going to collapse and vomit at the same time. At least then, he could pretend that the whole thing was just a dream.
Multiple sirens wail in the distance from several directions, if he's going to run then he needs to do it now.
Jeremy forces his legs to move, his soaked trainers making the sound of water filled shoes during a storm as they shake across the mess of bodies he had tried so hard to avoid making.
What the hell is he now? Is he a criminal? A man who's only intention is greed and causing harm to others? That's not him, but no-matter if he likes it or not his face will be on the four o'clock news either today or tomorrow, either the words “Murderer” or “Criminal” plastered below it. His life is gone now, changed dramatically for the worst in just under two minutes. He's a fool, toyed with by the devil to take the life of others with a tool that only a monster like him could ever create.
The sirens grow closer as Jeremy's heart beat races, standing on the pavement outside the store he is faced with another mental roadblock, the bodies of the cops he put down, the feeling that never leaves pounds his body with guilt, the literal blood on his hands a reminder of his actions that no amount of therapy sessions and intoxicating medication be scrub clean. No matter how hard he might try.
The late morning sun gleams off of the hood of a police patrol car as it turns the corner to the left of him at high speed, the officers inside no doubt racing to avenge the deaths of their fallen partners. Jeremy just stands there with the gun gripped in his right hand, too afraid to run and too afraid to die, as much as he deserves the latter.
An identical car pulls along from the right, both of them stop in front of the store and kick their doors open.
“Get on the ground! Get on the ground now!” Shouts the lone officer from the right car, as two more officers from the left take cover behind their car, hesitantly darting their eyes at the bodies of their fallen comrades as they take aim.
“Ok! Ok!” Jeremy shouts as he raises his hands above his head and lowers his knees, “i'm sorry I didn't mean to do any this!”
“Put down your weapon! Throw it on the ground!” Shouts the officer again, ignoring his plea and lining up his shot for the worst possible outcome.
“I don't want to fight anymore ok! Just let me live!” The weapon remains gripped to his hand as the barking of the police's orders fly straight through him.
“I don't wanna go to jail please just-”
“Let go of the gun! Now!”
Why are they ignoring him? Can't they hear? He doesn't want to fight any more! Why can't they listen to him?
“I-I can't!” His fingers won't budge, the consciences of his actions leave him in a state of shock, unable to un-grasp the tool in which he has caused so much pain.
“If you do not let go of the weapon I will shoot you!”
Without even thinking the gun jolts towards the officer, like an impulse or an action made by somebody else inside his body.
“I'm sorry!” He yells as he pulls the trigger, hitting the cop in the lower chest. The two other officers fire, bullets with the sounds of hail upon a tin roof pierce his skin and flesh, infiltrating his body and knocking him to the ground, his weapon knocked far away from him.
As the blood sinks out of Jeremy's body he realises the sudden rush his body just went through, the adrenaline of taking the life of another was painful, but at the same time sparked a long forgotten lust for excitement and danger inside his body. Maybe he wanted to get shot, maybe he wanted to die that day, he wasn't sure, he isn't sure if he's going to be alive for the next few minutes. A part of him wants to fight to see another day, to not be tormented by the souls that he has banished and to live a clean life away from crime. But another, another wants him to bleed out and black out in the next few seconds, have his body be ripped apart in the underworld by the devil and his demons for the simple pleasure of the rush.
Conflicting personalities aside, his vision blurs and his body aches in pain from multiple locations. The officers walk over his body, guns still in hand. Even they're unsure of his conditions, guess they'll all just have to wait and find out.
