Missing The Mark ✔

17

I raised the gun, my fingers trembling, and aimed it at Kol. My breath hitched in my throat as I grappled with the enormity of the decision before me. Everything blurred, and in that split second, the idea of taking a life felt inconceivable.

Summoning my courage, I shifted the gun slightly to the side, nothing that was recognizable by Boris - who had his weapon pointed straight at me - altering its deadly trajectory away from Kol. I pulled the trigger and the gunshot pierced the silence, making me flinch at the loud report. I didn't even have time to look at what the bullet hit before I turned and pulled the trigger once more, my aim deadset on Boris.

"Fuck!" Boris shouted in anger, "You fucking shot me!"

"I'm sorry! I panicked!"

"I'm going to kill you!" he exclaimed. I finally glanced at the wound on Boris' shoulder, the result of my actions, and I froze for a moment. He held the gun in his other hand, his dominant one, I assumed, since he seemed unfazed by the injury. He aimed the weapon at me without hesitation, and I braced myself for the impending danger, shutting my eyes tightly.

But nothing touched me. He missed.

I opened my eyes just in time to duck as another bullet came right to me. It all unfolded so rapidly, the deafening gunshots drowning out all other sounds. My body moved instinctively, but I had no time to even understand what I was doing. I found myself outside the room, Boris in close pursuit. His aim seemed erratic, most likely due to the pain from his shoulder wound. Without conscious thought, I gripped the gun still in my hand and fired at him once more. Boris cried out in agony but retaliated with another shot. I instinctively ducked, but in doing so, I inadvertently dropped the weapon. Panic surged through me as I hesitated, torn between the urge to retrieve the gun and the risk of being shot while doing so. Now I'm definitely screwed. If I took the time to scramble for the weapon on the ground, I would surely be shot. But, of course, I tried anyway.

As I sprawled on the ground, my trembling hand brushed against the baseball bat I'd dropped earlier—a lifeline in this nightmare. With swift desperation, I swung it low, connecting with Boris's shin. His pained cry pierced the room as he dropped to his knees. Seizing the moment, I regained my footing and delivered two heavy blows to his head, each resonating with a dull thud. Boris crumpled to the ground with a resounding thump, the gun slipping from his grasp. I kicked the weapon away and raised the bat, poised to strike again if he stirred. I remained vigilant for what felt like an eternity before allowing myself to exhale. The bat remained firmly in my grip as I cautiously made my way to Har, delivering a similar thwack to ensure he stayed down.

After ensuring that Boris and Har were incapacitated, I knew I needed to act quickly. My heart was still racing from the intense encounter, but I couldn't afford to waste any more time. I grabbed the gun that had fallen from Boris's hand and checked the chamber to confirm it was empty.

With the gun in one hand and the baseball bat in the other, I made my way back to Kol, who was still tied to the chair, battered and bruised as ever. Panic gnawed at the edges of my mind as I knelt beside him, unsure of what to do next. My instincts pushed me to check if he was still breathing. I leaned in closer, placing my ear above his slightly bruised lips, and felt the faint warmth of his breath against my skin. Relief washed over me as I confirmed he was alive.

With shaky hands, I began to work on untying the ropes that bound him. Kol's body slumped against mine as I removed the final restraint, and I had to push him gently to keep him from falling over. "Kol," I said urgently, giving his cheek a light tap. "Come on, wake up."

I repeated his name, this time a bit louder, and gently shook his shoulders.

My attempts remained unsuccessful.