Maybe

Chapter 17

I made my way down the stairs hearing the music from the party pound in my ears. I walked into the living room and was immediately greeted by sweaty bodies and scents of alcohol. I pushed my way through the crowd and made it to the kitchen. There was a man in there getting a refill so I made my way to the drinks and filled one up.

"Hey cutie." The man slurred

I rolled my eyes and continued to fill my drink

"Why don't you meet me out there for a dance?" The man asked

"Yeah, we'll see." I said

"I'll see you there." He said

The second the door closed behind the man I made a break for the door to the outside. I checked my surroundings to make sure the coast was clear. There was no one in sight so I sprinted across the dead grass to the barn. I pulled open the heavy wooden doors and slipped inside. It smelled like hay and horse poop and it was pitch black. I looked around for a light when my eyes settled on a small flashlight on the corner of a worktable. I picked it up and flipped the switch. Nothing happened.

"Really?" I asked in annoyance

I threw the flashlight down and kept looking. Soon enough I found a lantern and a box of matches sitting right next to it. I struck a match and lit the lantern. The barn filled with light, but I was not prepared for what I saw next. Dozens of bones and skulls littered the barn floor, some decomposed, some not. It took all I had not to throw up then and there, but I was on a mission. We could not have gotten out of there any faster. I stepped over the bones and made my way to the back of the barn. I found a locked safe in the back, which no doubt held the weapons. I yanked on the handle with no luck.

"Come on!" I whispered trying with all of my might to get the doors opened

I looked around the barn for something that would help me break the lock. I found an ax hanging on the wall and I grabbed it right away. I didn't want to imagine what they had to use this for in a barn. I started hitting the handle with as much force as I could with the ax. I was starting to make a dent before I heard a creak from behind me.

"What do you think you're doing?" A man yelled from behind me

I turned around so shocked I dropped my lantern and my ax.

"Um...I...uh." I stumbled looking for words

"Trying to escape now are we?" He asked

"No, I...um...just needed some fresh air." I said

"Come with me." He said

"No." I said firmly

"Fine, you want to do this the hard way then." He said

He started to walk up to me while I tried to back away. I slammed into the barn wall and searched frantically for something to fight him with. He had a gun pointed at me so my plan of grabbing the ax was out. The man turned me around and held my hands behind my back while keeping the gun trained on my head. He started walking with me out of the barn and into a cellar. He made me walk down into the damp dark room. Multiple lanterns lighted it and I could see a single chair in the middle of the room.

"Sit." The man commanded

I sat down and he tied my hands behind the chair. He kept the gun trained at my head while he asked me questions.

"Where's the boy?" He asked

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said

"Oh now you don't want to do everything the hard way do you? He asked

I was silent.

"Now, I'm going to ask you again, where is the boy? He has to be in on this plan too, we can't have any runaways." He said "Unless of course he already made a break for it and left you here."

"He wouldn't do that." I said

"Oh, so he is still here." He said

I was silent again.

"Don't worry, my boys are looking for him right now, it shouldn't be long until he joins you down here." He said

"No, he didn't do anything. If you want to kill me fine, but leave him alone." I said

"Oh I don't believe that." He said

"We didn't kill your group if that's what you're wondering." I said

"How do you know anything about that?" He asked

"Just a hunch." I said sarcastically

This was the man from the kitchen who wanted revenge on us, I knew it.

"You were there weren't you, in the kitchen." He said

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said, "We are both innocent, but if you feel the need to kill someone, kill me, just let Ethan go please."

"Hmm, we'll see." He said

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming closer to the cellar and I looked up towards the ladder. My heart sank as I caught sight of Ethan descending the steps with a man pointing a gun behind him.

"Ethan!" I yelled

He was silent

"Ethan! What are you doing here?" I asked

He was still silent

The man pulled up another chair across from me, sat Ethan down, and tied his hands in a similar fashion as mine.

"Your boyfriend here made a deal." The man said

I looked over at Ethan in disbelief.

"No." I said

"You didn't even hear what the deal was!" The man said "He traded his own life for yours. Now if that isn't romance, I don't know what is."

"Ethan, look at me!" I yelled at him as he continued to stare at the floor "Ethan!"

I was desperate for him to just look at me; maybe I could change his mind. I felt tears streaming down my face as I yanked against the ropes that held me hostage.

The man held a gun to Ethan's temple as I screamed for him to stop.

"Ethan please! You're all I have! Please don't do this!" I yelled at him in between sobs

"Now, this is fun. Star crossed lovers dying for each other." The man taunting me

"Ethan, just look at me, please!" I yelled at him

"I guess we can just get it over with." The man said

"Ethan! Ethan stop! You don't have to do this!" I yelled at him sobbing

I yanked with all of my strength against the rough twine rope that held me hostage in the old creaky chair. I looked up to the boy who was in the same situation across from me. He avoided my gaze, for reasons I already knew.

"Ethan! Look at me!" By now I was hysterical hoping against hope that he would just look me in the eyes

Finally he met my gaze as he glanced up through tear brimmed eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said "But don't be sad, I'll be with my brother."

"No... no... no." I said "you can't leave me here without you!" I yelled

I saw him move his eyes slightly up towards the thin metal barrel and to the guy who held Ethan's life in his hands.

"I love you." He said just before I closed my eyes and heard a loud bang