A Wild Rose

16 - Wild chance

Chapter 16

Wild chance

"Everyone is doomed to die at some point. I guess you time has arrived now."

I wished it could be me he was talking to. My whole body was lurching with the torture of having to see George suffer so. And he wasn't even trying to defend himself. He knew the end was near, and he was giving into it. He was begging for my safety. I wanted to cradle him and whisper that things would be fine as long as I was near him.

It seemed that, in truth, every time I was near him, thing seemed to turn to the worst. Maybe everywhere I went brought some bad luck to whoever I made contact with. Look at Suzanna. And now look at George.

I couldn't face it. I had to show Alexander what a wicked man he was. And I would do it by whatever means. I threw myself at him, punching his chin upwards, so that his jaw clicked. It did not do much damage, but he still cried out in pain. I tried to scratch him, but he was still to nimble, taking hold of my arm and twisting it round. Any further and he could break it. He forced me to the ground, scratching, scarring, and strangling me wherever he could.

"Bloody little bastard!" Alexander yelled. He was screaming at me, shouting whatever he thought would be a suitable enough word to describe me. I screamed too, defending myself all I could, trying to get back at him where I could. George was screaming angrily for Alexander to stop. The guards were screaming at him to make him be quiet.

By now I knew that the rest of the household knew what was happening. It was why they had left us alone, even though they must all hear the screams coming from above them. They must all be standing below, looking up. Maybe some were shaking their heads in disapproval of what their master was doing. Maybe others thought we deserved what we were getting.

That thought only made me fight harder. Alexander was still persisting in keeping me down, his strength coming to a level far above my own. However, I was still terribly injuring him, and it seemed he needed help. Before I knew what was happening, one of the guards had come over, and the two of them were holding me down. It seemed George was so helpless now that he only needed one guard to keep him down.

Never underestimate your enemy.

There was a groan, and a thud as someone fell to the ground. Someone had been twisted round, and now there was the sound of a shotgun being loaded. I didn't know what was happening, I couldn't see. I only kept crying and screaming as Alexander's and the guard's grips only loosened slightly.

"Let. Her. Go." George was trembling, and when there was space between the two men, I saw that the other guard was now lying unconscious on the ground, his belt empty of its gun. But just because he had one of the guard's guns, It didn't mean he had the advantage. George was shaking tremendously with fear, and I was afraid he would set off the gun accidentally.

The guard who had been helping Alexander shot up quickly, ready to get his gun out. Too late. With an ear splitting bang, the guard collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. Now the tears were pouring out of George's eyes more than ever, his trembling yet stronger, but his aim still precise. If it had not been for the fact that Alexander had whipped out a hidden pistol, I wasn't sure if George would have shot him by now or not.

I was too shocked to speak, just looking as the two men, best friends since childhood, stood, gun facing each other, ready to shoot if they had to. George was weeping, frightened of the prospect of what he was being asked to do. Alexander stood strong, his head held high, but the pistol still jerking, despite his somewhat calmer state.

"Step away from her, Alexander, and I'll put the gun down." George whispered.

"I don't think that's going to happen." With one swift movement, he had hauled me to my feet, and was holding tightly with his spare hand. With the other, he turned the gun to my head.