Life with the jokers: on tour

Part 13- close call with death

"Oh my god!" Murr jumped from the bed and stood in a semi circle with the rest of us in front of Rachel.

"An armed assault?" Sal gasped, "with a gun?"

"Yeah," Rachel said, "but he hasn't been caught. We can't risk you guys exposed when there's a murderer on the lose."

"He murdered the guy?" Joe asked, taking a step back.

Rachel nodded sadly. "We don't know what to do."

"So is this why we can't leave the bus? How long ago was this murder?" -Sal.

"Last night," Rachel said.

"I think we should just go straight to DC," Q said, shutting the blinds of the bus.

"Me too," Sal nervously flinched away from the exposed windows.

We were all in shock.

"I guess I'll tell the fans you can't perform tonight." Rachel said.

The guys shared guilty expressions.

"What can you do, I guess?" Joe sighed, pulling his phone out to reveal the bad news on social media.

"We're probably going to have to leave straight away, get there a day early to DC. Maybe film a challenge while we're there. We'll make some calls."

Q had successfully shut all the drapes and was now fretting because the drivers huge window was exposed.

Suddenly, Murr went running out of the bus, and to the producers 20 meters away in the car park.

"What's he doing?" Sal gasped, trying to grab his shoulder to stop him.

Murr was talking frantically to the producers, lots of hand gestures and motions.

"I'm going to see," I said, walking confidently to the stairs.

"No!" Sal shouted, trying to grab my shoulder. "The shooter could still be over here."

I hovered by the bus' door, tension increasing rapidly. Nervous sweat. Panic. My heart rate has increased.

I just felt like crying.

Crying.

Q passed me and rushed to Murr, saying something anxiously.

But, without warning, Pete- the producer- signalled then both into the van. It was with such urgency and power that we automatically knew to retreat back.

"Get low," I order, my voice shaking slightly.

"Oh, my god," Sal whispered, his face crinkling up with fear.

"Don't worry," I whispered to him. We were inches off each other, crouching by the couch and window.

Murr ran into the bus, fear plastered over his face.

"He's here. He's here. Go!" He yelled. The bus driver slammed on the acceleration.

We peeked. As though this moment was going to fast, but we managed to slow it down.

Outside, there was a man, fully dressed in back with a balaclava over his face, running hastily carrying his huge black gun by his face.

Aimed.

Loaded.

It was aimed at the bus.

It was aimed at us.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod," Sal breathed in and out, in and out.

Our lives flashed before our eyes.

1 second

2 seconds

3 seconds

4 seconds

We were driving now. The gun man only 30 meters away.

A scream. A loud, raw, desperate scream.

Rachel.

She was beside me, clutching to the couch as we accelerated to the main road.

"It's ok," I soothed her. But to be honest, I didn't know if it was.

"If it's the end," Sal was clinging to the windowsill for his life, "I'm so glad I got to meet you guys." He was directing his speech to all guys in the back too. "Joe?"

"Oh my god," I whispered under my breath. Did we leave him? Oh my god.

Oh my god.

Time had only just begun to speed up, coming to reality.

"What?" Joe asked, walking cautiously out of the bathroom.

We were out on the road. We were 10mph over the speed limit. We didn't care.

We were lucky no one was killed.

Or so we hope. We haven't even checked up on the producers.

———
Thought this should be included to raise awareness for gun violence ❤️