Assassination

5

Ainsley

     I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting the tears trickle down my cheeks. Why was this happening? Who was doing this? I didn't understand, and I didn't think I ever would understand. Some kind of sadistic people were doing this to us, and we had no idea why.

     They wanted a massacre.

     Greyson leaned into me, running his hand down my cheek. I smiled sadly at him and leaned into him so our foreheads were touching. We were never like this around anyone, but we might not live to see another day.

     "We can't just sit in here and rot." Ann said, pushed her arm behind her and standing up, making sure to stay away from the window. All of us looked at her.

     "We can't go out there, Ann. They'll find us and they'll kill us." I said, standing up, too. She scowled at me.

     "She's right, Ann. We can't go out there and risk being seen." Grey said, backing me up. Reed didn't say anything, but I knew he wouldn't. He didn't want to get in the middle of it.

     "We have to get to the main office. There, we can call the cops."

     "Yes, because they're not guarding the office where the intercom is." I rolled my eyes and she took a threatening step forward, and I stepped back. She was about to say something when three men in black outfits stood in front of the window.

     Greyson pulled us back and then he pushed me behind him towards the dark corner of the room. Reed kept a hand out to be as quiet as we could and they started to mess with the handle of the door.

     I got down on my knees, everyone following suit. We crawled all the way across the room as they men attempted at getting the door open. I lead everyone to the back of the room where it lead into a small area where the teacher always kept their books piled high on the floor.

     There was just enough space for the four of us to fit behind the stacked books, and there were so many they almost reached the ceiling. We could hide behind there until the guys left. Greyson let me in first, his body pressed against mine as we practically cowered in the small space.

     "Guys, come on." I whispered, and Reed went to go in, but Ann wouldn't.

     "Ann, Ann!" Reed was trying to get her to come in and he went out to get her.

     "I'm not hiding. If they want me, they can have me. I'd rather die a fighter than a coward."

     "Ann, we can hide and save ourselves so we can get help." She shook her head. Ann started to walk away from our hiding spot, and Reed went after her. I jumped to go after him, but I was shoved back when the door was busted open. Reed sent me a fearful look and put a finger up to his lips. I shook my head as he left to cover up our tracks.

     I fought against my boyfriend, his hand against my mouth again. I heard Ann scream and tears started to flow from my eyes. No matter how much I disliked Antoinette, I didn't want her to die. Reed started to yell and shout, and I could peek between the two stacks of books that he was fighting against them.

     Tears flooded my cheeks and Grey held me flush against him so we wouldn't get caught. Reed went out to make sure we wouldn't get caught.

     "We will take both of you to film a little video for us, and we'll do a little toss at who dies right away and who dies during the video. Let's go."

     Both of my friends were going to die.

     I began to hyperventilate, muffled gasps running past Grey's hands. He shushed me and peeked his head around the other side of the books. He nodded and dropped his hand to my waist, embracing me as I quietly sobbed into his shirt.

     "We have- we have to do something, Grey. We can't let them die. I-I."

     "Sh, sh, sh." Grey pressed his lips against my forehead and I sniffled.

     "We won't. We need to get them back before they kill both of them. Okay? We will do everything we can to save them." I nodded and we checked to make sure the coast was clear before leaving the room.

     I watched from around the corner as both Reed and Ann struggled. The men in the black suits dropped both of their shaking, fighting bodies on the ground in front of the office.

     "Eenie meenie miney moe...." One of the guys pointed his gun like a sick game. When he said moe, he landed on Ann, who screamed. Reed shook his head, trying to reason with them.

     But they had already made up their mind.

     I heard running from the other hallway, but I just assumed it was more people there to kill us.

     What was the point?

     If they already took down one of our strongest members, what would happen to us?

     Realization settled into me, and I just felt my world crash down.

     My friends were going to die.

     My boyfriend was going to die.

     I was going to die.

     We were all going to die.

     It was like an out of body experience as the murderers took the black gun to Antoinette's head.

     Everything was in slow motion.

     I tried to scream, but my body wasn't doing what I wanted.

     I couldn't do anything but hide and watch.

     "It's a pity that I have to kill you now. You had so much potential." He pushed her blonde hair away from her face and twisted the point around. He was messing with her head. It's like killing her wasn't enough.

     But it was like a message to all of us. It was like he knew we were watching.

     He wanted us to know that no matter how hard we tried, he would find us and murder us. He would kill us. He would torture us, and leave nothing but a massacre behind.

     And then he pulled the trigger.