Touch In The Dark

Chapter 51

Evelyn's POV

Dimitri has been training me for about a week now. He hasn't made me actually shoot yet, he said he didn't want to rush it.

So far, he's taught me the basics. The parts of the gun, how to check if it's loaded, how to disassemble and reassemble, and how to clean a gun. He told me to always assume a gun is loaded, no matter who is behind it. To me that was kind of common sense, but it's good to be told my basic knowledge was correct.

The more I handle a gun, the more comfortable I become around them. He's had me practice with a small handgun, a HK VP9 SK. It's small and fits in my hands perfectly.

He said he wanted me to practice aiming and shooting for the first time today, but he wasn't going to push me if I didn't want to. Aiming is fine, it's the shooting part that still scares me.

I've seen death, I've lived with death. I don't like it or welcome it. But I don't have to shoot to kill. Just incapacitate.

Dimitri and I are at his private shooting range near the hideout. It's deeper in the woods, but it's not creepy. Maybe if it were late and night and I was alone it'd be creepy but not during the day with him.

I show him how to take apart the gun, clean it, then reassemble it without messing up or skipping a step.

"Seems like you gotten this part down." He smiles and takes the gun, making sure to point it downwards.

"Maybe I should do it just one more time?" I ask, trying to stall. I don't want him to be upset with me for not being ready.

"Be confident, you're in control. You hold all the power, not the gun." He says softly, sensing me nerves.

My bottom lip finds my teeth as I stand from my seat, abandoning the plastic table.

Dimitri grabs my hand and leads me to the targets. Its large sheets of a thick paper material with a full body outline. In movies I've seen just the head and shoulders, never the full body.

Dimitri shifts to stand behind me. I feel his body slightly press against mine.

He hands the gun in front of him, once I take it, his hands cup mine as he brings our arms up.

"You can't hesitate once your gun is drawn. Remember, the real targets won't be still, they'll be moving and most likely moving towards you." His voice is as soft as velvet.

I nod. My arms are a little unsteady from my body shaking. I don't feel as much fear as my body is portraying, I actually don't feel any fear. Maybe it's all the adrenaline pumping through me. That's it! I'm not scared, I'm just hyped. Oddly enough, I feel comfortable.

"When you shoot, you'll feel something called a recoil. You have to have a tight grip or the gun will kick back and hit you in the face." He says as he tightens my hands around the gun.

"Wait. How powerful is it?" I ask. I don't want to hurt myself.

"It's not too bad, it's nothing like the guns I shoot. Just have a tight grip. I won't let go piccola. I'm not going to let it hit you." He chuckles from behind me.

I sigh with a small nod. At least he won't let go.

"Can I take off my jacket first? I'm hot." I ask, noticing the beads of sweat rolling off my head.

He backs away and waits for me to shrug off my jacket. Once I lay it on the plastic table, he steps behind me again and holds me and the gun in the same position.