The Book of Wonders: Casey Tresor's Fairy Tale Odyssey Book 1

@GlendorBoy: "I've survived a gunshot... but I'm not off the hook yet..."

"What...are you?" Ratface gasped, still staring at me. His gun was still aimed at my forehead. His friends who held me had to let go of me in disbelief.

But I didn't move. I couldn't move. I watched the gunpowder smoke trail out of the gun's mouth and up the ceiling in stunned disbelief. I had just survived a gunshot aimed at my forehead and I had no idea how that just happened. No one did!

Well, actually; just me and the Dragons gang who tried to kill me. Everyone else at the party bolted out of there like bats out of Hell. But who can blame them? They just saw a criminal pump a bullet, or tried to pump a bullet to my brain, and they're probably thinking I was dead and they were next.

But they didn't see that I survived. I wasn't dead. But I wasn't off the hook yet. Ratface still had his gun trained at me despite knowing that I didn't drop down like a lifeless—

Wait! He lowered his weapon. That's a good sign. But he was still staring at me. I had to distract him.

"Boss!" Craggy Face stepped beside him, "We can't stand here long! Let's kill the rest of them!" he shouted through the ongoing chaos.

"No!" Ratface raised his gun back up to my face again. I flinched. "No, you let them go."

An upturn twist formed over his lips, "We're dealing with this one."

"Dude, can you lower your gun here for like five minutes?" I stuttered.

"Yeah right." Ratface walked toward me again, his breath reeked with tobacco, the cold muzzle of his gun pressed under my chin now. I turned away, holding my breath.

"Y'all don't know who this is, man?" He laughed that squeaky laugh, "It's the boy we've all been looking for all these years. Searching for all these years..."

Tears filled my eyes, "What are you talking about?" I whimpered, "I thought you guys were looking for my father! And he ain't here!"

"Oh but you're right. He ain't here." Ratface clucked his tongue, "What a sad fate for you. But the perfect opportunity for us. We get to blow your head off and get our reward."

He pulled the trigger again. The gun clicked and I gasped.

Nothing.

Ratface blinked, looking at his empty gun, then back at me. "Damn it!" He angrily shoved his empty gun back down his jeans. "Gimme your gun!" he shouted at one of them.

It was now or never.

I rushed to throw a punch at him but his two goons grabbed me again from behind and locked my arms in place—Acne Face and Scarface.

"Hey!" I struggled, "Let me go!"

"Your gun empty boss?" Scarface asked.

"Don't ask questions!" Ratface barked, as one of the goons gave him the extra gun. He stepped toward me again. "We're here to complete a job." He checked the gun for bullets.

"I'm not afraid of you," I growled at him. Truth be told, I panicked inside.

Ratface sucked teeth. He aimed his gun at an empty vase not far from us and pulled the trigger. The vase exploded into pieces. I croaked.

Ratface turned back to me, "You should be." Ratface approached and aimed the gun again to my forehead.

"WHOOHOO!" A shout of excitement startled Ratface and the others. All eyes turned to a young drunk jock exiting the pool, wearing nothing but leaves instead of underwear, his entire body painted blue, "Let's get this party started y'all! Your Avatar King is here!"