THE RUN AND GO : JOSHLER

28 : ROULETTE

Tyler's cry of pain was muffled by the gag in his mouth as he jolted to the side and slammed against the floor.

The beam from Kobra Kid's gun pierced his calf, sending blood splattering across the stage. A pool of the dark blood soon formed underneath his body, and some of it ran down the side of the stage and onto the floor of the pit.

"See?! This is what happens when you fuckers step out of line!" Kobra Kid shouted, gesturing at Tyler with his gun. "Don't fucking start with me or the shot goes in his skull instead of his leg!"

Kobra Kid kneeled down next to Tyler's curled up, quivering body.

"Each time one of you act up, the shot goes higher-"

Kobra Kid shoved his gun in the bloody bullet hole in Tyler's calf and twisted. Tyler squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered as the barrel of Kobra Kid's gun dug out bits of skin and bone.

"-and higher-"

Kobra Kid took his gun away from Tyler's leg and drove it into his chest, the muzzle prodding hard into his sternum.

"-and higher."

Lastly, Kobra Kid pressed his gun against Tyler's temple. His trigger finger twitched as if he was just dying to pull the trigger.

Josh snapped.

He rushed forward, screaming Tyler's name and reaching for his gun underneath his shirt. Mr. Benzedrine and Youngblood reached out for him, but he shoved them off.

"Get the fuck away from him!" Josh screamed like a madman as he fought off all the Clique members trying to hold him back. "Don't you dare touch him!"

His shouts echoed in the hushed arena. Kobra Kid, Jet Star, and Fun Ghoul all immediately turned to look down at the front of the pit where Josh was causing the scene.

Josh had his gun in his hand now. He violently shoved off any Clique member that was attempting to stop him.

Mr. Benzedrine and Youngblood were trying to grab his gun and cover his mouth, while other members around him clutched his shirt and his arms in a vain attempt to pull him back into the crowd.

"Stop it!" Josh screamed at the top of his lungs. His gun was cocked and loaded, and he was waving it wildly in the direction of the Killjoys on stage. "Stop it! Don't fucking touch him! Fuck-!"

Another shot rang out in the auditorium.

The shot had went higher. Tyler was now bleeding out of both his calf, and his thigh.

He was crying, but he tilted his head down so no one could tell. His body was curled up in the fetal position, quivering and shuddering and twitching in pain.

Josh froze in his place, staring up at the stage with tears in his wide, sad eyes. He felt his body become limp, and he stumbled back, right into the arms of Youngblood and Mr. Benzedrine.

"You're going to get Mad Gear killed, you fucking idiot," Mr. Benzedrine hissed.

He and Youngblood held Josh back by his arms, with other Clique members near to back them up. Mr. Benzedrine managed to grab his gun and shove it in his own belt.

"You thought I was bluffing?!" Kobra Kid threw his head back and manically laughed. "You little fucks need to listen to your new leader!"

Kobra Kid then kneeled down and yanked Tyler over to him by his hair. His pathetic cries and whimpers were so quiet, Josh could barely hear them.